Pope Francis' Urbi et Orbi Message, Easter, 2013

Dear brothers and sisters in Rome and throughout the world, Happy Easter!

What a joy it is for me to announce this message: Christ is risen! I would like it to go out to every house and every family, especially where the suffering is greatest, in hospitals, in prisons .

Most of all, I would like it to enter every heart, for it is there that God wants to sow this Good News: Jesus is risen, there is hope for you, you are no longer in the power of sin, of evil! Love has triumphed, mercy has been victorious!

We too, like the women who were Jesus' disciples, who went to the tomb and found it empty, may wonder what this event means (cf. Lk 24:4). What does it mean that Jesus is risen? It means that the love of God is stronger than evil and death itself; it means that the love of God can transform our lives and let those desert places in our hearts bloom.

This same love for which the Son of God became man and followed the way of humility and self-giving to the very end, down to hell - to the abyss of separation from God - this same merciful love has flooded with light the dead body of Jesus and transfigured it, has made it pass into eternal life. Jesus did not return to his former life, to earthly life, but entered into the glorious life of God and he entered there with our humanity, opening us to a future of hope.

This is what Easter is: it is the exodus, the passage of human beings from slavery to sin and evil to the freedom of love and goodness. Because God is life, life alone, and his glory is the living man (cf. Irenaeus, Adversus Haereses, 4,20,5-7).

Dear brothers and sisters, Christ died and rose once for all, and for everyone, but the power of the Resurrection, this passover from slavery to evil to the freedom of goodness, must be accomplished in every age, in our concrete existence, in our everyday lives. How many deserts, even today, do human beings need to cross! Above all, the desert within, when we have no love for God or neighbour, when we fail to realize that we are guardians of all that the Creator has given us and continues to give us. God's mercy can make even the driest land become a garden, can restore life to dry bones (cf. Ez 37:1-14).

So this is the invitation which I address to everyone: Let us accept the grace of Christ's Resurrection! Let us be renewed by God's mercy, let us be loved by Jesus, let us enable the power of his love to transform our lives too; and let us become agents of this mercy, channels through which God can water the earth, protect all creation and make justice and peace flourish.

And so we ask the risen Jesus, who turns death into life, to change hatred into love, vengeance into forgiveness, war into peace. Yes, Christ is our peace, and through him we implore peace for all the world.

Peace for the Middle East, and particularly between Israelis and Palestinians, who struggle to find the road of agreement, that they may willingly and courageously resume negotiations to end a conflict that has lasted all too long. Peace in Iraq, that every act of violence may end, and above all for dear Syria, for its people torn by conflict and for the many refugees who await help and comfort. How much blood has been shed! And how much suffering must there still be before a political solution to the crisis will be found?

Peace for Africa, still the scene of violent conflicts. In Mali, may unity and stability be restored; in Nigeria, where attacks sadly continue, gravely threatening the lives of many innocent people, and where great numbers of persons, including children, are held hostage by terrorist groups. Peace in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and in the Central African Republic, where many have been forced to leave their homes and continue to live in fear.

Peace in Asia, above all on the Korean peninsula: may disagreements be overcome and a renewed spirit of reconciliation grow.

Peace in the whole world, still divided by greed looking for easy gain, wounded by the selfishness which threatens human life and the family, selfishness that continues in human trafficking, the most extensive form of slavery in this twenty-first century. Peace to the whole world, torn apart by violence linked to drug trafficking and by the iniquitous exploitation of natural resources! Peace to this our Earth! Made the risen Jesus bring comfort to the victims of natural disasters and make us responsible guardians of creation.

Dear brothers and sisters, to all of you who are listening to me, from Rome and from all over of the world, I address the invitation of the Psalm: "Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; for his steadfast love endures for ever. Let Israel say: 'His steadfast love endures for ever'" (Ps 117:1-2).

Dear brothers and sisters, who have come from all over the world to this Square, the heart of Christianity, and all of you joining us via communications media, I renew my wishes for a Happy Easter! Bring to your families and your nations the message of joy of hope and peace that each year is powerfully renewed on this day. May the Risen Lord, who defeated sin and death, support us all especially the weakest and those most in need. Thank you for your presence and the witness of your faith. A thought and a particular thanks for the gift of these beautiful flowers from the Netherlands. I affectionately repeat to all of you: May the Risen Christ guide you and all humanity on the paths of justice, love and peace!
Sent from my BlackBerry® device from Digicel

Pope Francis' Urbi et Orbi Message, Easter, 2013

Dear brothers and sisters in Rome and throughout the world, Happy Easter!

What a joy it is for me to announce this message: Christ is risen! I would like it to go out to every house and every family, especially where the suffering is greatest, in hospitals, in prisons .

Most of all, I would like it to enter every heart, for it is there that God wants to sow this Good News: Jesus is risen, there is hope for you, you are no longer in the power of sin, of evil! Love has triumphed, mercy has been victorious!

We too, like the women who were Jesus' disciples, who went to the tomb and found it empty, may wonder what this event means (cf. Lk 24:4). What does it mean that Jesus is risen? It means that the love of God is stronger than evil and death itself; it means that the love of God can transform our lives and let those desert places in our hearts bloom.

This same love for which the Son of God became man and followed the way of humility and self-giving to the very end, down to hell - to the abyss of separation from God - this same merciful love has flooded with light the dead body of Jesus and transfigured it, has made it pass into eternal life. Jesus did not return to his former life, to earthly life, but entered into the glorious life of God and he entered there with our humanity, opening us to a future of hope.

This is what Easter is: it is the exodus, the passage of human beings from slavery to sin and evil to the freedom of love and goodness. Because God is life, life alone, and his glory is the living man (cf. Irenaeus, Adversus Haereses, 4,20,5-7).

Dear brothers and sisters, Christ died and rose once for all, and for everyone, but the power of the Resurrection, this passover from slavery to evil to the freedom of goodness, must be accomplished in every age, in our concrete existence, in our everyday lives. How many deserts, even today, do human beings need to cross! Above all, the desert within, when we have no love for God or neighbour, when we fail to realize that we are guardians of all that the Creator has given us and continues to give us. God's mercy can make even the driest land become a garden, can restore life to dry bones (cf. Ez 37:1-14).

So this is the invitation which I address to everyone: Let us accept the grace of Christ's Resurrection! Let us be renewed by God's mercy, let us be loved by Jesus, let us enable the power of his love to transform our lives too; and let us become agents of this mercy, channels through which God can water the earth, protect all creation and make justice and peace flourish.

And so we ask the risen Jesus, who turns death into life, to change hatred into love, vengeance into forgiveness, war into peace. Yes, Christ is our peace, and through him we implore peace for all the world.

Peace for the Middle East, and particularly between Israelis and Palestinians, who struggle to find the road of agreement, that they may willingly and courageously resume negotiations to end a conflict that has lasted all too long. Peace in Iraq, that every act of violence may end, and above all for dear Syria, for its people torn by conflict and for the many refugees who await help and comfort. How much blood has been shed! And how much suffering must there still be before a political solution to the crisis will be found?

Peace for Africa, still the scene of violent conflicts. In Mali, may unity and stability be restored; in Nigeria, where attacks sadly continue, gravely threatening the lives of many innocent people, and where great numbers of persons, including children, are held hostage by terrorist groups. Peace in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and in the Central African Republic, where many have been forced to leave their homes and continue to live in fear.

Peace in Asia, above all on the Korean peninsula: may disagreements be overcome and a renewed spirit of reconciliation grow.

Peace in the whole world, still divided by greed looking for easy gain, wounded by the selfishness which threatens human life and the family, selfishness that continues in human trafficking, the most extensive form of slavery in this twenty-first century. Peace to the whole world, torn apart by violence linked to drug trafficking and by the iniquitous exploitation of natural resources! Peace to this our Earth! Made the risen Jesus bring comfort to the victims of natural disasters and make us responsible guardians of creation.

Dear brothers and sisters, to all of you who are listening to me, from Rome and from all over of the world, I address the invitation of the Psalm: "Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; for his steadfast love endures for ever. Let Israel say: 'His steadfast love endures for ever'" (Ps 117:1-2).

Dear brothers and sisters, who have come from all over the world to this Square, the heart of Christianity, and all of you joining us via communications media, I renew my wishes for a Happy Easter! Bring to your families and your nations the message of joy of hope and peace that each year is powerfully renewed on this day. May the Risen Lord, who defeated sin and death, support us all especially the weakest and those most in need. Thank you for your presence and the witness of your faith. A thought and a particular thanks for the gift of these beautiful flowers from the Netherlands. I affectionately repeat to all of you: May the Risen Christ guide you and all humanity on the paths of justice, love and peace!
Sent from my BlackBerry® device from Digicel

Pope Francis' Easter Vigil homily

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

1. In the Gospel of this radiant night of the Easter Vigil, we first meet the women who go the tomb of Jesus with spices to anoint his body (cf. Lk 24:1-3). They go to perform an act of compassion, a traditional act of affection and love for a dear departed person, just as we would. They had followed Jesus, they had listened to his words, they had felt understood by him in their dignity and they had accompanied him to the very end, to Calvary and to the moment when he was taken down from the cross. We can imagine their feelings as they make their way to the tomb: a certain sadness, sorrow that Jesus had left them, he had died, his life had come to an end. Life would now go on as before. Yet the women continued to feel love, the love for Jesus which now led them to his tomb. But at this point, something completely new and unexpected happens, something which upsets their hearts and their plans, something which will upset their whole life: they see the stone removed from before the tomb, they draw near and they do not find the Lord's body. It is an event which leaves them perplexed, hesitant, full of questions: "What happened?", "What is the meaning of all this?" (cf. Lk 24:4). Doesn't the same thing also happen to us when something completely new occurs in our everyday life? We stop short, we don't understand, we don't know what to do. Newness often makes us fearful, including the newness which God brings us, the newness which God asks of us. We are like the Apostles in the Gospel: often we would prefer to hold on to our own security, to stand in front of a tomb, to think about someone who has died, someone who ultimately lives on only as a memory, like the great historical figures from the past. We are afraid of God's surprises; we are afraid of God's surprises! He always surprises us!

Dear brothers and sisters, let us not be closed to the newness that God wants to bring into our lives! Are we often weary, disheartened and sad? Do we feel weighed down by our sins? Do we think that we won't be able to cope? Let us not close our hearts, let us not lose confidence, let us never give up: there are no situations which God cannot change, there is no sin which he cannot forgive if only we open ourselves to him.

2. But let us return to the Gospel, to the women, and take one step further. They find the tomb empty, the body of Jesus is not there, something new has happened, but all this still doesn't tell them anything certain: it raises questions; it leaves them confused, without offering an answer. And suddenly there are two men in dazzling clothes who say: "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; but has risen" (Lk 24:5-6). What was a simple act, done surely out of love - going to the tomb - has now turned into an event, a truly life-changing event. Nothing remains as it was before, not only in the lives of those women, but also in our own lives and in the history of mankind. Jesus is not dead, he has risen, he is alive! He does not simply return to life; rather, he is life itself, because he is the Son of God, the living God (cf. Num 14:21-28; Deut 5:26; Josh 3:10). Jesus no longer belongs to the past, but lives in the present and is projected towards the future; he is the everlasting "today" of God. This is how the newness of God appears to the women, the disciples and all of us: as victory over sin, evil and death, over everything that crushes life and makes it seem less human. And this is a message meant for me and for you, dear sister, dear brother. How often does Love have to tell us: Why do you look for the living among the dead? Our daily problems and worries can wrap us up in ourselves, in sadness and bitterness. and that is where death is. That is not the place to look for the One who is alive!

Let the risen Jesus enter your life, welcome him as a friend, with trust: he is life! If up till now you have kept him at a distance, step forward. He will receive you with open arms. If you have been indifferent, take a risk: you won't be disappointed. If following him seems difficult, don't be afraid, trust him, be confident that he is close to you, he is with you and he will give you the peace you are looking for and the strength to live as he would have you do.

3. There is one last little element that I would like to emphasize in the Gospel for this Easter Vigil. The women encounter the newness of God. Jesus has risen, he is alive! But faced with empty tomb and the two men in brilliant clothes, their first reaction is one of fear: "they were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground," Saint Luke tells us - they didn't even have courage to look. But when they hear the message of the Resurrection, they accept it in faith. And the two men in dazzling clothes tell them something of crucial importance: "Remember what he told you when he was still in Galilee. And they remembered his words" (Lk 24:6, 8). They are asked to remember their encounter with Jesus, to remember his words, his actions, his life; and it is precisely this loving remembrance of their experience with the Master that enables the women to master their fear and to bring the message of the Resurrection to the Apostles and all the others (cf. Lk 24:9). To remember what God has done and continues to do for me, for us, to remember the road we have travelled; this is what opens our hearts to hope for the future. May we learn to remember everything that God has done in our lives.

On this radiant night, let us invoke the intercession of the Virgin Mary, who treasured all these events in her heart (cf. Lk 2:19,51) and ask the Lord to give us a share in his Resurrection. May he open us to the newness that transforms. May he make us men and women capable of remembering all that he has done in our own lives and in the history of our world. May he help us to feel his presence as the one who is alive and at work in our midst. And may he teach us each day not to look among the dead for the Living One. Amen.
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The Last Week Of Jesus

I have been beating myself over the fact that I have not been able to find a day by day account of what transpired in the life of Christ during his last mortal week. I have grind and pined over this for sometime now.
I am sure that some of you out there may be just as ignorant as I may have been over the issue.
Doing some serious research came up with some fact which speak to specific days and what Christ did during this crucial last week.
Sunday: (Palm Sunday) was the triumphal entry - Matthew 21: 1-11
Monday: Jesus curses the fig tree - Matthew 21: 18-22, Jesus clears the temple - Matthew 21: 12-13
Tuesday: The authority of Jesus questioned - Matthew 21: 23-27, Jesus teaches in the temple - Matthew 21-23:39 and Jesus' feet annointed - Matthew 26: 6-13
Wednesday: The plot against Jesus - Matthew 26:14-16
Thursday: The Last Supper - Matthew 26 17-29, Jesus comforts his Disciples - John 14: 1-16:33, Jesus' high priestly prayer - John 17: 1-26, Gethsemane - Matthew 26: 26-46
Friday: Jesus' arrest and trial - Matthew 26: 47-27:26, Jesus' crucifixion and death - Matthew 27: 27-56, Jesus' burial - Matthew 27: 57-66.
Also a movie named " The Passion of the Christ" also depicts Christ's last week. The movie is based on the book of Mark. Fans of this blog can download it at "Ares."
Have a passionate holy week. Hope this article served its purpose.



Dedan Christiani Griffith Jn Baptiste

Civil Servants vs. Teargas

The Civil Servants strike action moves into its second week come Monday and there seems to be no letting up. A recent unauthorised letter was penned to the PS of the Public service by the secretary of the CSA asking for the negotiations to reopen. Whereas the PS seems in favour of getting the GNT and the CSA back to the negotiating table, he stresses that negotiations cannot take place under duress. What is he implying? Simply, the CS must return to work first, then talks can proceed. Fair enough? But the CSA will continue their strike action and may even take it up to another notch come Monday.
The Government, it is allegged is gearing up for any escalation come next week. It is allegged that a shipment of teargas assigned to the government landed at Hewannora earlier this week.
Is it coincidental that the shipment of TEARGAS coincides with the CSA's Strike action? Is it that the Minister for Homeland security sees a potential problem on the horizon? Or, is it a matter of just boosting up the police's arsensal?
One will have to agree that the strike action seems to be taking its bite on the country, in spite of the Cabinet Secretary suggesting otherwise.
Civil Servants are asking for a 9.5 % pay hike or 6 % with conditions. Other members of the TUF have agreed to the 4 % which the government say it can offer and will go no higher.
It is also being alleged that the leadership of some of the Trade Unions sold out for certain perks - Martin of the Police force from constable to Sargeant, Monrose from principal of RC Boys to Vice principal of Sir Arthur Lewis community college, just to mention a few.
The PM holds the key and he doesn't seem to care two hoots. He says Government cannot pay higher than what it has offered, the civil servants says he can pay higher. Both sides have put forward their case. Whom should we believe? I'm more lost than you are?
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Rufus - Shadow Rep?

It took this blog by surprise when it got wind that Bruce Tucker (Rufus) was conducting a meeting of the Choiseul Constituency Branch which was held at the Centre of Excellence, Sunday last.
What on earth is going on, intelligent persons who attended the meeting silently asked themselves. The not so intelligent just sat there like morons taking in all the garbage that this backslider was spewing out from his non-trusting tongue.
Wasn't it this same Rufus who vowed that he was through with politics? Wasn't it this same Rufus who refused to suppoert the party in its bid to challenge the results of the Choiseul seat in the last elections? Wasn't it this same Rufus who boasted of having funds to build a mini stadium, and up to this time no one can find the funds? ( King has confirmed that Rufus was given the funds). Wasn't it this same Rufus who went on tv blasting King and by extension the UWP administration? Wasn't it this same Rufus who has never been on friendly terms with members of the executive of the UWP? Or maybe we are looking at a new man with a new idea. Just don't count on that. " Ler chien ha abitway mange zae mem se ou bwelae gel le e kai tou jou mange le." ( When a dog is accustom of eating eggs, whether you burn its jow or not it will continue to eat it.)
So why is Rufus so keen to get back into the political life of Choiseul residents? The purse maybe flattening? He maybe bent on some mischief? A reliable source has informed the blog that he aims to run for the chairmanship of the party come next convention slated for June this year. Can you believe this? Rufus is not liked in the party and by all accounts he is considered a "scamp."
But no, he came down to the meeting with a van load of drinks to bribe the constituents into selecting the delegates who will have the power to vote at the convention. Really underhand stuff. This has been his style throughout his political life.
Thanks God to an influencial person at that meeting who started asking some serious questions as to the legality of the process which Rufus was pushing down the throats of the gathering. But why is he bent on being charman? A million dollar question.
Questions were asked as to the reasons for the non payments of last election workers. This questions embarassed Rufus who inexcusably told the gathering that he never got the names of the workers. Liar, liar, liar!
Then he had the gonads to tell the gathering that he is the Shadow Rep. Shadow Rep my toe!
What constitution jargon gives him this right? He lost last election and has been very unkind to most of those who supported him. Can you believe that the man has never gone to Delcer/ Lapointe/ Industry, his largest support base, since he lost his seat?
This blog has made it clear that it will fight tooth and nail to have a local run for the seat in the next election. So Rufus better get the hell out of Choiseul and let us deal with our internal affairs.
Dedan Christiani Griffith Jn Baptiste

Rufus, a no no!

Supporters of the United Workers Party, of the Choiseul constituency are expected today to elect an executive to run the affairs of the Constituency Branch. The meeting is slated to be held at the Centre of Excellence at 4:30 pm.
Previously, this blog made reference to an executive which was formed and coined it as a "Rufus' Puppet Executive." The manner and urgency of the selection of this executive has been suspect in that, information that reached this blog pointed to Rufus having some influence in its selection.
Sources close to the Party speaks to the hierachy of the party being suspect of that executive. As a result little confidence has been placed on them.
Rufus' influence on that executive is intended to rally support from the delegates who will cast their votes at the Party's convention sometime in June to elect the main executive of the Party. Rufus has thrown in his hat to be the Chairman.
A reliable source has informed our blog that today's election may be influenced by the past Rep and he intends to be at the meeting, hopefully to intimidate the voters to get his puppets to give him support in his bid for the chairmanship of the Party.
This will be another sad day in the political history of the Party if Rufus should ever win the chairmanship. But this will not happen as Guy Mayers is also a contender and this blog intends to rally support fo him.
At that meeting today certain members have vouched to ask Rufus for monies owed to them for work executed during the last election. Foremost among them is Jimmy Haynes and your humble servant who intends to make a case for the agents and caterers who worked under their supervision during the last election.
There is also the issue of funds that were proposed for Mini stadium that needs to be brought to the fore.
Rufus, since last election has not had the audacity to visit certain areas where the people had been loyal to him - Delcer, Lapointe, Industry and Roblot, where Uwp has never won this box, but did so last time around. Where is the love? Yet he wants our support to make him chairman of the party.
Does Rufus think we are fools whom he can tramp on and mamaguy any time he feels like? Choiseulians must stand up and get rid of this malaise in our political life once and for all.
Say no to Rufus. The Party itself wants him out.
Dedan Christiani Griffith Jn Baptiste