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HOMILY FOR THE 5TH EPISCOPAL ANNIVERSARY OF HIS LORDSHIP, MOST REVD. DR. PETER OLUKAYODE ODETOYINBO.

LOOKING BACK IN THANKSGIVING!
Thanksgiving is a public acknowledgement or celebration of divine goodness. One of the great commandments is to give thanks to God, for all He has done for us. The Psalmist in Psalm 100:4 says: we are to “enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his Courts with praise; be thankful unto him, and bless his name”. Christ, himself, was the perfect example of obeying this commandment.
It is also giving thanks to God for the many blessings which however should not be limited to only good times but also bad times thereby giving us the opportunity to demonstrate our faith in God. Thanksgiving will draw our hearts out to God and keep us engaged with him; it will take our attention from ourselves and give the Holy Spirit room in our hearts.
WHY THIS THANKSGIVING?
Without a deep sense of humility, of sincerity and of accountability in one’s relationship with His Maker, he or she cannot and will never see reason or reasons why he must thank the Lord. We are all aware of the biblical injunction to give thanks in every situation we find ourselves (1 Thes 5:18); however, how many of us are really thanking Him in our various situations particularly when things do not go as planned?
Five (5) years a bishop is not and will never a joke. Only the one will celebrate today knows what it has been for him these 5 years. All we see is the flamboyance we believe that goes with the office of the bishop. Beloved in the Lord, 5 years is not 5 days, not 5 weeks and not 5 months but 5 solid, eventful, graceful, progressive, glorious and Godly years in our diocese of Abeokuta. We cannot but be grateful to the Lord for all He has done through His Lordship these 5 years for our diocese and also thanking Him in anticipation for what HE will still do through you our Chief Shepherd in the years ahead. May HE receive all the glory both now and forever in the Name of Jesus.
The number 5 spiritually means “Divine Grace.” It is this ‘Grace of God’ that has kept you our beloved Shepherd and as you begin the journey of the 5th year, you will in September this year host your brother bishops coming into Abeokuta for the second plenary meeting. There is no doubt that our diocese will be truly blessed by the presence of the bishops. With their presence in our diocese, there will be in abundance the grace of God flowing through them to all parts of the diocese. What a way my Lord Bishop to begin the journey of your 5th episcopacy! It is the Lord’s doing and it is wonderful in our eyes!
As Priests, Religious and the Laity of Abeokuta diocese, we are thanking the Lord with you our beloved Shepherd and for you because we have grateful hearts. The Lord actually wants and expects us to be thankful: Ps 95:2 “Let us come before him giving thanks; let us acclaim him with music and song.” 
As Priests, Religious and the Laity of Abeokuta diocese, we are equally thanking the Lord with you our beloved Shepherd and for you because we do not want to take God’s blessings for granted so that we do not become grounded: Ps 103:2 “Bless the Lord, my soul, and do not forget all his kindness.”
As Priests, religious and the Laity of Abeokuta diocese, we are thanking the Lord with you our beloved Shepherd and for you because we do know that there is a connection between thanksgiving and faith as seen in Lk 17:13-19 when 10 lepers were made whole and only one out of ten returned with gratitude and thanksgiving to the Lord. Upon his return, the Lord Jesus proclaimed: “Your faith has made you whole.” This is the faith that has brought us together this morning in this Cathedral in thanksgiving to God for all He has done in the life of our Bishop Most Revd Dr. Peter Olukayode Odetoyinbo and through him in our diocese. 
On this this note I invite you to sing with me this song in thanksgiving to God for our Bishop: ARA E DIDE, E BA MI JO (TAKE VERSES 1, 2, 5, 6 & 7) ARA E DIDE, E BA MI JO.
LONG LIVE OUR BISHOP!
LONG LIVE ABEOKUTA PRESBYTERIUM!!
LONG LIVE ABEOKUTA DIOCESE!!!

Rev Fr. Augustine Medayedu Ambrose,  CMF

The vicar for religious 
Abeokuta diocese 
Nigeria 

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