BY FR. SHAY CULLEN
WHAT is it all about, we may ask. For those true friends of Jesus of Nazareth who believe that faith is a firm conviction that goodness, truth and practical action for social justice will eventually overcome evil, Easter is a time to reaffirm that belief by recalling the words and actions of Jesus himself. Living out that faith to convert and change society as Jesus tried to do is a great challenge in what some call a pseudo-Christian society.
The true followers and friends of Jesus of Nazareth are not many but they are the dedicated human rights workers, the dedicated people serving the poor, and the few good bishops and clergy and religious sisters committed to social justice and defending the oppressed. So many end up like Jesus himself- falsely accused, jailed, tortured and executed by the corrupt authorities.
The true followers live out daily the teaching and mission of Jesus of Nazareth and make him present in their lives and in society through every act of love for their neighbors. That is Easter, suffering as he did but making him alive, resurrected in their action, bringing goodness to overcome evil. Church ceremonies, rites and rituals are incomprehensible and detached from real life today and the hardship of the people so the people resort to their own irreverent displays of historical events in the life and death of Jesus of Nazareth. The real role of Church leaders is not to merely preside over ceremonies but to be imitators of Him and lead, encourage and promote by words and a commitment to social justice and thus implement his mission.
That mission is to unite good people to work as one nation based on Gospel values for the common good, to bring sight to those blind to the suffering of the poor, inspire leaders to work for spiritual transformation of the nation mired in injustice and exploitation. To bring justice and freedom from exploitation and poverty of more than 16 million Filipinos that live in sub-human poverty today. To challenge as Jesus did the elite dynastic families, a few thousand people, that live in luxury and own more than 46 percent of the national wealth.
The life and teaching of Jesus of Nazareth, a humble son of a carpenter, but wise with extraordinary insight and vision, encouraged everyone to believe that goodness and love of neighbor will overcome selfishness and evil exploitation. This great teacher, a charismatic leader who brought the truth of human rights, dignity and equality, into the world to transform it, was executed for being a man of action, doing good for the poor and the down-trodden. He was an outcast by the religious leaders, a threat to the authorities, a target of death threats and assassination plots, like human rights workers and community leaders, the true committed Christians today.
For almost two years he was the kindly, generous, healing prophet that brought into the world immense compassion, healing, forgiveness and solidarity with the poor. He took on the mission of the Prophet Isaiah to bring good news to the poor that they were loved by God above all others. He taught that God through his followers would free them from poverty and oppression. He would enlighten those blind to the truth, that God is a God of love and freedom. Jesus would set free all the oppressed and that a great change was coming to the world where the poor would be saved from misery and injustice. (Luke 4:16-20) (To be continued)/PN
