By Ravena Gildharie

This year as Easter 2020 is observed, the Coronavirus pandemic has created much distress. But as the restrictions remain, Guyanese are reminded of the meaning of Easter – hope; and the fact that this observance, unlike those before, can promote togetherness; family bonding; the reawakening of compassion; community values and greater spiritual awareness.

According to Father John Persaud, this season is a “…calling for us to live as ‘an Easter people.’ It is a waking-up call to live as a family, whether as a family in our homes; with our extended families and relatives; as a family at work, at church, in our communities, our country and the world as a whole.”

To reduce the spread of the Coronavirus, Guyanese, like the rest of the world, are encouraged to stay at home, as most activities remain suspended and public gatherings including Church services, are strictly prohibited. Easter, being a very popular Christian observance in Guyana, is marked annually by grand Masses and Church services especially on Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

However, while there are no congregations this year, there have been other encouraging indications as Father John observed that people are showing more concern, respect and value for each other as they ponder ways of reaching out and extending support to others while maintaining social distancing. Whether it is calling or messaging to inquire about their friends’ and neighbours’ wellbeing, or mobilising food and basic supplies for distributing to the most vulnerable, Father John acknowledged that this is “a time of new beginnings.”
He also referred to public speeches including from powerful heads of state that highlight some aspects of spiritual awareness.

Time of change 
Ordained in the Catholic Ministry more than 30 years ago, Father John believes this is a momentum which should be encouraged beyond Easter and the COVID– 19.
“It is has been a season of lent for us….and people are of the view that lent is over now, so let’s go back to normal. But it shouldn’t be going back to normal. It should be about how do we live differently having lived through this period…how do we live Easter,” he indicated to this publication.

According to the Catholic Priest, people should begin to accept that life may not return to the way it was before, as there have been changes, both in the population and on the planet, and there is need to now examine what lessons are learnt from these changes and how to move ahead living differently with the new experiences.

Before Coronavirus, Father John, the current Vicar for Clergy in Guyana, acknowledged that there have been challenges in maintaining family values and connections due to rise in the use of digital media. He highlighted situations where parents have lamented that their kids would message them instead of having face-to-face conversations while at home. Such issues pose a challenge to families, the society and the Church.

This time around though with the Church struggling to maintain its community and teachings of spiritualism without congregating, the digital media is being used in a positive way. The Catholic Church has been streaming its masses, services and daily prayer services with hundreds of Guyanese joining in from across the country including the hinterland areas, despite limited access to ICT technology and infrastructure. In Georgetown, the Diocese has been meeting to review and plan its strategy to maintain the community via online media while in each parish, the Priests are exploring local ways of reaching their followers.

Similarly in the Anglican Diocese, Reverend Monsell Alves is of the view that this Easter encourages everyone to examine their lives and to make adjustments, both individually and collectively, for the greater good to be realised and maintained in society long after COVID – 19.

“It is a time to humble ourselves and to turn from whatever is preventing us from expressing love and what is causing us to express hate. It is a time when our heart must change from selfish to selfless; to become charitable,” he said while speaking to this publication from his home in Linden, Region 10.

Spreading hope 

Reverend Alves noted that there is a lot of distress and frustration this time around and the anxieties are growing. Therefore, with Easter in observance, he believes the season can be used to teach hope and to allay the fears.

“We are encountering anxieties as change is constant in the world, and this is causing uncertainty of life in our contemporary society. The world is being challenged, but there exists room for hope. We are called to share that resurrection hope with those who are hopeless and to give assurances to those in despair,” Reverend Alves stated.

He urged that this Easter hope can be promoted to help Guyanese maintain the level of patience that is needed to overcome the pandemic and also to support the medical personnel leading the battle against the deadly disease. The Reverend noted that some Christians have been using the pandemic to spread fear with references of “end time apocalypse” and this, he worries, may add to the frustrations people are already encountering.

“We must remember perseverance…we need to practice patience with ourselves, with each other…remember the need for informed actions to act against this disease,” Reverend Alves stated.

He added that: “while COVID – 19 affects us physically, a spiritual dilemma can be prevalent and we must look to celebrate Easter 2020 with calm and praise,” the Reverend added. He expressed that the concept of social distancing is against the spiritual teachings and makes it difficult for the Church to maintain that community. Despite this, the Anglican Diocese, like the Catholic, have been turning to internet and communication technology to maintain the spread of its spiritual messages. Reverend Alves has been recording and disseminating audios of sermons and teachings to mark Easter observances particularly for Good Friday and Easter. Some of these messages have been shared via WhatsApp and Facebook.