Most Rev. John Bonaventure Kwofie, the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra, has called on all faithful to become committed disciples of Christ despite challenges and sufferings.
During his homily at the St. John Bosco Catholic Church in Tema Golf City for the pastoral visit and confirmation, Most Rev. John Bonaventure Kwofie urged all to prioritize their relationship with Christ, citing Jesus’ words from the Gospel of Luke, where followers are called to renounce their families and personal comforts to be disciples.
He said, “My dear people of God, the hate-language is the Greek expression for preference over. It is another way of saying, “If anyone comes to me without preferring me to his father and mother, wife, children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple”. Even that is a problem! But this is not hatred of yourself and family, but preferring your fellowship to Christ to everything family can give you.”
He also explained that the cross which Christians must carry is not just a burden but a blessing, noting that true discipleship involves planning and personal commitment.
“If you want to be a disciple of the man Jesus, don’t count the burden that it brings; if you want to be a disciple of Jesus, don’t count the cross this fellowship implies, you don’t count the load that you will carry, it is all blessing for you”, he noted.
According to Archbishop Kwofie, discipleship entails challenges that necessitate honesty, integrity, and a willingness to endure suffering.
He stated, “To be a follower of Christ is as painful as carrying the cross. It is to tell the truth always and abide always by it; it is to be honest in everything you say.”
In addition, Archbishop Kwofie likened this commitment to building a house, where one must prepare adequately and carefully consider resources.
He stated, “This comes with a big cost. It is like building a house and sitting down to calculate the cost. You will say to yourself, “Wow, building a house is not a joke. How can I finish it with the resources I have? The money I have saved for this project is not going anywhere.”
He encouraged all faithful to make “hard decisions and commit to it” to achieve set goals, urging all to renounce themselves and everything they possess.
By: Veronica Sena Amenya
