60 10.Obligation
/Necessity modals
61 2.Prayers Inspiring the
audience
commandment that prohibits the having another god, simply in terms of whether one has ever visited the dibia or native doctor but more in terms of whether the covenantal relationship with God is what defines every other thing that one does.
It is important for us to realize that children are God‘s gift, not only to the parents but also to the society at large (nwa bu nwa oha)
You may think that it is easier to go to other Churches and groups…Ebe onye no, ebe onoro ana-agu ya! (One is attracted to the place where one is not). You have only taste and see that the simmer will wear off and the pretence continues!
Oburo etu ugoro si ada n’onu ka osi ato uto…not all that glitters is gold (FFF, p. 79)
God our father, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, teach us to cherish the gifts that surround us. Increase our faith in you. And bring our trust to its promised fulfillment in the joy of your kingdom. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen
May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of our Divine Saviour intercede for you all during this period of intensive spiritual renewal.
Father, guide us as you guide creation, according to your law of love. May we love one another and come to perfection in the eternal life prepared for us. We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, One God forever and ever. Amen.
…Filled with hope and in the communion of all the saints, may
Love
Loyalty
Faith
Repentance
Love
Loyalty
p.26)
(LALG, p.53)
(WWF, pp.67-68)
(IYHF, p.52)
(GCTR, p.38)
(TML, pp.49-50)
(FFF,
62 3.Inclusive
pronoun
4.Rhetorical Questions
Creating a feeling of belonging, collectivism and oneness
Appealing to denominational sentiments
we remain steadfast in the Catholic Church in body and soul until we enter our heavenly home. Amen.
When we obey the word of God, we do what God has commanded. It is through obedience that we manifest our faith as well as grow in faith.
To be converted, we must change our old ways of doing things by realising that sins repel and take us away from the ultimate purpose of our existence…
We live in the amazing love of God when we begin to share our life and what God has given us with our fellow human beings, especially with those who are in most need of our love, care and concern.
We must be vigilant so that we are not led astray by people masquerading as apostles!
Are they really Catholic? Or could we be harbouring non-Catholics among us? Where actually did things go wrong in our journey of faith? Is this the fruit of our faith?
How many people take to founding their own ministries or fellowships for the quick money that comes from people‘s sowing? How many people make wild claims, publicise miracles and invite people to a display of signs and wonders, all designed to catch the unwary and exploit their gullibility?
Look at the lives of the ―mighty men and women of God‖! Are their lives consistent with the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ?
Are their lives consistent with the poverty, purity, modesty, simplicity and gentleness of Christ? Are their lives not a sad reproach to the Gospel?...we must be on our guard against the
Faith
Repentance
Love
Loyalty
Loyalty
Loyalty
Loyalty
pp.103-104) (IYHF, p.41)
(GCTR, p.16)
(LALG, p.62)
(FFF, p.50) (OEO,p.16)
(FFF, p.66)
(FFF, pp.73-74)
63 5.Sarcasm
6.Segregation pronoun
Creating
distaste for non-Catholic faith
Creating
distaste for
non-wiles of men and women who hold the outward form of religion but deny the inner power to transform men and women.
Who told you that a bird can lay eggs of gold? Who told you that a believer cannot suffer when the Lord in whom he or she believes challenges everyone who wishes to follow him to deny oneself and take up one‘s cross and follow him? (Mt. 16:24) Who told you that our God wants every believer to be rich when the Lord himself though rich made himself poor and declared ―How blessed are you who are poor: the kingdom of God is yours‖ (Luke 6:20)? Who told you that God must give the believer anything he or she demanded, when St. Paul prayed and pleaded with Lord three times to remove the messenger of Satan who was sent to batter him and prevent him from getting above himself and got the reply: ―My grace is enough for you:
for power is at full stretch in weakness‖ (2 Cor. 12:7-9)?
The people‘s craze for instant solution to their problems is satisfied. They are given ―holy‖ water, ―holy‖ oil, ―holy‖
candles, ―holy‖ soap, ―holy‖ cream, ―holy‖ powder in place of the charms or amulets of the traditional dibia.
They perform signs and wonders, heal the sick, do mighty work, give children to barren women, find husband for single girls, get visas for Nigerians wanting to ―check out,‖ provide immunity against air, water and sexually transmitted diseases in the mighty name of Jesus!
The Diviner, of course knows everything. He goes to the spirit world to get the knowledge of hidden things…
They are renting stores, warehouses and any structure for their activities. Their power is in their power amplifiers with which
Loyalty
Loyalty
Loyalty
Loyalty
Loyalty
(FFF, p.81)
(WWF, p.19)
(FFF,p.72)
(WWF, p.18) (FFF, p.6)
64 7.
Personificati on of the
RCC as
Mother
Catholic faith
Keeping the audience
emotionally attached to the Church
they fill the air with their loud preaching. They ensnare people with smooth and sweet talks. They captivate them with claims of signs and wonders. They mesmerize the gullible with speaking in tongues and visions. Their stock-in-trade is the Bible. They quote it right, left and centre…They engage in home ministry (olu ezinuno), act as Gideonites and prayer warriors, all with the intent to lead the unwary and people with disoriented lives astray
The warning of St Peter is clear…These people are like dried up springs. They make proud and statements, use immoral bodily lusts to trap those who are beginning to escape from among people who live in error They promise them freedom while they themselves are slaves of destructive habits…(2 Peter 2:17-20)
They are Catholics. They may be priests or lay men or women.
They claim to be many things. They set up prayer warriors.
They would not listen to the hierarchy. They engage in deceitful activities. They disturb the faith of the people.
…In her wisdom, the Church uses these same words of Jesus at the beginning of Lent to present again to us, hersons and daughters, the central challenge of this holy season.
Each Lent our Holy Mother Church calls us to repent for our sins and change lives. She calls us to make serious efforts and turn to God completely.
It is in this light that we warn against the threat of Pentecostalism and restate that the Catholic Church encourages all her Children to remain under her comforting shade since it is the will of God that all her children should be one sheepfold
Loyalty
Loyalty
Repentance
Repentance
Loyalty
(FFF, p.7)
(WWF, p.67)
(RBGN, p.5)
(GCTR, p.36)
(GCTR, p.14)
65
8.Emotion-laden words