Ash Wednesday: Priest Urges Christians To Deepen Faith During Lent

By DIANA CHUKWUKA

CHRISTIANS have been urged to embrace the Lenten season as a time for repentance, discipline and deeper fellowship with God.

Rev. Fr. Constantine Okoli gave the charge during Ash Wednesday Mass at Chapel of the Good Shepherd Catholic Church, Okpuno, Awka, marking the commencement of the 40-day Lenten season.

Lent precedes Easter and commemorates the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The season is observed through prayer, fasting, abstinence and almsgiving.

In his sermon, Okoli described Lent as a period set aside for spiritual reflection and renewal. He said the observances help believers assess their lives and strengthen their commitment to God.

According to him, Ash Wednesday begins a solemn journey that calls Christians to repentance and self-discipline.

He encouraged the faithful to seek forgiveness, reconcile with others and practice acts of charity. These, he said, promote peace and deepen spiritual growth.

The priest further stressed that Lent is a grace-filled season that enables Christians to overcome temptation and live according to God’s will.

Ash Wednesday is marked by the imposition of ashes on the foreheads of worshippers, symbolising human mortality and the need to turn back to God.