Leadership Magazine – Renewed in Christ

Renewed in Christ

Feb 17, 2021 Leader Editorial 0

The Lenten period prepares Christians for the celebration of Easter. It is a period of prayer, fasting (self-denial), almsgiving and penance. This year, the Lenten season comes at a time when the world is grappling with so many things. We are all still at ‘crossroads’ as Prof. Vincent Bagire describes. We are at crossroads to make decisions; crossroads to find solutions to the challenges weighing us down, the coronavirus scare inclusive. And for our country Uganda, many are still recovering from the 2021 general elections.

The season of Lent is a journey of faith. Thus, even as we are surrounded by all this turmoil, we are reminded of our iniquities; a reminder is given to each of us to go into our spiritual deserts to come out clothed in Christ.
The Evangelist Mark describes Jesus‘ going into the desert as spirit led: “At once the Spirit drove him out into the desert, and he remained in the desert for forty days,“ (Mk 1: 12-13 New American Bible).

Jesus was moved by the spirit to search and meditate on His spiritual brokenness and emptiness. The 40 days that Jesus spends in the desert are renewal days. He is tempted, tortured, and suffers in the wilderness. However, Jesus does not lose hope in God, he is in fact strengthened to move till the end. He puts all His trust in God who assures him: “You are my beloved child; with you, I am well pleased“ (Mk 1: 11). As we paddle through the trying times, do we hear God’s call and his assurance? Of course, there are times when we feel dejected; which, is our human frailty. It is one that Jesus shared in His search for God, He cries out to the Father; “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me.” (Mt 27:46) Instead, God promises that He will be there till the end of time. (see Mathew 28:20)
This Lenten season, Fr. Anthony Kibira MCCJ in this issue reminds us that our Lenten observance, amidst the pandemic should not be a mere repetition of a traditional routine, but rather a more personal and community spiritual renewal.

In so doing, we need to recognise that Jesus shares in our suffering. For the youth who might be going through difficult moments, Very Rev. Fr. Angel Artime SDB, the Superior General of the Salesians of Don Bosco calls upon each one of you to be moved by hope. Titling his message to the youth as Moved by hope: “See, I am making all things new” (Rev 21:5), he encourages each one of us to believe in hope that saves us and allow God to play His part in our lives.

Fr. Angel joins Pope Francis who has invited the world to become infected with “the necessary antibodies of justice, charity and solidarity” for reconstruction once the days of the pandemic are over. What better way to do this than the 40 days of our spiritual search for meaning in life; to recognise the need for solidarity, sharing and finding comfort in God that gives hope and newness?