RC Archbishop Jason Gordon says more people in this country need to understand they need the blessings of God to overcome all challenges. Describing the 2023 murder rate as "crazy," he said only God could bring peace.
Gordon was speaking at the New Year's Day mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Port of Spain on the morning of January 1.
A number of believers attended and engaged in praise, worship and took communion.
Gordon said he realised that in some families, as children get older, they became less interested in going to their parent's to receive their blessings.
He said it usually happened when children were around age 13 or 14, and he asked the congregation what might cause it.
Some said the children "feel they too big" and "don't understand the purpose of tradition," while others said the children become distracted by things of the world.
Gordon said that was the "condition of the world right now," as "many people start 2024 not understanding that we need the blessings of God.
"(Many think) they don't need God because they have this and that, without understanding all our blessings come from God."
He urged the congregation to think of the ongoing wars between Russia and Ukraine, as well as Hamas and Israel, which he called "horrors."
He then said, "Look at our own country (and) the murder rate for 2023 (and) how crazy that number is.
"Look at domestic violence, look at the way we drive on the road, look at the way we treat each other and the violence we (do) to each other."
TT surpassed 570 murders for 2023 and has already recorded one for 2024.
[caption id="attachment_1053340" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Members of the congregation worship during New Year's Day mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Port of Spain, on Monday. - ROGER JACOB[/caption]
A man, so far identified only as "Stem," was shot and killed in Belmont on Monday morning. Investigations are continuing into that shooting.
That was in addition to frequent robberies, home invasions and even kidnapping.
Gordon continued, "There can only be peace when we become the people who seek God's blessings every day.
"If we understand that we need blessings every day, then the violence will turn into peace."
Throughout the bible, he said, God blessed many people and honoured those blessings. But he added that God also protected them.
"If we receive the blessings and receive him every time, then it brings us to peace.
"Can you imagine if everyone who believes in Jesus Christ experiences that?"
He said believers must come to God daily and say: "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace."
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