Christians worldwide see the resurrection of Jesus Christ to be the central miracle of the Gospel. As Rwandans come together to celebrate the Easter festival, several Christian leaders have extended their messages of goodwill, hope, and steadfastness.
The Christian belief revolves around the events in Jesus Christ’s life that occur in a week, starting with Palm Sunday when Jesus entered Jerusalem, followed by Holy Thursday or the Last Supper, his crucifixion on Good Friday, and ending with Easter Sunday, signifying his resurrection.
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Isaie Ndayizeye, Senior Pastor of Nyarugenge ADEPR Church, explained that the resurrection of Jesus is the basis of the gospel and that it is true and should be preached continuously.
"The reason we keep telling the sick to come and pray for them is because he also prayed for them, but if he didn’t resurrect, we wouldn’t know the end story of the disciples. His resurrection is the good news,” he said.
Additionally, Ndayizeye pointed out that the story of the resurrection of Jesus should be preached to people in their different aspects and be relieved of the burden of sin.
The Archbishop of Kigali and President of the Council of Catholic Bishops in Rwanda, Antoine Cardinal Kambanda, asked Christians to work in unity for the common good rather than selfish interests.
"In this era, we see that people living with anxiety and depression amidst health problems, disasters, and epidemics like Covid-19, there are family conflicts, and wars between peoples and nations that end up destroying whatever they built for years.”
Kambanda pointed out that people can find refuge in Christ as the creator, adding that they shouldn’t turn their backs on God, and strive to live peacefully with others.
He said, "He is the one who knows what is good for a person and knows how to combine it with the common good, the one who was born came to reveal to us, conquered death and everything else. Let us thank God and celebrate our Easter.”
On the other hand, Pastor Alfred Gatete of Restoration church, Nyarugenge Parish, told the congregation that the revelation from God allows Christians to know the victory they have in Christ and be able to face daily battles and strive for their future.
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He emphasised that Christians need to awaken spiritually to have a clear vision of what they should be and how to successfully work towards it.
Coincidentally, the message at Faith Center Church preached by Fiona Muhoracyeye also touched on the victory gained through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as a seal of Christian belief.
She noted that Christians have received freedom through the victory of Jesus Christ that should not be taken advantage of, but based on to build strong and prosperous lives.