Banjul, 04 January, 2024 / 8:51 pm (ACI Africa).
The Bishop of Banjul Diocese in Gambia, West Africa, has encouraged the people of God in the country to always remember to thank God in the new year, regardless of the difficulties they face in life.
In his new year message shared with ACI Africa on Thursday, January 4, Bishop Gabriel Mendy reflected on the principle of unconditional thanksgiving from the letters of St. Paul and said, “This principle is equally important for us in this new year.”
“We should express our gratitude to God in all circumstances for our vocation, our life, and for the prospects we have in life,” Bishop Mendy said, and added, “Our gratitude to God should therefore not be limited to what is useful and beneficial to us.”
Without focusing on a particular occasion or being conditioned by status in life, the Gambian Bishop said, “We should be grateful to God even if we do not gain or experience in the new year what we expected or deserved in our lives.”
According to the member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, St. Paul's teachings on thanksgiving do not align with the concept of expressing gratitude to God solely in response to receiving blessings, protection, or answered prayers.