Many Christians are still denying Christ like Peter did – Fr. Henry Oduro Asante

by Catholic Trends

April 14, 2025

in Ghana

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Rev. Fr. Capt. Henry Oduro Asante

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Outgoing Parish Priest of St. Michael Catholic Church, Michel Camp in Accra, Rev. Fr. Capt. Henry Oduro Asante, has called on Christians to reflect deeply on their commitment to Christ, warning that many today still deny Him, just as Peter did.

Preaching on the themes from the Palm Sunday liturgy, Fr. Asante drew a parallel between the biblical account of Peter’s denial of Christ and the modern-day Christian experience.

“Even Peter, he said, if everyone will betray you, not me, but it took a little girl for Peter to deny Jesus,” he said, emphasizing how quickly some believers fall away when faced with adversity.

“We are like the crowd in the gospel. When it was good, they were following Jesus, but when it became tough, they started to withdraw.”

The priest lamented the tendency of some Christians to practice their faith only in comfort and convenience. “In our Christianity, in our lives and at our workplaces, we must not behave like the crowd,” he said. “The people followed Jesus when times were good. When it became tougher and tougher, they started withdrawing,” he noted.

Fr. Asante’s homily marked not only Palm Sunday 2025 but also his final address as parish priest of the Michel Camp community. His message touched on humility, holiness, and spiritual readiness — using vivid metaphors from the gospel to drive home his points.

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“Ask yourself if you are a donkey or a horse,” he challenged. “Donkeys are animals with the thinking that they are strong, but the donkey is an animal that is humble. So if the Lord is in need of you today, you must be a humble Christian.”

He continued, “Your heart is the donkey the Lord wants to use this morning. The Lord is in need of your heart.”

Highlighting the theme of sanctity, he reminded the congregation of the purity symbolized by the unused donkey Jesus rode into Jerusalem. “We were told that nobody had used the donkey. It is telling us about holiness, cleanliness and sanctity. So as the Lord is in need of our hearts, our marriages and lives today, they are supposed to be pure.”

Fr. Asante also likened Jesus to a divine GPS, able to guide and locate anyone, anywhere. “If it were today, he would have given them a GPS. In the kingdom of God, Jesus is the GPS. Wherever we find ourselves, Jesus knows it because he is the GPS. Whatever is going through your mind and life, Jesus knows it because he is the GPS.”

Tags: Rev. Fr. Capt. Henry Oduro Asante St. Michael Catholic Church

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Daily Reading

Saturday of the Thirty-first week in Ordinary Time

Letter to the Romans 16,3-9.16.22-27.

Brothers and sisters:Greet Prisca and Aquila, my... co-workers in Christ Jesus,
who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I am grateful but also all the churches of the Gentiles;
greet also the church at their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the firstfruits in Asia for Christ.
Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you.
Greet Andronicus and Junia, my relatives and my fellow prisoners; they are prominent among the apostles and they were in Christ before me.
Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord.
Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys.
Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.
I, Tertius, the writer of this letter, greet you in the Lord.
Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus greet you.

Now to him who can strengthen you, according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret for long ages
but now manifested through the prophetic writings and, according to the command of the eternal God, made known to all nations to bring about the obedience of faith,
to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Psalms 145(144),2-3.4-5.10-11.

Every day will I bless you,
and I... will praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
His greatness is unsearchable.

Generation after generation praises your works
and proclaims your might.
They speak of the splendor of your glorious majesty
and tell of your wondrous works.

Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 16,9-15.

Jesus said to his disciples: "I tell... you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones.
If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth?
If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours?
No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."
The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all these things and sneered at him.
And he said to them, "You justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts; for what is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God."

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