C.M.O.N. at 25: Catholic Men Urged to Be "Living Temples" of Grace, Not "Barren Fig Trees"
BENIN CITY – It was an atmosphere of gratitude, reflection, and spiritual renewal at St. Paul Catholic Church, Airport Road, Benin City, as the Catholic Men Organization of Nigeria (C.M.O.N.) kicked off its Silver Jubilee celebrations with a grand opening Mass on Friday, May 29, 2026.
Gathering under the powerful theme, “Living Temples of God’s Glory,” hundreds of Catholic men from across the Ecclesiastical Province of Benin City converged to mark 25 years since the organization’s official recognition by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN).
The Eucharistic celebration, attended by prominent clergy including the Provincial Chaplain, Rev. Fr. Vincent Owoaka, and the Archdiocesan Chaplain, Rev. Fr. Charles Omogiate, served as both a thanksgiving for over two decades of impact and a stirring call to deeper spiritual authenticity.
Two Decades of Faith, Leadership, and Impact
In the homily, the Catholic men were highly commended for their 25 years of unwavering service to the Church and society. Emulating their patron, Saint Joseph, the members were praised for being responsible pillars in their homes and a formidable force in rural evangelization, supporting outstations, and reaching out to the poor and needy.
"For 25 years you proclaimed Christ, living out the virtues of St. Joseph your Patron Saint so that you are not just responsible fathers in your homes but also visible examples for others to follow within the body of Christ," the homily noted, urging the men to remain "true soldiers of Christ."
Moving Beyond Appearance: The Warning of the Fig Tree
Delving into the day’s readings (1 Peter 4:7-13 and Mark 11:11-25), the reflection delivered a profound and timely warning against "empty religiosity."
Connecting Jesus’ cursing of the barren fig tree to the cleansing of the Temple in Jerusalem, the homily challenged the congregation to examine if their Christian lives are yielding actual spiritual fruit or merely displaying "leaves" of outward appearances.
The Metaphor of the Leaves: The fig tree looked alive from a distance but was barren up close.
Similarly, a person can attend Mass regularly but remain spiritually barren by refusing to forgive or neglecting charity.
The Cleansing of the Temple: Christ’s clearing of the marketplace was framed not as an act of anger against the Temple, but as a passionate love for true worship.
The men were reminded that because they are the "living temples" of the Holy Spirit, they must allow Christ to drive out the modern-day "commerce and corruption" of the heart—such as pride, bitterness, greed, and resentment.
Love, Service, and the Power of Forgiveness
Drawing from the wisdom of the Early Church Fathers, the homily highlighted the ultimate antidote to spiritual barrenness: sincere love and absolute forgiveness.
Reflecting on St. Peter’s admonition that “love covers a multitude of sins,” the congregation was reminded that genuine charity heals divisions and restores communities.
Furthermore, using spiritual gifts for self-glory rather than the building up of the Church was strongly discouraged.
Crucially, the homily tied the success of prayer directly to an attitude of forgiveness, noting:
"Unforgiveness blocks the heart from receiving grace. A person cannot sincerely ask for mercy while refusing mercy to another. Faith and forgiveness must walk together."
A Launchpad for the Next 25 Years
As the Silver Jubilee celebrations commence, the C.M.O.N. members were charged to return to their various dioceses renewed in zeal, acting as effective instruments of peace and grace in a challenging world.
The opening Mass concluded with a prayer of safety for all delegates visiting Benin City, alongside a final, inspiring charge: to leave behind transactional faith and step forward as fruitful disciples, faithful stewards, and true, living temples where God’s glory is visibly seen.
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