Maria Mimo: Efa Ekeji ati Oluranlowo AlaisanIwasu lori Oke Maria, Oka Akoko, Ipinle Ondo

Ni ojo kankanla osu keji odun 2005

Paadi Anthony A. Akinwale, O. P.

Kabiyesi Olodumare; Oba lana, Oba loni, Oba ayeraye. Kabiyesi Olodumare; Alase laye

ati Alase l’orun. Kabiyesi; Oba akoda, Oba aseda, Oba ti ise owo re ko lonka. Kabiyesi;

Oba ti ife re si gbogbo eda owo re ko see fi enu so. Dafidi oba ti se apejuwe re. O ni

gbogbo orun n kede ise owo re. Bee si ni gbogbo sanma n fi ise owo re han. Ojo de ojo

n so itan ise iyanu re. Tosan toru n fi iroyin re jise. Idakeroro ise owo re n kede ewa

won, lai fo ede lai pe ogede. Itankale won ti la gbogbo aye ja, oro won si ti de opin aye.

Ni atetekodaye ni o ti fi oro re da ohungbogbo, ti o si fi oro kan naa mu aye ti o da ro.

Nigba naa ni o wi pe ki ohungbogbo wa, ti won si wa, ti iwo si rii wipe won ni ewa. O

tun wa daa omo eniyan ni aworan ara re. O da duduyemi o bu ewa fun, o da aponbepore

o bu ewa fun, o da kuruyejo o bu ewa fun, bee si ni o tun da aguntasolo ti o si fun oun

naa ni ewa tire. Baba wa gba ope ati iyin wa loganjo oru yi.

Mo wa ki Baba wa, eni ti n se Asoju Kristi, Aropo awon apostoli, ati Olori Oluso

Aguntan ni Daiosisi Ondo, Eni Owo Julo, Francis Folorunso Alonge. Oluwa ti o fi yin si

ipo Bisobu yoo je ki e ko wa je pe o, bee si ni ajinde ara o maa je.

Mo ki gbogbo awon sasedoti wa ati awon olufokansin wa. Aso ala ti Olodumare

da fun wa ninu ola nla re, aye ati esu ko ni ta epo sii lagbara Kristi. Ki Olorun tun bo

maa fun wa ni oore ofe re lati maa hu iwa mimo, iwa onirele okan pelu laakaye. Ani,

lagbara Oga Ogo, awa o ni doju ti ijo Kristi. Lagbara Oba ti o ju Oba lo, a o ni dobale

nibi ti ko daa, bee si ni a o ni wole nibi buburu.

Mo ki gbogbo Ijo Olorun, lokunrin ati lobinrin, lomode ati lagba, ti Dayosisi

Ondo ati ti awon dayosisi ti o yii ka ti a pejo sori Oke Maria ninu irin ajo mimo yi. Ki

Olorun Olodumare mu gbogbo wa duro sinsin ninu esin re. Esin la o maa se, awa o ni se

esin laye nbi, bee si ni a o ni se esin leyin aye yi. Nipa oore ofe kiribiti Olodumare, ki a

maa dagba si ninu igbagbo, ninu, ireti, ati ninu ife. Idanwo ti agbara wa o ka ki Olugbebi

fo bawa sun kuro ni sakani wa. Bi a si ti n gbadura fun awon oun ti emi, bee naa ni a n

gbadura fun awon oun ti ara wa nilo. Ona atije, ona atimu, ki Olorun Olodumare fi han

gbogbo wa. Bi a si ti n wa oun ti a je kiri ki a ma pade oun ti o je wa. Ani nipa adura

Maria Wundia Mimo, Iya Olorun ati Iya gbogbo Ijo Olorun, ki idaabobo ti o nipon yi

gbogbo wa ka.

Eyin arakunrin ati arakunrin mi ninu Oluwa, iwe ti a fi pe mi lati wa wasu nihin fi

ye mi pe koko oro ti a o fi jiroro ni asale yi ni: “Maria: Oluranlowo alaini”. Mo wa fe ki

a topase oro naa lati ibere Iwe Mimo oro Olorun.

A fi kowa ninu Iwe Mimo pe ni atetekose ni Oro wa. Pelu Oro naa ni a fi da oun

gbogbo. Nigba ti Oluaye ati orun si fi oro re da Adamu ati Efa, o pase fun won, o ni ki

won maa je, o ni ki won maa mun, ki won maa bi si ki won si maa re si, ki won maa

gbadun lori ile aye. O tun wa kilo fun won wipe ki won ma se fi owo won kan igi imo

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rere ati imo buburu. Sugbon kaka ki won teti si, n se ni won teti si Satani alatako eda.

Ani kaka ki won teriba fun Oro ti o mu aye ro, oro itanje Satani, oro ti ko lese nle, ni won

teriba fun. O wa fi ye won wipe ni iwon igba ti won ti lodi si ofin re, awon ati irandiran

won ni yoo je iya. Olodumare ge egun fun ejo ni ojo naa pe:

Nitori iwo ti se eyi, egun ni fun o laaarin awon eranko ati gbogbo eran igbe.Aya re ni iwo yoo maa fi wo, iwo yoo si maa je erupe ile ni gbogbo ojo aye re.Emi yoo fi ikorira saaarin re ati obinrin naa, saaarin iran re ati iran re. Iran re yoo fo ori re, iwo yoo si lo mo ese re.

Eyin ara ninu Oluwa, mo wa fe ki a se akiyesi oro ti o pari egun ti Olorun Olodumare ge

fun ejo ti n se asoju Satani ni ojo naa, ninu eyi ti Eleda oun gbogbo wi pe:

Emi yoo fi ikorira saaarin re ati obinrin naa, saaarin iran re ati iran re. Iran re yoo fo ori re, iwo yoo si lo mo ese re.

Ti a ba ye oro yi wo daradara, a o ri wi pe oro ti o pari egun ti a gun fun ejo ni ojo kini

oun naa ni oro ti a fi bere ibukun fun awa omo Adamu ati Efa.

Emi yoo fi ikorira saaarin re ati obinrin naa, saaarin iran re ati iran re.

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Tani obinrin naa? Efa ni obinrin naa. Efa akoko ti o teti si oro ejo alagabagebe.

Nipa titeti si, ati nipa gbigba oro re gbo ni ese, irora ati iku ti wo inu aye yi. Sugbon

nigba ti Olodumare ge egun fun esu ni ojo naa, o tun wa se ileri ati ikede wipe obinrin

naa ati iran re yoo bori esu. Eyi ni itumo “Emi yoo fi ikorira saaarin re ati obinrin naa,

saaarin iran re ati iran re.” Oro yi ni awon ojogbon ati awon Babanla wa ninu igbagbo

Kristi maa n se apejuwe re ni ede Latin gegebi proto evangelium. Itumo re ni ede Yoruba

ni “ikede ihin rere akoko”. Eyi jasi wi pe, lati igba ti esu ti tan omo eniyan je ni

Olodumare ti so oro re wipe awa ti a tan je nigba ti esu tan Adamu ati Efa je, awa naa ni

yoo bori eni ti o tan wa je. Ani eni ti o tan wa je, oun naa gan ni awa yio bori. Oro

Oluwa kii si ye. Bi o ba ti soro re bee naa lori. Nitori eyi ni awa onigbagbo se wa ni

idaju pe awa ni yoo bori esu, esu ko ni bori wa o.

Sugbon, Efa akoko ni Esu tan. Efa ekeji fi igbagbo, adura ati laakaye gbe. Maria

Mimo, Wundia ati Iya Olorun ni Efa ekeji. Iwo ti o ba fe bori esu, ki o maa fi igbagbo lo,

ki o kun fun adura, ki o si maa fi laakaye gbe ohun gbogbo. Nitori ejo ti n se iranse ati

asoju esu to Efa akoko lati tan o si ri be. Eyi ni ibere irora ati iku. Sugbon angeli

Gabrieli ti n se iranse Olorun to Maria loo, o jise oro Olorun fun Maria, Maria gba oro re

gbo, o teriba fun ife ti Olorun. O si wi lojo naa fun angeli pe: “Saawo omobinrin iranse

Oluwa ni emi n se. Ki o ri fun mi gegebi oro re.” Iyato ti o wa laarin Efa kini ati Efa

ekeji ni wi pe Efa kini gba iranse esu gbo iku si ti ipa re wo inu aye, Efa ekeji gba iranse

Olorun gbo iwosan ati iye si ti ipa re wo inu aye. Ani nipa gbigba oro Olorun gbo ni a fi

ri imuse ileri Olorun, ninu eyi ti o wi pe, “Emi yoo fi ikorira saaarin re ati obinrin naa,

saaarin iran re ati iran re.” Olorun wa mu oro naa see ni igbesi aye Maria Mimo.

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Ani lati ayeraye ni Olorun ti ya Maria soto gegebi ilekun ti Olorun yoo gba fi wo

inu aye. Lati ayeraye ni Olorun ti yaa si oto, ti o si paa mo lowo ese akose. Sebi nwon

ni laye ijo si, nigba ti iyan n mu nile awon eranko, gbogbo eranko lo pa iya re je. Sugbon

aja gbe tire o lo fi pamo sorun. Bi ebi ba si ti n paa, oun yoo wa iya re lo si orun, yoo lo

jeun si lorun. Bi o ba si ti di asiko lati lo jeun lodo yeye re, ti o ba ti korin

Iya, iya takun wa le,Alujonjonkijon.Gbogbo araye pa yeye re je oAlujonjonkijonAja mu tire o d’orun,Alujonjonkijon.

A rii kaa ninu iwe orin Dafidi gegebi Dafidi naa ti se apejuwe ara re lehin ti o da

ese pelu Betseba. O ke pe Olorun alaanu julo. O ni:

Saanu fun mi, Olorun, ninu aanu re, ninu opo aanu re nu ese mi nu.We mi ni awemo kuro ninu ijebi mi, we mi mo kuro ninu ese miKiyesi i pe elese ni a bi mi, lati inu oyun ni mo ti je elese.

Kii se Dafidi nikan ni oro yi se apejuwe re. Gbogbo wa ni oro yi n toka si. Gbogbo awa

eda omo Adamu ati omo Efa, elese ni a bi wa, a si ti je elese lati inu oyun. Ti Maria

nikan lo yato. Maria mimo ni Efa keji, Iya Olorun, obinrin ti a fi pamo ti ese akose ko

lee toro mo. Idi eyi ni a fi tun maa n fi korin wipe:

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Wundia Mimo o, ti ko labawon ese akose, R’ado re bo wa o repete.

Wundia Mimo o, ti ko labawon ese akose, R’ado re bo wa o repete.

Ye e dakun ye! Iya alailese.Ye dakun ye! Iya alailese.Ye e dakun ye, Iya alaileseF’oju rere wo wa o Iya waIya wa

Ye e dakun ye! Iya alailese.Ye dakun ye! Iya alailese.Ye e dakun ye, Iya alailese.F’oju rere wo wa o Iya waIya wa

Wundia Mimo o, ti ko labawon ese adase, R’ado re bo wa o repete…..

Wundia Mimo o,Ti ko je gbagbe oro ifihanR’ado re bo wa o repete…

Wundia Mimo oEfa t’osowon ara eda oR’ado re bo wa o repete….

Gegebi a ti rii ka ninu iwe Genesisi, okunrin akoko pe aya re ni Efa, nitori oun ni

iya gbogbo awon ti o wa laaye. Bee naa ni awon Baba wa ninu igbagbo ti won tun je

ojogbon ninu igbagbo se npe Maria Mimo, Iya Olorun ni Efa keji, Wundia Mimo ti ko ni

ese akose. Gegebi Efa kini ti se je iya gbogbo awon ti o wa laaye, bee naa ni Efa keji ti se

je iya gbogbo awon ti a fun ni iye ainipekun nipase ise igbala ti Oluwa wa Jesu Kristi se.

Nitori ninu Jesu Kristi, Omo Baba Ayeraye, eni ti a so di eniyan ninu Maria Wundia kan

na, ni iran obinrin naa ati iran esu ti wo ijakadi. Eyi tun mu mi ranti oro orin kan ti Ijo

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Katoliki maa n ko ninu ajodun Ajinde. Oro orin naa wi pe, “Iku ati iye ti wo ijakadi,

Olufun-ni-niye lo segun” (Mors et vita duelo, conflixere mirando. Dux vivus mortuus,

regnat vivus).

Olorun Oba nla ti o mo ise re se ti mu ileri re se lori igi agbelebu nigba ti Jesu wo

ijakadi pelu iku. A kan mo agbelebu nitori wa. O ku lori igi ijiya. Sugbon eni ti a kan

mo agbelebu bori iku lori igi naa. Lati eha re ti a fi ida gun lori igi agbelebu ni omi ati

eje ti san jade—omi ati eje ti n se aami sakramenti ibatisi ati sakramenti Yukaristi mimo

—sakramenti ibatisi ti n mu wa wo inu ijo, sakramenti ibatisi ti a fi gbin eso iye

ainipekun sinu okan wa, ati sakramenti Yukaristi mimo ti a fi n bo ijo Olorun, titi di ojo ti

Ijo naa yoo fi oju kan Olorun. Bi omi ati eje ti se n san jade lati iha Jesu lori igi agbelebu,

bee naa ni iye ati iwosan ti n jade to gbogbo onigbagbo. Nigba ti Olorun fe mu Efa kini

wa si aye, o mu Adamu kini sun fonfon, o si mu okan ninu egungun iha re, o si fi eran bo

o pada. Pelu egungun ti o mu ni eha re ni o fi da Efa kini ti n se iya gbogbo awon ti o wa

laaye. Bakan naa, nigbati Olorun fe fun wa ni ebun iye ainipekun, o mu Omo re Oluwa

wa Jesu Kristi sun orun iku lori igi agbelebu. Nigba ti a si ki ida bo eha re ni omi ati eje

jade, ami sakramenti meji ti a fi n fun wa ni iye ainipekun.

Nwon so itan Ile Ife. Nwon ni Moremi Ajasoro fi Oluorogbo ti n se omo re kan

soso rubo ki alaafia baa le gunle si Ile Ife. Maria bi omo re, ko fi fun ilu kansoso, o fi

fun gbogbo araye. Efa ekeji bi omo re ti n se Adamu ekeji. O fi omo re ji fun araye. A

si ri wi pe nipa ijiya, iku ati ajinde omo re ni Olorun fi mu ileri re se, eyi ti o fi wi pe

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“Emi yoo fi ikorira saaarin re ati obinrin naa, saaarin iran re ati iran re.” Omo ti Maria bi

fun araye si fi emi re ji fun araye.

Jesu ni Orisun iwosan wa. Jesu ni Oluwosan ti o mo ise re nise, Oluwosan ti ko

seun ti. Gbogbo alaisan ti Jesu ba fi owo kan lo n ri iwosan. Nitori eyi ni a se n gbadura,

awa ti a pejo si ori oke Maria iya re ni oganjo oru yi, ki Jesu Omo Olorun alaaye ti n se

Orisun iwosan wa fi owo mimo re kan eni kankan wa ki awa naa le ri iwosan. Ki Jesu

Oba alade alaafia fi owo mimo re kan gbogbo awon molebi wa ati awon ojulumo wa ni

okankan, ki awon naa si ri iwosan. Ki Jesu fi owo mimo, owo iyanu re, kan orile ede

Naijiria ki orile ede wa ri iwosan.

Jesu ni Orisun iye ainipekun. Nitori eyi ni a se n pe iya re, Maria Wundia ni Efa

keji. Ani nitori Maria ni iya Jesu ti n se Orisun iye anipekun fun wa ni a se n bola fun

Maria ti a si tun n pe ninu oriki re ni Oluranlowo alaisan. Maria ni Oluranlowo alaisan

nitori oun ni iya Jesu ti n se Orisun iye.

E je ki a siju okan wa wo eyin. Ki a se iranti oun ti iya aja se, bi o ti se takun wa

ile fun omo re lati goke re orun. A fe fi oro yi ye wa wipe kii se iya aja lo takun wa le,

bikose Iya wa Maria Wundia. Omo re Oluwa wa Jesu Kristi ni okun ti Maria ta sile.

Enikeni ti o ba di okun naa mu ni yoo ri ijoba orun wo. Enikeni ti o ba ro mo Jesu

Olugbala araye yoo bori Esu patapata. Enikeni ti o ba ro mo Jesu ti se okun ti Maria

Mimo ta sile lati oke orun, iru eni naa yoo ri igbala, yoo ri iwosan, you ni itelorun ati

alaafia. Gegebi iya aja ti ran omo re lowo bee ni Iya wa Maria ti n ran awa naa lowo lati

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maa bori awon isoro ti o n doju koni. E o wa ri pe o ye, o si to ki a yi oro orin ti a ko

lenkan pade.

Iya, Iya takun wa le oAlujanjankijanMaria Mimo takun wa le…..Esu tan Efa kini je…..Sugbon Maria Mimo bori Esu jojo…Maria Mimo takun wa le…..

Olubori ogbon, eniti n se oun gbogbo pelu ogbon, ti fi Maria Mimo pamo ki owo esu ma

lee ba, ki Maria le je Oluranlowo fun wa, ki awa le ri igbala nipa ifowosowopo Maria

pelu Olodumare nipa bibi Olugbala araye. Oun ni obinrin ti o korira esu gegebi asotele

Iwe Genesisi. Oun korira esu nitori esu ti korira awa omo re. O si ti bi omo re Jesu

Kristi Oluwa wa fun wa lati fun wa ni agbara ati igboya lati doju ogun ko esu ati lati fo

ori ejo ti n tan nije.

Nitori eyi ni a se pejo lori Oke Maria ni oru yi. A pejo lati fi ara wa si abe abo

obinrin alagbara yi. Bi a ti se pejo sori oke yi, e je ki a fi igbagbo gba adura fun gbogbo

awon alaisan. E je ki a be Iya wa Oluranlowo. Nipa adura re fun awa omo re, ki aye, esu

oun ese mase bori wa. A pejo lati ri iwosan nipa agbara Iya wa oluranlowo alaisan. Ani

nipa adura Maria Iya Olorun, ki agbara nla Kristi wo gbogbo alaisan ti n be nihin san.

Nipa adura Iya Mimo yi, ki agbara nla Jesu Kristi mu ara gbogbo alaisan ti n be ni ile

iwosan da.

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Pipejo wa kii se bi ti awon omo ti ko ni iya. Nitori Maria Mimo naa n be laarin

wa, Iya wa alagbara julo. Eyi lo mu mi ranti eko ti o se pataki kan ti Papa Johanu Paulu II

fi ko wa ninu iwe ti o ko si gbogbo Ijo Katoliki nipa Rosario Maria Wundia, iwe ti akole

re ni ede Latini je Rosarium Virginis Mariae. Papa Johanu Paulu II fi ko wa ninu iwe naa

pe ti awa ba fe ri oju rere Kristi ki a wa ni isokan pelu Maria Mimo Iya re, ki a si tele

apere rere ti Maria fi han wa. Ani nibikibi ati nigbagbogbo ti a ba pejo po pelu Maria

Mimo ninu adura nibe naa ati nigba naa ni a wa yoo le ri oju rere Jesu ti n se Oluwosan

gbogbo eda. Nigba ti a ba wa pelu Maria ninu igbagbo wa, ati nigba ti a be fi iwa re se

awokose, nigba naa ni a wa yoo di omo lehin Kristi ni tooto. Maria ti takun iwosan sile,

o ti takun igbala sile, o si ti takun aye ainipekun sile. Enikeni ti o ba ti gba okun yi mu ti

ri iwosan, o ti ri igbala, o si ti ri iye ainipekun. Jesu Kristi ni a ni lati di mu. Oun ni a

nilati ro mo. Maria si ni eni ti yoo mu wa de odo re, oun ni yoo fi omo re han wa. Nipa

ifowosowopo re pelu Olorun, awa ti ni Jesu, ko si ewu fun wa mo, bee si ni aye ko le ri

wa gbe se.

Ti a ba si nsoro iwosan, ki a maa kobiara si aisan ti o buru ju gbogbo aisan lo.

Ese ni aisan ti o buru ju gbogbo aisan lo. Ese ni aisan ti o n ba gbogbo eda ja. Ese naa lo

so ilu Naijiria di edun arinle. Ile ijosin o lonka. Iwa ibaje o dekun. Ki a hu iwa ibaje tan

ka tun wa lo si sosi alawada. Ki a fi enu gbadura ki okan wa ma mo. Ani ki a fi enu

gbadura ki a tun ba ise buburu lowo wa. Pipejo sori Oke Maria kii se lati toro iranlowo

Maria nikan bikose lati ko iwa rere re, iwa ifowosowopo pelu Olorun. Ki Emi Mimo

Olorun, Emi ti agbara re so Omo Olorun di eniyan ninu Maria Wundia, ki Emi Mimo yi

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wo inu okan wa, ki ero rere maa gbe ninu okan wa, ki ise rere ti owo wa jade. Nipa adura

Maria Wundia, ki Emi Mimo so wa di otun ki a baa le lo wa lati so orile ede wa di otun.

Tonight, we gather on this Marian hill, Oke Maria, to seek the protection and

assistance of our Mother Mary Help of the Sick. If we are to understand the maternal

role she plays in our lives as children of God, we need to go back to the beginning of the

Holy Bible. There we learn that in the beginning, God created the world with his word.

When the Creator of all things in heaven and on earth created Adam and Eve with his

word, he instructed them to enjoy the good things of the world he had given them. But he

also warned them to stay away from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Instead

of listening to the word of God, Adam and Eve listened to the empty promises of

theTempter, of the Devil, who is the opponent of every creature. God then made it

known to them the evil consequences of their evil act. He placed a curse on the snake,

representing the Devil saying:

Because you have done this, you are cursed among all the animals….I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your offspring and her offspring. He will crush your head, and you will smite his foot.

I ask that we pay close attention to the words. Those words are at the heart of the

thoughts I am sharing here tonight.

I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your offspring and her offspring.

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He will crush your head, and you will smite his foot.

In those words we find a curse and a blessing—a curse for the tempting snake, and a

blessing for us human beings. In those words we find bad news and good news—bad

news for the tempting snake, good news for the children of Adam and Eve, for every

human being.

Who is this woman? The woman being referred to is Eve—the first Eve who

listened to the tempting snake. By listening to the empty promises of the tempter, by

receiving the words of the devil, sin, discomfort and death came into the world. But at

the very time the Almighty placed a curse on the tempting snake, in the very words he

used to place that curse, the Almighty made a promise and a proclamation that the

woman and her child will conquer the devil. Such, my dear brothers and sisters, is the

meaning of the words in the book of Genesis: “I will put enmity between you and the

woman, between your offspring and her offspring.” Fathers and Doctors of our Christian

faith describe those words as the first good news, the proto evangelium. In other words,

from the very time the devil deceived all human beings by deceiving Adam and Eve, God

himself proclaimed the good news that we shall overcome the devil who tempted us. The

victory of the devil turns out to be a defeat. And that is why anyone who seeks success or

victory in life by collaborating with the devil or by using evil means, such a person may

appear to succeed, but in fact, the person is a big looser. The devil turned out to be the

biggest looser in the end, for the victory of the devil is fake.

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In Nigeria, we hear and we know of people who seek the good things of life

through evil means. There are people who enter into a pact, a covenant with the devil to

make ends meet. There are people who enter into an agreement with the devil because

they want riches. There are people who enter into agreement with the devil because they

want husband or wife or children or power. One thing is as clear as daylight, there is no

happiness in befriending the devil. There can be no rest for the wicked. Where are the

people who went to swear in shrines so as to win political offices. They may still be in

office, but they are not in power, and surely, they are not at peace. Eni ti o ba ba esu

mule o le dubule, a yi roju a yi ri aye ni yoo maa de baa.

The Lord God made a promise that Adam and Eve and their offspring, you and

me, shall be victorious over the devil. And if we are men and women of faith, we shall

remain in sure confidence that the devil will never overcome us. The writer of the Psalm

said it well: “If I should walk in the valley of darkness, no evil will I fear.” He did not

say evil will disappear, but that no evil person or evil force will ever succeed in putting

fear in the hearts of those whose faith in God is sure.

Now, the tempter deceived the first Eve. But not the second Eve. Mary, the

mother of God, is the second Eve. She overcame evil through prayer and through

wisdom. If you wish to triumph over evil forces be prayerful, and learn the wisdom that

comes from the word of God in scripture explained to us by the Holy Roman Catholic

Church. You do not need to go to any Alawada Church to overcome evil. The devil

spoke to the first Eve and she believed. But the Angel Gabriel sent by God spoke to

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Mary, the second Eve. Unlike the first Eve who believed the devil, the second Eve

believed the messenger of God. She obeyed the word of God. She said to the Angel:

“Behold! I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me according to your word.”

The difference between the first Eve and the second Eve is that the first Eve believed the

devil and brought sin and death into the world, while Mary, the second Eve, believed the

Angel and brought life into the world. By Mary’s obedience to the word of God spoken

to her by the Angel, the promise God made has been fulfilled: “I will put enmity

between you [the tempter] and the woman, between your offspring and her offspring.”

In order to keep his promise, in order to use Mary as the door through which God

will enter the world, our God—Oba adani tan bani waye—preserved her from the stain of

original sin. Like it is said in a famous Yoruba folktale, once upon a time, when there

was famine in the land of the animals, they all killed and ate their mothers, but the dog

kept and hid his own in heaven. And anytime he needed to eat, he sang to his mother to

let down a rope, the lifeline with which he would climb up to heaven to have his meal.

We read from Psalm 50, said to be written by King David after his adulterous

relationship with Beersheba, how the king begged God for mercy:

Have mercy on me, O God, in your kindness, in your compassion blot out my offence, O wash me clean from my guilt, and wipe out my offences….For I have been a sinner from the time of my birth, from the womb I have been sinful.

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Those words do not just describe David. They describe every human being, every one of

us. We all have been sinful from birth. Which reminds me of a solution someone

proposed to put an end to corruption in Nigeria. He proposed that all Nigerians above the

age of 12 be killed, for according to him, that is when we begin to learn corrupt practices.

Another person heard him and told him that was not the solution. This second person

said the Nigerian is already practicing 419 right from the womb. I do not know if that is

exact. In any case, we are sinner from birth, from our conception—all of us, except one

woman, Mary, the second Eve. She was preserved from the stain of original sin by the

work of her own Son. She, like the mother dog in that Yoruba folktale, was kept in

heaven so that she can let her Son down. Like the mother dog who throws the lifeline for

her son to climb up to heaven, Mary has given us her Son Jesus Christ as our lifeline to

eternal salvation, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

We read from the book of Genesis that the first man called his wife Eve, because

she is the mother of all who live. In the same way, Fathers and Doctors of the Church

call Mary the second Eve because she is the mother of all who have been given eternal

life. For in her, Jesus the Son of the Living God became man. And when he became

man, he entered into a combat with the devil on the cross. And he triumphed. So the

Church sings in the Sequence of the Mass on Easter Sunday: Mors et vita duelo,

conflixere mirando. Dux vivus mortuus, regnat vivus. In Jesus, Son of the second Eve,

“Death and life entered into a strange conflict. But the King of Life died and reigns

again.”

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God in his wisdom fulfilled his promise of victory over the devil on the cross

when Jesus entered into a combat with death. He was nailed to the cross for our sake.

For our sake he died on the wood of suffering. But the one who was nailed to cross

overpowered death on the cross. From his side that was opened with a lance, water and

blood flowed—signs of the sacrament of baptism and the sacrament of the Eucharist—

sacraments of eternal life. The Eucharist is the food with which God nourishes his

Church. And so, just as water and blood flow from the side of Jesus, life and healing

flows unto every man and woman of faith. Again we go back to the book of Genesis.

When God wanted to create the first Eve, he put the first Adam to a deep sleep, and he

took one of the bones from his ribs, from his side, and used it to create Eve, the mother of

all those who live. In the same way, when God wanted to give us the gift of eternal life,

he put his Son Jesus to sleep on the cross. And it was a deep sleep, the sleep of death.

And while he was asleep on the cross, a lance was used to open his side, and water and

blood, sacraments of eternal life, flowed from the side of the sleeping Jesus.

And the Ifes tell the story of Moremi, who offered her only son, Oluorogbo to the

gods so that there will be peace in Ile Ife. Mary, the second Eve, gave her only Son, so

that there will be peace between the whole world and God. In this way, the promise is

fulfilled: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your offspring and her

offspring.”

He, Jesus, is the fountain of healing for us, the healer who never fails to heal.

Whoever he touches finds healing. That is why, we who gather tonight on this Marian

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hill, Oke Maria, together with Mary, Help of the Sick, commend into the healing hands

of Jesus all who are sick, in hospitals, in their homes. May Jesus, the Healer of healers

touch all who in our families are sick, and all our friends who are sick. And we must

pray for our enemies too. May they find healing. Pray for your enemies and you will

find healing. Your enemy is someone who disturbs your peace. If you want your peace

back, pray that those who have taken your peace from you may find peace. For when

they find peace, they will no longer disturb your peace. Did Jesus not say we should pray

for our enemies? Why then do some of us ask “Holy Ghost fire” to fall on them? Is that

how to be Christian?

Jesus is the Source of eternal life. That is why we call Mary his mother the

second Eve. That is why she is help of all who are sick. The woman who agreed with

God to bring the Healer of healers into the world is the help of the sick. Tonight we

gather on this hill, with this powerful woman in our midst. May her prayers for us heal

us.

The Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, for whom we must pray in his own sickness,

taught the Church in his letter on the Rosary of the Virgin Mary that if we wish to see the

face of Jesus we must be where Mary is. Wherever men and women of faith gather with

Mary, there they can see the face of Jesus. And so we are with here tonight with you, and

we pray: Mother, let down the lifeline of healing by your intercession. Let down the

lifeline of healing for our Pope, let down the lifeline of healing for our world, let down

the lifeline of healing for our country, let down the lifeline of healing for us and for ours.

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We have gathered here, not just to ask her for the healing of our bodies, but even

more importantly, for the healing of our souls. We are not only to ask her for material

things, we must ask for her intercession that we may have the grace to imitate her. For

when we speak of healing, we must not fail to pay attention to the most dangerous

sickness that afflicts us, and that is sin. Our country is full of Churches but also full of

crimes. How sincere are our religious practices when we pray with our lips and plot evil

in our hearts? How sincere are we in our allegiance to Christ and to his Mother when we

leave the Church and go to where we enter into covenant with other forces? May the

prayers of Mary free us from insincerity and from fear, renew us so that we can renew the

face of our country.

Let us think of the dog and his mother again. The mother dog let down the rope.

Mary let down the Son of God. Whoever holds on to him will find healing. Whoever

holds on to Jesus will overcome the power of the devil and the power of all evil forces.

Hold on to Jesus and you will find healing. Hold on to him, and you will find salvation.

Hold on to his Gospel and you will never walk in the dark. Hold on to Jesus in the

sacrament of the Holy Eucharist and you will never find cause to be afraid.

Kini mo ni, tokan mi fi le?Olugbala Jesu Kristi ni.Iberu ko si bi o ba wa lokan mi,Ko si sewu mo Aye ko ri mi gbe se.

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