For devout Christians, today is Good Friday, which marks the day Jesus Christ was crucified, more than 2,000 years ago.
Good Friday comes two days before Easter Sunday when Christians celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Easter is, in fact, said to be the most significant of all Christian holidays as it is at the heart of the creed that Jesus Christ, son of God, became human and died for humanity’s sins so that believers could be redeemed.
Easter, therefore, demands that Christians reflect on this sacrifice and make peace with their God. That is why it is preceded by 40 days of fasting and prayer, during which the devout cut down on material pleasures and engage in acts of generosity.
However, like many other religious events, Easter has become increasingly social and commercial, thus the spiritual message tends to get eroded as people focus more on the public holidays it offers, shopping sprees and binge feasting.
Ideally, one would expect that in a country where more than 80 per cent of the population professes Christianity, evil would abate and godliness increase throughout the lent season and Easter holiday, but no.
Instead, it is business as usual as innocent people are murdered; robberies, thefts and burglaries increase; terrorism threats get ever louder; corruption continues unabated; and road accidents claim even more lives. All this contradicts the spirit of Easter. Yet many Christians are active actors in perpetuating this state of affairs.
Indeed if all Christians were to follow their religious commitments to the letter, Uganda would be a much better place to live in. That is why we call for behaviour change this Easter. Christians in particular owe it to their faith to deeply reflect on their relationship with God on this occasion.
Those who have fallen short must repent and commit to living more honest lives. It’s our prayer that this spiritual aspect of Easter is not lost in the eating and drinking. We wish all our readers, clients and partners a happy Easter holiday.
FRENCH VERSION
