.Rev. Fr. Matthew Akakpo, an Assisting Priest at the St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, Donkorkrom, in the Kwahu Afram Plains North District, Eastern Region of Ghana, in a homily during the Easter Thursday Mass, at the Holy Rosary Sisters Convent, Asikasu – Donkorkrom, challenged the Sisters to pray with greater faith, believing that their prayers will be answered.
Reflecting on the First Reading as well as the Gospel, Fr. Akakpo pointed out that the theme of disbelief ran through the two Readings: The crowd in the First Reading, could not understand how a man they had been seeing crippled at the gate, could now walk, all thanks to the power of the Resurrection; and in the Gospel, Jesus’s disciples could not believe the Resurrection story recounted by the other two; how they had encountered Jesus on their way to Emmaus.
The Priest acknowledged how challenging it might have been for both parties to believe the Resurrection, since it was something never been heard of, in those days; nonetheless, he opined that they should have been able to believe, if not for anything, at least, the things that Jesus did while he was alive should have made them know that he had that power to rise again as he promised.
He drew a dichotomy between what the disciples had prayed for, and their reaction when their prayer was answered. Alluding to the two disciples on their journey to Emmaus, who had shared the hope of a Christ, who would come to deliver them, and now that their prayer got answered through the Resurrection of Christ, they were in disbelief.
Recounting his personal encounter how he earnestly prayed and longed for something, and how God had answered his prayer by providing him with his need, Fr. Akakpo urged the Sisters to pray, trusting that their prayers will be answered so that when it actually happens, they shouldn’t doubt.
He said “when we pray, we shouldn’t doubt that it is possible for it to come true, especially when we are dealing with the man who overcame death; because we believe that he has the power to turn things around”.
The April 24, 2025 Holy Mass had been offered for the eternal repose of the soul of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, following the request of the Most Rev. John Alphonse Asiedu, SVD, Bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of Donkorkrom, for Masses by parishes and Religious Communities within the Vicariate for the Pope.
The Mass had also been offered for Immaculee Tagali, MSHR Pre-candidate, on the occasion of her birthday.
Also present at the Mass was Sr. Angela Akeje, Missionary Sisters of the Holy Rosary Development Officer from Ireland, who was on a working visit to Ghana.
By Sr. Sylvie Lum Cho, MSHR (DEPSOCOM, Donkorkrom Apostolic Vicariate).
