KOTA KINABALU: The St Simon Catholic Church Likas rector urged the faithful to seek “the miracle of conversion” in his opening remarks on Ash Wednesday.
Fr Cosmas Lee said the service, which marked the beginning of Lent, is “a time of returning to God in prayer and penance, in repentance and conversion, a time to live up to the promises of our baptism.
“If there is no sin, there is no need for Lent. But if we say we have not sinned, we are making God for a fool for sending His Son to save us from our sins,” he said to some 40 parishioners who were present in the church, and to over 1,200 people watching the live-streamed Mass, Wednesday.
He said being ignorant of one’s spiritual state is only “deceiving ourselves”.
“In today’s world, there seems to be so little sense of wrong and sin, and we will need the power of God to truly understand that sin is there, and that sin kills.
“Every Lent, by the grace of God, is a miracle. For in our pride, we need the power of God to submit to Him in our sinfulness and repent.
“Let’s ask God for the miracle of conversion this Lent not just for ourselves but for all Christian people.”
Meanwhile, a Parish Health Team member said three enforcement officers from Majlis Keselamatan Negara (MKN) dropped by unannounced and found the observation of standard operating procedure (SOP) in the church satisfactory.
“They have been briefed on our SOP and took note of the 45 maximum attendance,” Jessie Ting-Yong said, adding that the officers also took photo inside the church. – Audrey J Ansibin
St Simon Catholic Church Likas 