SOUTH SUDAN: Christians in South Sudan Reminded to Anchor Their Hope in Christ During Advent
Bishop Christian Carlassare of the Catholic Diocese of Bentiu
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
As the Catholic Church continues with the Advent season that calls Christians to deepen their relationship with Christ and prepare their hearts to receive the transformative joy of the Savior’s coming, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Bentiu, South Sudan in his pastoral message of the seasonal journey has stressed the need for Christians to anchor their hope in Christ amidst life challenges.
In his message shared with AMECEA Online, Bishop Christian Carlassare of Bentiu Diocese which was erected in July 2024, narrated, “Hope is born of love. Christian hope does not deceive or disappoint, because it is grounded in the certainty that nothing and no one may ever separate us from God’s love.”
He underscores that even though South Sudan is witnessing suffering within communities, many people are displaced because of conflicts and floods; there is so much poverty and famine in the land and life is hard, making people hopeless because they don’t see a change, but “St Augustine clarified that hope is not about passively waiting for change, but committing ourselves to making it happen.”
“We are in Advent time. It is a period of great preparation for the coming of our Lord. We wait for God. But He also waits for us, that we convert from our sins, that we change our divisive way of living, and that we finally join hands to build a more fraternal world in preparation for His kingdom,” Bishop Carlassare narrated.
According to the Bishop who is member of the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus (MCCJ), “Hope is not just a wishful fairy tale, but a confident expectation rooted in the promises of God,” at the same time, “It is the assurance that no matter the challenges we face, God is faithful.”
Reflecting on St. Paul’s letter to the Romans that hope does not disappoint (Rom 5:5), the Prelate highlighted that “Our ultimate hope lies in the return of Christ when He will make all things right and restore everything that is broken,” and that, “As we place our hope in Him, we can be rest assured that He is with us.”
The Bishop’s Advent message relates to the theme for the 2025 Jubilee year on “Pilgrims of Hope.”
In the Papal Bull of Indiction of the ordinary Jubilee of the year 2025, Bishop Carlassare highlights the Pontiff’s message that “uncertainty about the future may at times give rise to conflicting feelings, ranging from confident trust to apprehensiveness, from serenity to anxiety, from firm conviction to hesitation and doubt.”
In this case, he narrates that “In the heart of each person, hope dwells as the desire and expectation of good things to come, despite our not knowing what the future may bring,” thus, “If we lack hope, we become discouraged, pessimistic, and cynical about the future and we lose sight of the path we have to walk ahead of us.”
“We need to recognize the immense goodness present in our world, lest we be tempted to think ourselves overwhelmed by evil and violence. In fact, only those who have a clear hope continue to walk and achieve a better future,” the Bishop concluded and shared a prayer for peace and hope with the Christians of Bentiu.
Heavenly Father, I am your humble servant, I come before you today in need of hope.
I need hope for a calm and joyful future.
I need hope for love and kindness.
I pray for peace and safety.
Some say that the sky is at its darkest just before the light.
I pray that this is true, for today seems stormy and dim.
I need your light, Lord, in every way.
I pray to be filled with your light.
Help me to walk in your light, and live my life in faith and service. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
