Think before you act

Fr Christopher Lumsden made the statement yesterday morning during his brief address atop Calvary Hill, Covigne Road, Diego Martin after a joint procession of St John’s Roman Catholic Church and St Michael’s All Angels Anglican Church through the streets of Diamond Vale, Diego Martin.

“As he (Jesus) looks upon the world, he is in pain. He sees his sons and his daughters, their lives being snuffed out through crime and violence. He sees the murders, he sees the rapes, he sees the abuse of children, he sees the abuse of his body because we are all part of this body of Christ,” said Lumsden.

He stressed that the procession, which began around 6.30 am at St Michael’s Church on Wendy Fitzwilliam Boulevard, Diego Martin, was not just an ordinary walk or an outing. He said what they did as they said the stations of the cross, sang hymns and prayed, was to walk with Jesus and experience his suffering in their hearts.

He said Good Friday was not a day of celebration or one of fun but a solemn day of prayer and reflection.

Therefore he asked them, young and old, to put aside some time to reflect and recognise that Jesus suffered for all mankind so that they could have life and live it to the full.

Lumsden encouraged the parishioners to inspect their own lives and see how they nailed Jesus to the cross by their sins and how they could remove those sins from Jesus.

Councillor for Diamond Vale, Keron Seebaran, a parishioner of St John’s who participated in the procession, told Newsday the annual event was special because it brought both churches together.

“It is important, not only because it recognises the sacrifice Jesus made for us, but because it encourages community spirit and brings people together in spirituality,” he said.