Rev. Fr. Silas Sapaty, a Priest of the Accra Archdiocese has urged members of the Christian Mothers Association to open their hearts and minds to receive Christ.
Preaching at a Lenten Retreat for about 500 CMA members, Christian Fathers, Daughters and Sons of the Accra Archdiocese at the St. Benedict Catholic Church at Ofankor, he entreated the Mothers to spiritually journey with Christ in His Exaltations and Mother Mary in the praying of the Rosary.
“Fixing one’s mind on the Cross is a sure way to encounter Christ in your daily lives in other to shine wherever members find themselves,” he told the CMA members on February 25.
The one-day Retreat was on the theme: “Rend Your Heart not Your Garment Turn unto the Lord Your God for He is Gracious and Merciful…” (Joel 2:13).
Fr. Sapaty enlightened the CMA members on the culture of the Hebrews in expressing their anger when they are bereaved and sorry for their sins, they tore their garment, saying that “rending our hearts therefore means we should tear our hearts.”
He admonished them to take their hearts away from evil practice, explaining that “since from our hearts emanates both good and bad deeds, we should be pained for our sins and strive to repent when we come to that realization of committing sin.”
In order to achieve this, he entreated the leaders of the Association to plan and help undertake more spiritual activities to strengthen their hearts to stay away from doing evil.
He encouraged mothers to spend time with the Blessed Sacrament and receive the Holy Communion at all Masses, advising them that the devotion to the sacred heart of Jesus should be held on to with great hope and confidence.
As part of the Retreat, Fr. Sapaty took members through rosary prayers, Divine Mercy prayers, Worship and Holy Mass.
At the Mass, Msgr. Peter Kofi Atsu, Priest-in-Charge of St. Benedict Church in a homily entreated members to fast diligently, give alms and pray to fulfil their Lenten obligation.
He stressed on the fact that the Church was not denying people of food but to reduce in quantity their food intake in order to give to others who were hungry but cannot afford.
He asked Mothers to devote their conversation time to prayer by cutting down on that too in order to rather remain in constant communion with God.
Msgr. Atsu tasked mothers just like Levi to let go of certain behaviours in order to stay closer to God, saying “It is in so doing that they can identify their bad behaviors and desist from them and come closer to God.”
He encouraged mothers to allow the words they have heard to bear fruits that will enable them dine with Christ on His coming and to create a time to meditate, keep silent and communicate with God.
