Translated by Rhoda Alex
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/csi-for-a-green-lent-this-
year/article26400775.ecehttps://www.csisynod.com/news_view.php?Id=5880
The invitation of the Moderator Thomas K.Oomen to the Christian community of the Church of South India – ‘A Lenten call for a disposable plastic-free world’ is a remarkable and progressive step by the Church. There is no doubt that this season of Lent is going to be a benchmark in penance observance methods – making way for a huge environmental repentance, a change in the mode of our action and social involvement. Since we are also near the celebration of Palm Sunday that coincides as a springtime festival – I would like to record the following and point the connection between Palm Sunday and Lent.
Quoting the moderator – “As Christians, we need to consider the plastic catastrophe as a result of our ecological sin. It is a sin – a sin of irresponsibility, a sin of insensitivity, a sin of insensibility, and a sin of incorrigibility”. He requests each believer to make at least “10 green confessions” of sin against the environment. Is the church ready to accept the thoughts shared by the Moderator at this juncture remains a golden question. The church has long since ignored the blessing of enjoying the resources given by God and instead taken to enjoying life as it pleases themselves. It is accepted now that this is an easier way to live – in such times – repentance every Sunday should not become a ritual but one that transcends into life beyond the premises of the church and is reflected in reality. Talking only about ‘plastic’ and not talking about a lifestyle that shuns plastic is like an arrow that has missed its mark. As a Palmyra Palm activist, it is necessary for me to explain the obstacles that arise in these cases and the work that is at hand.
Of all the seasons of the Church the Lenten Season is the one that is most affiliated to the environment. These days coincide with the budding of new shoots and are most suitable for us to take efforts that relate to the environment, to identify those people who are working in environmental projects and bring them to the forefront – and in doing so we should also re-inspect our spiritual health.
The Lent season begins with Ash Wednesday. Traditionally – the holy ash is got from burning palm leaf crucifixes that were made the previous year. Ash has a deep significance in the Bible. It is a symbol of not only that which is leftover but also of humility. It reminds us that those who are wearing ash are facing severely distressing situations in their life. At the same time it condemns those who wear ash only superficially. So, who are the real wearers of ash in today’s world? Many rural women still are coated with the ash of their stoves. Is it not appropriate for us to remember those who still stand in front of giant stoves for three hours to process the palm jaggery syrup (akkani). Will not it be meaningful if Ash Wednesday begins with a concern towards these lives that are consumed by ashes.
The culmination of the Lent Season begins with Palm Sunday. It is also adopted by the church in a grand manner. The members of the church also show the world that they are in accordance with nature through their use of palm leaves during the Palm Sunday Procession. But, not even once in my life I have seen the church think about the Palm Tree Climbers who make the palm leaves available to the congregation to use during the procession. If we continue in this manner we would only pursue forgiveness for sins without the assurance year after year.
A Palmyra tree climber lives every moment of his life in-tune with nature. They consider the palm tree as their child, partner, mother and live in unison with it. Their lives and actions are determined with a 50-50 working relationship with nature. Their understanding is that they are part of nature. They encourage those who seek to live along with nature. They are wonderful environmentalists. They harbour within themselves the ability to prevent global warming. They are the best protectors of nature. We have not thought about them at all. Though we have plenty to learn from them, they stand as those who were ‘ignored’ and ‘silenced’ in front of the church.
When the plastic ban was effected, people all over Tamilnadu came together beyond religion to promote palm leaf products. Even a few churches came forward to do whatever work they could do. But that is not enough. The church has not done any research on around the Palmyra palm. It is an urgent need that the Church repents for its negligence of highlighting the many skilled workers and artisans sustained by the palm tree. Only if it puts forward a society that leans on the palm can it meaningfully take up an alternate lifestyle without plastic.
It is not only tradition, but in the history of the civilisation of mankind there is a un-severed link between the Palmyra palm tree and this earth. Without self aggrandizing, without proclaiming itself as a boon in nature, without any ego, without any sign or symbol, the palm tree continues to make the earth productive. If we as the church fail to understand this tree or the people who are sustained by it, we would only continue to commit a plastic-filled sinful life. There would be no redemption from this insensitive life.
Our early churches were thatched structures of palm leaves and coconut leaves. They are remembered still when churches celebrate their centenaries. However it is the bitter truth that they are not remembered in a way that the Israelites of the Bible commemorated the tent festival. Today the practice of building churches with tall spires has permeated popular culture to such an extent that there are no more thatched structures at all. Our churches are so concretised that a carpenters son would feel uneasy to enter them. If that is the case, then what is that the church offers a poor Palmyra tree climber?
Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem began in Bethany. Bethany means the ‘house of dates’. Bethphage is adjacent to it. It means the ‘house of figs’. Both these villages were in the Mount of Olives – and so named because of the abundance of Olive trees. Jesus chose a donkey usually kept for transporting the natural produce of these regions as his chosen vehicle of peace to make his journey. If Jesus had not made this connect to the people of the land and its natural resources and conducted his journey, the church may not have marked it with great adoration till date. So, while we are preparing ourselves to resist ‘plastic’ are we not indebted to analyse and uphold that which we need to adhere to.
The Palmyra tree climbers just do not just cut any ordinary palm leaves for the Palm Sunday celebrations – they choose the tender shoots. These young leaves are a sign that the tree is taking steps to grow and flourish. If these young shoots are plucked, the growth does take a setback. This is not only a disadvantage for the tree but also those Palmyra tree climbers whose livelihoods depend on the tree. But it is these young leaves that were chosen by the people of Bethany as offerings to be taken in front of Jesus’ procession. The cries of the people around, ‘Our lives are lost’, ‘our future is null’ resonate with the cry of ‘Hosannas’ as well as the rustling of the Palmyra shoots.
On the other hand, we can understand the essence of submission and offering from the point of view of the palmyra shoots:- my offering to God to the one who owns me needs to be prime, perfect, pure, akin to life, greater than life and aptly suitable. Let us take a moment as to the character of the persons that makes such an offering. Does it not portray him as a worthy follower of God. He offers something that is beyond him. And so, there is no fear in submitting himself too. But such a persona has been still shoved and pushed out of Jerusalem – isnt this picture devastating for us.
Only after the palmyra leaves are mature, will the palmyra tree climbers venture to use the leaves for their needs. This knowledge has been handed down and practiced for thousands of years. If only the Church did not stop using the palmyra leaves only to commemorate its holy days but continued to obtain leaves from the tree climbers – we would have been in this situation of seeking forgiveness from the environment. Rather, the Palmyra tree climbers would have given us the assurance of forgiveness. Now, we have far removed them from our midst.
What can we do henceforth? The pastors of the church should draft a policy. They should invite the remaining Palmyra workers to church. We need to co-relate them to the act of ‘washing the feet’ on Maundy Thursday and broaden our understanding of the incident. Their feet that are full of scars, cracked with hardened soles are powerful and capable of showing us in truth whom we are called to serve. It will be apt to highlight these heroes who continue to labour so that we may live well. Maybe this will help us to see and understand that such lives and sacrifices are superior to the Lenten penances .
During the Holy week, the incident where Jesus comes in search of fruits is an important part chosen for meditation. We learn from the incident that even the Fig tree has a season for fruiting. But the Palmyra Palm is one that bears ‘fruit’ always and we have failed to establish this. The tree is a continuous source of produce -it gives Palmyra Juice or Padaneer for six months, Palmyra seeds or Nongu for six months, Palmyra fruits for six months, fleshy stems or Panangkizhangu for six months. The leaves are good heat dissipaters are used in myraid ways by palm-leaf artisans to make ornamental and utility objects – although not used in the church anymore. How can the church shun the sin of plastic consumption if it even fails to honour palm-leaf artisans even while honouring other artisans.
Palmyra based foods are produced by the poor. These are mostly also considered as the food of the poor. In particular, the palm fruit is wasted greatly. Most palmyra trees are not considered as a ‘food source’. Therefore they are wasted irresponsibly. If Jesus stands beneath a Palmyra Palm today with hunger, He would shed tears for the wasted palm fruits. He would have said , “Oh Church, if you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace–but now it is hidden from your eyes”.
It is unlikely that the Moderator knows about the Palmyra Palm. But many in the Church of South India have lived lives that have been in relationship with these palms. However since they have dismissed the relationship with the Palmyra as sin and consider themselves superior as baptised and redeemed by plastic – they are still unable to repent the ‘sin of plastic’. The Bible places a scene before us very clearly in the book of Revelation :- “ After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands..” (Revelation 7:9).
This verse shows us the importance of holding aloft the palmyra leaves in our lives. To use these leaves meaningfully can be a true Lenten penance. Otherwise all our sacrifices would just be deemed superficial not only by our Father in heaven buts also by the Palymra climbers atop the trees.
Rev. Godson Samuel
Midalakkaadu, Kanyakumari District
9080250653
malargodson@gmail.com
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