By Chinecherem Efobi
The school manager of Immaculate Heart Secondary School Uga, Rev. Fr. Bartholomew Okeke has explained the need to participate actively in Lenten activities.
Fr. Bartholomew who spoke to Fides School Run on March 10, at the school premises Uga, said that Lent which leads Christians to the experience of Easter is devoted to fasting, prayer, almsgiving which are encapsulated by penitence in commemoration of Christ’s experience in the wilderness. He said that Ash Wednesday begins the Lenten season. Ash Wednesday is a Christian’s Holy day of praying and fasting. It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and falls on the first day of lent, the six weeks of penitence before Easter.
The school Manager continued by saying that school children are expected to participate well enough during the Lenten season in other to prepare for the wonderful blessings being given.
“Lent is for everybody, as well as Easter and that is why it is very important for our children to get involved in those activities especially on Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday, joining in stations of the cross every Friday”. He noted that many Catholic schools normally do their Stations of the Cross in school during break time and it is another way of teaching the students the seriousness that ought to be during Lenten period.
The Aguata-born priest made it clear that many blessings, open doors and favors are being received from God through Christ who died on the cross for man’s sins during the Holy Lenten season. When one does his or her lent with his or her total heart and not just participate because others are doing, the father said, there was bound to be positive life changes. “May the Almighty God help us to participate so well in this Lenten period Amen”, Fr Bartho prayed.
