Christ’s death, resurrection time for spiritual reflection, renewal

ONE of the big events in the globe is the commemoration of Good Friday. In 2023, this will be held from April 7 to 10 2023. This commemoration will occur at a time of serious global challenges, including the war in Ukraine, Yemen, Democratic Republic of Congo, military takeover of governments in West Africa and political crises in many parts of the world. Levels of poverty have worsened in recent times, gender-based violence has serious impact on women and girls, unemployment has hit young people hard and some have perished crossing oceans illegally in search for better lives to mention a few.

Isaiah prophesied about the birth of Christ when he said, in Isaiah 9: 6; “For us a child is born, to us a son is given and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be called wonderful counsellor, mighty God, everlasting Father and Prince of peace.” Jesus was also born in a world that was not peaceful, hence at his birth many children were killed because rulers at that time were threatened when they heard about a king born in Bethlehem.

Jesus, at the beginning of His ministry, was handed a scroll where He read from Prophet

Isaiah, where it said; “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.” In John 10: 10 He said; “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Services

As a country whose majority are Christian and fully appreciating that there will be services in all the parts of the country, including the national service, where Christ’s death will be commemorated, I would like to make a special plea that let this not be just one of many events in the national calendar, but let it be a time of deep reflection on the life of Christ, who, when He saw people in need, addressed their particular need. I recall one event in the Bible where He was addressing crowds but at some point He realised that they were hungry and then asked what they can be given. Hence the disciples said there was a young man with five loaves of bread and two fish. The Bible says He took the food and blessed it where 5 000 men were fed.

The hallmark of Jesus’s life was restoring men to God through His sacrificial death. Hence He never wavered even when betrayed by one of His disciples because His mission was to save humanity from eternal death.

The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ should give hope to the poor, unemployed, victims of violence, including gender based violence, especially women and girls and

many widows who have lost their properties to mention a few. Christ identified Himself with the down-trodden and outcasts. Hence all who suffer indignity must know Christ cares for all who are in pain.

It is a call for bishops, apostles, pastors and priests to be reminded that the death and resurrection of Christ was a momentous event where Christ, who was fully human, yet fully God, came to the world as a ransom for humankind against the eternal separation of God. It is time for the church to stand in the gap for the struggling masses in this world, including Eswatini. The church should be a sanctuary for the persecuted individuals against their political beliefs, a sanctuary for those who face hunger every day and hence I applaud churches that have set up soup kitchens to feed the hungry. It is time for the church to offer scholarships and, more importantly, to be the voice of the voiceless, where the church is able to speak truth to power when people’s rights are violated.

Communities

It is time to not obsess in collecting offerings to meet only a church’s needs but for the church to be the salt and light in communities.

It is also an opportunity for rulers of States, leaders in government and leaders in communities to appreciate that they lead God’s creatures, made in the likeness of God. To fully appreciate that at the end of their race on earth, they will give an account how they served the people of God.

Bill Graham once said; “God proved His love on the cross. When Christ hung, and bled, and died, it was God saying to the world, ‘I love you’. Because of His resurrection, we have peace as we know He is in control of all that happens in the world.