Today the Church in Nigeria celebrates her son, Fr. Micheal Cyprian Iwene Tansi. Born in Aguleri in Anambra State, Nigeria but died in Leicester, England. As a priest and monk, he offered himself totally to God in prayer and was dedicated in his service to the Church and humanity.

In the words of St. John Paul II,”Father Tansi is an inspiration to everyone in the Nigeria that he loved so much. He was first of all a man of God…He did not fail to offer prayers and sacrifices for their continuing sanctification.”

It means, therefore, that prayer was the source of his happiness, love and compassion, and through prayer, he encountered Jesus in a most profound way, and of course, God never ignores our deepest prayers and longings. The Lord hears the cry of the poor, Blessed be the Lord.

Tansi stands as a model for all Nigerians and Christian’s who wants to live virtuous lives and are willing to work hard to bring joy, peace and happiness to others. Where we stand in our relationship with God today is a major concern for all of us because that will determine where we will spend our eternity.

Some sacrifices will be demanded of us so as to become more selfless and more dependent on God. A lot of material things that we treasure mostly today will become someone else’s property tomorrow and the value will definitely not be the same. Treasure the things in Heaven where Christ is. If Fr. Tansi can live a sacrificial and saintly life, we too are called to offer ourselves completely to the Lord. Offer something good to God. Offer yourself to the Lord.

Joe