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From Scholastica Hir Makurdi
A Catholic priest in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, Rev. Fr. Gabriel Tyoga, has called on Christians to emulate Jesus Christ by showing genuine compassion to one another, especially those facing difficult situations in life.
Rev. Tyoga, who is in charge of St. Joseph Catholic Church, Nyon, Makurdi, made the call during a homily, on Sunday June 14, 2026, urging the faithful to go beyond mere words of sympathy and offer practical assistance to people in need.
According to him, true compassion is not the type that only says “ehyaaah, sorry” and walks away, but one that moves individuals to take action and help bring solutions to the challenges confronting others.
The cleric explained that Jesus Christ demonstrated compassion throughout His earthly ministry by caring for the hungry, healing the sick, and restoring hope to those who were suffering.
He cited the feeding of the multitude and the healing of the woman with the issue of blood as examples of Christ’s compassion for humanity.
“Compassion is empathy in action and not mere sympathy. It comes from within and moves a person to help someone who is in distress,” he said.
Rev. Tyogah noted that Christ saw people carrying various burdens, broken families, individuals wounded by life’s challenges, and others searching for meaning in their lives, and He responded to them with love and compassion.
He encouraged Christians to cultivate the same attitude by reaching out to the poor, the sick, the displaced, and all those who are struggling in one way or another.
He said “God brought the people of Israel out of Egypt because of His compassion for them. He rescued them from suffering and captivity and led them towards their vocation. It was compassion that moved God to act on their behalf.”
The cleric noted that the Gospel reading also portrayed Christ’s compassion when He saw people who were “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”
According to him, Jesus did not merely sympathize with the suffering of the people but took concrete steps to help them and commissioned His disciples to continue the mission of caring for others.
“Christ knew He could not do the work alone, so He called the disciples to become His voice, His hands and His representatives in the world. Today, every baptized Christian has become a disciple of Christ and shares in that responsibility,” he stated.
The priest stressed that acts of compassion have the power to restore hope, strengthen communities, and reflect the love of God in society.
He further urged the faithful not to lose hope in the face of hardships but to remain steadfast in their faith and trust in God’s providence.
According to him, God is aware of the burdens and sufferings of His people and, in His own time, will intervene and bring relief to them.
Rev. Tyoga therefore called on Christians to become instruments of God’s love by supporting one another and extending kindness to those in need, saying such actions remain the true mark of discipleship.
