Dear Friends,
Those of us who celebrated the great feast of Passion or Palm Sunday yesterday were reminded of four types of people of this world. First are those who sing praises of people because of certain expectations they have of them. Second are those who quickly turn against the very people whose praises they sang because their expectations were not met. Third are those who like Pilate are either unable to make up their minds or take decisions based on fear of losing their positions in life. Fourth are people, supposedly close associates who like Peter, would turn their backs on you when greatly challenged to show loyalty.
We meet many such people in almost every aspect of life including, in Church, in Politics and Public Life, in the Corporate World, in Societies and Associations and sometimes even in families. Though we know that Jesus’ purpose on earth was to bring us back to God through the shedding of his Blood, needless to say, the actions of these four types of people in the Passion narrative of Palm Sunday’s Gospel facilitated Jesus’ journey to the Cross. In like manner, in societies and organisations where praise singing and sycophancy is encouraged, where leadership is unable to make up its mind or where loyalty is premised on personal interest, progress is slow, compromised or even doomed to failure.
The good news is that in spite of the difficulties faced by Jesus, as depicted in the “way of the Cross”, celebrated on Good Friday, He rose above them all and through humility, obedience and loyalty to God His Father, achieved His purpose on earth and won for us the “Victory” of our salvation through His Resurrection on the morning of Easter.
As Christians and as Catholic Men, especially those in leadership positions in society, politics, public life or even in the Church, we may likewise not be free from the machinations of people who sing our praises for their personal interest and turn their back on us when we need them the most. But our Brother and Redeemer Jesus showed us the way to victory in such circumstances. It is by being humble in attitude, loyal to our Christian values and obedient to God, all the time praying for His will to be done in the circumstance.
I pray that the Holy Week we have just begun will be a blessing to you and your families and the Victory of Jesus’ resurrection at Easter will strengthen even further the hope of salvation in the world to come.
EDDIE PRAH
(PRESIDENT)