Always be holy and good- Msgr. Kalumba

By Valerian Kkonde

PEARL NEWS SERVICE

Christ the King Parish priest, Msgr. Gerald Kalumba, has urged Christians to put emphasis on the secret areas in their lives so as to gage whether they are worthy of that title: Christians.

Msgr. Kalumba made this appeal during the 1:00 O’clock Mass to mark the beginning of the Lenten Season.

“Today’s readings emphasize the word secret. And it is real. There is that really very personal part in us all. Even as we are gather here, no one knows what the other is all about. A wife cannot know what the husband is thinking about.

“But that secret part can be revealed in words or deeds. That is the area that this time is digging at to determine whether we are worthy of the name Christians. Christian comes from Christ: we are Christ’s disciples, his followers.”

 This Lenten Season coincided with the 46th anniversary of the death of the first Bishop, South of the Sahara, Archbishop Joseph Kiwanuka. He died on February 22, 1966 thus bringing to an end an industrious and inspiring leadership credited for the strong foundation on which the Catholic Church continues to flourish.

Explaining the meaning of the Lenten season and why we are smeared with ashes, Msgr. Kalumba told the congregation that this time marks the beginning of a special reflection that will lead us to the celebration of the resurrection of Christ.

“The Lenten season is only for emphasis. It is not the only time when we are called to be good and holy. We are called to be good and holy all the time.

“The ashes are a unifying factor bringing out what we all are. We all are dust and to dust we shall return. It does not matter whether you are a president, a minister, rich or poor.”

Msgr. reminded the Christians, who filled the Church to capacity that the words used when being smeared with ashes: “remember you are dust and to dust you will return” mean that we should live with dignity. He warned that nobody should destroy human dignity.

Living with dignity, Msgr. preached, can be done through external signs that the readings have talked about: fasting, mourning and weeping.

The first reading was from Prophet Joel 2: 12-18. The second reading was extracted from 2Corinthians 5: 20, 6: 2 and Mathew’s Gospel 6: 1-6, 16-18.

As for going about our Lenten period, he warned that if you do things for people to see and admire, then you have nothing more you are waiting for.

“It is the same as when what comes from our secret areas of our life are full of malice, distortions, unforgiving, corruption, lack of respect and responsibility as well as guiding society in poor ways.”

In order to merit the rewards God promised to those who do penance, the priest urged the Christians to do everything for the good of the person.

And further explaining the Lenten season, he said that the 40 days, then the 5 days of the holy week and the 3 days: Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday are the climax of the holiness we hunger for. He prayed that the symbolism of the ashes leads us to that holiness.

Stressing that goodness is not only for the Lenten Season, Msgr. Gerald Kalumba prayed that by the help of His mercy, He should help us turn away from our sinful ways and contribute to the feeling of the poor.