AS the world celebrates the Easter season, which brings a message of hope, love and redemption, the Jamaica Council of Churches (JCC) is calling on Jamaicans to seek peace and unity, especially as citizens gear up for the general election.

General secretary of JCC, Reverend Newton Dixon, said the theme of peace-building is one of the four focal points for JCC, with the others being family life, good governance, and integrity of the person.

“We’ve decided to focus on peace-building this year, primarily because we anticipate there will be a hotly contested general election — and we know how disruptive the competitive nature can be. Elections in and of themselves are good things, but the way we compete, the way we vie for power and office often leads to conduct and behaviour that is not helpful, and so we wanted to be proactive by focusing on peace-building,” said Dixon.

The general election is constitutionally due by September of this year. Both political parties — the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the People’s National Party (PNP) — have ramped up their campaigns across the island as the country awaits the announcement for the day voters will go to the polls.

Dixon shared that as Jamaicans and other Christians globally reflect on the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, he prays they remember that the resurrection is God’s way of reconciling the world to God and inviting everyone to reconcile with each other.

“For us, this Easter is the beginning of the promotional message of reconciliation, of finding ways to tolerate diversity, to understand and appreciate difference, to allow for difference even when we hold to the views we have, and to embrace unity in diversity. To embrace the sort of approach that identifies what is the most important thing — apart from the difference between us — what is the common thing or the common things between us that bring us together more than those other things that pull us apart,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

“This is God coming, to come close to us, and so we, too, should be coming closer to each other. We should find ways to defuse the heat of disagreement and help one another by being kinder to one another — even though we may not agree on all things,” added Dixon.

He further noted that while, for the most part, Jamaicans continue to observe the period of Lent, he is aware that there are some citizens who choose to mark the Easter season in different ways, with different festivities.

“I think it’s going to be hard to push Lent out, despite growing secularism and despite also growing levels of disregard. I think Lent will be one of those traditions that will survive and last for a long time. As long as there are Christians in the world, I think we will be observing Lent and, certainly, most definitely observing Easter,” said Dixon.

His only request is that individuals be respectful to the Church and Christians as they observe the holy season.

“I can’t help but observe that we have continued to see some amount of disregard for a Christian tradition, but I am not going to complain about it because while some of us would like to think Jamaica is a Christian country, we are not really a Christian country. We are a God-fearing country, but if we look at the statistics, this is not a Christian country,” said Dixon.

He called on Jamaicans who choose to mark the occasion in other ways to “extend a little more respect for what we consider to be a holy season, and help us to observe it”.

“I know of situations where people complain about the high level of noise that emanates from neighbouring properties. This happens all year and it sometimes is heightened during the Holy Week and Lent season, because people have gone into celebratory mood, and festivities abound. I wish some of our, especially our younger folks, would be a little more respectful of the Christian tradition and at least give those who wish to enjoy and participate in sacred experiences to do so with a little more comfort,” said Dixon.

He said the noise from bikes and cars that pass by churches is also unbearable.

“I think to some extent I notice that the police have really cracked down on some of those in some areas. I don’t see them as much in some areas, but there are other places where it seems as if they are immune and above the scrutiny of the law. They just go around and disturb the peace and make a lot of noise,” said Dixon, pleading with citizens to be more respectful.

Meanwhile, Anglican priest Sean Major Campbell has called on Jamaicans to move beyond the sentiments of “ ‘Happy Easter’ greetings” to being more aware of the pain in our world.

“The victory of the risen Christ should inform our prayers and actions for those who await resurrection in their often seemingly hopeless situations,” he told the Sunday Observer.

“How do we bring Jesus, who is resurrection and life, to Gaza currently undergoing genocide? How do we speak up for peace in Ukraine? Where is the geopolitical commitment to help Haiti overcome years of suffering and oppression? So, while the holiday spirit rolls on with church services, alleluia greetings, family gatherings, bun and cheese, roasts and stews, there is a larger world awaiting good news and healing and transformation in the lives of the poor and oppressed,” said Campbell.

He also urged Christians to make fasting a regular part of their life.

“Fasting may be done at any time, and not just during Lent. Many Jamaicans observe fasting, generally speaking, as part of their quest for spiritual growth and renewal. I believe more people are realising that what matters is not so much the fast from chocolate and other delights; what really matters is how much we cultivate better versions of ourselves and communities through the ethic of love and peace for all,” he said.

DIXON…this Easter is the beginning of the promotional message of reconciliation