THE EDITOR, Sir:
ONCE AGAIN a bunch of hard-working and privileged persons met on the once-a-year annual binge, the National Prayer Breakfast (NPBJ), to try to induce God's attention.
"This year, like in years past, the concern centred on the increasing crime rate, and suggestions were again made for those with differing views to get together for the good of the nation." Excellent reporting! Congratulations to The Gleaner. Will they ever get together? Surely, they all have their bona fide agenda. If God is created in the image of man, as television evangelists are making him out to be, then he has either chuckled or frowned at the above motive of the NPBJ. Surely, if there is the devil, he is certainly laughing at the annual antics of the NPBJ.
"Scripture readings by Prime Minister Patterson and Mr. Seaga focused on caring for fellowmen. Mr. Patterson's was on the Cain and Abel story...., and Mr. Seaga's was on the reality that the days of miracles weren't over...." Ironical, you might say, but very appropriate. The ugly signs are that there will be more Cain and Abel affairs in 2002, than in 2001, while those who are empowered, (by God?) to do what God wants them to do about it will think of excuses for not doing. They will vacillate as usual. Over to the Minister of National Security and Justice!
Hon. Dr. Phillips sounded like his predecessor on TVJ, a few nights ago. I pray there will be some bite in his bark.
"The days of miracles weren't over." True wud! Year 2002, will be a year of stupendous miracles, prayer or no prayer! "The age of miracles is not dead," His Excellency emphasised.
On a very serious and pious note, our Governor-General is dead right. If miracles weren't happening every day, in God's mercy to some of us, where would we all be?
"God is ready to reveal himself to the nation," says His Excellency. I think Sir Howard has pre-empted 'Prophet' Patterson with this stupendous prediction, or has he pre-empted 'One Don' Seaga?
However, on a serious note again, God, from the beginning of time, has been revealing Himself, has been daily revealing Himself in Jamaica from the time of the Spaniards, if not before the Tainos, and I believe He will be revealing Himself timelessly, world without end. He hasn't got to be ready. His Excellency said that just as how hatred was learnt, so could love be learnt, if correctly applied. Dead right again! His Excellency is dead right again.
But who is to find and teach the gunmen, the drug-lord, the political tribalist, the unemployed, the unemployable, the arrogant employer, the disloyal employee, the ignorant bearer of too may children, the heartless merchant, the unloving spouse, the unloved child and the callous servant of Government?
Maybe if we revert to the 'Each one teach one' attitude and practice of the 'good old days' when people used to sing, "We are out to build a new Jamaica", and are more friendly and God-fearing, we may learn to be our brothers' keepers. It needs not a lot of wasted prayers an intellectual exercise. It requires a lot of selfless work from every Jamaican, national sacrifices, will and consistency with greater magnitude than the original sincerity and dedication of the Food for the Poor venture. Who is to teach love in Park Lane/100 Lane, Trench Town, Denham Town and other depressed areas, while the PSOJ expresses surprise that they were not aware of such noisome conditions in their backyard, even when the Public Defender tried to draw their attention?
Bishop Blair is optimistically dead right! "Sometimes when we pray, things get worse before they get better," he philosophised at the most recent NPBJ. They are getting worse! To make things better we need to work, my friends, brothers and sisters. God has already empowered us to do just that. Why ask Him to do for us what He has already empowered us to do? We waste His time.
Once again, the NPBJ have erred in their timing as well as their choice of venue. NPBJ should coincide with a National Day of Prayer on the same day, and should be held in the heart of a troubled community. Class or race or social segregation in worship has always been one of the curses of Christendom and a formidable obstacle to justice and true brotherhood. Walk good, my friends. We must work for better days, not wish for them.
I am, etc.,
OREN O. COUSINS
P.O. Box 43
Bog Walk
