Prayer is essential

THE EDITOR: Like an x-ray of the soul of the nation, the current pandemic has exposed the reality of many things, one of which is the need for prayer.

I commend the Prime Minister and the Minister of Communication for guiding our nation to prayer.

The calling of a National Day of Prayer is not new, but it is essential to deal with the novel virus. So as a people we gathered under the astute leadership of the PM to pray.

We have seen and heard several international leaders publicly call on the name of God for relief from this dreaded disease that is affecting nations across the world. Many have been moved to tears as nations continue to pray.

Meanwhile, the naysayers and doubters have become converts of the truth, realising that there is more to life than the strength and power of oneself. Many manmade measures have come up short in the attempts to bring respite for suffering nations. It’s good that we have been wisely preventative in our efforts here in our country.

In the midst of this calamity, there is a rise in the significance of spirituality, as people seek to find God, the Supreme Being who is denied by many among us, including some intellectuals and politicians. But the cry “Oh God” has become a more common expression as prayers rise to the heavens, as men call on the name of the Lord.

Indeed, the strategic resolution of this problem requires both the health workers at the frontline and the spiritual leaders at the “God line.”

The Prime Minister even stated in an indirect way that such people think they have a “direct pipeline to God.” It’s ironic that his words reflected the symbol of the economic wealth and revenue of our nation – the oil pipeline.

The black earth of our countryside is criss-crossed by hundreds of miles of pipelines and gas lines that have given life to the energy sector. Likewise, there has been a spiritual conduit to God that has kept us secure. So much so that people have come to say “God is a Trini,” such is the favour of God that has kept our nation.

As it is important in the oil industry to maintain a flow from the rigs to the pumping stations, to the refinery, so to it is important to ensure that our spiritual channels are clear. Nothing must be allowed to block the flow from God. It is not necessarily the oil in the soil, but our prayers to God that have kept us. As the pandemic creates gloom and oil prices drop low, we know where to go – not to fete and frolic, but to prayer.

When a crisis arises, the cries of the people rise to God to take us out of the mire. As a nation we have drifted away from the ideals and values that were pillars of our past and the bastions for our future.

And so this nation turns to prayer as our grandmothers taught us, as our spiritual leaders instruct us. But some of us have found more time to play and less time to pray. We seem to have lost our way, not even able to say, “Oh Lord our God, how great Thou art.”

Today, our prayers seem to have been relegated to mere ceremonial utterances and pretences. But now God has spoken, the nations have been shaken and man is on his knees – where he was not inclined to be – to pray.

Mr Prime Minister, you have done well. Prayer is essential.

TERRENCE HONORE

San Fernando