On February 10, 2015, Christian especially those from the orthodox churches marked the Ash Wednesday kick starting the beginning of the Lenten period; a time that is supposed to last for forty days and eventually climax on Good Friday. In this interview with Okpalaume Mary, Rev. Fr. Happy Jude Amure, the parish priest of St. Brigid’s Catholic Church, Sapele, enlightens us on the significance of the Lenten observance and what is expected of Christians.
Excerpts:
What is the significance of Lent?
The forty days of Lent is the Christian way of participating in Jesus’ fast in the wilderness. It is a period we are called to examine our relationship with God and with our fellow men. It is an invitation to intensify our prayer life; our attitude towards the poor and the underprivileged around us and to draw closer to Christ. The Lenten season is the season of renewal and growing in our relationship with God.
Is the Lenten season supposed to be observed by only Catholics?
No. The Lenten season is not for Catholics only. It is for all Christians.
During this time, what is expected of Christians?
During this period, Christians are expected to be more prayerful; to engage in acts of mortification like fasting and making other sacrifices. Above all, Christians are called to be more charitable.
The beginning of lent was symbolic with the distribution of ash on Ash Wednesday on the foreheads of people. What is the significance of the ash to Lent?
The ash speaks of mortality; that we all are human beings and someday we will die. And the awareness of this will help us to organize our lives in a manner that is pleasing to God. The Catholic Church teaches that there are four things we must remember: death, judgment, heaven and hell. The Bible says “from dust you came and unto dust you shall return.” So when we have this consciousness that we are not going to be in this world forever, we then try to organize our lives in a way that pleases God.
Again, the ash is a symbol of humility. We must humble ourselves before God; acknowledge that we are sinners before the all holy God and ask him for mercy. Like what happened when Jonah preached to the people of Nineveh. The bible says that after they heard Jonah’s preaching, they repented -from the king to the least; they all put on sack clothes and sat on ashes. So ashes are symbol of repentance; humbling ourselves before God and asking him for mercy and forgiveness.
Lent is a yearly observance and a call to repentance. Many of our political leaders today are Christians yet there are so many anomalies in the country today. Do you think our Christian leaders have failed or are not doing enough in the fight against vices?
As for that question, I can’t say yes or no. You see the fight against evil is a continuous thing. It didn’t begin with us. It began right from the beginning of creation. The Bible says there was darkness on the face of the earth when God said “let there be light.” So from that very time there is this tension between good and evil and down through the centuries, God has been sending prophets and priests – his ministers to minister to different generations. It is all in a bid to take away evil. But evil persists.
I really think that the Christian leaders in their own little way of preaching are doing their best. But like I said, the fight against evil is ongoing until death will be swallowed up on the Last Day. That is when we will have the ultimate victory. But as it were, if we say Christian leaders in Nigeria we may want to say one or two things but let us take it from a general note. So long as the leaders stand on the pulpit and preach, they admonish people to change their ways, I think to an extent that is all God wants of us. We preach to the whole world but the work of conversion is up to God. Is there anybody in Nigeria that does not know that Boko Haram is evil or that prostitution is bad? The ministers are everywhere; when you tune your television and even sometimes you see them preaching on transit.
The issue is not whether people are preaching, it is whether people are practicing what they are preaching; if it is affecting the lives of people. While we want to say that there are some leaders who preach and follow up what they preach through their lifestyle, we see some leaders who are not doing well in terms of practical living. In which case, there are some who are doing well in living what they preach but some do not practice what they preach and by that they are even fighting the gospel which they are preaching. By and large, let us take it that they are doing their best.
Finally, what is your message to Christians as they observe lent?
During this Lenten season, we Christians should come back to God. Let us stand for what is right all the time and not allow the craze for materialism to distract us from the focus which is salvation of souls. Let us allow the passion to expand God’s kingdom to grow in us. During this season of Lent we should reflect on how far we have come; what we have not been doing that we ought to do. This is a season of prayer, mortification and charity. Let us come back to God and not lose focus on the mission Christ has entrusted unto us.
