ZAMBIA: Bishop Lungu Warns Newly Ordained Deacons That Power Without Love is Catastrophic
Mwenya Mukuka
Bishop George Lungu of the Catholic Diocese of Chipata, Zambia, has warned deacons that having power or authority without love is catastrophic.
Bishop Lungu says that this applies to both in religious and political circles saying people with power should possess love and self-control.
In his homily when ordaining 29 Deacons at St. Dominic’s Major Seminary in Lusaka on Saturday,23rd May, 2022, Bishop Lungu said loving without self-control could be compared to a tornado.
“St. Paul says, ’God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power, and love and self-control’. Three things, power, love and self-control. Keep that sequence, power, love and self-control. You who will be ordained today will be given the power to preach the Word. There is power to celebrate marriages; there is power to serve at the Lord’s altar,” Bishop Lungu preached.
“There is power but, remember, power without love is catastrophic. This is true whether in religious circles or political circles. I won’t go into details, reflect. Love without self-control, my goodness some people compare it with a tornado. Loving without self-control, self-control, without self-control, it’s s tornado. What does a tornado do? It leaves a trail of debris and destruction. Power, but power with love is life giving. It is a service in humility. And so, you save yourself from having power without love and self-control. Remember it will be this constant awareness that it is because the Lord loves you that He set his love upon you and chose you,” Bishop Lungu said.
He told the new deacons to be humble and loving while exercising self-control.
Bishop Lungu said the 29 were ordained not because they are worthy but because of God’s love.
“Only God’s love will justify your ordination today. So, my dear candidates, it is not because you were always above average in academic performance, scoring distinctions that the Lord today sets you apart and appoints you to be his minister. No, it is not about distinctions here my dear brothers. It is because the Lord loves you. That He has set his love upon you and he has chosen you. What a humbling and an exciting experience to all of you who are going to be ordained deacons today, and to all of us who have already been ordained. How can I repay the Lord for his goodness to me? I raise the cup of salvation and I will call on the Lord’s name at this altar. My joy will be at the altar raising the voice in praise of God,” he said.
Bishop Lungu continued: “And therefore, your entire life becomes a thanksgiving hymn, thanking God for his goodness. It is with this treasure buried deep in your heart; humility becomes simply a natural instinct. You don’t have to be forced to be humble. Humility becomes a natural instinct you don’t have to fight for it because you will realise that you don’t deserve anything except God’s love.”
Bishop Lungu hailed the ordination of 29 deacons as a relief to the local Church owing to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic that killed many people including priests.
“Twenty-nine (29) young men are soon going to be ordained deacons for the Catholic Church in Zambia. What a wonderful gift from the Lord to our local Church for the services of our brothers and sisters in Zambia and beyond. We have every reason to celebrate this day, offering hymns and prayers in thanksgiving for such a great and wonderful gift from the Lord. Let us therefore rejoice and be glad in him. Tears of joy wiping away sorrow we experienced due to Covid-19 pandemic that brought about so much suffering and death in our midst and so we celebrate this event with a sense of gratitude, deep gratitude to God for his steadfast love for us His people. In other words, at the heart of this celebration is God’s love for us,” the Bishop of Chipata said.
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