Actor Mark Wahlberg shared his faith during the Christian religious observance of Lent and said that after the COVID-19 pandemic, people are “hungry” and “thirsty” for connection, particularly a “spiritual connection.”
“They’re thirsty and hungry for comfort, and guidance and also companionship with one another,” Wahlberg said in a Saturday appearance on Fox & Friends Weekend. “You can tell people are really hungry, and they need spirituality in their lives. You can’t really have spirituality without religion, even though it’s been separated. You know, we all know that it all goes hand-in-hand. We all need to encourage and support each other.”
WATCH: MARK WAHLBERG WON’T ‘DENY’ HIS FAITH, SAYS IT’S ‘NOT POPULAR IN MY INDUSTRY’
The actor is encouraging Christians to find community during this time of fasting by using the Catholic app platform called “Hallow,” which he says is “the largest Christian app in the world.” In the app, Wahlberg is a featured narrator during the “Pray 40-Day Lent Challenge” on the app.
The 51-year-old Hollywood star explained on Saturday that his Christian faith “has really afforded me all the other wonderful things in my life, my family, my career, being able to turn my life around. I grew up from very humble beginnings, obviously had a troubled youth.”
“Once I realized that God was calling me and really wanting to help me and turn my life around, and knew that I had potential. Once I started to become more disciplined, really, the world became full of opportunity. So, I just want to share that with people and their own. But just being the best versions of themselves,” he said.
He remarked that as people get older, they can always use a “reset” in their lives.
“Every year, you get an opportunity for a reset. We’re all still weak in the flesh. We just want to be closer to God and more like God,” he told Fox News.
He reminded Christians that this time of Lent is more than just “giving up candy” but instead doing something more “impactful” like giving your time “to somebody else” or offering “even a kind word and a smile.”
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Last year, Wahlberg had revealed that he joined the exodus from California by leaving his longtime Hollywood home in hopes of giving his children a “better life” in Nevada.
“It’s not popular in my industry, but you know, I cannot deny my faith,” he recently said in another interview on Ash Wednesday.