Ethiopia’s Cardinal urges
repentance during Lent
The Archbishop of Addis Ababa, Cardinal Berhaneyesus Damerew Souraphiel,C.M. |
Ethiopia’s Archbishop of Addis Ababa, Cardinal Berhaneyesus
Souraphiel C.M., is marking the start of Lent by calling on Ethiopians to pray
for conversion of heart.
Habtamu Abrdew Beture - Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
In his Lenten message, Cardinal Berhaneyesus emphasised that
conversion of heart is the invitation of God our Father.
“We are all sinners in need of God’s mercy and forgiveness,”
the Cardinal said, and added, “Lent is a special time for penance and repentance
in response to God’s invitation for renewal and conversion of heart through
prayer, good works and sacrifice in the midst of a secular culture of
materialism, individualism and religious indifference.”
According to the Ethiopian Oriental Church’s tradition, the
Lenten Season, this year, starts on 24 February. Easter will be on 19 April.
Penance draws us closer to Christ
The Cardinal has also asked Ethiopians to forgive each other
and be instruments of peace in the nation.
“Let us take a keen interest in this gracious moment of
blessings and with sincerity of heart ask for God’s forgiveness for our sins;
let us be ready to forgive others and live in love as believers in the Lord
Jesus Christ who completely poured himself out for love of us. Penance helps us
to grow; it brings us into more intimate contact with Christ, enlarging our
capacity for His love,” said the Addis Ababa prelate.
Families should pray together in Lent
For Christian families, Lent is an opportunity to unite and
strengthen their spirituality.
“This sacred Season of Lent is a great opportunity for
families to spend more time together; to pray together; to share the Word of
God; to teach their children the meaning of Lent and the importance of making
sacrifices,” the Cardinal said.
A time to go out and be of service to others
Cardinal Berhaneyesus continues by saying that Lent is not a
Season for staying indoors. Instead, it is a Season to go out of ourselves and
be available for the service of others. Almsgiving reminds us that we should
not live for ourselves, but for God and for our neighbour. We are stewards, not
masters, of God’s many blessings, and by sharing the precious gift of ourselves
and our resources, we increase our capacity for sharing as Christ does—without
measure.
(AMECEA News)
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