PM on Corpus Christi: 'God is here with us now'

THE PRIME MINISTER is calling on the Trinidad and Tobago citizens to "return to the preaching of Christ," search for love within themselves and practice discipline, on the occasion of Corpus Christi.

The Office of the Prime Minister issued greetings to the Christian community on Wednesday, the eve of the national holiday and Feast Day for Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox Churches, which celebrates what followers believe is the literal sacramental presence of body, blood and soul of Christ within the Eucharist or Holy Communion.

Dr Rowley said, "Today, as we commemorate Corpus Christi, let us remember the significance of what the body of Christ means to Christians, and its representation of God’s unconditional love for mankind.

"In his last hours on earth, Christ was severely tortured, his body disfigured, yet he never turned from the mission, given by the heavenly Father – the message of a new and eternal life for man, should he turn away from a life of sin... There is the promise of Jesus that each one of us will find out, eventually, that God is everywhere. He is in every human activity; he is here with us now.

"Reaching out, requires that, from time to time, we withdraw into our inner selves, into solitude, silence, detachment and submission to God’s will."

He called on the nation to "return to the preaching of Christ, at the same time follow through in our mission as a nation" and "adhere to the national watchword 'discipline' by "(following) the protocols of the Ministry of Health.

"The control of this virus is in our individual hands. Just as Christ had his mission on earth every citizen should accept his/her individual responsibility in following the health-care regulations, to counter the spread of this virus," he said.

"In spite of the everyday critics, your Government has built an infrastructure to fight this virus, with the necessary public-health measures, and a national commitment to secure vaccines – when, and wherever available.

"As a citizen, do your part. Work alongside others, collectively, to defeat this virus, yet maintaining all of the protocols we know will keep us safe. We can no longer pretend that this fight is for others, and not me, and that the virus will not reach me, and simply go away.

"The covid19 virus is everyone’s business, and each one must do hisher part in winning this war. Fellow citizens, let us all share, and celebrate with the Christian community a happy, peaceful Corpus Christi holiday."