Archbishop: Trinidad and Tobago like the valley of dry bones, but there is hope

THE Roman Catholic archbishop has likened this country to the biblical scripture about the valley of dry bones, which represents Israel transforming from a seemingly hopeless nation to one where the people turned to God and the nation was restored.

Delivering the homily at Holy Mass at the Archbishop's Chapel in Port of Spain on August 23, Archbishop Jason Gordon cited the book of Ezekiel and emphasised for people to have hope.

He said: "Many people feel Trinidad is like this valley of dry bones. Yes or no?"

"There is always hope because where there is life and where there is God, there is always hope. One of the greatest challenges we face, I think, is the hopelessness that so many Trinidadians and Tobagonians feel."

The mass was streamed live on Trinity TV.

"I think that is a bigger challenge than what is actually happening. The fact that we feel there is no hope and that there is nothing we can do as a people or nation is not true. God is always at work in the life of his people."

He said the darkest moment is usually the midnight, and after that is the dawn.

The valley symbolises Isreal becoming a place where the people had dried up their relationship with God because of adulteries, idolatries, breaking the commandments, and being in a state not in keeping with God and their dignity.

The archbishop added that Israelites were called to be God's special people, the apple of his eyes, and they were acting as if they were another nation.

However, God showed the prophet Ezekiel the valley and called him to prophesy.

God showed Ezekiel how he could bring a bunch of old dry bones back to life.

In a similar way, the archbishop believes that God could bring the people of this nation back to life if they would turn to Him.

With the Independence Day celebration set for August 31, Gordon recalled when the nation became independent in 1962.

"We have reached the eve of independence. TT set out the journey of an independent nation, and the Union Jack was lowered, and the TT flag raised to the new national anthem, and the coat of arms was adorned for the first time," Gordon said.

"We had incredible hope. We had real hope. We believe that we would find our way. But here we are now at this juncture. Here we are heading towards independence, Republic Day and these great moments in our nation."

He recalled the calamity of what was happening when God intervened to give life to Israel. The archbishop cited the rattling sounds of the bones joining together, flesh appearing on them, and skin covering them.

Gordon added, "You have to feel it in your belly that what you think might be the end is never an end. Even in what we believe is an impossible situation, even when we believe that there is no way forward, no hope, God can work in our life, our nation, and amongst our people."

Explaining why he made the analogy, the religious leader said people must recognise that when they walk around as if there is no hope, it is because they have lost sight of God.

"We might come to a moment when a crime is at its absolute worst, where corruption is terrible, the ease of doing business is crazy and ridiculous, where all the indicators tell us we might have come to that moment as a nation, but God is not finished with us yet."

Gordon added: "Even when you think you are dried up and have nothing more to give, and when you think you have reached the end and there is nothing else you can do to move forward, do not worry."

Instead, he suggested that people ask God to prophesy and breathe his breath over them.

"Ask him to speak his word to you because what seemed like dead and inevitable can give way to life and give way to human beings again together."