NAIROBI FERUARY 20, 201(CISA) – Bishop David Kamau, Auxiliary bishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi has called for commitment in prayer during the lent season.
He said that the only way to enter into the season is by following the traditional practice of the church which is: prayer, fasting and alms giving.
“Lent is a season of reflection, re-evaluation, repentance and reconciliation. It is a time of profound grace and we are invited to let that grace sink in, take root and change us. Alms giving is more than just giving away money but also giving of our time through serving the needs of those around us. This is a practice which encourages us to let go of things (money, possessions, and our valuable time) which may have taken on too high a priority in our lives,” Bishop Kamau said.
He added: “Prayer slows us down, allows us to be focused, and enables us to be stripped away from our obsession with this world and moves us to a higher consciousness.”
Speaking while delivering a sermon at the Holy Family Minor Basilica in Nairobi on February 18 when the Church marked the beginning of the Lent observed through celebration of Ash Wednesday, Bishop Kamau said that Catholics should use the season in helping the needy in society.
The theme of this year’s Lenten Campaign is “Building our Family and Nation with Dignity.”
Catholic faithful across the world are expected to observe lent for 40 days ahead of the Easter celebrations.
During lent, Catholics are supposed to cease from excesses until Easter Sunday.
As a way of expressing sorrow, the palms that were distributed during the previous year’s Palm Sunday are usually burnt and the ash used during the Ash Wednesday.
Ashes were used in ancient times, according to the Bible, to express mourning. Easter Sunday is commemorated as the day Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead after being crucified on Good Friday.
