Anglican Bishop: Don't be threatened by seeing others do well

Anglican bishop Claude Berkley is urging people not to feel threatened when they see others elevating in life. Instead, he said, everyone should focus on showing love and caring about the well-being of others.

He was addressing the congregation at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, Port of Spain on April 13 – Palm Sunday.

The procession, which included both Anglicans and Roman Catholics, walked through downtown Port of Spain worshipping and distributing palm leaves folded into a cross to begin the observance.

During his sermon, Berkley said it was the day of resurrection, which many call a "curtain raiser" for the holy week.

"In any event, an important day in the history of our salvation. It is the day of the Lord's triumphant entry into Jerusalem. It is a story of great drama and purpose."

Berkley said Jesus went to Jerusalem to make his final appeal about the kingdom of God.

"(He went) to say, 'Listen, life is ten times better when you live according to these values – truth, justice, righteousness, peace, love, faith, hope."

He said while Jesus was simply "going to do his father's business," some people saw that as a threat.

He joked, "You see how the dean preaches better than the bishop these days? And you see how the bishop is not responding to the dean? But (someone can consider) the dean is a threat...

"These stories manifest everywhere – at work, on the street, in groups. Threat, threat, threat. For what?"

Noting TT is in a "high season of politics" as the April 28 general election nears, he said Palm Sunday is also very political.

"People like to say the church mustn't talk politics and it mustn't get involved in politics, but I think they mean partisan politics."

He continued, "As people come forward for leadership, as people are being promoted, then somebody else is a threat..."

He urged believers to listen to the message of the kingdom and live in love.

"(Life a life) concerned for the welfare of one another, concerned for the quality of life for us all."

He said while palm crosses were given to homeless people in the capital city, it would be "beautiful" to follow that up with giving them a meal or "something else that can help their quality of life.

"And while we are doing that, some people will say to us, 'Stop doing it. You are encouraging them, as if the plan is to keep the world confused. We do not know what to do because there is opposition on every side, it seems."

He said there will always be disappointment, denial and betrayal in life, just as Jesus endured. And he urged that when this is experienced, prayer should be the first course of action.

"To call upon him who brought us here, to call upon him who has called us to his service. And your Palm Sunday today is about Jesus's call for you, for me, to think about the well-being of the others...That high point of how we might transform our understanding of responding to God."