🇳🇬 Nigeria: Catholic Bishops Call for Peace Amid Rising Tensions
🇳🇬 Nigeria: A Call to Peace in the Midst of Tumult
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria has once again raised a clarion call for peace amid the nation’s rising insecurity and political unrest. Their words are not mere caution but a spiritual charge—an invitation for Nigerians of every creed to embrace reconciliation rather than retaliation. In a land weary from violence, the bishops’ message echoes Christ’s beatitude: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” The challenge is whether Nigeria will heed this call or allow chaos to drown out the gentle yet urgent voice of faith.
🇪🇹 Ethiopia: Orthodox Church Marks Feast Despite Unrest
🇻🇦 Vatican: Pope Francis Appeals for Climate Action
From the Vatican, Pope Francis renewed his global call for urgent climate action, urging world leaders to protect creation as a sacred duty. He tied environmental stewardship to faith, saying: “To care for the earth is to honor the Creator.”
🇻🇦 The Vatican: A Prophetic Warning to the World
Pope Francis, speaking once more with prophetic urgency, has renewed his call for climate action. His words—“To care for the earth is to honor the Creator”—strike at the heart of modern neglect. In a world where profit often overshadows preservation, the Pope’s voice is not merely ecological but theological. Creation care is not activism alone; it is worship, a form of obedience to God’s original command to steward the earth. His appeal is both a warning and a summons for humanity to repent of environmental sins before the damage becomes irreversible.
🇺🇸 USA: Interfaith Leaders Unite Against Rising Hate Crimes
In Washington, interfaith leaders from Christian, Jewish, and Muslim communities gathered for a summit addressing the alarming rise in hate crimes across the United States. They pledged to strengthen dialogue and solidarity, affirming that “faith must be a bridge, not a weapon.”
🇺🇸 United States: Building Bridges in a Divided Land
Across the Atlantic, interfaith leaders in Washington gathered to denounce rising hate crimes and affirm solidarity. Their collective statement—that “faith must be a bridge, not a weapon”—resonates deeply in a fractured society. At a time when religion is often manipulated for division, this gesture of unity demonstrates that dialogue is not weakness but strength, not compromise but conviction lived out in love.
🌍 The Midnight Call
✍️ Editorial Reflection
In a world teetering on the edge of uncertainty, religion remains both a mirror and a compass—reflecting the struggles of humanity while guiding us toward the possibility of redemption. Today’s highlights from Nigeria, Ethiopia, the Vatican, and the United States remind us that faith, though tested, still speaks with unyielding clarity.
Taken together, these stories reveal a common thread: faith persists as both an anchor and a voice in the storms of our age. Nigeria’s bishops teach us that peace is the truest strength; Ethiopia’s faithful remind us that worship thrives in adversity; the Vatican challenges us to repent for our misuse of creation; and America’s interfaith leaders model the healing power of dialogue.
We are reminded of the midnight cry in Jesus’ parable: “At midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’” (Matthew 25:6). The cry was a summons to readiness, to vigilance, to engagement with the hour. So too, today’s highlights summon us—not to passive observation, but to active participation in faith’s unfolding story.
If the world is groaning under weight, faith’s voice must remain unbroken. The midnight call is sounding—will we awaken to answer?
✍️ Editorial Note:
These highlights remind us of the urgent need to stay spiritually alert in a troubled world. From Nigeria’s call for peace, to Ethiopia’s faithful endurance, to global appeals for unity and stewardship, the midnight cry continues: “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” (Matthew 25:13)
The Midnight Call Devotional
Daily Encouragement for Believers
Keep the Fire Burning: A Call to Steadfast Faith
Beloved, in a world filled with uncertainty, noise, and distraction, God calls His children to one clear pursuit: keep the fire burning.
The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, “Fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you” (2 Timothy 1:6). That same word is God’s charge to us today. Every believer carries a spark of divine fire—His Spirit dwelling within. But sparks unattended grow cold. They require tending, prayer, the Word, and fellowship with fellow believers.
When trials come—whether rejection, delay, or disappointment—the temptation is to let the flame flicker. But fire shines brightest in the darkest night. Just as Israel was guided by a pillar of fire in the wilderness, so the Spirit of God still leads His people today.
You may feel weary, unnoticed, or tempted to give up. But hear the promise: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid… for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).
🔥 Encouragement for Today: Do not let your flame go out. Rise with renewed courage. Pray boldly. Love deeply. Serve faithfully. The world is waiting for the light you carry.
Prayer
Lord, rekindle my fire. Help me to keep watch, to shine brightly for You, and to never grow weary in doing good. Amen.
Join us to watch in prayer: Date: 31st August 2025 Time: 11.30pm- One Hour
Top Headlines from Nigeria
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USAID withdrawal threatens school in Boko Haram’s birthplace
A school in Maiduguri that provided education to children affected by Boko Haram has had to dismiss 700 students and 20 teachers following the abrupt end of U.S. funding.
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Nigeria imposes six-month ban on exporting raw shea nuts
Aiming to stimulate domestic processing, Nigeria has halted raw shea nut exports—despite supplying 40% of the world’s crop—with the goal of transforming into a global shea butter producer.
