Don't allow commercialisation to redefine Easter (Thursday, April 2, 2015) page 16
Members
of the clergy have asked Ghanaians not to allow the commercialisation of the
Easter season to redefine what the
celebration means.
They urged the public to rather use
the Easter season as a period of reflection, forgiveness, renewal,
reconciliation and dedication of their lives to God.
In messages that also touched on
some salient issues of national interest, the clergy also called on Ghanaians
to put national interest above all others.
Leaders from the National Peace
Council, the Global Evangelical Church, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church,
the Catholic Bishops Conference and the Presbyterian Church of Ghana all urged
the public to see the festivities as a period to renew their commitment to
God.
Easter
celebrations
Easter is celebrated annually to
symbolically mark the Crucifixion and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is
typically marked with well-attended church services that start on Good Friday,
the day Jesus died.
Christians believe that through His
death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus paid the penalty for sin and
through that purchased for all who believe in Him eternal life.
Across Ghana, the solemn mood on
Good Friday and Holy Saturday gives way to fun on Monday as revellers take over
the beaches and other social centres, while some churches organise picnics for
their members.
The Chairman of the National Peace
Council, the Most Reverend Professor Emmanuel Kwaku Asante, told the Daily
Graphic in an interview that it was the commercialisation of Easter festivities
that push drivers into a rush, leading to the endangering of people’s lives on
the roads.
Easter
and immorality
While admitting that some Ghanaians
used the occasion to return to their communities to plan their contribution to
the development of those places, such trips should bring honour to God.
According to the National Road
Safety Commission (NRSC), road users were most vulnerable during Easter and
Christmas festivities, as drivers tried to cash in on the festivities by
speeding and carrying out other forms of indiscipline on the roads.
In some areas where the Easter has
been hyped beyond the church, the celebrations have become associated with
immoral acts, including indecent dressing and sexual immorality.
The situation was so bad that in
2013, the Kwahu Development Association served notice that it would not
tolerate "indecent dressing and any behaviour that offend cultural and
moral values" by holiday revelers during that year’s Easter festivities in
the area.
The Most Rev. Prof. Asante, who is
also the Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church, Ghana, called for a change
in attitude because “Easter is not meant for immorality. Christ came to die for
our sins to bring about the purity of life. The immoral person who believes in
Christ Jesus dies to immorality and rises to purity of live. Therefore,
immorality and Easter celebrations do not go together”.
He, therefore, called on Ghanaians
to renew their commitment to God and the country and do things that would bring
honour to God, their fellow human beings and to themselves.
Christian
Council
The Christian Council, for its part,
asked the nation to see the occasion as an opportunity to unite as one people,
irrespective of their political and religious affiliations and social and
economic status.
“It is only through unity that comes
through grace and mercy that we can develop as a people,” a statement signed by
the General Secretary of the council, Rev Dr Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong,
said.
In that regard, it said “we should
begin to find better ways of engaging in national issues. Politicians,
churches, students, families, businesses, faith groups, etc should all find a
more peaceful and productive way of engaging on issues that affect them.
“As we reflect on the essence of
Easter, we urge religious groups, politicians, the government and social
organisations not to talk at one another.
“Instead, they should talk with one
another in addressing issues that affect them and our nation out of grace and
mercy,” it said.
Global
Evangelical Church
Adding his voice to the call, the
Moderator of the Global Evangelical Church, the Rt Rev Dr Edem Tettey, said the
central theme for Easter was forgiveness.
“One way to overcome many of our
national challenges is to extend forgiveness to one another. It is not easy but
God will help us do it. In the midst of suffering, Christ prayed for those who
crucified Him that God should forgive them, for they know not what they do.
“God, through His own initiative,
provided a means whereby man can be forgiven for his sins. This is good news.
Through Christ, my sins, as well as yours, can be completely forgiven and I can
have peace and be at peace with God. As we receive forgiveness from God, we are
expected for forgive one another.
“When you forgive someone, you
release him of her from the power of guilt and you offer that person peace. The
state of guilt is counter-productive. It affects performance in many areas of
human endeavour,” he said.
Action
Chapel International
For his part, the Founder of the
ACI, Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, prophesied “ God's protection over
the length and breadth of Ghana, over the airways, highways and borders of
Ghana. Let there be protection for all travelers during this season.”
“I release the resurrection power of
God upon the political, financial and socio-economic scene of
Ghana.”
“I enforce and superimpose God's
original agenda over every other agenda for Ghana. Nothing but God's prophetic
agenda for Ghana will be established. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I
command deliverances from all evil for our nation Ghana,” Archbishop
Duncan-Williams who is also the Chairman of the National Association of
Chrismatic and Christian Churches said.
Evangelical
Presbyterian Church
For the Moderator of the Evangelical
Presbyterian Church, the Rt Rev. Dr Seth S. Agidi, the Easter season was a
period for people to self-appraise and re-examine their lives to assess where
they had fallen short and pray vehemently for forgiveness.
“Easter serves as a period for us to
rededicate our lives to God. As humans, we often fall prey to evil deeds
because we rarely submit to the Holy Spirit to guide us,” he told the Daily Graphic
in an interview in Accra.
“Our lives have been corrupted with
greed, hatred, fraud, falsehood and many other acts of misconduct that are not
worthy of the lives of children of God,” he added.
Catholic
Bishops Conference
In a statement issued to mark the
celebrations, the Catholic Bishops Conference urged Ghanaians to see themselves
as members of one family and live in unity.
“The peace that Christ gives at
Easter should make us rise above all negative or harmful tendencies and see
ourselves as members of one nation,” it said.
It challenged Ghanaians to avoid
immoral acts, including the use of illicit drugs, Internet fraud and other
forms of fraud that were destroying the nation.
Anointed
One Presby Church
The Minister in charge of the
Anointed One Presbyterian Church, Sakumono Main, Rev. Emmanuel Adu Tetteh,
urged humanity to use the celebration of Easter to reconcile with one
another and live as one people.
“Let us unite, for unity is
strength. In unity we can fight our common enemy as a country, which is
underdevelopment,” he said.
He advised Christians to exchange
“enmity for friendship, hatred for love and antagonism for unity”.
Charismatic
Redemption Ministries
In a statement, Rev Francis Adjei,
the General Overseer of the Charismatic Redemption Ministries in Accra, said
the celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ should be marked
with love and joy.
“May our lives be touched by the
true meaning of the death and resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ,” he said
in a statement to mark the occasion.
writer’s email: seth.bokpe@graphic.com.gh
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