Be witnesses of the truth, Christians told

Christians should emulate Uganda Martyrs by sticking to the truth. This will save the society from a number of evils witnessed today.

The call was made by the Bishop of Kiyinda Mityana Diocese, Bishop Joseph Anthony Ziwa while delivering his homily to hundreds of Christians who turned up at Namugongo for Martyrs' Day celebrations.  

Presently there are increasing cases of corruption, character assassination, fraud, murder, discrimination forgery, among others.

 "We know that the absence of the truth leads man to commit social evils in society, but we cannot be witnesses of Christ in the world when our speech is packed with lies," Zziwa said.

Zziwa warned Christians against living a ‘double life.'

"Some people are Christians during day and at night behave like pagans.  Let us be truthful and the truth shall make us free, Let us be renewed by this pilgrimage to Namugongo and resolve to witness to the truth," added Bishop Ziwa.

Quoting Pope Francis, Zziwa said that the strength of the Christian community of Uganda depends on the Martyrs who testified that the truth shall set man free.

In the light of that message and in the spirit of the Jubilee year of Mercy, the Theme of this year's celebration is "Truth shall set you" and it is derived from the Gospel according to John chapter 8, verse 32.

Bishop Zziwa explained that Jesus used the above message while preaching to the disciples who were facing opposition from the Pharisees and the scribes.

"With those words, Jesus encouraged his followers to uphold his teaching and to relieve them from unnecessary suffering from the Jewish laws," he said.

According to Zziwa, Christians should be identified by their witnesses of the truth just as the Martyrs did.

In 1886, Buganda King Mwanga, then at Munyonyo asked Christians to choose either him or the new religion which was Christianity. Led by Charles Lwanga, they chose Christianity and hence met the brutal death.