CHRISTMAS MESSAGE TO ALL CHRISTIANS IN BORNO STATE BY THE CAN CHAIRMAN
MOST REV DR JOHN BOGNA BAKENI
My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Greetings and of Peace in the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, whose birth we celebrate at Christmas. I wish on behalf of the entire executives of CAN Borno State Chapter to rejoice with you as we celebrate God’s unfathomable love towards us.
This year’s Christmas is celebrated amidst difficult and harsh economic realities, insecurity and palpable fear of the unknown. But I urge us not to lose the essence and true meaning of this Solemn feast because the blessings and the graces of Christmas far outweigh and supersede these temporal and ephemeral realities. For these too, shall pass away.
We must not focus on the material and worldly things that life affords, but on the spiritual preparation and disposition that will allow Christ to be reborn in our hearts, our homes, our communities, our state, our nation and indeed the entire world, thereby transforming us into genuine instruments of love and peace. We are obliged to communicate and to extend these love and peace to All, during this festive season regardless of our religious, ethnic or social status.
We must desist from anything that will contradict and betray the meaning and essence of this Holy season and celebration. Avoid violence and any hedonistic tendency, eschew peace, reconciliation and love.
I wish you all a joyful celebration with your families, friends and relatives. May the New Year which we all anticipate be a new beginning for all of us, especially for our nation where religious and political leaders where will grow in the path of justice, equity, peace and the fear of God in discharging our responsibilities.
Glory to God in the highest and peace to all people of Goodwill.
