Poem

The Holy Week’s Lessons - For Leaders

Opinion | Poem | Anthony Dias | 17-Apr-2025

The Holy Week provides

Precious lessons, on compassionate,

Humble and courageous leadership

Through the Teachings and Actions

The cataclysmic Crucifixion

 

Of the Historical, Jesus of Nazareth!

Who demonstrated

What a genuine servant-leader should be

In every Age and Time:

 

Here to serve, not to be served

To never ever abandon the poor -

‘The widow, the orphan and the migrant’

To care for the wounded planet

 

To speak truth to power

Never bend before ‘insolent might’

To love, without counting the cost

Be ready even to lay down one’s life! 

 

As we see, in our own time and before our eyes

The menacing march of authoritarian forces

Expanding tentacles and growing in size

Hostile - to the poor and the marginalized

 

Hell-bent on throttling and killing democracy

Disregarding the Constitution and Values enshrined

Felling forests, evicting tribals from their homes

Brazenly, and with complete impunity

 

When the minorities and their institutions

Are harmed and their freedoms taken away

And majoritarianism holds sway

Then fear take control and takes its toll

 

As leaders we must ask: Are we there for our people

Who are behind bars, or in chains, and for our planet in pain?

 

 

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