Put the body politic first
June 1, 2021
Guyana: Ignatian year begins
June 1, 2021
By Kaelanne Jordan
Email: mediarelations.camsel@catholictt.org
Twitter: @kaelanne1
There was no usual large gathering for the Catholic Charismatic Renewal’s (CCR) annual celebrations this year.
Instead, the CCR celebrated its 45th National Rally and 50th anniversary celebrations on Trinity Sunday (May 30) virtually, via Zoom, Facebook, and Trinity TV.
“Imagine, we have Trinity Sunday rally, and we are in our own homes. Something not too right here. Something not feeling too good. But here’s what, this is the day the Lord has made, and we are confident this is what God wants and where He is calling us to be….in this time,” Archbishop Jason Gordon asserted.
The event had as its theme: Let us Rebuild (Acts 2:42–47).
Archbishop Gordon was among the speakers at the anniversary celebrations.
He delivered a talk entitled ‘The Church, the bride of Christ.’
“Have you ever thought or heard the Church as the bride of Christ? Because it’s one of the titles of the Church that many people have heard before but not quite sure why,” the Archbishop said.
Referring to biblical text, the Archbishop commented that many illusions in the Old Testament see the Messiah as the bridegroom. He gave multiple examples of this including the text from Isaiah 54:5 which states, “Your maker is your husband, the Lord Almighty is His name….” and in the Letter of St Paul to the Ephesians 5:25–32, “husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church…. This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the Church.”
To this end, the Archbishop underscored the concept of human love between spouses. It is in this relationship with Christ and His Church, Christ being the bride, and the Church being the bridegroom that this love exists.
“From Paul’s point of view, the whole mystery of the cross, the torture, the crucifixion of Jesus was nothing less than an expression of spousal love. You see, from an ancient Jewish perspective, in its deepest mystery, all salvation history is in fact a divine love story between the creator and the creature, between God and Israel. It’s a story that comes to climax on its bloody wood on the wooden cross.”
In giving brief welcome remarks, Deborah de Rosia, of the Eternal Light Community, quipped, “45 years of rallying together, 50 years jubilee, we have lived to see it.”
In delivering her talk on the topic ‘I belong, You belong, We belong’, Dr Wendy Ann Jones, Principal Catholic Bible Institute, stressed on the importance of family.
“There is nothing more important truly than family because from family comes vocations, from family comes blessings, from family comes relationships, from family comes socialising….”
On the other hand, Dr Jones observed there are many persons presently not enjoying the privileges that come with belonging to a family.
“…because there are people who live in orphanages, and experience alienation and a sense of aimlessness because they don’t have that sense of identification with family. Biologically, we all belong to a family,” she said.
The day’s celebration continued with the sharing of testimonies, healing, intercession and praise and worship. Holy Mass at 3 p.m. with the Archbishop followed. See more at www.facebook.com/CatholicCharismaticRenewalTT.
