Dearly beloved of the Eucharistic Lord, flowing from the solemnity of the Annunciation, I wish to reflect on God is HERE, in order words, IMMANUEL (God with Us).
I am surprised at the blindness of many a Ghanaian in the wake of the pandemic. God writes straight with crooked lines, no one can assume the position of God’s counsellor. St. Paul says: ”Who has ever been His counselor…?”.
I want to state categorically that God is almighty and omnipotent and he is long-suffering because he has seen more bloodsheds than any man on earth. no one can thwart god’s will on earth. I feel we are merely conforming to god’s will, that is why we are behaving like the people in Noah’s time.
Human beings have been empowered by God as leaders over a long period of time so they feel they can manipulate God. The word “manipulate” comes from the root word “manus” – meaning hand. The same root word comes to the word “manufacture” – to make with the hand.
What makes us human beings is a two-fold principle known as “ratio” – mind, and “Manus” – hand. God created us in His own image and likeness in order to be co-creators and co-preservers of the temporal goods of the Earth. Thus, we are to order the material and spiritual goods of the world.
Moses As a Leader:
In today’s first reading from Numbers, Moses manifested the quality of a good leader by interceding for his people to let God relent of the impending punishment He intended for them for worshiping an idol.
So, in Ghana, we all know the idols and occult worship which abound in almost every space. We have worshipped idols of all kinds. In fact, we have imported foreign gods into our country. Yet, these same false prophets condemned the Catholic Church for making images of saints who point to God.
Let us believe in the fact that we have committed IDOLATRY and that God is punishing us as He punished His own special heritage, Israel. We don’t need any prophet to reveal these cancerous crimes committed against God and neighbours.
GHANAIANS ARE NOT PROBLEM SOLVERS
God will not do for us what we can do for ourselves. We saw, we heard, we felt and prayed for other countries who were hit by the calamity. We knew the nature, mode of spreading and how to prevent it. We are like the Israelites who prayed seven times a day but went into exile because they refused to ACT to please God. It is not the same people who fast who hype sanitizers, Veronica buckets, fruits, etc. Fake pastors offered sugary messages that Coronavirus will not cross our boundaries. In fact, even on this platform, some active and “super apostles” used the holy ghost fire to burn Coronavirus in the air.
Then, Coronavirus penetrated our ports when we could have curbed that. When BBC reported a case in Legon, we denied it and called it FAKE NEWS. Then the first, second, fourth, and seventh. After the seventh, we gathered religious gurus at the presidency to pray against the Coronavirus. That same day, the number rose to nine. Seven days later, the whole nation fasted and prayed to avert the pandemic. All were hopeful that it will return to its place of departure. But, the same day saw about 40 new cases added. It is now 93, and 4 deaths. IS GOD REALLY IN GHANA? WHERE IS OUR GOD? HAS HE ABANDONED US, THE GATEWAY TO AFRICA?
Now, how do we fix the problems with God in our boat?
Indeed, God is actively present in Ghana as all the pastors, priests, prophets, apostles, evangelists, etc. have drummed hard into our sub-consciousness. We have two options to help SANITIZE OUR LAND:
1. SILENT MASSACRE IN COVID-19.
2. BLOODY MESSACRE IN CIVIL WAR DUE TO ELECTION.
The first is a lessor evil which could have helped us
Reform our lives. However, God is still at work and is sanitizing his land which was consecrated to the sacred heart of Jesus.
Our leaders, both politicians and religious are not trained to solve problems but to fuel them. I thank god for my lord bishops’ directive to have locked down churches with exceptions. Ghanaians will not hold the church responsible. Never.
However, when priests argue in support of the government’s seeming adamant attitude towards the counsel of health experts should know that they are kicking against their bishops’ directives. More so, to cite lack of social amenities and others are good but are just a mirage in a time of disaster.
If rebels had taken over the Osu principal streets and had shot dead a minister of state, a state of emergency with a curfew would have been declared. In fact, Ghanaians in Accra would have quarantined themselves without a word from the president.
What is good for the goose …
but who says locking down the country or a city is a preferred option for people? If china built a 1000 capacity hospital in about 10days, we who are notoriously religious and faithlessly faithful can build and provide social amenities in all communities in five days.
But how can we push all the burdens on the poor government who hardly received enough taxes from citizens? I am convinced that churches in Ghana have received more revenues than the government: the first, second and third collections, the thanksgiving offerings, tithing, seed sowing envelopes, send-off offerings, project levies, dues, Kofi and ama, pastors appreciation, father’s anniversary gifts, etc.
More so, if it becomes critical, I expect churches to host those who have no such amenities since they have spent over 70 percent of their income on offerings to God, and Jesus says “come to me, all you who are heavily burdened….”
Back to government, who advises government to declare curfew in the northern regions when they set fire on their mud houses? Is it because they are less human beings than those in Accra whose lives are endangered? How many people die and fall sick in such moments in the north as compared to this global pandemic?
Now it is clear that we are deeply divided as a nation, irrespective of our religious or political affiliations.
Priests and Religious should know that the mission house and the house of God are cities of refuge for all who seek a sure comfort and are in captivity. Let us start orienting ourselves to habour our poor parishioners in our palace rectories and suited office complexes. In fact, thank god, almost every church has washrooms, the squatters around us shall find refuge. As for feeding, I am sure we have enough offertory gifts to share like manner in the desert.
May we be conscious of god’s active presence in our midst and think critically to solve problems.
We are all responsible!!! God is here!!!
Peace and joy!!!
Source: Rev. Fr. Ebenezer Hanson, Accra
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