Cardinal Louis Raphael I Sako, Patriarch of Baghdad of the Chaldeans, called on Christians to use the last week of Lent for deep spiritual cleansing and reconnecting with the core of their faith.
In a Vatican News report, Cardinal Sako emphasized the need for this period as an opportunity for believers to clear their minds and hearts and to return to the authenticity of their faith, drawing nourishment from Jesus Christ, “the living wellspring” in their lives.
Reflecting on Jesus’s journey to Jerusalem and His deliberate preparations for the final stage of His mission, Cardinal Sako presented it as a model for the faithful. He underscored the importance of engaging with Christ’s mission as a call to “absolute self-surrender with courage, honesty, and complete trust.”
He highlighted the transformative power of repentance and conversion, urging the community to seek alignment with Jesus’s teachings and emphasizing change and integration as pathways to embodying His presence. This journey, according to Cardinal Sako, was also about building community and unity within the Church.
Cardinal Sako called upon the Chaldean Catholic faithful and all Christians to act as “bridges” for peace and unity, viewing the Church as a haven from division.
He invited reflection on the sacred events of Holy Week, from Palm Sunday to the Resurrection of Jesus, to deepen understanding of Christ’s sacrifice.
The prelate offered reassurance of Jesus’s constant presence, even amid challenges, reminding the faithful of His enduring promise to be with them “even to the end of the age.”
