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Reflections as we begin 40-day season of Lent
What you need to know:
- Lent. During the Lenten season Christians acknowledge their need to repent, love their neighbours and seek forgiveness for the sins they have committed. We do this by self-examination, penitence, prayer, reading the living word of God and by practising what we believe.
In Church calendar, the 40-day season of Lent begins this week, specifically on February 26, Ash Wednesday, which Christians worldwide observe by fasting, repentance and in some cases abstinence from eating meat.
During the Lenten season Christians acknowledge their need to repent, love their neighbours and seek forgiveness for the sins they have committed. We do this by self-examination, penitence, prayer, reading the living word of God and by practising what we believe.
Unlike Christmas and Easter seasons, relatively few hymns are earmarked for Lent in the traditional Anglican Hymns Ancient and Modern book, which is used for Sunday service at my spiritual home in Kampala, All Saints Cathedral, Nakasero.
Hymn 84, “O maker of the world, give ear” sets the stage for Lent. The lyrics, which are full of meaning run as follows:
“O maker of the world, give ear; in pitying love vouchsafe to hear the prayers our contrite spirits raise, in this our fast of forty days.”
“All hearts are open unto thee; thou knowest each infirmity; now, as we turn to seek thy face, pour down on us thy pardoning grace.”
“Help us grow in self-control, to make the body serve the soul; so may thy loving-kindness bless our fast with fruits of holiness.”
My favourite Lent song is hymn 94, “Lord, in this thy mercy’s day, ere it pass for ay away, on our knees we fall and pray.”
On a related note, today is the 3rd anniversary of the ministry of Bishop Charles Collins Andaku of Madi and West Nile Diocese who was consecrated and enthroned on February 26, 2017, at Emmanuel Cathedral, Mvara, Arua municipality, by Archbishop Stanley Ntagali of the Church of Uganda.
Following celebrations to mark the centenary of the Anglican Church in West Nile in 2018 and golden jubilee celebrations of Madi and West Nile Diocese in 2019, a master plan was drawn for the future of the diocese, including construction of a new diocesan office at Mvara.
The new office is a four-floor building which is estimated to cost Shs5 billion. It will be constructed within four years with most of the funding coming from Christians, friends and well-wishers of Madi and West Nile Diocese.
A special thanksgiving service will be held today during which Bishop Andaku will sow the first seed for the construction of the diocesan office. Other Christians will join him in sowing seeds during the service, to be presided over by Archbishop Emeritus Henry Luke Orombi, who will be guest preacher and chief fundraiser.
The fundraising event is spearheaded by Arua business community whose chairman, Mr Moses Obeta, described the task as a humbling responsibility.
The business community of neighbouring districts in DR Congo will today cross the border and come over to Arua to support the commendable efforts of their colleagues in Uganda.
According to the diocesan secretary, Mr Godfrey Nasser, Bishop Orombi will lay the foundation stone for the new diocesan office building. The target for today’s fundraising event is Shs100 million.
To God be the glory!
Mr Acemah is a political scientist and retired career diplomat.
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