{"id":1626643,"date":"2024-04-24T04:53:49","date_gmt":"2024-04-24T04:53:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dissidentvoice.org\/?p=149963"},"modified":"2024-04-24T04:53:49","modified_gmt":"2024-04-24T04:53:49","slug":"nicaragua-the-good-shepherd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2024\/04\/24\/nicaragua-the-good-shepherd\/","title":{"rendered":"Nicaragua: The Good Shepherd"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yesterday I attended mass. Instead of a priest, the mass was celebrated by Nicaraguan children \u2013 10 fourth and fifth grade students. The kids led the congregation in prayers, passing of the peace, read the gospel and shared a homily. They invited congregants to share reflections on the reading \u2013 the Good Shepherd \u2013 and they blessed wine and soda crackers and served communion.<\/p>\n

As I watched, I thought, \u201cThis is the way it should always be, we should be following the children, not the other way around.\u201d Why listen to old white men who stand behind so many pulpits the world over when the children can teach us so much more?<\/p>\n

These kids have already learned all of life\u2019s important lessons. They already love each other, they already recognize the divine in each other, they already respect each other. These kids won\u2019t preach hate or war. In their homily, they tell us that their good shepherds are their parents and teachers; but I believe our<\/em> good shepherds are these children.<\/p>\n

I am struck by the hope that this model of the children leading the congregation is a reflection of a larger global shift. Worldwide, we have begun to see countries from the global south preaching from the pulpit, so to speak: South Africa taking Israel to the World Court for the genocide of the Palestinian people. Nicaragua taking Germany to the International Court of Justice for aiding and abetting Israel\u2019s genocide of the Palestinian people. Namibia<\/a> arguing before the ICJ that because it has suffered occupation and colonialism Namibia \u201cconsiders it a moral duty and sacred responsibility to appear before this court on the question of the indefensible occupation of Palestine by Israel.\u201d<\/p>\n

Just as these children shepherded us in a mass that was every bit as dignified as any mass ever said by a priest, so is Nicaragua shepherding the world. Nicaragua is a small country from the global south that is modeling consistency and dignity \u2013 and choosing peace every step of the way. Just in recent days, Nicaragua has:<\/p>\n