As per our country’s democratic process, parliamentary elections are held every five years. As Christians we always pray that the elections would be conducted properly and peacefully. When the election results are out, as per conventional practice we congratulate the new government and we pray that the people so elected and the new government would serve the country well. In many of our church liturgies an intercessory prayer is offered every Sunday for the President, the Prime Minister, the Governor and Chief Minister of our respective states, and for all those in authority.
The 2014 election results are expressive of the desire of the majority of the people for corruption-free, electorate-responsible, good governance, for economic well-being in terms of employment, control over the rising cost of living, for easy access to basic necessities of life such as food-grains, water, electricity, education, shelter and health, and for justice and peace. We are reminded of the Nazareth Manifesto of Jesus “to bring good news to the poor, proclaiming release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, letting the oppressed go free, and proclaiming the year of the Lord’s favour.” (Lk.4:18-19)
Therefore the 2014 Elections constitute the kairos (the critical decisive time) for the Church in India to be bearers of the ‘Nazareth Manifesto’ gospel in the country:
We are to stand for just-peace, and should support all policies, endeavours and projects of the government within this ‘just-peace’ framework.
We are to facilitate inclusive communities in which women, youth, children, dalits, tribals-adivasis, the disabled, and all other marginalized individuals and communities find dignified space and participation.
We should be committed to eradication of the evils of the caste system, patriarchy, globalization, nuclearization, militarization, fundamentalism and communalism.
We have to be critical of any development which caters to the comforts and pleasures of the few but oppresses the majority of humans and exploits mother earth.
May we as the Church participate in the development of an India of justice, progress and integral harmony!
Rev. Dr. Roger Gaikwad,
General Secretary, NCCI
