by CCSJ Chair, Leela Ramdeen
The sight of thousands of golden daffodils everywhere in London, “tossing their heads in sprightly dance” (Wordsworth), reminds me of the many gifts given to us by God. Today, Palm Sunday, I shall be joining family and friends in London in an annual procession as we begin our journey through Holy Week, following Christ to His crucifixion on Good Friday and His resurrection on Easter Sunday. It is important that families and schools educate youth about Holy Week. On-going faith formation is critical – particularly after Confirmation.
In his Palm Sunday homily in 2006, Pope Benedict XVI reminded us that the Cross is the authentic tree of life.
“If we want to go out to encounter Jesus and then walk with him on his way, we must ask: On what path does he wish to guide us? What do we expect from him? What does he expect from us?.… We do not attain to life by seizing it, but by giving it. Love is the giving of ourselves and, for this reason, is the way of authentic life symbolised by the cross… Let us pray that he (Jesus) will open our hearts so that, following the cross, we become messengers of his love and peace.”
In the first reading on Ash Wednesday (Joel 2:12-18) we were urged to tear open our hearts, examine them, repent of our sins and turn back to God. We have journeyed through Lent seeking spiritual renewal. Today, as we sing “Hosanna” and commence our pilgrimage with Christ through Holy Week. Let us teach our youths about the mysteries of Christ’s passion, death and resurrection.
Jesus came so that we may have life and have it more abundantly. I thought of this as I sat listening to speakers at an ecumenical service at St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, London to mark the 32nd anniversary of the martyrdom of Archbishop Oscar Romero a true “witness to radical compassion.” Here was a man who was not afraid to say “Yes” to God – no matter what the consequences. When he was only 13 he “declared a vocation to the priesthood.”
His fidelity to the will of God is inspirational. He demonstrated his love of the poor and the persecuted and became a fearless champion for human rights. On March 24, 1980 he was assassinated while celebrating Mass in the chapel of the hospital where he lived in El Salvador.
What does Jesus expect of us? He wants us to become the body and blood of Christ in the world – in our homes, our schools, our workplaces etc. We must support initiatives such as Catholics in the Workplace etc. When we go to work, we take our faith with us and Jesus expects us to transform our workplace and the world so that they reflect Gospel values.
One man who uses his gifts to build the common good is Prof Sugata Mitra, Professor of Educational Technology at the School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences, Newcastle University. I had an interesting meeting with him in Newcastle last week. Read about his “Hole in the Wall” experiments on: www.ted.com/speakers/sugata_mitra.html. As he said to me: “Children are not empty vessels. They can learn and can collaborate effectively in the absence of supervision or formal teaching if they are motivated by curiosity and personal interest.” See what happens when he places computers in holes in the wall and when children use the computers. Perhaps we in T&T should create more self-organising learning environments and “granny clouds” – using the skills of elders in the community to teach youths via computers, to complement the work of teachers.
On Saturday, I joined hundreds at the Theatre Royal, Stratford, East London, at a special gala in remembrance of our dear friend, Geraldine Connor, teacher, theatre director, composer, performer, and musicologist who died last October. Carnival Messiah is just one of her many legacies.
Google”Carnival Messiah” and hear Geri’s interpretation of Handel’s aria I Know that My Reedemer Liveth sung by Ronald Samm and the Voices of Truth, and danced by the Dove of Peace. Years ago I invited Geri to play at one of the Caribbean Masses at Westminister Cathedral and she filled the air with the sweet sound of her music. May she rest in peace.
May our prayers during Holy Week help to strengthen our faith so that we may say, as St Paul said to the Galatians: “It is no longer I, but Christ who lives in me” (Gal 2:19).
