TOMORROW, Jamaicans will join millions of Christians across the globe in commemorating the supreme sacrifice of Jesus the Christ, who laid down his life for his people.

One need not be a Christian to acknowledge the depth of sacrifice by anyone who gives up his/her life for another. In fact, it is the great sacrifice of many Jamaicans that has brought us through some of the worst times in our history.

At this Easter time, we are given to reflect on the state of our nation and to appreciate the need for more sacrifice on the part of all of us. We also need to find the courage to do what is right to lift our country out of the morass of corruption, selfishness and greed that afflicts us.

If nothing else, this country badly needs people with the courage to hold themselves accountable for their own actions. This is not a quality to be found in many Jamaicans, especially our leaders. The skill is to find the most creative ways of shifting blame to someone or somewhere else, rather than accepting responsibility.

For that reason, we are hugely encouraged by the offer of resignation by members of the board of the Golden Age Home where shame and disgrace has recently been uncovered by enterprising journalists.

You know how civilised a people are by the quality of their treatment of the young and the old, who are most vulnerable. Neglect and poor treatment of the helpless inmates, particularly the disabled at that hapless home, is cause for great mourning.

The decision of several board members to accept responsibility by handing in their resignation to local government junior minister Robert Montague is courageous and refreshing.

Of course, Minister Montague had to go and spoil it by first announcing what punishment he would mete out to parties deemed blameworthy for the condition of the home, and then backing up to say he would give them a fair hearing.

Mr Montague is a bright man by our very high standards. He therefore ought to know that the fair hearing should come first before running off at the mouth about whose contract would not be renewed. It’s what they call natural justice.

But he apparently was afflicted by the well known political disease — foot ‘n mouth — no doubt because he realises that it was an issue that could win him kudos with the public.

More importantly, over the past two years we have seen the travails of our young and our old — from Armadale in St Ann to Golden Age Home in St Andrew and the lock-ups in-between — signalling to us that our civilisation is seriously wanting. We are still not yet a wholesome nation.

This Easter season is an excellent time for all Jamaicans to resolve to accept responsibility for our actions and to offer ourselves in sacrifice for the betterment of all.

Let us take responsibility for the state of our economy, our schools, our hospitals, our children’s homes, our senior citizens, and let us mount the cross of courage to believe that our destiny is in our own hands.