Bishop Zuza
2nd December 2012 is the day the whole Roman Catholic Church begins a new season on the liturgical calendar. The season of Advent! The Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) through it Chairperson has since asked Christians to use this period for spiritual rebirth.
“As Christians, we believe that Christmas is a very big and important time. Thus it needs adequate preparation spiritually and physically. It was for this reason that the Season of Advent was inserted in the calendar. Advent is a season of deep reflection, penance and meditation. It is a time of spiritual rebirth,” reads part of the message.
The ECM notes that Malawi is slowly getting immersed into a world of consumerism (a culture of buying things). The Bishops cautions Christians against celebrating Christmas without Christ. As the four weeks of Advent go by, the Catholic Bishops are asking Christians to take time off their busy programmes to reflect deeply about their personal relationship with God and fellow people.
“A Christian must do deeper soul-searching, and this will lead to remorse for their weaknesses. At the end there must be repentance and making amends. There cannot be Advent without change in our life; and this is the heart of Advent.”
According to Wikipedia, Advent is a season observed in many Western Christian churches as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. In the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Moravian, Presbyterian and Methodist calendars, Advent starts on the fourth Sunday before December 25, which is the Sunday from November 27 to December 3 inclusive.
By Web Office