A Salute to Woman

THE WEEKLY GLEANER | MARCH 24 - MA RCH 30, 2021 | www.jama ica-gleaner.com | I Aubrey Campbell/Gleaner Writer NEW YORK, NY: W HILE THE Government and allied stakeholders con- tinue to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the de- livery of education in Jamaica, alumni associations scattered around the globe have had to change the way they fundraise. THAT SAID, a consortium of New York City-based organisations has come together for a charitable endeav- our this Easter. Billed ‘EASTER PRAISE’, an evening of gospel, folk and culture, the sched- uled 90-minute concert on Saturday, April 3, is being done in collaboration with the alumni associations of Herbert Morrison Technical, Maldon High School, Montego Bay High School, Mt Alvernia High School, and the Montego Bay ‘Comets’ Athletics Club/Comets Club Int’l. “What makes this particular effort so special, is that it’s being done in concert with our sisters and brothers fromMontego Bay,”said Barry Harvey, president of the Cornwall College Old Boys’ Association – New York Chapter, one of eight benevolent entities/chap- ters globally. Headline act is the award-winning, multi-dimensional New Creation Generation International (NCGI) Easter praise to benefit St James schools Joan Myers, Gospel Recording artiste and Herbert Morrison High School alum. LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING. The New Creation Generation International (NCGI) ensemble will perform live via zoom, on April 3, for charity. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS The season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday and marks for many persons a time to reflect upon their own lives as they observe traditions and rituals particular to their faith. Here are a few of those special top Christians during this period. Ashes: Smeared on the forehead on Ash Wednesday Celebration. It makes us recognise our human condition, so limited and corruptible. Also a wake-up call to our pride and self-reliance. But it is, above all, a call to lay the founda- tion of our existence, not in ourselves, but in Christ the Saviour, the One who can free us from corruption and death. Christ is the panacea of immortality. For this reason, when imposing the ashes, the priest says: “Repent and Believe in the Gospel.” Abstinence (from the Latin ab- stinentia, act of depriving oneself or abstaining from something) Penitential gesture. Currently, the faith- ful with the use of reason and who do not have any impediment are asked to refrain from eating meat, perform some type of voluntary deprivation or do a charitable work on Fridays, which are called penitential days. Only Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fasting and abstinence. Fasting (from Latin ieiunium, fasting, abstinence) Voluntary food deprivation for religious reasons. It is a form of vigil, a sign that helps to be- come aware (e.g.: the Ash Wednesday fast recalls the beginning of the penitential time) or prepares (e.g.: the Eucharistic fast predisposes the reception that will shortly be made of the Body of Christ). The Church pre- scribes it for the space of one day for Ash Wednesday, with a penitential character, and for Good Friday, ex- tended to Holy Saturday, with an Easter character; and for an hour for those who are going to receive communion. During Holy Week, the most impor- tant religious acts for Christians are commemorated since it is a time to reaffirm the faith and remember what are the bases on which Christianity was founded. For this reason, in various re- ligious acts we use signs and symbols referring to the life, passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Palms: In ancient times palms were used as symbol of victory. When Jesus arrived in Jerusalem, riding on a don- key, He was greeted by a crowd of peo- ple who sang songs and had palms in their hands in order to greet and welcome the Messiah. Hence, on Palm Sunday the faithful seek and bless a palm leaf at Mass, which, traditionally, they usually place in houses as a reli- gious protection. Bread and Wine: The bread and wine symbolise eternal life, the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ that was of- fered to his disciples at the Last Supper. They also symbolise the union of the faithful with their Christian faith. The bread represents the body of Jesus Christ given to His people, whoever eats will have eternal life. The wine symbolises the blood that Jesus Christ shed for His people, whoever drinks His blood will have his sins forgiven. Washing of the feet: The washing of feet is a symbol of humility and ded- ication of Jesus Christ to others. During 28 THE WEEKLY GL AN R | MARCH 24 - APRIL 24, 021 | www.jamaica-gleaner.co | WOMEN’S MONTH FEATURE PLEASE SEE SIGNS, 29 PLEASE SEE EASTER, 30 Signs and symbols of Lent, Easter