Fr. Michael Nsikak Umoh
In his homily delivered during the Holy Mass for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross on Monday, September 14, 2026, Most Rev. Anthony A. Adaji, MSP, cautioned Church leaders and the faithful on the growing tendency in modern society to reduce Christianity to a commodity of convenience and personal prosperity.
Addressing the assembly at the Catholic Bishops’ Conference in the Diocese of Osogbo, the Bishop of Idah emphasised that the fundamental identity of Christianity is intrinsically linked to the mystery of the Cross; a truth he warned is increasingly being obscured by contemporary popular culture.
Reflecting on the biblical account of the Israelites in the Sinai desert, Bishop Adaji noted how complaints against God led to severe consequences, while the merciful healing offered through Moses foreshadowed the ultimate salvation wrought on Golgotha.
Turning to the modern era, the prelate warned against persistent attempts to strip Christianity of its core mandate of sacrificial discipleship.
”Christianity as a saving religion, a way of life of those who accepted Christ and live by His teaching, is a religion of the cross,” Bishop Adaji affirmed. “However, attempts to strip Christianity of the cross have never been lacking… Not many people want to hear of Jesus, let alone associate with Him, who said: ‘Take up your cross and follow me’ (Mt 16:24). Rather, they want a jesus who will say to them: ‘Abandon your cross and be prosperous.'”
The Bishop decried the transactional lens through which religion is increasingly viewed today: “We live in a society where Christianity can be easily traded off as a transactional religion like any commercial commodity that can be put on sale. Nowadays, it is easy to trade off Christianity for convenience, be it political, economic, or social.”
Given these escalating pressures, Bishop Adaji directed an urgent plea to clergy and church leadership to remain resolute in their pastoral duty. “Bishops and priests as pastors of souls, our challenges have stepped up their demands on us to be particularly vigilant about protecting not only the flock but also the whole Church,” he declared. “Strictly speaking, we should not have any responsibility more important to us than the protection of the flock of the Lord.”
Addressing the broader societal climate driven by immediate gratification and pop culture, the Bishop stressed that the voice of the shepherd must never be silenced, even when facing significant personal risk.
Moreover, Bishop Adaji made a vivid metaphor for the nation, he framed the Church’s mission as a guiding light amidst turbulent waters: “Nigeria like a ship on voyage without possibility of a lighthouse, the Church in Nigeria should be the lighthouse for our country; that guiding light to a safe harbour.”
Concluding his reflection, Bishop Adaji urged the faithful to anchor their devotion in the true spirit of Saint Paul’s message in Galatians 6:14 “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ…”, praying that the transformative light of the Cross continues to shine upon the nation and the Church today and always.
