Editor
Good luck for the baptism of light! – Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent a congratulatory message for the baptism.
The full statement of the Prime Minister’s congratulatory wishes is as follows:
Baptism is a celebration with many meanings. On the one hand, it serves as a sign for Christians to learn humility, to proclaim their faith in God, and to find repentance and salvation. On the other hand, as a nation, the celebration of baptism is a great place for us to create and celebrate the unity of our many Ethiopians.
Baptism and humility are not separate issues. Because baptism is the day when the Creator is baptized by his creature, God by man, and the Lord by his servant. It is the occasion when he came down from his high place and became human, showed humility from his position of lordship, and taught humility to mankind – the ceremony of baptism.
The humility that John the Baptist showed in the baptism ceremony is also mentioned as an example. He considered that he deserved the honor given by the creator and was not limited by miracles. “I need to be baptized by you, will you come to me?” He taught us that the secret of being respected is humility, that the key to power and strength is in obedience, and that the source of superiority is to do justice while serving the people below.
If people don’t see the touch when they think they are above and don’t bow sincerely when they think they are on top, then they don’t understand the meaning of baptism. The world has shown us on many occasions that those who despise humility and choose pride, who find it difficult to humble themselves and exalt themselves, who hate honesty and love to do injustice, end up not in growth but in decline, not in honor but in humiliation.
On the contrary, those who use the power given to them for good purposes will always have a good reputation. When those like Moses split the staff they were given and lead the people to hope; Those like Goliath used their superiority over everyone else to abuse; As a result, the Goliaths were easily crushed when Moses was praised.
If we open our eyes and look around us, we will find Goliaths near us who have faced a tragic failure due to using their height for evil and their power for oppression. In order not to face the same fate, we should all make humility and goodness our currency.
Another example of baptism is that it is a sign of salvation and repentance. Before Jesus Christ came down to the Jordan, He did not try to throw off the garment of sin from Adam, who was covered in sin.
The reason why Lord Jesus stood in the middle of Jordan was to accept the humiliation of Adam, to take his sin and save him from suffering, to put away the garment that grows and replace it with eternal clothing that does not grow. Every year we celebrate the baptism and we are thinking of Christ who saved us from suffering.
The roads that we see and enjoy today are the ones that were once dusty and have been traced by the ancients. Today’s civilized countries have reached the height of civilization because their leaders once went through hardships, overcome difficulties and challenges and laid a foundation for them, not because they have a new miraculous nature. Peace, renewal and prosperity will come only when the predecessors are able to face the difficulties and sufferings and make a way. We, today’s generations, should believe that we are the predecessors of our country. We must know that there will be no light for our Ethiopia without accepting its suffering, for the height of our country without seeing the lows, and for our grandchildren without visiting the darkness. The responsibility of replacing our country with a new and shining one has fallen on each of our shoulders. If we fulfill our responsibilities properly, we will be able to pass on a proud history to our grandchildren. Just as our ancestors paid the price and got the national values that we are proud of today. We have to do the same for future generations.
Dear people of my country,
For us Ethiopians, baptism is more than just a religious celebration, it is also a celebration of our cultural values. From Gondar to Harar, from Mekele to Bale, from Metma to Jimma, Ethiopians will be taking to the streets. Ayalas travel from place to place to ask for relatives. It is the day when our social life is highlighted, we decorate with different clothes, we listen to different songs. The baptistery is our public cultural museum.
For those who ask what kind of nations, languages, dresses, hairstyles, songs, etc. Ethiopia has; Look at the feast of baptism! It can be answered. Because of this, we are able to make baptism our heritage unlike any other in the world. We should repeat this experience in other areas. If we tailor democracy according to our height and width, if we give Ethiopian technologies and develop them, if we develop values and values similar to ours in terms of economic and social issues, surely the world will surely turn its face to us. Every year, tourists come to us from all over the world, including Israel, where the Jordan Sea is located today. As it is a great day that attracts local and foreign visitors, we find economic benefit from baptism.
Along with this, one truth we should know is that Ethiopian holidays are the holidays of all Ethiopians. Whether we believe in the faith or not, the holiday belongs to all of us as citizens. Baptism, Eid al-Fitr, Passover, Eid al-Adha, Christmas, and Mawlid are all of us. The wealth of our country is the happiness of our people, so we are proud of them. We all benefit economically and socially. We should all work equally hard to celebrate our public holidays, especially baptisms and baptisms, in a beautiful and bright manner. At any rate, baptism is hindered and foamed; Because foam is obstructed and baptism does not take place. We should each do our best for the happiness of all of us. Thank you to all who worked hard to make the festival happen in peace, splendor and honor.
Once again, I wish you a happy Epiphany and Baptism.
May Ethiopia be proud of her children’s efforts and live forever!
May the Creator bless Ethiopia and its people!
January 10, 2015 (E.C)
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