Drifting from the true meaning of Easter

Dear Editor,

As I reflect on the Easter of my childhood, I am struck by how far we have drifted from its true meaning. What once stood as a solemn and powerful reminder of sacrifice, redemption, and renewal is now too often overshadowed by commercial excess and hollow observance.

Easter is not merely a holiday; it represents the triumph of life over death, hope over despair, and righteousness over injustice. It calls on us to recommit ourselves to living a Christ-like life—one grounded in humility, service, justice, and love for our fellow man. Yet, in a society increasingly consumed by material pursuits, we risk losing that moral compass, trading spiritual reflection for fleeting indulgence, and forgetting that the season demands not just remembrance, but transformation.

As a boy growing up on the West Coast of Berbice, I looked forward to Easter. By now, our kites would have been made—usually through a communal effort. Those who could not afford store-bought kite paper relied on creativity, crafting their kites from newspaper pages. Those without paste, or who simply preferred not to use it, turned to flour paste or clama cherry—a small wild berry with a naturally sticky juice.

As I grew older, I came to appreciate that kite flying symbolises the resurrection and ascension of Christ.

Ears were attached to both sides of the kite, and the tail was made from strips of cloth—often from old clothing or scraps provided by seamstresses and tailors in the village. For the more daring among us, a razor blade would be discreetly placed in the tail to “cut down” other kites. It was serious competition—whose kite would fly the highest, stay up the longest, sing the loudest, and boast the best design. We took this childhood creativity seriously. Some even cried when their labour of love failed to perform or was cut down mid-flight.

Easter was akin to Christmas in its festivities. Ginger beer, rice wine, cakes, buns, homemade ice cream and other treats were prepared. On Easter Sunday, we rose early, got ready, and went to church. After returning home to a hearty meal, we would head to the ball field to fly our kites.

Easter Monday, the highlight of the celebration, saw us back at the field from morning, flying kites and enjoying the day. Schools hosted Easter Monday parties, usually beginning around 2:00 p.m., timed so children could attend and still enjoy ice cream and buns.

Easter Sunday is a very solemn day in the Christian calendar. It marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for man’s redemption. That redemption speaks to pursuing a new path and embracing values that foster harmony and peaceful coexistence among humanity, and for believers, the promise of eternal life.

Christ taught us not only how to treat people irrespective of their diversity, but because of their diversity. This was evident throughout His life’s work.

What stands out most for me is His equal embrace of others. He reached beyond His own circle; treated women, children and the vulnerable with dignity; and rebuked those who sought to discriminate. He showed compassion for human frailty while remaining steadfast in God’s conviction and His earthly mission. From an early age, Christians were taught the hymn:

“Jesus loves the little children,

All the children of the world.

Red and yellow, black and white,

All are precious in His sight,

Jesus loves the little children of the world.”

Easter presents an opportunity to reflect on Christ’s work and sacrifice. It is a time when many recommit to practising His teachings—even when doing so runs counter to prevailing attitudes. The wisdom and value of those teachings remain unshakeable. The oneness of humankind has not only shaped Christian thought, but is also reflected in the United Nations Declaration, International Labour Organisation conventions, the Constitution of Guyana, and other frameworks that uphold the principles of equality, mutual respect, and shared humanity.

Yet this Easter meets a nation not uplifted, but fractured—gripped by political triumphalism, poisoned by racial intolerance, and weighed down by greed, poor governance, creeping corruption, and deepening poverty. This is not the Guyana we profess to build. It is a society where too many are marginalised, where families struggle daily to meet basic needs, where opportunity is unevenly distributed, and where individuals are discriminated against for who they are or the choices they make, and punished for exercising rights that are supposed to be protected under our Constitution.

We cannot pretend this is normal. It is not. It is the unmistakable sign of a nation that is becoming spiritually unwell—drifting from the very Christian principles and rule-of-law standards we claim to uphold. Too many citizens live in uncertainty, burdened by economic hardship, shackled by fear, hate and victimisation, while justice and fairness are too often selective.

As Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. warned, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” If we fail to confront these realities with honesty and courage, then Easter becomes nothing more than ritual without responsibility. But if we take its message seriously, then we are called—individually and collectively—to resist injustice, uplift the vulnerable, confront poverty, restore dignity, and rebuild a nation grounded in fairness, equality, and respect for all.