Two Catholic Church leaders, on Friday, said self-denial and social distancing were sacrifices Nigerians have to make to save mankind from the COVID-19 global pandemic.
The leaders, while speaking on the significance of Good Friday as personified by Jesus Christ crucifixion on the Cross of Calvary, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that sacrifice was a norm in human society.
NAN reports that Good Friday is the fifth day of the Holy Week to commemorate the passion of the Christ that reconciled man with God.
Mrs Francisca Okereafor, a Catholic Charismatic Mission Outreach of the Abuja Archdiocese said that obedience to government directive “is the cross that Nigerians have to bear to curb the spread of coronavirus.
According to her, at a time Christians have to stand into retaining humanity.
“In this period of the global pandemic, it is the turn of people, and Nigerians in particular, to save our society.
“The state actors have given us a part to play in order to surmount the coronavirus by adhering to the social distancing and lockdown order as key to ending the pandemic.
“There is every need for us to learn from the experiences of other climes that treated this same directive by their government with levity and paid dearly for it,’’ Okereafor said.
She reminded Nigerians, especially Christians, to emulate Christ teachings, which hinged on the promotion of the common good for others to copy.
She added that promoting the common good “makes the world a better place’’.
According to her, that is what the Passion of Christ epitomised.
Also, the Secretary of the Council Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Onireke Lagos, Mr Cyril Osamade, told NAN that Christ admonished the people to obey the state for the good administration of the society.
Osamade, who expressed regret at the disobedience to government directives by some people, including religious organisations, to the stay at home and social distancing order, said human living was fraught with sacrifices.
At every stage in life, he said, there are hurdles one has to pass through to continue to forge ahead.
“Regrettably, some people have paid the supreme prize during this trying period,’’ he said.
According to Osamade, the Easter celebrations have been put off in compliance with the government directive, especially for residents in Lagos, Abuja and Ogun that have been placed on lockdown.
He said that the cancellation of the Easter celebration was a collective sacrifice to help government salvage the crisis and save mankind.
Osamade urged Nigerians to adhere to the order as a spike in the level of the health crisis could not be shouldered by the country’s health facilities. (NAN)
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