CATHOLIC Diocese of Ndola Bishop Benjamin Phiri says clergymen will face a lot of temptations from political figures who would wish to be elected to various offices this year.

Bishop Phiri, however, says the Church should not be used as a political ground.

This is according to his 2021 Lenten Message in which he invited the faithful to pray for unity and tolerance in the Church.

In a message titled: “That We May Be One Through the Cross”, Bishop Phiri articulated the importance of the Lenten season, the Year of unity and the August general election.

Bishop Phiri said Lent helped Christians to move closer to God through Prayer, Repentance, Reconciliation and Conversion.

The Chief Sheppard said the faithful must learn to pray for Unity, Love and Peace.

“This year, 2021, in our country is a special one in the sense that we are going to hold general elections for various political offices. The aspect of facing tempetitions will be very high. We are going to experience many tempting opportunities coming from the political figures who would wish to be elected to various political offices. We are going to be tempted in many ways, offers of luxury, pleasure, food, drink, power, money and many others which will aimed at destructing our central focal point of Christian values and God,” Bishop Phiri stated.

“We must realize that at the center of all tempetitions, there is an act of pushing God aside because of our immediate human needs which we would wish to satisfy. Are we going to forgo our Christian belief and values in those trying moments? Let us once again imitate Jesus when that time comes.”

Bishop Phiri stated that during this Lent period, he has invited the church to pray earnestly for unity and tolerance.

“As we celebrate the year of unity in our diocese, I wish to invite you all to pray earnestly for unity and tolerance in the Church and even for our beloved country. Repeatedly, I have reiterated in my homilies at various celebrations in the diocese that the church is not a political ground,” stated Bishop Phiri.

“Furthermore, evil things will come our way through these various tempetitions, which aim at our natural human instincts we may fall prey to. Many a time, we shall be tempted to compromise our Christian values with mediocrity.”

Bishop Phiri concluded his 2021 Lenten Message by asking for the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.