CLERICS across the country reminded Tanzanians of the importance of loving each other and living in unity in the spirit of the Christmas holiday celebrated on Wednesday.
The religious leaders, in separate occasions on Christmas Eve in churches across the country, appealed to believers to get deeper into the spiritual meaning of the birth of Jesus and apply the lessons in their life for the betterment of the nation.
Dar es Salaam Archbishop, Jude Thadaeus Ruwa’ichi, reminded Christians that Christmas is a religious event which unites people and reminds them of peaceful existence, love, unity, and have mercy on each other.
“We should love each other; let’s do justice to each other. We should try doing these on this Day as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ,” Archbishop Ruwa’ichi emphasized as he led the Christmas Eve at St Joseph Cathedral in the City.
He argued that Jesus loved human beings and the Christmas reminds Tanzanians to strengthen love and observe fairness to one another.
He told followers to pay attention to everyone’s needs and make efforts in setting good goals for the New Year, 2020, while reflecting on their previous goals and what they performed in 2019.
Father Christian Nchimbi of the Dar es Salaam St Albans Anglican Cathedral asked the worshipers to maintain love and peace in their communities as a reflection of Jesus Christ’s life.
For his side, Morogoro Catholic Parish Bishop Telesphor Mkude called upon Tanzanians to keep on consolidating the country’s peace and tranquility at all levels, thus, from family to community level.
Where there is peace always love prevails, argued Bishop Mkude during the holy mass to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ at St Patrice Church in Morogoro region.
He called upon Tanzanians of all faith to embrace kindness and peace, the two of which yield love.
“The Bible teachings emphasize that we should love our neighbours as we love ourselves. Let’s strengthen peace from the family level during this Christmas and New Year festival,” he stated.
Assistant Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) Eastern and Coast Diocese Dean Rev Chediel Lwiza said celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ serves as a reminder to Christians of spiritual power bestowed on them through his name.
Leading the mass at the Azania Front ELCT church in Dar es Salaam, Rev Lwiza told the followers that enduring pains in life was something unavoidable, but through Jesus they shall overcome.
Archbishop Isaac Amani of Arusha, on his side, underlined the importance of family bonding, urging parents to make sure they bring up their children together to avoid single parenting that demoralises children psychologically.
Archbishop Amani, through his Apostolic Letter that was read in all parishes in Arusha Catholic Archdiocese, expressed his concern on the decline of family values and morals among parents and partners, reprimanding those who kill unborn babies, saying it was a great sin before God and unacceptable before the community.
Moshi Diocesan Administrator, Rev Fr Deogratias Matiika pointed out to rampant family crises fuelled by persistent quarrels among family members, especially between husbands and wives.
He implored couples to rethink their lives and promises, oaths they took when tying the knots, officially brought together as husband and wife, as well as consider the children and consequently renew their commitments.
The Diocesan Administrator also urged parents to make sure they go back to the drawing board and take care of their children.
He said the trend now shows that it is children who teach parents good ways of lives and not otherwise, something he said was distressing.
“Today you will hear a child talking to their parents; ‘father avoid overdrinking’; ‘mother avoid overdrinking, go and pay school fees, buy for me school uniforms…father do not beat mother’ and so on; it is an indisputable fact that parents are now reminded of their responsibilities of raising their children,” he said.
Morogoro Regional Commissioner Loata Ole Sanare, who attended the mass at St Patrice Church, asked the citizens in the region to cherish and embrace peace and tranquility.
“I urge citizens to celebrate these festivities with peace, happiness and unity,” said Mr Sanare, who also urged public support in fighting crimes, stressing on the need for the criminals to be reported immediately to security organs.
