The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins, has charged Christians to let the joy and peace of Christ permeate their lives by extending their hands of love and fellowship to the less privileged, especially during this Christmas season.
Martin, who gave the charge in his 2018 Christmas Message in Lagos, posited that the birth of Christ was the greatest demonstration of the love of God to all humanity.
He therefore urged Christians not to lose the spiritual importance of the season, noting that Christmas was not only a period of joy and celebrations, but also of stock-taking, self-evaluation and thanksgiving to God.
“Taking human flesh and being born into the human family affords all human beings a great opportunity to reaffirm the dignity of the human person, so that we can unite in thanksgiving to the Creator.
“This is why we are called not only to love our fellow human beings with a passion, but also to show great care for the environment at this time and all the time.
“Christmas season is not just a period of joy and celebrations, but also one of stock-taking, self-evaluation and thanksgiving to God.
“The season expresses the boundless love of God; a love that heralds hope, inaugurates peace, engenders faith, and establishes the triumph of justice.
“The spiritual essence is the heart, the most important and significant aspect of the season.
“As we busy ourselves with traveling, shopping, partying and other preparations for Christmas, let us not lose sight of its spiritual significance.”
The Bishop also called on Christians to see the occasion as an “opportunity to encounter Jesus and embrace his offer of friendship and salvation.”
While congratulating the people for another opportunity to see “the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ” the cleric admonished the faithful to shun “idle frivolities but put smile on the faces of the less privileged neighbours.”
“I urge everyone to remember the less privileged, particularly the IDPs, who have been forced out of their ancestral homes as a result of acts of war and hostilities.”
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He called on the state and local governments in default of payment of their workers’ salaries to pay such entitlement in order to put smile on their faces.
He said prompt payment of workers’ salaries and other entitlements would enable them to celebrate the yuletide meaningfully with their loved ones.
He also urged government to ensure timely commencement of the implementation of the increased minimum wage.
He said government should seek more sustainable ways of meeting the needs of Nigerian workers beyond wage increase.