SOUTH SUDAN: “Everyone Can Live a Life of Holiness,” Says South Sudanese Prelate at Death Anniversary of Bishop Gasi
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
In his reflection on the death anniversary of Bishop Joseph Abangite Gasi who died a decade ago, the Local Ordinary of the Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio in South Sudan has reminded Christians that they can live a life of holiness which the late Bishop advocated.
“Bishop Gasi, consistently taught that everyone can live a life of holiness, especially when they see holiness as a journey and make a conscious effort to become holy in all their life activities,” Bishop Edward Hiiboro Kussala said in a pastoral letter issued Thursday, September 12, and narrated in reference to the Scriptures, “As Christians, we must live a holy life because the Bible commands us to do so, that without holiness no one can see God.” (Hebrews 12:14- 15.)
To successfully live a life of holiness, Bishop Hiiboro advised that Christians must live a life that bears witness to love, mercy, and compassion and this means the people shall be honouring the late Bishop who served the Tombura-Yambio Diocese for nearly four decades.
“Besides,” he said, “Let us be reminded that our growth in holiness is achieved through our daily actions, prayers, and interactions. All our daily actions must reflect God’s transformative love.”
“We must therefore rid ourselves of hatred, violence, jealousy, selfishness, corruption, and all manner of evil. We must turn back to the Ten Commandments and lead a life that does not flaunt any of the Lord’s commandments,” the successor of the late Bishop expressed in the pastoral later highlighting that if the people of South Sudan get rid of these vices, “Such efforts will bring to us and our war-torn country blessings of peace, prosperity and healing.”
Bishop Hiiboro encouraged the people of God to reflect upon late Bishop Gasi’s most cherished teachings on, holiness, human fraternity, and peace. He expressed that the late Prelate “lived a life that serves as a great testament, a life laced with profound humility, and sincere holiness as reflected in his everyday activities, a life full of respect for humanity, and a life by which he worked tirelessly to unite us as a people of God.”
“The greatest desire of Bishop Gasi was to foster unity among us and lead us toward a life full of mutual respect for each other and humanity,” Bishop Hiiboro narrated.
The Local Ordinary of Tombura-Yambio Diocese noted that as people commemorate the life of Bishop Gasi over the years, “it is not only as a festival of his enduring legacy but also as a time to reflect upon his teachings and to let them shape our thoughts and our lives. As such, the day September 13th stands as a diocesan festival of obligation, a time to remember Bishop’s life and works, and the values that he left for us as his children.”
Highlighting the vision of the late Bishop Gasi, Bishop Hiiboro explained that he envisioned “a community built on mutual respect and fraternity. A community that lives in solidarity, has mutual respect for each person, and works together for the common good.”
“In such a community, everyone demonstrates empathy, actively listens to each other, and shows understanding of each other’s experiences and feelings,” the Bishop said in his pastoral letter and continued, “Achieving such a community remains a crucial vision for both our diocese and our nation.”
Giving reference to Pope Francis’ encyclical letter Fratelli Tutti, on fraternity and social friendship, the Bishops says that the Holy Father underscores that “fraternity is the key to building a better world (Fratelli Tutti, 8), as a people and to strive towards achieving global solidarity, recognizing each person’s dignity and striving for the common good for everyone.”
In this way, “for us to heal our hearts and especially our divided society, these principles for fostering peace and unity must be deeply engraved in our hearts, and we must all make efforts to practice them for our good, and the good of our country,” the Bishop said.
