The Most Rev. John Alphonse Asiedu, SVD, the Bishop of the Donkorkrom Apostolic Vicariate, has recently urged the faithful to focus more on things that will bring unity among them than divisive ones.
The Bishop made this known during his homily at the opening Mass at the Lake Mission, which took place at Battorkope, one of the stations at the Lake Mission.
The bishop continued that through the sin of King Solomon, the Kingdom of Israel was divided into two. The fact that his sinful act brought division in the country. His life as a leader had an effect on the nation. Leaders must know that their bad lifestyle can bring a lot of calamities upon their people, just as their good acts can bring good fortunes upon them.
He indicated to the people that both their good and bad acts will definitely have effects on the lives of the community they are in, especially the church community. Even though they are gathered from different backgrounds, they should see themselves as one people with a common goal.
Unity, he said, is very integral for the growth of their individual communities, their families, as well as the Lake Mission. If they are not united, there is no way the church and their communities can grow.
The Catholic Church, he emphasized, is universal, hence it opens up to embrace everybody. In the same vein, they should make their individual churches welcoming. Discrimination and all forms of divisive elements should not be entertained at all.
Jesus prayed for unity among his disciples before his passion. The fact that they should be one, just as he is one with the Father. Therefore, Christians are to become instruments of peace, not division.
Jesus wants to use us to repair the damage we have caused. Just as we are the cause of the division, we can also be the source of unity through the power of Christ. It is possible to become instruments of unity if we are closer to Jesus, the source of our strength.
The prelate indicated how it is always beautiful when we live together in peace as brothers and sisters, even though with our differences. It is only when we live in peace that we can have a deeper meaning of the Mass we celebrate. If not, the Eucharistic Celebration becomes a useless venture without any effect on our lives.
In the reception of the Communion, he asked them to always pray for Christ to make us instruments of peace in our lives.
He bemoaned the situation where some people have allowed themselves to become instruments of division in their communities, churches, families, workplaces, and elsewhere. He encouraged such people to desist from such negative attitudes.
