Good Friday: Cleric Urges Christians To Emulate Christ’s Life Of Sacrifice

As Christians in Nigeria join their counterparts across the globe to commemorate Good Friday, they have been urged to imbibe life of Love, Sacrifice and Humility.

The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Most Reverend Ignatius Kaigama, made the call in his 2023 Good Friday Message in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

In his words, “keep on doing good everywhere and at any point in time as Jesus gave himself up on the cross and died”.

“So everywhere in the world on Good Friday, we celebrate that event, and it is an event that cannot be taken for granted, he abandoned the heavenly kingdom to come to stay with us, to show us the way to salvation, to show us how to love, to show us how to sacrifice, even how to live a humble live”, he added.

Archbishop Kaigama further described Good Friday as Good, saying because something Good has happened to the entire humanity.

According to him, “For Jesus, it was a period of torture and great mortification but he did that for a purpose, to save us from our sins. These he has done for us. So in appreciation, we commemorate very solemnly that event to offer appreciation and gratitude and to ask for strength from him, that whenever we suffer, we should remember that he has suffered already for us. Our sufferings are not meant to punish us, they are also a participation in the sufferings of Jesus Christ.”

Speaking further, Archbishop Kaigama prayed that “Good Friday be really good for all Christians, Nigeria and the world at large”.

Mission given

Also the Bishop Emeritus in the Abuja Archdiocese, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, called on Christians to look up to Jesus, whose death was for the salvation of humanity.
“There is no aspect of human life that is not touched by our religion, even dying is not as if it is an unfortunate accident, no, it is part of God’s plan that you live, pass stages of life and die innocently. So we must be part of the project and program of Jesus even when you are suffering, it’s not in vain, just be ready to live your life as a mission given to you by God”, Cardinal Onaiyekan added.

Olusola Akintonde