A Catholic Priest, Rev. Fr. Clement Onyilokwu, has urged Catholic faithful to shun any form of Immorality and seek God as the lenten season begins.

Mr. Onyilokwu, also the Cathedral Administrator at St. Michael Catholic Church, Minna, made the call in a mass to mark Ash Wednesday at the cathedral in Minna on Wednesday.

Ash Wednesday is a solemn reminder of human mortality and the need for reconciliation with God.

It marks the beginning of the penitential Lenten season. It is commonly observed with ashes and fasting.

He said that it was baseless and a waste of time for anybody to live in immorality and still claim to be fasting in the lent season.

“This is a season we journey with God, we should be mindful of our soul and deny our body earthly pleasures at this season.

“We should mortify our body and shun all acts of immorality at a season like this. The ashes is not for show but reminds us of our mortal nature, from dust we came and from dust shall we all return.

“This is a ritual for sober reflection, it is a reminder of how humans were created from dust and unto dust we all shall return, ” he said.

The clergyman called on all and sundry to pray for healing and cleansing of the world.

“In Nigeria particularly, no one seem to be safe or secure because of the insecurity situation rocking the country, I think our resolve would be to continuously seek the face of God as we act well.

“We should fast and pray to seek the mercy and favour of God, not just fasting from food but from wicked acts.”

According to him, there is no point fasting if we will not shun our wicked ways.

“It should be more of a pragmatic approach to God by living right as we pray and act well in accordance to His will and purpose,” he said.

Mr. Onyilokwu also urged the faithful to observe silence and be sober at the cathedral grotto while there for prayers. 

(NAN)