The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, has advised Christians and Nigerians in general to shun all forms of evil.
Kaigama gave the advice in his homily to commemorate the 2024 Ash Wednesday, at the Our Lady Queen of Nigeria, Pro Cathedral, Garki, Abuja.
Ash Wednesday ushers in the lenten season, which is charecterised by a 40-day fasting and prayers, in preparation for Easter Sunday.
Ash Wednesday is marked with the blessing and administering of ashes on the foreheads of Christians.
The prelate also advised Christians to choose God over pleasure, adding that true religion goes beyond the recitation of prayer, attending Sunday or daily masses and belonging to a Church group.
He explained that the season called for greater sacrifice, adding that pleasure doesn’t last but God remain the same for ever.
“He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. So, it is better to choose God than to choose this earthly pleasures,” he advised.
Commenting on the significance of the 40-day prayers and fasting, Kaigama expressed optimistism that the exercise would bring about a transformed and renewed Nigeria
The Archbishop, who admonished Nigerians, particularly Christians, to rejoice that the celebration of the feast of St Valentine coincided with Ash Wednesday, charged them to express their love for their friends, neighbours and most importantly to God.
Kaigama, who, however, expressed deep concern over the insecurity challenges and high level of corruption and injustice in the country, called on Nigerians to turn a new leaf to avert God’s punishment like that of Sodom and Gomorrah.
“Let us avoid all forms of evil. This is the only way we will progress and grow.
”It is either banditry, kidnapping, corruption political vandalism or injustice. We must stay away from all of these ills,”he advised.
Speaking, Mr Collins Nnabuife, described the lenten season as an opportunity for Christians to return to God.
“This is the time to remind, recollect and reconnect ourselevses with God and to renew our lives toward practicing true religion,”he said
Nnabuife added that the act of putting the ashes on the forehead symbolises the fragility and mortality of the human race.
“Ash Wednesday is a day we are reminded that life is vanity, and we should make use of every time we have to do good.
“It reminds us that we came from dust and from dust we shall return. It is a time to reflect on our lifestyles.
“Coinciding with the Feast of St Valentine avails us the opportunity to share love with one another especially the needy, and by doing that, we are also making peace with God,” he said.
Also, Nigerians have been urged to seek the face of God, turn from their wicked ways and ask for forgiveness “for our Creator to heal the country completely”.
Speaking on Wednesday during an Anointing Service to celebrate the beginning of Ash Wednesday, the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of Motailatu Church of God (MCG), Senior Superintendent Gabriel F. Akinadewo (Omo Jesu II), said “the Lord’s hand is not shortened that it cannot save Nigeria, neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear the cries of Nigerians” but sin has separated Nigerians from God.
Preaching on the Theme: ‘Come Ye To The Waters’ at the Restoration Parish of the Church in Akute, Ogun State, Akinadewo declared that Nigerians must urgently seek the face of God to eradicate the socio-political, economic and security challenges in the country.
Quoting Isaiah 55:7, he said: “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon”.
The cleric said the hunger in the land can be solved “with sincerity and right policies from those in authority” and the divine backing of God.
Quoting II Kings 7, Akinadewo declared that the famine in Samaria became a thing of the past when God sent Prophet Elisha to speak to the people.
On insecurity, he likened the invasion of Nigeria by kidnappers, terrorists and bandits to what King Jehoshaphat faced in Judah when he was threatened by Moabites and Ammonites.
“In II Chronicles 20:20, King Jehoshaphat told the people: ‘Believe in the Lord Your God, so shall ye be established. Believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper’.
“Eventually, God destroyed their enemies and the Children of Judah started dancing. The time for God to destroy all these blood-thirsty maniacs in Nigeria is here. Nigerians will dance and rejoice eventually. This country shall prosper. But, we must turn to God”.
The 40-day Lenten season ends on March 24 (Palm Sunday) while Easter Sunday holds March 31.
Meanwhile, mixed feelings have continued to trail the observance of Ash Wednesday and celebration of Valentine’s Day.
Ash Wednesday is the ceremony to commence the Lent which entails fasting and abstinence from eating meat while Valentine’s Day is a day set aside to celebrate love.
The two events have been coinciding in the past two years.
A Catholic Priest in Ondo State, Rev. Fr. Anthony Afariogun, said on Wednesday in Lagos that the joint celebration was a sign that “God wants man to return to Him and do away with evil generation.
“This is a perilous time. We must be careful and shun the evil that associates with valentine.
“As christians, Ash Wednesday is a period of prayer, fast and almsgiving. 2023 and 2024 coincided with Valentine’s day. It is a sign from God that He wants us to return to Him.
“The coincidence is to do away with evil of our generation; it is a perilous time. We must be careful and shun the evil that associates with valentine.
“Such sins associated with Valentine’s day celebration as fornication, adultery, ritual practices, reckless spending, disobedience and all other forms of sins.”
Afariogun, who is the Chaplain of Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Chaplaincy, Adeyemi Federal University of Education, Ondo City, Ondo State, said that the period provided Nigerians another opportunity to dissect themselves; find things that are going wrong and discover ways to correct them.
“God wants us to avoid the evil of valentine, though valentine is good, but if we celebrate it with our loved ones with dignity and fear of God; love of neighbours and gather together for prayers;we are celebrating valentine.
“We can visit orphanages, motherless homes, prisons and also distribute food to the poor, in this way, we are celebrating valentine’s day and that’s why God merged the days.
“Valentine to some people is associated with sins and evil. Let us shun the evil of valentine and embrace Ash Wednesday,” he said.
Pastor of Christ Church of the Lord Gospel International, Ile Ife, Osun State, Tunde Owofade, said the joint celebrations would give a good opportunity to all Christians to control their heart from worldly things.
“This would be a good opportunity for our youths to be in church to observe the power of God and it would also curtail the immorality among our youths. It will give room to preach the right concept of valentine among our youths.
“Many youths believe that is a day to practise immorality but due to coincidence of valentine and Ash Wednesday, it is an opportunity for every believer to preach the right concept of valentine and how it came into existence,” he said.
A retiree with the National Museum, Henry Oyediran, described the celebrations as two beautiful events.
“Today marks the need for our spiritual uplifting and for us to reflect over what our Lord Jesus Christ did and went through for you and I and also a day to proclaim love.
“That means we need to be cautious of the two beautiful events to maintain a balance, by being realistic of the fact that rules are made for men and not the other way round.
A network marketer, Ikobi Veronica,
Sales Consultant and Managing Director, Micvera Delight Ventures, said the two events were all about love.
Meanwhile, the president of Catholic Women Organisation, Saints Joachim and Anne, Ijegun, Lagos, said the celebrations were blessings.
“The self sacrifice of priest valentine to a man and his family to promote the spirit of love coinciding with Ash wednesday, beginning of lent telling us to leave every negative thing and apply humility and love,” she said.
Rev. Fr. Paul Salami, the Parish Priest, St Michael Catholic Church, Kagini, Bwari Area Council, FCT, urged Christians to use the Lent period to intercede for Nigeria.
Salami said on Wednesday in Abuja, that there was a need to ask for divine intervention for the country’s economic challenges.
“If we look at the situation today, it is pathetic and terrible.
“There seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel, a state of hopelessness everywhere among Nigerians.
“Difficult as it may look, it is important we use this season of Lent to beg God to show mercy on us as individuals and as a nation in general.
“We need to beg God to ease the pains of His children and bring a positive turn around.
“It is a sacrifice we must make through intensive fasting, prayers and giving of alms,’’ he said.
Salami urged Christians to pray for the world at large, especially for warring countries globally, and those going through famine and other unnatural and natural disasters.
He charged Christians to form the habit of praying at all times while also giving God supplications through periodic fasting, as the need arises.
Salami said this act was to emulate and share in the suffering of Jesus Christ before his eventual death on the cross and his resurrection after three days.
The clergy, while encouraging giving as an act of love as mandated by God, urged Christians to cultivate the habit of generosity in spite of the economic hardship.
Mr Ebirim Robert, a parishioner, said that giving was an obligation that opened doors for blessings, therefore all Nigerians should emulate it.
He said that the act was not only about giving out money or material things, but also a show of kindness and love to people who might be needing care.
Robert said that helping with work in the home; hospitals or old people seeking companionship were also an act of giving.
“Some people may just need our talent or time to just talk and pour out their worries.
“Others may be living in isolation, feeling rejected or abandoned. These are the people to visit and care for in order for them to feel cherished.
“When it comes to giving, you don’t have to be a millionaire, President of a country or a Senator before you can give.
“It is said that no one is too poor to give and no one is too rich to receive,’’ he said.
Mrs Esther Achugo, a parishioner, urged Christians not to relent in praying for the country.
Achugo urged Christians to use the Lenten season to cry out to God in total submission on behalf of the nation.
She urged Christians to make the effort to keep to the Lenten sacrifice, the fast and teachings as part of life and even after the Lenten period.
The purpose of Lent is the preparation of Christians for Easter through prayer, doing penance, mortifying the flesh, repentance of sins, almsgiving and self-denial.
The religious event is mostly observed in the Cherubim and Seraphim sect, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Lutheran, Methodist and Catholic Churches globally.
