Celebrate Christmas by Encountering “abandoned, marginalized, forgotten”: Ghanaian Prelate

Reflecting on the theme, “Being a Christian in Ghana Today: In preparation for Christmas 2019”, the Archbishop of Accra said that Christians should “celebrate Christmas by doing everything that will allow us to live life to the full.”

“At the end of the day let us not forget to keep Christ within Christmas,” Archbishop Kwofie emphasized.

He cautioned the rich who keep amassing earthly goods at the expense of the poor saying, “Your wealth should be a blessing to the poor, don’t accumulate wealth to make others poor.”

The ecumenical event was attended by political leaders and religious leaders from other Christian denominations.

Sharing his reflections, the General Overseer of the International Central Gospel Church, Rev. Mensah Otabil said that Christmas was a time of wonder, hope, gratitude and celebration.

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“Since God chose Mary as the Mother of the Saviour out of her inexperience, simplicity and humility, God can also do greater things out of our human uninitiated,” Rev. Otabil said.

On his part, the Chairman of Ghana’s National Peace Council, Emmanuel Asante, said that Christians have the responsibility to serve God while anticipating the coming of Christ through his birth at Christmas.

Asante urged Christians who are involved in politics not to compromise their Christian morality saying, “politics must be done with religious considerations” and “Christians must not be of the world since they are not above the law.”

He added, “Christians have a mandate to cooperate with government institutions and be responsible citizens (who) exercise their civic responsibilities by contributing their quota to the development of the nation.”

The Church, Asante also said, “cannot remain aloof on the socio-economic issues of the country but must be rooted in the activities of the state and society (because) when we cut off society, the Church become paralyzed.”

“Christians are citizens of heaven and that shouldn’t be destroyed by their aloofness,” he concluded.

Ghana’s Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto who represented President Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo Addo assured Ghanaians that government will continue to roll out good policies that would inure to the benefit of the citizens.

Former Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama thanked God for taking the citizens through a “difficult year” and prayed that Ghanaians would renew their faith in human kindness and love during Christmas.

The forum “Conversations in the Cathedral” is aimed at bringing people of diverse backgrounds, expertise and creed together to dialogue as people of the same humanity who have the interest of the common good at stake, which will in turn create a bridge of trust among all participants and their various followers.