Editor,
It was real then. It is real now in 2019. The Resurrection-of Jesus Christ is more than a history lesson. Resurrection is an ongoing reality. Easter-celebrations should be occurring regularly because men and women are experiencing a newness of life a fresh start; because they are able to walk from despair and find new life; because they are able to discover that their lives can have meaning and significance.
Can you imagine what it might have been like in and around that first/Easter? Imagine: you are one of Jesus’ followers. You are drowning in despondency. Your Lord has died, with Him, all your hopes and dreams. That was no fake death. You helped take the body down from the cross. You assisted in placing it so carefully in the tomb. He was dead. Period.
Someone comes to your door and knocks. You know him and let him in. “Listen,” he says, “believe it or not, but it’s a fact. Jesus is alive. He has risen from the dead. How do I know? I saw Him with my own eyes.” A few days later you are with some of your fellow believers. Suddenly, without fanfare, Jesus is right beside you. And He speaks “Peace be with you.”
The elements were all there to make up an incredible drama – surprise, questions, convictions, new hopes, new life, new men, new women. What more could you want? No wonder that to this day the drama continues to excite and intrigue people. To this day, April 21, 2019, newly-born Easter people are still an amazing surprise, not only to themselves but also to those who knew them before. The change can be something bordering on the miraculous – new attitudes, new insights, new resolve. In short, a new person!
Some people just can’t appreciate the fact that God continues to work in the lives of people in 2019 people. It defies description. Yes, extraordinary happenings can occur for someone down the street. We too can have access to the remarkable transforming power of the Risen Christ. New hopes, new life, new men and women – the Easter people of 2019.
Yours etc.,
Revd. Presley Lyngdoh
Priest
All Saints’ Cathedral
Shillong
Every citizen should be a watchdog
Editor,
Apropos the letter “Meghalaya is home not just for tribals,” by AK Singh published in your paper, I would like to express my displeasure about the same. Blaming a veteran writer, Salil Gewali is unfounded. The writer’s aversion to the leadership of Narendra Modi is evident. What is understandable is AK Singh has no problem with other parties, nor with the party that is being held like the property of one family. However, I have nothing to say over the writer’s personal choice and he has his democratic right to his views. But so far as my knowledge is concerned the Congress Party is basically undemocratic. No one has any say in this party except the Gandhi family. Manmohan Singh was picked up to be Prime Minister because he was pliable and would never cause problems to this family. Many veteran leaders from Meghalaya and former CM, DD Lapang were sidelined. In spite of having many other veteran leaders, the Congress has again projected Rahul Gandhi as the prime ministerial candidate. Rahul lacks the skill of politics and has no clear vision. He scarcely can evaluate issues systematically. The party current manifesto is full of controversial promises. I think this has been prepared with an aim to weaken this nation by being soft on terror groups and other foreign infiltrators. In the manifesto the party has promised to scrap the sedition laws. What will be the consequences then? Things will get worse. The objective of the Congress party is to open the floodgates to infiltrators and allow them to outnumber the indigenous citizens like in Kashmir, Assam, West Bengal and Kerala and increase their vote banks. Any layman can understand this plan. I appreciate Gewali’s articles which genuinely alert us of the possible ramifications.
We would appreciate if no one pokes his nose into tribal and non-tribal issues to create misunderstandings. Except for a few past instances we are living in peace with non-tribals. Meghalaya may become another Assam if we get misled. Each citizen of Meghalaya, including the permanent non-tribals who genuinely love this state, should be watchdogs to protect the State from outside infiltrators. These are my personal opinion based on my observations.
Yours etc.,
Earnest Mawrie
Shillong-21