MY TWO CENTS’ – Easter People and the poor

If the latest data on global poverty data given by the World Bank is to be believed, only 14% of the world’s population lives below the World Bank threshold of USD1.25 per day, and roughly a fourth live on 2 dollars per day. These figures have gone down since the early 1980s, especially in Asia, which is currently the leader in global economic growth. These are people considered to live on less than the adequate amount of 2,200 calories per day, and are considered to have adequate access to water and shelter. For some of us, 2000 calories is a buffet dinner, or a whole loaded meat lover’s pizza. What it means, therefore, is that around a billion out of the 7.1 billion global population have difficulty meeting basic food requirements, exposing them to disease, malnutrition, and making them most vulnerable to natural calamities. A bigger number live in relative poverty, meaning they are poor compared to others in their country- unable to partake of society’s dividends unlike others. Equally striking is the fact that almost half of the poor are so because of human-induced calamities, such as conflict situations. Thus, a culture of poverty emerges, where, as a Catholic Bishop aptly put – an empty stomach knows no ethics. Take this in total and you have roughly half the world as poor, in want, unhappy, and in darkness.
And then comes Lent, and Easter. After 40 days of fasting and realizing we are dust in the dark, light suddenly comes. Resurrection, as it is called, the rising after the strongest and deepest of realities – human death. This season forces you to confront the deepest reality- suffering and death – what poverty supposedly makes you.
Beyond the supposed supernatural element of resurrection is the inspiration Easter brings, egging us to move on, and away from the shackles that keep us pinned to the ground, and seek our own paths and work to fulfill our destinies and better ourselves- taking others with us. It is a personal message far deeper than government programs, so-called progressive ideologies, revolutionary and millenarian movements, overpromising politicians and get rich quick networking schemes and prosperity cults. Many poor will always try to join, but will eventually feel alienated from these groups, for they speak a language they cannot understand, coming from an agenda not their own. Years of disempowerment made them dependent on others for their own survival and salvation- and all human leaders pass on, and institutions fail them.
But Easter cuts deeply into the soul. Rising from the dead is a simple powerful message- eternity. In our leader-oriented milieu, it is therefore a countercultural expression that tells the world- I am me, I am loved, and I can rise, too. Imagine a critical mass of Easter people infecting the community with their hope, seeing beyond the despair of their own poverty, corruption, violence, and indifference.
Easter is one of the roots of faith, and the striking signal that our lives, no matter how unimportantly we value them, mean something greater than ourselves. Only when we deeply realize this can we be a light to others to help them see understand and move on from the mire they are in. Easter is the light shining on our darkness, personal and social. Let us be Easter People. Happy Easter!