Lent 2018: Here is the right way to do Holy season this year

Catholic priests all over the world are offering tips on what to do throughout the entire Lenten season.

Ever wondered what the right way to do Lent is?

Well, you can rest now as Catholic priests all over the world have been nice enough to share great advice on what to do throughout this entire Holy season.

Rev. Fr Stanley Aroh, Parish Priest of St. Rita Catholic Church, Mararaba, Nasarawa state and Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia are some of the clerics that have offered some tips.

 

Lent advice from Catholic priests

Rev. Fr Stanley Aroh is encouraging Christians to fast and give alms but to do it discreetly.

Quoting a scripture, he said, “the left hand should not know what the right hand is doing.

“When giving alms to the needy, as part of our duty in this season, you should not announce what you have done because our heavenly Father who sees in secret will reward you in the open.

“So for us not to miss our blessings, we have to carry out our Lenten duties secretly.”

The Rev. Father added: “you don’t need to blow your trumpet.”

 

On fasting, the cleric said: “In this season of Lent, I want you to anoint your head with oil and look very fine and refreshed while fasting.

“Many people usually look very sad and dull when fasting and that is not good at all, you don’t have to let the whole world know you are fasting.”

Father Aroh ended by advising Christians to also abstain from drinking alcohol, clubbing, smoking, excessive talking as they reflect on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

 

News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that these words of advice were uttered during the Ash Wednesday Mass in Mararaba, Nasarawa state.

Meanwhile, Archbishop Chaput of Philadelphia to chase the “difficult but always liberating” path to holiness.

“We negotiate little ‘concordats’ with our favorite personal sins, ugly habits, and dictatorial appetites all the time. The deals we make with the world, and the flesh, and the devil, always go south.”

In a Feb. 13 column, the Archbishop Chaput reminded Christians that “February 14 this year is Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent. It’s the day on which a loving God invites all of us to smash our miserable little concordats with sin and its alibis to bits.”

 

Continuing, he said, “The line dividing good and evil is usually — not always, but usually — pretty bright for anyone who wants to see it. Most of us really don’t want to see it, of course, because doing so would cramp our own daily behavior. We negotiate little ‘concordats’ with our favorite personal sins, ugly habits, and dictatorial appetites all the time.

“For every forbidden, hurtful, dishonest thing we like to do, we’re experts at self-deceit; at training our consciences to perform like pets … well-manicured poodles that offer us alibis on demand, like: ‘I didn’t have a choice;’ or …’There’s a new paradigm for thinking about this particular unpleasantness;’ or… ‘OK this is wrong, but it’s not THAT bad.’”

Chaput concludes by urging Christians to free themselves from sin by following the teaching of the Church.

In his words, “We need to cling to it, confident in God’s mercy, in judging our own actions and redirecting our lives, no matter how radically that new path demands.”

Muslims weigh in

Muslim Clerics and Youth Organization have urged Christians to pray for peace and stability in Nigeria.

 

Vanguard reports this advice was given by the head of the organization, Malam Gambo Abdullahi during a solidarity visit to Pastor Yohanna Buru, General Overseer of Christ Evangelical Intercessory Fellowship Ministry in Kaduna.

posted by Campus94