The Lenten season

It is a season when Christians engage in practices such as self-denial marked by fasting.  The period is also characterised by church services, during which sermons are made calling the faithful to be diligent and moderate in their actions and utterances.  Besides preparing the faithful for the feast of the resurrection on Easter Sunday, Lent […]

It is a season when Christians engage in practices such as self-denial marked by fasting.  The period is also characterised by church services, during which sermons are made calling the faithful to be diligent and moderate in their actions and utterances.  Besides preparing the faithful for the feast of the resurrection on Easter Sunday, Lent predisposes them to receive more of the grace of Christ, a time for reflection and repentance.  
During this season, almsgiving, prayer, fasting and abstinence are given special emphasis, and must be expressive and relational.  These are particularly germane at this time in Nigeria’s history. The general elections are some four weeks away.  In that period, it would be necessary for religious leaders to put emphasis on the need for members of the congregations to conduct themselves in a manner that would enhance the electoral process, not endanger it. Because Lent is a special time of prayer, penance, sacrifice and good works in preparation of the celebration of Easter, these are the very virtues that are required for a society to make progress. Nigeria faces many challenges that a period of sober reflection such as this Lent season offers is welcome for citizens to rededicate to the growth, stability and unity of the country.
It is a time also to remember the gallant men and women in uniform who are currently engaged, with the assistance of neighbours and the international community, to rid the nation of a virulent insurgency that has traumatised the country and citizens for the past six years. Special prayers should be held for these brave men and women to triumph over this evil and provide the chance for the country to begin to heal.
It is also a period when forgiveness is harped upon. Christians are called upon during this time to forgive those who have offended them and to hold no grudge against anyone.   
Christians are also called upon to avoid wastage in this period and to engage in deep reflection of their actions.
One of the most crucial elements of the interfaith challenges of the country is the drive by misguided politicians to inject religious differences in their campaigns to persuade the electorates to their sides as the elections approach. Religious leaders should be wary of such divisive messages that are capable of further polarising the country along religious lines and misleading their congregations.
In this Lenten season, the Christian faithful should pray God to give them the strength and the will to observe the period and conduct all the rituals that are expected of them without fail.
The idea of Lent and its lessons are precepts that can be embraced by all, religious or otherwise, by using the season to pray for one another and for God to guide the nation’s leaders in the right path and the determination to tackle the problems bedevilling the country. The lessons of the season should not be shed after the 40-day period; they are meant to be imbibed and be ever-present to guide the everyday actions of the faithful. That is why the virtues of the season should transcend the church and to make an impact on the larger society and in their interactions with fellow citizens.