A Roman Catholic priest says it’s up to ordinary citizens, not political leaders, to become agents of justice and righteousness and transform society. Delivering the annual Corpus Cristi homily at Our Lady of Perpetual Help church in San Fernando yesterday, Monsignor Christian Pereira said there is a “deep hunger for justice and righteousness.”
He said as Catholics observe Corpus Christi they must realise the gift Jesus is giving is to become like him, but noted “to become as merciful as Our Father in heaven it is a mandate to us to find ways to respond to the real hunger that consumes our people. The world we live in today is a world devoid of mercy.”
Perreira suggested they establish small groups of 50s to not only focus on Jesus but to learn mutual respect and profound appreciation.
“More chicken and chips, more peleau and soup will not feed us, more bread and butter will not fill us, what will satisfy us is when those of us accept Jesus in our lives like how Jesus lived his life, ... and that will is by you and I working with each other in small groups, in little organisations, in small ways to rebuild the world.”
He added, “Trump and Clinton cannot do it, neither can Rowley nor Kamla do it, we have to do it, we have to do it and you are able to do it only because Jesus has given himself to you and you willingly and joyfully accept him.
“Corpus Christi is the bread of life given to us so our lives can be a source of nourishment to others. May our celebration of this feast in accepting the living bread the eucharistic meal help us to become the food that will transform this nation of ours help us to become agents of justice, the agents of righteousness.”
He said many citizens were allowing unrighteous things to continue by merely following the majority.
“Too many of us say ‘well they doing that way and that is the way it seems that we have to do it’ and allowing ourselves to go along with what is corrupt, sinful and the more we do that is the more people are starving, the more we take advantage of each other, the more people are suffering.”
“Let us allow the living God given to us in this eucharistic meal so to transform us that we now become the food that brings eternal life to all God’s people.”
Joining in the celebrations were neighbouring parishes from Mon Repos, La Romaine, Pointe-a-Pierre and others. The service was followed by a large procession, accompanied by a music truck, through the streets of San Fernando.