Bishop Calls for Forgiveness and unity during this Holy Week
Rt. Rev. Barani Eduardo Hiiboro, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio has called upon South Sudanese to embrace forgiveness and unity. According to him, forgiveness is the only way through which South Sudanese people will be able to build unity.
“There are so many challenges and difficulties in our lives brought about by our human shortcomings and limitations; there are always problems among us caused by our brothers and sisters, people who are close to us. However, we are called upon to learn from our Christian faith and from Christ who chose to forgive humanity. I, therefore, encourage you during this Holy week, to use our spirituality to solve the problems we have,” Bishop Hiiboro implored.
He pointed out that many times there are sharp divisions in families; brothers and sisters not seeing eye to eye; parents not cooperating with their children and vice versa; colleagues from workplaces remaining at loggerheads with each other etc.; all these differences give a lot of pain within our communities. “So let us take this opportunity to forgive one another because by so doing we can proceed well to build our nation.”
He further expressed that in a country like South Sudan where so many atrocities have happened, and many people are to blame for what has befallen the masses, it is important to move on and the only way to do so is through forgiveness.
“We cannot remain there on that one subject of blaming and complaining, rather let us make a move. We shouldn't be held as slaves and prisoners to the stories that have happened, to the pain that we have experienced, to the difficulties that we have encountered, to whatever humiliations we have endured from people known or unknown to us; we cannot remain prisoners to such bad thing that happened in the past; let us release ourselves from all these and hold on to the things that really matter for our growth and development, let us forgive and move on.”
Bishop Hiiboro feels that forgiveness will enable the people of South Sudan to see each other as fellow human beings created in the image of God; it will enable them to see each other as one people regardless of their ethnic differences.
“Let the act of forgiveness be our practice wherever we are; whatever happens to you, just create a room to go over it and let it go. Forgiveness is the only way through which our beloved country will be able to move on from the bondage of hatred and feelings of the need to revenge which currently dominates our communities in South Sudan.”
