Archbishop Jason Gordon has expressed shock over the terrorist bomb attacks on churches and hotels in Sri Lanka which killed over 200 people and injured hundreds more yesterday.
Speaking briefly following an Easter Sunday Mass at the Sacred Heart RC Church in Port-of-Spain, the Archbishop said, “I pray for the people of Sri Lanka, I pray for the churches that have been struck, I pray for the people and the families of those who have died, but I also say to us as Trinidad and Tobago, let us build chords of unity and let’s ensure always, that diversity for us is a blessing.”
Gordon said he hoped the persons behind the attacks would be found quickly. (See story below)
“You know when you’re in a crisis... you have to go to triage. And that means you have to stop the haemorrhage first. After you stop the haemorrhage, then you could start to deal with all the other pieces of your society. The first response has to be to find the people who are doing this and to stop it.”
The Archbishop said it is only when the persons behind the attacks are apprehended that the Sri Lankans will be able to breathe a little easier, but it is likely the scars will remain.
“But the first response has to be to stop this because it would be a terrible thing if more people have to suffer because we are not doing everything we can to stop the violence and to stop those perpetrating this sectarian violence.”
Gordon also said the Sir Lankan attack should be used as a cautionary tale for our own multi-ethnic country so that seeds of division would not take root here.
“In this time in which we live where there is so much violence around the world, to see that sectarian violence breaking out in a country, it’s really sad, especially on this Easter day, when these Christian churches are celebrating resurrection—to have to experience such destruction and death, such hatred, such vile,” the Archbishop said.
“And it’s such a contrast to what we celebrate with Easter, but it’s a reminder to us as a nation, that we have to ensure that we keep ourselves connected.
“We are a very diverse people also, and we must see diversity as a strength, we must see diversity as a blessing for us, never a source of division.”
Earlier during the service, Gordon said God’s resurrection light can overcome all of the corruption and difficulties taking place in Trinidad and Tobago.
“God’s resurrection life is more powerful than any darkness that exists,” he told the congregation as he urged them to empty themselves of ego, pride and arrogance so that God can fill them with the life of Christ.
In his homily, he declared that it is time for Christians to make choices. However, he noted this is difficult for some “because we say “how it go look?”
“We have become so accustomed, so accustomed to explaining our life, about why we can’t do this and why we can’t do that,” Gordon said, noting the preoccupation with explaining away things like the high crime rate and why the schools are the way they are is because “we have not allowed the resurrection light to shine into our life.”
He encouraged the people to do away with the “national pastime of victimhood” by understanding that “Christ did not become a victim.”
“What we celebrate today, could never have us feeling like a victim,” he said.
Talking about the transformation of Christ’s resurrection from death to life, Gordon urged Trinidadians to do the same by taking “the responsibility that is required to allow the transformation for Trinidad and Tobago.”