Opinion
Pilgrimage: The Good, The Ugly
The Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, . the Living Dictionary defines: pilgrimage as a journey to a Holy Place for religious reasons. The two major religions practiced publicly in Nigeria have their Holy Places for their faithful. The Christian pilgrims journey to Jerusalem or Rome while the Moslems go to Mecca or Medina respectively.
It is the desire of every faithful Christian to have a taste or visit the Holy place for pilgrimage. But there is a problem that is too difficult to demystify.
There is an abuse of pilgrimage by some certain pilgrims who feel it is their birth-rights that no other Christians should embark on the journey to holy land except them. Year in, year out, so far as they have somebody in government they must be in Jerusalem, thereby denying other Christians opportunities of going on pilgrimage. Somebody might think he or she is popular that he is going on pilgrimage every year, not knowing he or she is committing sin against man and God.
Almost all the states send pilgrims on pilgrimage; but the irony is that many of them are still those who have gone before. It is unchristian to deny your fellow Christians chances of embarking on pilgrimage. It is not good when you observe the manner in which screening or selection is carried out. One should have thought that since it is something that pertains going to sacred place, that Christians should have exhibited honesty and fear of God to the fullest; but the reverse is the case. Man knows man syndrome is the order of the day. If you do not have any body in government or any big man of God; you are denied pilgrimage no matter how faithful or zealous to see the fascinating scene you read in the Bible and what the pilgrims come to tell you.
The Rivers State Government spends heavily on pilgrimage yearly. But the question is how many sincere Christians embark on pilgrimage? The record has shown that some people are addicted to pilgrimage, that without them there should be no pilgrimage. The chairman of Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Board was lamenting recently how some Christians see pilgrimage as their right for ever.The Rivers State Government and the Pilgrim Board must do something to stop this ugly precedence. Since government is the sole sponsor of pilgrimage, there is need for others to benefit from such sponsorship. We should be our brother’s keeper in the true sense of it and not coveting it.
The sin of pilgrimage may be insignificant to the eyes but might be so big in the spiritual before God. Almost everything is abused in Nigeria. What is the pride all about? Can you imagine a Christian saying I have gone on pilgrimage several times, when thousand of Rivers Christians are desperately looking for just a chance in their life time. That is the play that we see every year. Thank God that pilgrimage is not a criterion to heaven.
The fact remains, covetousness, selfishness and dishonesty are in full force undermining the purpose of pilgrimage and the effort of Rivers State government in making sure Christians visit the Holy land or Jerusalem yearly. What is wrong if all Christians are treated equal to taste pilgrimage once? If there is any benefit let it go round rather than the same people yearly. .
In Rivers State, there is need to check this unnecessary pride of several pilgrimage trips. “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed· speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely 1 know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him. But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadows because he feareth not before God, Eccl. 8: 11-13. The unnoticed sin of pilgrimage shall one day boomerang at the selfish pilgrims.
Pilgrimage, for God’s sake! Is not for one person or same group of people every year.
There is time for everything. Pilgrimage should not be taken for granted. It is a privilege and not an inheritance as you live! Let it be done in the true sense of it, to meet the vision and mission of it.
Transparency should be the watchword of the Pilgrim Board. A stitch in time, they say saves nine pilgrimage should be a thing done in righteousness and not in unrighteousness.
Avoid denying others their chances and avoid sin that is imminent. Do it right before God and man.
Ogwuonuonu wrote from Port Harcourt.
Evang. Frank Ogwuonuonu
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