Religion
REV. Fr. Christian Oji, the Parish Priest, Holy Family Parish Ologo in Enugu North Local Government Area of Enugu State, has appealed to political office holders to be sensitive to the plight of Nigerians.
Oji, who made the appeal in his Ash Wednesday sermon, advised politicians to use the lenten period to end the current economic hardship facing Nigerians.
The priest said that the political class appeared to be insensitive to the people’s sufferings, adding that the challenges facing the country were not natural but man-made.
“This is as a result of wrong policies, corruption, wickedness and insensitivity of many political office holders.
“I call on our leaders to have a rethink and come back to Christ, who is the giver of knowledge to seek wisdom to rule Nigeria.
“They should do everything humanly possible to change the face of Nigeria because people are really suffering, while the country is going down.
“Unless they take action now, something drastic may happen in future but we don’t pray for that.
“I call on them to rise and emulate Christ by making efforts to change Nigeria,” the clergyman said.
He also spoke on the meaning of the Ash Wednesday, being the beginning of Lent.
According to him, the event signifies that we are nothing but ash and ash we shall return.
“It is a period where churches all over the world come together to make preparations to undergo 40 days retreat bearing the cross with Christ.
“Ash Wednesday as the beginning of Lent, runs through 40 days before Easter, and today serves as the beginning of those 40 days of intensive retreat among Christians to reflect the passion of Christ.
“It signifies that we are nothing but dust and we are going back to dust, and it also makes us understand that apart from Christ we are nothing.
“Therefore, Christians are expected to engage in spiritual activities of fasting, praying, abstinence and alms giving,” Oji said.
He said that the message of Ash Wednesday and Lent was for humanity to give their lives to Christ.
“With the spate of insecurity, economic hardship, it is time that Christians came together to pray fervently for God to take control of this country.
“We should pray to God to intervene and deliver this country from going into self-destruction,” he said. (NAN)
14th February, 2024.
C.E.
Tags: REV. Fr. Christian Oji
