Last Sunday, as we acknowledged the start of Holy Week, we issued a plea to our fellow Jamaicans to keep in mind the significance of this great Christian tradition that commemorates Jesus Christ’s supreme sacrifice of laying down his life for mankind.

We reiterate that 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.

Holy Week, we emphasise, should instil in us the principles of sacrifice, compassion, humility, and love.

It’s a period when we should aspire to and, in fact, do good deeds in keeping with ancient liturgy that recognised it as the Great Week when monumental deeds were done by God.

Our call remains for us, as a people, to continue extending a hand of kindness to our fellow humans not only at Easter but throughout the year and beyond.

Our abiding faith is that good ultimately triumphs over evil. Indeed, that faith has been justified by the actions of many Jamaicans over the years — such as those who have found the courage to say no to the ‘see no evil, hear no evil’ status quo and who will not think twice to report iniquitous deeds.

More and more we are seeing Jamaicans who are cultivating a vision for what is possible in their communities, instead of being content with accepting antisocial behaviour and criminal activity. The resolve of those citizens who choose not to just lie low like lost sheep, along with improved anti-crime strategies by the security forces fuelled by financial and resource-boosting support from the Government are, thankfully, contributing to the very encouraging reductions in major crimes across the country since last year.

A 36 per cent decrease in murders since the start of this year gives us cause to congratulate all who have contributed to this achievement and provides hope for the future. The type of hope that calls us, at this Eastertide, to reflect on the state of our nation and appreciate the need for not only more sacrifice on the part of all of us, but the need for every law-abiding Jamaican to find the courage to do what is right to lift our country out of the morass of selfishness and greed that still afflicts too many of us.

We also suggest that we use this Easter to accept responsibility for our actions; take responsibility for the state of our schools, our hospitals, our children’s homes, our senior citizens, our communities, and, most important, mount the cross of courage to believe that we are stewards of our world and act on that belief.

Additionally, we should reflect on the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is being observed by Christians today, as demonstrative of His divinity and victory over death, its offer of salvation, and confirmation of God’s love.

Let us also draw lessons of sacrifice in which, as a country, we look out for one another and do what is best to achieve the progress and prosperity which we all need and richly deserve.