By Deogratias Mmana:
Christians Friday commemorated Good Friday by among others participating in the Way of the Cross.
President Lazarus Chakwera participated in the procession organised by various denominations at the Botanical Gardens in Lilongwe.
Vice president Saulos Chilima was at St Patrick’s Parish in the city.
Chakwera said as Malawians observes the Easter occasion, they should put the word of God into practice to unlock opportunities in their lives.
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“If we put into practice the word of God, most of the challenges we face will go,” Chakwera said.
The President also said commemorating the passion of Jesus Christ is significant as it brings people closer to God.
He also condemned the attitude of some people who take themselves as gods and oppress others.
He said such gods violate rights of people by, among other things, denying them the opportunity of questioning their actions.
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“May you revive us again Oh Lord, so that your people may rejoice. The revival we seek must touch our hearts so that we can have love for everyone even the unlovable,” Chakwera said.
He added: “We must change our mind, we must acquire more skills, we must have the love of God spread to everyone across the land.”
In an interview, Chilima said the Way of the Cross is an important event for believers as through the passion of Jesus, humankind was saved.
“This is a memorial of what happened many years ago. The importance of this is that one among many had to die to bring salvation. So because of that ultimate sacrifice, although he was a son the living God who still is, he humbled himself and became man made of flesh, it is ultimate level of humility,” Chilima said.
In Mzuzu City, three denominations – Catholic, Lutheran and Anglican churches –conducted the Way of the Cross jointly.
The procession started from St Thomas Catholic Church and ended at St Mark Anglican Church.
Bishop Fanuel Magangani of the Anglican Church said every Malawian has a cross of challenges which include poverty, food insecurity and unemployment.
Magangani said a prayer goes together with hard work, adding that Malawians should refrain from praying for things that they can do.
“As we pray we also need to take action by working hard. We do not need to pray for things that we can do. If I need food, yes I can pray but I need to go to the fields and work hard. A prayer should be there to ask for rains,” he said.
In Blantyre, members of the Catholic Church, led by Archbishop Thomas Msusa, also had their procession along the Kamuzu Stadium Road.
There were similar processions in Zomba, Mchinji and other parts of the country.
Founder of Empowerment Seminar Ministry Apostle Matthews Chimwendo said in an interview that the passion of Jesus Christ should be a reminder and a challenge to politicians that Jesus is a true servant leader and that whoever aspires to serve people better should take after him.
“To all politicians, Jesus is a true model of a servant leader. He had the interest of his followers other that his own interest. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.
“Any true leader who claims to love the people he serves, should put them first,” Chimwendo said.
He said a true leader should be able to provide solutions to the challenges faced by his followers.
“Jesus was a problem solver and a solution giver to many people. He brought and left us with peace and hope. He encouraged all his believers not to give up in life but believe for the better life. All true and good leaders should bring to the people genuine hope and work for the betterment of the people they serve,” Chimwendo said.
Deputy General Secretary of the Blantyre Synod of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) Reverend Baxter Maulidi said during this festive season, politicians and everyone else should show love to one another.
“Politicians in government should show love to those that they govern, they should govern with justice and transparency so that all of us benefit from the resources that God has given us,” Maulidi said.
Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) national communications and research director Father Francis Damaseke said Good Friday is the pinnacle of the Holy Week that started on Sunday with Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem where Christians carried palm branches.
He said the day is also described as “good” because Jesus conquered sin and death so that people should never be apart from God.
“Much as people dramatize events on this day, the church reminds us that, it is not a day of drama, it is imperative that each one of us carries a postmortem of his or her faith and find the meaning of the passion, death and resurrection of Christ in his life.
“How we live our lives, tells a story when we have been converted or not with the passion, death and resurrection of Christ,” he said.
