Christians and Muslims observe fasting together during Lent and Ramadan. This is a favorable time for prayer, listening to the word of God, and returning to values through religious education.

In Ziguinchor, Bishop Jean-Baptiste Valter Manga invited everyone to work and live in love and charity.

In a message on the Religion-Faith channel in Ziguinchor (RFZ), the bishop addressed some words of encouragement to his parishioners, reminding them that "Lent is a time of grace, a time of struggle against the eternal adversary, the devil."

Monsignor Manga reminds us that Lent consists of turning our eyes inward, toward our heart, from where evil thoughts come.

He urges us to drink deeply from the word of God. The word of God is a powerful tool in our struggle. Listening to and reading God's word allows us to measure the gap between God's will and our actions.

Quoting Pope Leo XIV in his Lenten message, the bishop of the southern capital reminds us that "every journey of conversion begins when we allow ourselves to be reached by the Word and when we welcome it with docility of spirit."

Thus, there is a link between the gift of the word of God, the space of hospitality we offer it, and the transformation it brings about.

No one truly fasts if they do not know how to nourish themselves with the word of God, teaches Bishop Manga, recalling the words of Pope Benedict XVI.

Drawing on the message of Pope Leo XIV, which shows that listening to the Word in the liturgy educates us to a more authentic understanding of reality, the Bishop of Ziguinchor urges us to listen to and welcome the most vulnerable. “Listening to the Word of God should lead us to be more sensitive to those who suffer: the poor, the sick, the prisoners. In our churches, we will be called upon to do this, particularly through Caritas days. Let us remain sensitive. Fasting is imitating Christ who, before beginning his mission, withdrew to the desert for 40 days and 40 nights. He thus shows us the path of spiritual combat.”

Thirst and hunger for justice: the bishop's appeal

As Pope Leo said, fasting helps us discern and order our appetites, keeping our hunger and thirst for justice vigilant, freeing us from resignation, and nurturing them into prayer and responsibility toward our neighbor, Bishop Manga reminded us. He called for a hunger and thirst for justice. “Let us therefore thirst and hunger for justice during this Lenten season. We cannot fast and wallow in injustice,” he emphasized.

Monsignor also returned to a very concrete and often unappreciated form of abstention: that of "words that offend and hurt others".

“Let us begin by disarming language by renouncing harsh words, hasty judgments, and slander of those who are absent and cannot defend themselves. We cannot fast and spend the entire day hurting others with words, insults, and so on. We cannot fast and spend the entire day angry. Anger is the open door to malicious people who incite us to hurt and kill others. Let us strive, as the Pope invites us, to learn to measure our words and cultivate kindness within our families, among friends, in the workplace, and on social media. Social media platforms are means of communication where much good and much harm can be done,” said Bishop Manga.

With Lent coinciding with Ramadan, the bishop extended his greetings to the Muslim community of Ziguinchor and the country. This beautiful coincidence should guide both Muslims and Christians to focus on what truly matters. "Muslims and Christians find themselves experiencing this time of grace, Ramadan and Lent, at the same time. A beautiful coincidence! In such a devout country, let us avoid distractions and instead focus on what is essential."

The Bishop did not ignore the crisis affecting the local education system. "May the diligent reading of the Word of God in the Holy Scriptures, in the Bible, in the Quran, help us to work and to live in love and charity. May our prayers ease the tension in our education system for the future of our youth and our country. May our prayers, which will rise day and night from our homes, our mosques, our churches, be for peace, for the pursuit of unity, and for the protection of the common good," prayed the Bishop of Ziguinchor.

In conclusion, he expressed his hope that at the end of these spiritual exercises, Muslims and Christians would be able to celebrate Eid al-Fitr and Passover with a renewed heart, reconciled with the Creator and with their neighbor.

Video message from Bishop Manga on RFM