The Assistant Cathedral Administrator of St. William’s Cathedral, Lafia, Rev. Fr. Joseph Ovey, has cautioned Christians against misuse of the Holy Spirit as weapon of destruction or an instrument of manipulation.
Delivering his homily on Pentecost Sunday, a feast celebrated 50 days after Easter, Fr. Ovey reminded believers that the Holy Spirit is a source of peace, purification, and unity, rather than a tool for spiritual superiority.
Drawing from the day’s readings (Acts 2:1-11, 1 Corinthians 12:3-7, and John 20:19-23), Fr. Ovey noted that while Pentecost is widely celebrated as the “birthday of the Church” marking the day the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles, he said the Holy Spirit existed from time immemorial.
”In the Catholic faith, we believe in Three Persons in One God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.Today, the Church also celebrates this mystery to show that the Holy Spirit did not just begin to exist at Pentecost.”
Citing Acts 19:2, where the Apostle Paul met disciples who confessed they had never heard of the Holy Spirit, the cleric lamented that widespread ignorance still exists today, leading to sharp divisions within Christendom.
Addressing the divisions in “Speaking in Tongues and “Holy Ghost Fire” Fr. Ovey said there were two major areas of misconception causing divisions in the modern Church.
The preacher cautioned against spiritual pride, stating that speaking in tongues does not make an individual holier than others.
“The Lord reminds us that there are varieties of gifts,” he said, urging the faithful to seek the foundational gifts of the Spirit namely; wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and the fear of God.
He strongly warned that spiritual gifts must never be used for manipulation, clarifying that the fire is meant to purify the heart and grant understanding, not to be invoked as a weapon of death against enemies.
“The fire of the Holy Spirit should give us peace and enable us to bear fruits,” the priest emphasised.
He urged Christians to look inward and see if their lives manifest the true fruits of the Spirit: love, patience, modesty, chastity, kindness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.
The high point of the Pentecost celebration was the golden jubilee celebration of a devout couple, Mr. and Mrs. William Maku, who successfully renewed their marital vows after 50 years of togetherness.
Before a cheering congregation, the couple promised to continue loving each other, through the help of the Holy Spirit, until death parts them. Fr. Ovey blessed the marital bond, praising them as a shining beacon of Christian marital fidelity.
Sharing his testimony in an interview with The Voice after the Mass, the 74-year-old patriarch, Mr. William Maku, revealed that simplicity, forgiveness, and a radical vow of chastity were the secrets to his half-century marriage.
”There must be ups and downs, but what kept us up to now is my wife’s simplicity she is so simple and respects me, and asks for forgiveness when she offends me. And whatever she does to me, I always forgive her and ask for her forgiveness too. I take her as my own flesh.”
He revealed the secret covenant that protected his marriage from infidelity:
Mr. Maku, whose marriage is blessed with five children two girls and three boys, following the painful loss of their first child and about seven grandchildren called on husbands to stick to their wives.
“Every woman has her own different spirit. When you look for strange women outside, you are bringing a strange spirit into your home. Infidelity brings sickness and chaos. Once you bring a strange spirit home, your house will never settle at all”, he advised.
The celebration concluded with a thanksgiving procession, as parishioners cheered the golden jubilee couple for demonstrating that with the Holy Spirit, a lifelong faithful marriage is entirely possible.
