Time Is Paramount: Rev. Fr Stevenson Olowolagba Urges Urgent Spiritual Preparation on First Sunday of Advent
On Sunday, 30th November 2025, the Catholic faithful across parishes stepped into a new liturgical year with the First Sunday of Advent, a deeply symbolic moment in the life of the Church. In a powerful and highly instructive homily, Rev. Fr Stevenson Olowolagba called on believers to recognise the urgency of time and the necessity of sincere preparation for the Second Coming of Christ. Akahi News reports that the priest anchored his reflection on the theme: “Time is paramount: believers must be prepared for the second coming of our Redeemer.”
According to Akahi News, the homily was delivered with a strong sense of urgency, clarity of doctrine, and pastoral sensitivity, reminding the congregation that just as the civil calendar marks a new year with hopes and resolutions, the liturgical calendar ushers the Church into a sacred season of reflection, repentance, and expectation.
“Peace of the Lord be with you, beloved brethren in Christ,” the cleric began, situating the congregation not only in a new month and new season, but in a spiritually significant moment in Christian history.
Advent: The Beginning of a New Spiritual Year
Fr Olowolagba explained that the First Sunday of Advent is, liturgically speaking, the first day of a new year in Catholic worship. As Akahi News gathered, he emphasised that Advent is not just a countdown to Christmas, but a sacred period of preparation to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ and to await His return in glory at the end of time.
“This is Advent season in which the focus is preparation to commemorate the birthday of our Redeemer, Christ Jesus, and in great expectation of His second coming in glory,” the priest stated.
He reminded the congregation that Advent carries both joy and solemnity: joy because it announces the coming of the Saviour, and solemnity because it demands personal conversion, deep reflection, and renewed spiritual discipline.
Isaiah’s Vision of Peace and the Reality of God’s Kingdom
The First Reading from Isaiah 2:1–5 formed a central part of his reflection. Akahi News learnt that Fr Olowolagba highlighted God’s promise of lasting peace, where swords would be turned into ploughshares and nations would no longer train for war.
“This peace will become a reality when all people are truly attentive to the Word of God,” he explained, noting that the same prophetic message is also found in Micah 4:1–3.
According to the priest, Zion in the Old Testament symbolised the centre where God’s word was proclaimed and listened to with reverence. Today, he noted, this prophecy is fulfilled in the Church, where Christ’s message of peace, justice, and reconciliation is announced to all nations. Akahi News observes that this interpretation gave the congregation a renewed sense of identity as part of God’s unfolding plan in history.
The Urgency of Time: “Now Is the Hour to Wake from Sleep”
Drawing from Romans 13:11–14, Rev. Fr Olowolagba warned that time is not on humanity’s side. He declared that the day of salvation is nearer now than ever before. Akahi News reports that the priest spoke with deep conviction, describing time as fleeting, precious, and irreversible.
“This is a time to awaken out of sleep; a time to be stirred; a time to get up and move before it is too late. Judgment day is almost there,” he told the congregation.
He cautioned that many people live as if they have endless time, postponing repentance and delaying spiritual growth. Yet, Scripture reminds believers that night is far gone and day is near. The appropriate response, he said, is to cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light.
As Akahi News gathered, Fr Olowolagba referenced 2 Corinthians 6:4,7 to explain that the “armour of light” is a life of discipline, prayer, truth, and righteousness, which stands in direct contrast to the “clothing of darkness” marked by sin, selfishness, immorality, and dishonesty.
A Call to Holiness, Decency, and Honour
Continuing his reflection, the priest made reference to Galatians 5:19, reminding the faithful that believers are called to reject the works of the flesh and instead live lives marked by honour, decency, and nobility.
According to Akahi News, Fr Olowolagba stressed that to be a Christian is to be “wrapped up in Jesus Christ.” Being in Christ means that believers no longer live for themselves, but live, move, and have their being in Him, as reflected in Ephesians 4:24.
He urged the congregation to ask themselves serious questions:
Are we truly living in Christ?
Do our actions reflect His light?
Are we walking as children of God, or are we still chained to the darkness of the world?
These questions, Akahi News observed, created a moment of sober reflection within the Church.
The Warning from the Days of Noah
Turning to the Gospel reading from Matthew 24:37–44, Fr Olowolagba reminded the faithful that the coming of the Lord will be sudden and unexpected, just as it was in the days of Noah.
“People were eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage, and they knew nothing of what was coming until the flood came,” he said.
This, according to Akahi News, served as a powerful warning against worldliness and spiritual distraction. He cautioned believers not to become so immersed in material pursuits, pleasure, and ambition that they forget eternity.
On the day of the Lord, he explained, there will be separation even among the closest of people: “One will be taken, and the other will be left behind.” This sobering truth, he said, should move every Christian to take personal responsibility for their spiritual life.
“No one can prepare for you. No one can repent on your behalf. The most important assignment is your readiness,” the priest emphasised.
Advent as a Season of Awakening and Action
Akahi News reports that the priest did not present Advent as a passive season but as a call to action. He urged the faithful to use the coming weeks for confession, prayer, reconciliation, acts of charity, fasting, and deeper commitment to God.
He reminded them that Advent is a grace-filled time to return to God, to restore broken relationships, and to realign one’s life with divine purpose.
“Time is critical for everyone to know the thread of history and what it means. Salvation is nearer now than when we first believed,” he added.
Through this, Fr Olowolagba framed Advent as an opportunity to begin again — not just as churchgoers, but as true disciples of Christ.
A Prayerful Blessing for the New Week
As Akahi News gathered, the homily concluded with a heartfelt prayer and blessing for the new week and the new liturgical year.
“As you step out this new week, may the abundant blessings of God fall upon us all. Peace of the Lord be with you,” the priest prayed.
His final words echoed through the church as both encouragement and challenge: to live every day consciously, faithfully, and in readiness for the coming of the Lord.
A Message That Resonates Beyond the Pews
The message delivered by Rev. Fr Stevenson Olowolagba extends far beyond the walls of the church. As Akahi News reflects, his homily speaks to a world marked by uncertainty, moral confusion, and spiritual distraction. Yet within that world is a clear invitation from God: to wake up, to prepare, and to walk in the light.
Advent, therefore, is not merely a season on a calendar. It is a sacred call — to vigilance, to holiness, to hope, and to a life transformed by Christ.
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