Bishop reminds believers to look to the cross during trying times

Our Correspondent
Kohima, April 5 (EMN): Catholic priests across the state conveyed messages of the Palm Sunday sermon to the faithful while celebrating the Eucharist at their respective parishes, which were streamed live through the platform of digital media.

The Mary Help of Christians Cathedral Kohima, Christ The King Church in Kohima village, St. Joseph’s Parish in Chümoukedima were among some of the parishes, which brought the Eucharistic celebrations to the faithful at the comfort of their homes through Facebook, Zoom Cloud Meetings amongst others.

It may be mentioned that this was the first time that a priest celebrated Palm Sunday without a community and the community celebrated the same from home as the world came to a standstill due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19).

Bishop of Kohima diocese Rev. Dr. James Thoppil, while delivering homily from Mary Help of Christians Cathedral, said the Christian world today celebrates Palm Sunday that commemorates the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem “with a tinge of sorrow and sadness.”

The Bishop encouraged the faithful not to get lost in one’s wounds even if the current crisis requires “many small sacrifices from us. We should share our cross with the millions of other people who have always lived and continue to live in emergency and crisis situations,” he said.

The Bishop prompted the people to “feel the cross so acutely, direct their attention towards the cross of Christ, grasp, and accept our cross more firmly in our hands. The more difficult the cross is to bear, the more love we need to feel,” he stated.

The celebration of the Palm Sunday marks the beginning of the Holy Week where Christians recall the events leading up to the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus.

Other Catholics in Nagaland also participated in Palm Sunday Eucharist celebrated by Pope Francis without the public for the first time at the Vatican, which was telecasted by Shalom World TV.