The Catholic Bishop of Oyo Diocese, His Lordship, Bishop Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo has called on the Church and the world to fast, pray and learn how to give alms just like Christ did.
Badejo made the call in his message titled “LENTEN OBSERVANCES: ANOTHER LOOK by Bishop Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo, Catholic Diocese of Oyo”
The Bishop in the message said Nigeria needs so much of the Lenten practices in order to reduce wickedness, injustice, anger, conflict and bloodshed in our nation.
According to him, “We must take better care of the poor and needy. We must repent and change our ways for the better and so be made ready for our salvation. That is the purpose of the period of Lent.
Read full message below:
The forty-day period of Lent preparatory to the celebration of Easter, begins on Ash Wednesday. It is an annual call to conversion, prayer, fasting and alms giving. In recent times it is contested as unnecessary by some religious teachers. However, it is more important for true Christians to always focus on some reasons why the Lenten observances are necessary for spiritual health. In truth, Lent speaks to the relationship between Jesus Christ and Christians which should really be that of friendship and authentic love. Jesus himself said: “I shall no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know the master’s business: I call you friends” (John 15:15). In daily life, true friends and lovers desire to share each other’s lives, pains, sorrows, joy and victories and listen to one another. Jesus even also said: “You are my friends if you keep my commandment (John 15:14). St. Paul admonished the Philippians to let all the characteristics seen in Jesus be seen in them (Phil 2:5ff). So, Christians who are truly friends of Jesus must desire to experience what he experienced, to share his life and live in his love. Jesus also prayed about this before he left the world. “Father, I want those you have given to me to be with me where I am… (John 17:24).
By this logic, those who do not celebrate lent in prayer, almsgiving, self denial and fasting surely have a very different understanding of Jesus and their relationship with him. They will themselves give account for their faith or lack of it on judgment day. Christians simply cannot be taking only what is pleasant in Christianity like pleasure and prosperity and leaving aside the salvific suffering, fasting and prayer part. To do so is to empty Christianity of its authentic power and identity. One could ask: “If we celebrate only Christ’s glory and victory, how can we participate in his mission and salvation”? Our world is not yet perfect, so the friends of Jesus need to constantly make themselves better and partake in his mission of making the world a better place conversion of sinners and saving souls. Fasting, prayer, almsgiving are among the best means for this.
Anyhow Lent is a period of renewal, retreat and spiritual rehabilitation which everybody needs. Such a period is always helpful as the new year begins. Permanent pleasure and fun corrode the soul and spirit. It is also a period of reconciliation since, wherever we live and relate with others we are bound to offend or hurt each other. That is the reason for the message of Prophet Isaiah: “Come let us talk together. Though your sins are as scarlet they shall be white as snow…” (Isaiah 1: 18). Lenten practices like self examination, alms giving and reconciliation are necessary to make the world more peaceful, charitable and harmonious. Nigeria needs so much of that today in order to reduce wickedness, injustice, anger, conflict and bloodshed in our nation. We must take better care of the poor and needy. We must repent and change our ways for the better and so be made ready for our salvation. That is the purpose of the period of Lent.
