Transformed by The Deep

By Father Donald Chambers

Every person, despite the circumstances, can be transformed by the love of God. How? When? Where? Why? These and other questions are answered in Transformed by the Deep: Reflections of a Caribbean Priest, a collection of homilies, speeches and presentations delivered by Rev. Father Donald Chambers during his twenty-five years as a Diocesan priest in the Roman Catholic Church.
This journey with people from all walks of life across the Caribbean region and in the North American diaspora illustrates:
•The diversity, complexity and ‘mystery’ of our brothers and sisters
•The everyday situations and struggles of ordinary people
•The importance of faith
•God’s unconditional love not for some but for everyone, despite social, economic, political and religious barriers
•God’s ability to do extraordinary things in ordinary circumstances, using the most unlikely persons
The depth of the sea. The depth of Caribbean people. The depth of God’s love. All are mysterious but real! Allow yourself to transform and be transformed as you go on mission with Father Don in Transformed by the Deep: Reflections of a Caribbean Priest!
Rev. Fr. Donald Chambers was ordained to Sacred Priesthood on June 28, 1992 at the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, Kingston, Jamaica. He has worked extensively throughout the Caribbean region during his twenty-five years of ministry. He holds a Doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Pontificia Universitá Gregoriana in Rome and is currently the pastor of the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Kingston, Jamaica.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Father Donald Chambers
• Release date: Jun 9, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370101405

Book preview

Third Sunday of Easter, Saint Joseph Catholic Church, Trinidad April 18, 1999

First Sunday of Lent, Living Water Community, Trinidad March 12, 2000

Fifth Sunday of Lent, Living Water Community, Trinidad April 9, 2000

Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Graduation Mass, UWI Saint Augustine, Trinidad, October 22, 2000

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 18, 2001

Lenten Retreat Input Session One, Catholic Student, Movement, UWI Cave Hill Barbados, March 9 -11, 2001

Lenten Retreat, Church of the Nativity, Trinidad, March 11-16, 2001

Lenten Retreat, Church of the Nativity, Trinidad , March 12, 2001

Lenten Retreat, Church of the Nativity, Trinidad , March 14, 2001

Lenten Retreat, Church of the Nativity, Trinidad , March 15, 2001

Fourth Sunday of Lent, Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Queens, New York, March 24, 2001

Fifth Sunday of Lent, April 1, 2001

Second Sunday of Easter, UWI, Saint Augustine, Trinidad, April 21, 2001

Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time, Saint Mark’s Catholic Church, Virginia, July 6, 2003

National Thanksgiving Day, October 16, 2005,

Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, November 13, 2005

Lenten Mission, Saint Anslem’s Catholic Church, Bahamas , March 13, 2006

Statistical Institute of Jamaica Carol Service, Holy Cross Catholic Church, Jamaica, December 14, 2006

Nativity of the Lord, December 25, 2006

Lenten Mission, Cathedral of the Immaculate, Conception, Saint Lucia, March 19, 2007

Women’s Lenten Mission, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Saint Lucia, March 25, 2007

Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Holy Childhood Prep. School Celebrating Parent Month, Jamaica, November 11, 2007

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 3, 2008

Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, June 15, 2008

Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 31, 2008

National Thanksgiving Sunday, October 19, 2008

New Life Charismatic Conference, Stephanie Hall, Holy Childhood High School, Jamaica, November 9, 2008

Mass of Christian Burial of Ruffus Chang, Stella Maris Church, Jamaica, November 14, 2009

Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, June 13, 2010

Wolmer’s Boys School Graduation Ceremony, Jamaica Conference Centre, Kingston, Jamaica, June 27, 2010

Retreat 2010 - Dominican Sisters of the Congregation of Saint Catherine of Sienna, July 5, 2010

Retreat 2010 - Dominican Sisters of the Congregation of Saint Catherine of Sienna, Input Session #1, July 8, 2010

Retreat 2010 - Dominican Sisters of the Congregation of Saint Catherine of Sienna, Input Session #2, July 8, 2010

Funeral Service of Errol McCallum, Stella Maris Catholic Church, Kingston, Jamaica, December 30, 2010

City Wide Mission, Archdiocese of Nassau, Bahamas Aquinas College, Bahamas, March 14, 2011

City Wide Mission, Archdiocese of Nassau, Bahamas Aquinas College, Bahamas, March 15, 2011

City Wide Mission, Archdiocese of Nassau, Bahamas Aquinas College, Bahamas, March 16, 2011

City Wide Mission, Archdiocese of Nassau, Bahamas Aquinas College, Bahamas, March 17, 2011

City Wide Mission, Archdiocese of Nassau, Bahamas Aquinas College, Bahamas, March 18, 2011

Diocese of Mandeville Clergy Conference, Mount Calvary Retreat Centre, Manchester, Jamaica, April 12, 2011

Diocesan Priests Retreat - Diocese of Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, May 1, 2011

Diocesan Priests Retreat - Diocese of Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, Session #1, May 3, 2011

Diocesan Priests Retreat - Diocese of Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, Session #2, May 3, 2011

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jamaica Association of Vintage Artists and Affiliates, Jamaica, July 10, 2011

Feast of Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus/Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus Cathedral, Bermuda, October 2, 2011

Funeral Service of Rupert Berchman Gregory, Holy Cross Catholic Church, Kingston, Jamaica, October 13, 2011

Mass of Christian Burial of Howard Powell, Blessed Sacrament Cathedral, Montego Bay, Jamaica, November 25, 2011

Second Sunday of Advent, Saint Ignatius Catholic Church, Cayman Islands, December 4, 2011

Passion of the Lord – Good Friday, April 6, 2012

Solemnity of the Ascension, 30th Anniversary of the Class of 1982 – Holy Childhood High School, Kingston, Jamaica, May 20, 2012

Mass of Christian Burial of Sr. Mary Stephanie Grey, FMS, Holy Cross Catholic Church, Kingston, Jamaica, May 31, 2012

Dominican Sisters of Saint Catherine of Siena of Etrepagny Retreat, Input Session #1, Mayaro, Trinidad and Tobago, July 8, 2012

Dominican Sisters of Saint Catherine of Siena Retreat of Etrepagny Retreat, Input Session #2, Mayaro, Trinidad and Tobago, July 8, 2012

National Thanksgiving Sunday, October 14, 2012

World Mission Sunday, Parish of Laborie, Saint Lucia October 21, 2012

Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of Priesthood - Father Hugh Joyeau, Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, Curepe, Archdiocese of Port of Spain, Trinidad, November 8, 2012

Funeral Service of Gregory Archer, Holy Cross Catholic Church, Kingston, Jamaica, April 13, 2013

Solemnity of Pentecost, May 19, 2013

Nuptial Mass - Maria Elizabeth Robinson & Joseph Liem Mutidjo, Holy Cross Catholic Church, Kingston, Jamaica, July 6, 2013

Independence/Emancipation Mass, August 4, 2013

Mass of Christian Burial of Anthony Mighty, Saint John Neumann Catholic Church, Lilburn, Georgia November 25, 2013

Solemnity of Pentecost, Sacrament of Confirmation –Deanery Four, H.E.A.R.T Academic Hall, Stony Hill, Jamaica, June 8, 2014

Association of Diocesan Priests Retreat, Mount Calvary Retreat Centre, Manchester, Jamaica June 13, 2014

Sacrament of Matrimony of Jodi-Ann Paragon-Singh and Adil Salim, Carter Center, Atlanta, Georgia August 9, 2014

Morning Devotion, Cabinet of the Jamaican Government, September 1, 2014

Twenty-Fifth Wedding Anniversary of Deacon & Mrs. Derrick Foster, Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Kingston, Jamaica, October 28, 2014

Mass for the Preservation of Peace & Justice, December 31, 2014

First Sunday of Lent, February 22, 2015

Third Sunday of Lent, March 8, 2015

Lenten Noon Service, Providence Methodist Church, Kingston, Jamaica, March 18, 2015

Fifth Sunday of Lent, March 22, 2015

Mass of Christian Burial of Sr. Marie Goretti Grey, FMS, Holy Cross Catholic Church, Jamaica, May 23, 2015

Thirtieth Wedding Anniversary of Deacon and Mrs Vivian Blair, June 22, 2015

Thirty-Eighth Anniversary of the Dedication of Church of the Reconciliation, Church of the Reconciliation, Bridgeport, Saint Catherine, Jamaica, September 6, 2015

Fifteenth Ecumenical Service & Tree Lighting, Gordon Town, Saint Andrew, Jamaica, December 13, 2015

Friday of the Passion of the Lord, March 25, 2016

Campion College Valedictory Mass, Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Kingston, Jamaica, April 22, 2016

Fifth Sunday of Easter, 50th Anniversary of United Nations Development Programme in Jamaica, April 24, 2016

Holy Spirit Novena, Holy Spirit Chapel, Commonwealth of Dominica, May 5, 2016

Holy Spirit Novena, Holy Spirit Chapel, Commonwealth of Dominica, May 6, 2016

Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Jamaica, July 3, 2016

Celebration of the Sacrament of Matrimony of Lee-Ann Marie Brandon and Matthew Christopher Green, Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Kingston, Jamaica, July 30, 2016

Independence-Emancipation Sunday, Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Kingston, Jamaica, July 31, 2016

Mass of Christian Burial of Stafford Altamont Dyce, Holy Cross Catholic Church, Jamaica, August 2, 2016

Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Kingston, Jamaica, August 27, 2016

Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Kingston, Jamaica, September 11, 2016

National Thanksgiving Sunday, Saint Joseph Catholic Church, Jamaica, October 16, 2016

Solemnity of Jesus Christ, Universal King, Saint Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, Saint Lucia, November 20, 2016

Endnotes

Works Cited

DEDICATION

Dedicated to my parents Alfred and Lucille

who taught me how to preach

through their Christian witness.

AUTHOR’S PREFACE

Life has served me as it serves everyone, sometimes well and sometimes ill, but I have learned to be grateful for the gift of it, for the love that began it and the other loves with which I have been so richly endowed. (Morris West)1

I view preaching as the final meal that preachers offer to their eager and spiritually hungry audience. As I celebrate my 25th priestly anniversary with the publication of selected homilies delivered since the late Archbishop Samuel E. Carter, S.J. laid hands on me on June 28, 1992, I am deeply grateful to God who provided me with fine ingredients to prepare these homilies. These ingredients are my life experience, the experiences of others shared, the search after deeper spirituality, Scripture, theology, philosophy, and other more secular subjects. I am truly grateful to so many individuals who gift me with these ingredients in love.

The inspiration for this author’s preface is a recent personal spiritual moment of desolation. There were several personal and pastoral changes at the time, which left me feeling helpless, useless and unappreciated due to my inability to be in control. I articulated passionately my experience of desolation to God and with my spiritual director at the time, Sister Bernadette Hughs, C.P. After listening non-judgmentally and calmly, she suggested that I spend time becoming aware of ‘the blessing’ for which I am grateful to God. At the end of this spiritual exercise, I realized that the feeling of helplessness, uselessness and lack of appreciation was only a tiny drop of water in the wide ocean of gratitude. Eventually, the final stanza of Goethe’s poem, Holy Longing, made sense. He says, "And so long as you haven’t experienced this: to die and so to grow, you are only a troubled guest on the dark earth."2

I recall one of my many spiritual directors, Father Gerard Reid, counselling me with the insight that experience is the raw material of my academic pursuit. This profound insight not only enabled me to pursue academic studies to the doctoral level but, also, opened me to a myriad of human experiences and realities in pastoral life. These human experiences include my own working class but reasonably secure family background; the active and meaningful childhood and adolescent days of parish life at Saint John the Baptist Church in Kingston, Jamaica; the rigours but joyfulness of priestly formation at Saint Michael’s Seminary, Kingston, Jamaica; the mental demands, but satisfying times of academic studies at The Catholic University of America, Xavier University of Louisiana and The Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome; the challenging work with seminarians at the seminary of Saint John Vianney and the African Martyrs of Uganda in Trinidad and Tobago; the inconvenient, but fulfilling missionary work throughout the Caribbean as Regional Director of the Pontifical Missionary Societies, the sharpening of latent skills in the pastoral context of parish life especially at Holy Cross, Saints Peter and Paul, and Saint Martin de Porres; and the rigours of administration as Vicar of Administration for the Archdiocese of Kingston.

Spirituality was an essential component on this journey. I am grateful to my parents and, in particular, my mother who taught me to pray by her prayerful life; my parish priest, the late Msgr. Alphonso Bygrave, and the parish community of Saint John the Baptist, who introduced me to the value of communal prayer; the Jesuits, who provided spiritual direction throughout my seminary formation and into my priesthood; and my other spiritual directors, men and women, especially Msgr. Preston Moss (The Bahamas), who facilitated and nurtured my relationship with Jesus Christ and the Church.

The richness of the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures is an indispensable component of the liturgy of the Church, and the context within which most of my preaching is dispensed. Living in a Bible country and attending non-Catholic schools where the scripture is proclaimed at morning devotions, I started early to absorb the many stories, wisdom, insights and teachings of the Bible. Through the instrumentality of biblical scholars such as the late Father Paul Zilonka, C.P., I was gifted with the tool of exegesis, and this has served me well through my preaching. The promotion of Lectio Divina by the late Father Michel de Verteuil (Trinidad and Tobago) attracted my attention, and to this day I utilize this method as the first stage in my homily preparation.

Other key ingredients of my homilies are the subjects of philosophy and theology. These tools, given to me by various women, especially Sister Theresa Lowe Ching; men such as the late Father John O’Donnell, S.J., and Father Joseph Corrolla, S.J. (Rome), and various other lay and religious theologians, enabled me to dig deep into the mystery of God incarnate. The insights of Caribbean theologians such as the late Sister Diane Jagdeo, O.P. (Trinidad and Tobago), Mr. Everard Johnson (Trinidad and Tobago), Frs. Clyde Harvey (Trinidad and Tobago) and Patrick Anthony (Saint Lucia), and my friend and colleague Anna Kasafi Perkins (Jamaica) are appreciated. I am indebted to Archbishop Joseph Harris (Trinidad and Tobago) and Bishop Jason Gordon (Barbados and Saint Vincent), who are examples of preachers with solid theological groundings. There are other ingredients such as sociology, psychology and literature that helped me to interpret the contextual reality within which I lived and within which I was called to preach, and to understand the human psyche.

The content of a homily or preaching is only one wing of a flying bird. The other wing necessary for the ‘good flight’ of a homily or preaching is the art of delivery. Exposed to the preaching of my ecumenical brothers and sisters at Wolmer’s High School for Boys in the Inter-school Christian Fellowship first convinced me of the power of delivery. At Seminary, this tool was sharpened by the Baptist preacher and homiletic lecturer, Reverend Burchell Taylor, and the late Msgr. Kenneth Mock Yen. Ms. Alma Mock Yen, former director of the Radio Education Unit of The University of the West Indies, added her input as she insisted on proper pronunciation, enunciation and articulation.

As you read these homilies, you will taste the rich flavour of these various ingredients of human experience, spirituality, Scripture, theology, philosophy, other secular disciplines, and the art of public speaking. In the end, however, I have come to realize that the goal of preaching is mission; that is, to build the Kingdom of God. This is what I hope to achieve in my preaching. Ronald Rolheiser invites us to offer up our lives to a bigger picture beyond ourselves and pleasure. He suggests we offer it to God first, to alleviating the pain of others, or adding to the reservoir of knowledge or literature because happiness is self-offering.

Finally, a word on the selection and publication of these homilies. Two significant factors made this possible.

First: The discipline of preparation was ably married to the discipline of writing or typing these homilies. From the very early years of my priesthood, I painstakingly recorded my homilies and talks on paper and, in later years, saved them on the computer. I also carefully filed them in an orderly manner. Notwithstanding, my nomadic pastoral life, I was able to store the collection in safe places. Thus, when I finally decided to respond to the growing number of persons encouraging me to publish my homilies, there was a library of homilies waiting patiently to be retrieved.

Second: You would appreciate that the process of translating scores of documents originally delivered orally to a form worthy of publication required gifted and skilled individuals. In light of this, I am immensely indebted to the editorial team ably led by Mrs. Rachael Mair-Boxill – Dr. Anna Kasafi Perkins, Mr. Cedric Stephens and Ms. Marcia Ormsby. Each member of the team added his or her own unique talents to the success of this two-year-long project. Like the Israelites' journey to the Promised Land that was accompanied by joys and pains, frustrations and affirmations, and disappointments and delays, we persevered in faith to arrive at the Promised Land of publication. I am indeed grateful to them.

So, again, as you read and reflect on the Word of God coming alive in these homilies, I pray that your spiritual life will be enriched so that you will have the courage to go into the deep ocean of God's mystery incarnate in the contextual reality of human life, and transform that reality into God's Kingdom.

September 13, 2016, Memorial of Saint John Chrysostom.

EDITOR’S PREFACE

It is indeed inspiring and transforming to be challenged and empowered by someone who is gifted at interpreting the Scriptures and delivering their meanings with such consistent dynamism and authority. The editorial team, Anna Kasafi Perkins, Marcia Ormsby, Cedric Stephens and myself, are just a few of those who have experienced spiritual growth resulting from hearing Father Don deliver a homily. Most of us have journeyed with him over his 25 years of ministry as a Diocesan priest and have seen and heard the development of his homilies from when he was a ‘shaky’ new priest to the experienced preacher that he is today. The seemingly effortlessness of the delivery of his content arises from much deep thought, research, prayer, discernment and preparation. Many people have been touched and, over the years, have been profuse with their commendations for his homilies. His attention to detail, depth of thought and exemplary ability to interweave the main ideas of selected scriptures with Catholic catechism and theology as well as life experiences (his and others) have been the main factors which catalyzed our team to publish his homilies in celebration of his 25th anniversary of priesthood.

The two-year journey to this final publication, while not without its challenges, became an opportunity for further spiritual growth for the team. We were fortunate in being able to access most of Father Don’s homilies as they were all in some written form and carefully preserved in his library.

As you can imagine, the store of written material composed by Father Don over 25 years is enormous and presented us with the tough task of selecting those for inclusion in the publication. There are several factors that we considered in the selection process. Most significantly, we wanted to present a collection which encompassed Father Don’s entire priestly journey. Thus, the homilies emerge from as early as 1995 and conclude at the end of the liturgical year in 2016. Homilies were chosen based on thematic/time motifs drawing from weekly

Sunday homilies to funerals and weddings. Further, we wanted the selection to not focus only on his homilies but also his talks given at various retreats and missions. The most striking feature of these homilies and talks was Father Don’s referencing of a wide selection of sources ranging from poetry, songs, philosophers, theologians, politicians and notable leaders, to name a few.

This strength also posed a limitation to the editing process, primarily that of providing citations. Understandably, because of the passage of time, detailed referencing was sometimes difficult to obtain, hence their omission.

Another significant concern for our team was the conversion from that which was written to be delivered orally to a format appropriate for reading. This required some effort and much was lost in translation. We tried to make this collection remain true to Father Don’s voice throughout, while making the text more reader friendly. To the extent that we succeeded, we thank the Spirit. To the extent we did not, we can only plead human limitations and a challenging task. Thus, while you read, we ask you to remember these homilies were first written to be heard.

It is our fervent hope that, while you read, you will open yourself to the shared experience of spiritual growth provided by the thoughts, challenges, deeply held faith and love of humanity contained therein.

May this carefully woven tapestry of Jesus’ Word empower, enrich and challenge you today!

Rachael Mair-Boxill

FOREWORD

Twenty-five years is a significant milestone! Twenty-five years of priestly commitment has shaped Father Don Chambers into the priest that we all love and admire. His precision and attention to detail, his pastoral sensitivity and depth of vision have impacted many lives in the Caribbean. His beloved Jamaica more than anywhere else has experienced his great pastoral impact.

Our societies have moved over the last 25 years, from naturally religious to questioning the very premise of religion – the existence of God and the usefulness of God in a modern Caribbean society. The non-religious segment is becoming one of the fastest growing categories on census reports around the region. Our societies have pivoted from social democracy to unbridled capitalism. We have witnessed the dismantling of the value system of our grandparents in two generations. Truth is now relative; it’s now all about me.

Pleasure and material possessions now compete to be the highest good, the source of happiness and the animating principle of many of our people. The moral fabric of Caribbean civilization is being dismantled. Corruption in public office has become commonplace thus eroding trust in the public sphere. The very act of democracy – casting your vote – has become the source of corrupting our nations. Money, power and pleasure have become the new gods. Whenever a people turn to idolatry, crime and violence rise. The value of the human wanes and society shifts its gaze from ultimate value – God – to a transactional approach.

When we forget God we forget the dignity of the human, we forget the poor and we undermine the family, the Church and the nation. This choice also impacts the way we view and interact with nature. The Caribbean is now the second most vulnerable territory to global warming. The predicted rising sea levels will have an impact on us directly unless the world finds a different way. In this sense, the sustainability of Caribbean civilization hangs in the balance. We are at a time in the Caribbean where fundamental choices need to be made. Choices about the dignity of the human person, about the nature of existence and about the type of society we want to become. This is the social and ecclesial backdrop to the homilies collected in this volume.

Father Don is known for many things: he is a Caribbean theologian, a great organizer, a gifted homilist, a man of God. In this collection of homilies, Father Don has given us a guide to assist us in walking through the murky waters of the value propositions that face us every day. The propositions around anthropology – who are we as human beings? Are we accidental or do we have a purpose? The propositions around society/community: is any choice as good as another or have we been called to become a special type of community? The proposition about God – does God have a place of honour in the life, values and choices of Caribbean people in the 21st century? The collection also speaks to us about priesthood and the role of the priest as initiator into the sacred mystery. I would like to invite you to ponder the individual homilies as you see the transformation in the depth and thinking of a priest who has stayed the course and committed himself to the service of God, his church and his people over the last 25 years.

As you journey with him through these pages, you will also see the growth and development of his ideas and his commitment to the priesthood. One of the strongest themes running through the sermons and thus the theological reflection of Father Don is that of the human condition in the Caribbean today. He wrestles with this theme from his earliest sermons to the latest ones. He uses literature as a way to wrestle with the brutal truth of Caribbean humanity. But he wrestles with this truth through a dynamic conversation with Scripture. The text of literature opens the enquiry into both social reality and Scripture. It opens to new depths. It is a tool to name the truth and to grapple with the human condition in all of its dramatic complexity. In this grappling with the human condition, Father Don is delving into the reality of the Caribbean; he is also delving into discipleship and its requirements.

Reconciliation is another theme in his preaching. This theme speaks to the God-human relationship as much as it speaks to the human-human relationship. It is explored as a sacrament and also as a necessary condition of living Christianity. It is literally explored in the Church of the Reconciliation in Portmore, Jamaica – an ecumenical chapel where

Catholics and Anglicans share worship space and also work together on ecumenism. As a theological category, Reconciliation is at the core of the Mystery and so is it at the core of the sermons. As you reflect with Father Don, see the way he develops the theme of Reconciliation through this work.

The theme of Justice is also seen throughout the text. Grappling with justice is vital for all preachers living in the Caribbean. We are accustomed to the ministry of aid. We have not always delved deeply enough into the requirements of Justice. This is both God’s requirement and also what is necessary for harmony and peace in the community. It is necessary for us to build a new Caribbean Civilization.

This collection of homilies celebrates the thoughtful reflection of a Caribbean theologian. It celebrates the pastoral commitment of a priest and shepherd of the flock. It celebrates the journey of a Christian in his grappling with the requirements of discipleship. It celebrates the wrestling of a Caribbean man as he ponders the requirements of building a civilization, one block at a time. I hope you will enjoy this volume as I have. I hope it will help you to reflect on the significance of Christ in the Caribbean today.

The Most Rev. Charles Jason Gordon, DD

Bishop of Bridgetown

Homilies

Independence Mass

August 6, 1995

Theme: Return to the God of our Foreparents.

Scripture Texts: Deut. 30: 15-20; Phil. 4: 4-9; Mt. 5: 1-12.

Let us reflect a moment on excerpts from a poem entitled Kingston by Christine Craig.

No work. Estelle with housekeeping

skills and no house to keep,

only empty cupboards, cold stove

and children soon reach home

hungry. Swallow you pride girl

go see you sister Norma.

Norma is keeping an office job

and church on Sunday looking

for a fine up-right man. Norma

is studying books for night

school and every day planning

how to move up, how to talk

good so nobody will know sey

is Jones Town she coming from.

What happen Estelle, you see

me name bank? When you a lie down

wid different man you don’t tink

bout how you a go manage.

Weep, weep for us women on the streets

of Kingston. Weep for our children

hungry, angry in this town that blooms

large houses, smooth lawns where other

children play computer games and plan

the next trip to Miami.3

Estelle is a poor inner city woman with several ‘baby-fathers’ and several dependent children. As a single mother, she is unemployed and undergoing a serious financial crisis prior to the start of the school year. Estelle is encouraged to visit and seek financial assistance from her sister, Norma, who is financially more stable. Norma hides her humble social and economic beginnings, studies and works hard, ignores her poor relatives and uses church and God in order to achieve success. The poem implicitly refers to a group of persons we can consider calling the Haves. They own large residential properties with smooth lawns, expensive cellular phones and Nintendos, and they are frequent flyers. We also need to recognize Estelle’s children who are hungry, fatherless, have limited contact with the relatives of their mother, and are probably potential criminals or unproductive members of the society. The poem also alludes to a group of people we can consider lazy. These individuals are usually men like the fathers of Estelle’s children who are in police lockups, jails or prisons. They frequent bars and loiter at street corners.

If the Beatitudes, proclaimed in today’s Gospel, is an exclamation of congratulations that recognize the existing state of happiness of individuals who are generally marginalized in Jewish society, then we can reasonably conclude that the Estelles, her hungry children, and the ‘baby-fathers’ are indeed blessed because they are marginalized by the Normas and the Haves of this world.

Such marginalization is an indication that, as a nation, we have abandoned the God of our ancestors and adopted an alien god called modernization. Many of us have become the Normas and the Haves whereby we are blindly focused on our own social mobility while completely putting blame on the Estelles and their hungry children for the terrible social position they occupy.

However, the scripture text today challenges us to, Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you (Phil. 4:9). Our foreparents travelled from far away with a strong belief in God, the spirit of the ancestors as companions, and their sacred rituals that reinforced their faith and strengthened their trust in God. Whether it was the African religious rituals such as the ‘nine night’ tradition, or the Chinese rituals such as the Gar San, they relied heavily on them and this formed the basis of their success throughout the centuries. Through an introduction to Christianity, they came to understand Jesus Christ as the revelation in the history of their God. Consequently, they forged a relationship with Jesus Christ and Christianity, and this solidified their religious commitment, empowered them to negotiate successfully through centuries of oppression, racism and prejudice, and built a road to freedom and independence.

But, we have abandoned, neglected, and despised their religious beliefs and practices, and have chosen to socialize our children into a modern culture that negates the role of spirituality and religion in the development of cultures and peoples. We tend to quickly label traditional religious activities as superstitious, evil, witchcraft and stupid. The physically poor state of our cemeteries is an indication of the disrespect to our ancestors. Today’s scripture readings, however, invite us to learn from our ancestors/foreparents, and to see how they experienced life through their religious beliefs and practices. Upon reflection on their religious commitment, we realized that it allowed them to experience more reverence for God, to build solid and wholesome communities, to make connections and to find strength in the spirit of their own ancestors.

Today’s Mass for Independence calls for a conversion of heart, mind and attitudes towards our history, our culture, and our foreparents who helped shape that history and culture. It calls for us to look within our own history and culture and re-discover God. Until we know our history and culture, the search for God will always elude us. Believing in the Incarnation of God in Jesus of Nazareth, the writer of the Gospel of Luke, for example, locates the mission and ministry of Jesus within a specific geographical location and culture. Painstakingly, Luke purposefully names towns, regions and districts where Jesus carries out His ministry and speaks to his familiarity with Jesus’ culture and customs. Luke’s message is that Jesus of Nazareth discovers God within the cultural and social milieu of Palestine.

Like our ancestors who discovered God in the midst of suffering, emotional and economic hardships, cultural and social dislocation, failures and oppression, we are challenged to do the same because the God of our ancestors is the same God, living and dwelling in this culture of modernization. Discovering God’s healing and liberating presence today, will lead us to see the Estelles, Estelles’ children, Estelles’ baby-fathers as blessed. It will lead us to see how we have perpetuated a social and economic system that has created today’s Estelles.

In the eyes of the outsider they are to be exploited and blamed but, in the eyes of faith, they must be understood, lifted up and blessed. On this Independence Sunday, the Church is called to bless them by including and not excluding them.

Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

August 1995

Theme: Come As You Are.

Scripture Texts: Is. 66: 18-21; Heb. 12:5-7, 11-13; Lk. 13:22-30.

Many belong to the Church who do not belong to God. And many belong to God who do not belong to the Church. (Saint Augustine)

A non-Christian once told me: Why should we believe in your Christ? You Christians have waged the most wars. You use up the most resources in the world, and you’ve raped the planet. And then you say you love your poor Jesus. You hate Jesus and only say you love Him to fool yourselves. (Richard Rohr)

Throughout history Christians have prayed, Thy Kingdom Come, but do we immediately add in our minds and actions, My Kingdom of power, privilege and prestige come? Let us recall the devastation caused by the Pilgrim Fathers to the Native Americans, the wars raged against Muslims and Jews by Christians, the destruction of the Mayan, Aztec, Carib and Taino civilizations in the name of God, the enslavement of Africans and the early refusal to evangelize them because of the belief that they had no soul. Let us also remember the initial refusal to accept and ordain creole or Negro men to the sacred priesthood, and the initial refusal to accept illegitimate men to the priesthood in mission territories. Jamaica’s National Anthem speaks of justice and God yet there’s a raping of our human and natural resources by politicians, and the maintenance of social structures that perpetuate poverty and suffering. In the end, we are preoccupied with worshipping the Messenger, Jesus, while ignoring the Message. Do we really want the Reign of God or the Pax Christi? Or, is it that we want the Pax Romana – the triumphal Christianity?

Today’s readings speak about the revelation of a God who unveils Godself in creation and also in the brokenness and poverty of creation. Inasmuch as God liberated the People of Israel from the poverty of slavery in Egypt, their nation evolved into an empire rooted in political power, privilege and prestige. Their religious, economic and political systems were well structured to protect self-image, social reputation and material possession, while abusing the weak and vulnerable. The writings of the major prophets such as Hosea and Amos describe vividly this unjust way of life and God’s challenge. Yahweh allowed Israel’s exile to Babylon and the destruction of the nation in order to help them return to the meaning of the Covenant. It was God’s wish for them to come back to Him. In their poverty, God did not abandon them. God was still present to them and, as He did in Egypt, liberated them again.

Through sickness, accidents or failures, God invites us to take an inward spiritual journey. It is these kinds of journey that allow us to discover and become sensitive to persons who are emotionally or spiritually broken, poor and in need of compassion. In a word, the leper within us helps us to see the leper without us. Saint Francis of Assisi could not bear to see the lepers. But he says, As soon as I embraced the first leper what once had been hateful to me became ‘sweetness and life.’ However, the first step is to listen to the call to embrace the leprosy within us. Then, we are called to bring our own brokenness to the banquet of Christ where the broken and wounded are invited. Let us recall the parable of the banquet in which Jesus insists that His disciples go and invite the weak and the vulnerable. The weak and the vulnerable remind us that we are to be unafraid to bring our own wounds and brokenness to Christ’s banquet – the Eucharist.

As a community we are called to rid ourselves of the ‘private club’ mentality where we accept the ideal people who are able to fulfill certain social or cultural criteria. We need to be cautious and reject this worldly type of mentality in the Church. In light of this, there needs to be a paradigm shift in the dynamics of the Christian community where infighting, perfectionism, grumbling and abuse of power are the hallmark. Rather, we need to see ourselves as a community of broken, wounded, bruised members in need of God’s healing. We need to take our pastoral cue from the humble disposition witnessed among the participants at Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings. In these settings, individuals who are struggling with their own addictions freely, openly and honestly confess their human weakness and their journey on the way to recovery.

Let us, therefore, become less preoccupied with climbing the ladder of power, prestige and privilege. The great effort to make that kind of social climb is not necessary because God has descended into the brokenness and wounds of humanity. It is there that God can be found. Therefore, our climb to these heights is a futile effort.

Christmas Midnight Mass

December 25, 1998

Immaculate Conception Convent, Kingston, Jamaica

Theme: Do not be afraid. Listen, I bring you news of great joy…

Scripture Texts: Is. 9: 1-6; Ti. 2: 11-14; Lk. 2: 1-14.

Christmas calls a community back to its origins by remembering Jesus’ own beginnings as a human child…what the parish celebrates during this season is not primarily a birthday, but the beginning of a decisive new phase in the tempestuous history of God’s hunger for human companions. (Nathan Mitchell)

Like the shepherds who lived in the cold, dark, insecure, dangerous and unwelcoming country fields, there are many people tonight who do not have the security of material wealth, power, status, friends and family. Like the shepherds who do not have the security of a warm comfortable bed and the security of sleep, there are the families of April Chen and Peter Azan who are waiting and watching for their return home. Like the shepherds who take it in turns to watch their flocks during the night, there are hundreds of security guards and domestic helpers watching and protecting our homes, businesses and children.

Like the shepherds whose only shelter was the stars and the dark night, there are friends and family members who live in the darkness of mental depression, addiction and loneliness, waiting for the dawn of a new day – waiting for a turn of events in their lives. Like the shepherds who lived in the openness of the country field, there are many street children who, tonight, will pass the night in the openness of the busy and cruel streets of Kingston, Port of Spain, Rio de Janeiro and Bogota. Like the shepherds who lived in the open country fields, there are many who will welcome and celebrate Christmas in a public garbage dump. Like the shepherds who did not have the security of family, there are those who will celebrate this night without family members.

One such person who was like the shepherds last Christmas was a street boy in Port of Spain, Trinidad, named Akenton Saint Clair. Akenton Saint Clair was born 19 years ago. On the day of his birth his father was killed. Three years later, his mother was imprisoned. At the age of nine his sole guardian, a grandmother, died. After the last straw of his grandmother’s death he became a child of the public dump and a child of the streets of Port of Spain. Akenton Saint Clair’s life ended in the Beetham dump in Port of Spain where, while fighting the vultures for waste food on a moving garbage truck, he slipped, fell and was crushed to death.

Yet, as we celebrate the birth of the historical Jesus, God hungers to be the companion of these shepherds of today. Notice carefully that the Lucan writer says, In the countryside close by there were shepherds who lived in the fields … (Lk. 2:8). Today’s celebration is about God who chooses to be born in the hearts and lives of those who are experiencing emotional insecurity, spiritual insecurity and physical/material insecurity. It is a celebration about Christ who is being born in the midst of those who are experiencing darkness – mourning, sadness, persecution, loneliness, abandonment, fear and conflict.

In the midst of our darkness, we can be consoled by a voice that says, Do not be afraid. Listen, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people…a Saviour has been born (Lk. 2:10). God is born in our midst in order to save us from despair and hopelessness. You and I do not need to continue allowing fear to be the engine of our lives but we should be consoled by the knowledge that God has come to give us hope for living. Recently, Sister Julie Peters told a story about someone who committed suicide. The reason the person gave for taking her life was that she was afraid of facing her family and friends because of an embarrassing and shameful situation in her life. Fear imprisoned her and influenced her to take her own life.

Where must we look for the sign of this hope? It is not found in the extravagance of everyday living, the excessiveness of materialism, wealth, fame or popularity. It is to be found, … in a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger (Lk. 2:12). Hope is to be found in the simplicity of the unassuming and often neglected persons and areas of our lives. The Christ Child was born for me in the life of Akenton Saint Clair. As Akenton was lying in the manger of his wooden coffin, his friend said, Akenton, it is better to be hated for who you are, than to be loved for who you are not.

Yes, the Lord is truly born in the hearts of the abandoned, neglected and outcast of our society and world. The Lord has become a companion to all people. Let us do the same and be companions to those living in darkness. Let us not become distracted by this wonderful Christmas liturgy, the beautiful floral and artistic decorations, the cute baby in the creche, the abundance of food and liquor, and the blasts of musical notes that will billow through the night skies of Christmas. Let us always remember that in becoming a companion to us, that cute little baby also suffered. That cute little baby, called Jesus, endured the inconveniences and hardships of a refugee, the threat of being murdered, and the hazardous journey in the cold night, the blazing heat, and on the dusty roads.

Let us remember that we are not called to be pretentious during this season. Rather, it is a time when we should recognize that the child we celebrate would later die for our salvation. Further, Christmas is not a time to give in to the guilt complex of being an absentee father, mother, friend, aunt, uncle or fellow citizen. Christmas is a time to commit ourselves to be companions – to develop quality relationships