Faith, Hope and Love

By Dr The Hon Ralph E Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines

Three enduring virtues of life and living have long been identified by the Apostle Paul as faith, hope, and love; the greatest of these is love. At Christmas 2015, we emphasise more than ever, the love for God and the love for our neighbour.

The classic exposition on love is found in Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians [Chapter 13, verse 4-8]:{{more}}

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”

During the recent elections campaign, the governing Unity Labour Party (ULP) framed its central message around an uplifting “Labour Love”, which still subsists as a pervasive theme for both good governance and good neighbourly embrace. However, given the flavour of its partisan origin, it necessarily must evolve into a more all-encompassing and inclusive “One Love”, grounded in the treasured, tried, and tested values of our Caribbean civilisation.

The general elections are over; the ULP won them. The electoral victory has been historic in several senses, including the ULP’s attainment of a majority of seats and an increased majority of the popular votes. A new government has been constitutionally, authoritatively, and popularly established through the free will of a free people in free and fair general elections. The Election Observer Missions of CARICOM, the Organization of American States (OAS), and the Commonwealth have all certified the elections as being “free and fair” and that the results reflected “the will of the people”. Governments world-wide, including our traditional friends and allies, international and regional organizations and institutions, the SVG Christian Council and other non-governmental groupings, business entities (locally, regionally and globally), and distinguished individuals from across the globe, have congratulated the ULP government on its historic win and have pledged to work with it. We in St Vincent and the Grenadines must thus get on with our lives and the governance of our country.

Still, there is a minority which seems incapable of accepting that it lost the general elections and insists, unreasonably, on disrupting normal life, and flagrantly breaking the law under the rubric of an ill-advised “civil disobedience” of absolutely no merit. In the process, this minority is seeking to impugn the unassailable integrity of the distinguished Supervisor of Elections and to damage the good name of St Vincent and the Grenadines overseas. The wild and unfounded antics of this political minority fly in the face of right reason, law, and the Christian imperative of the power of love. Those whose lives are wholly consumed by the love of power are likely to bring further grief to themselves and their supporters. Their unfounded complaints about the elections should be pursued in the Court of Law for adjudication, not in irresponsible actions on the streets, which actions are driven by anger, loss of face, and hatred, not love of country and of democratic institutions.

I am absolutely sure that the vast majority of Vincentians, including the bulk of those who voted for the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) in the recent general elections, are not in favour of that party’s current disruptive tactics. Normal people simply want to get on with their lives in peace, love, and joy. They are especially dismayed at those who seek to induce into their lives and living the spirit of war, hatred, and joylessness. Their dismay is particularly felt in the Christmas Season of goodwill towards men and women, joy to the world, and the celebration of the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

I urge all right-thinking Vincentians to ignore those who are bent on disruption now, or threatened disruption later. I am certain that the disrupters will never succeed with their campaign of bile, unreason, hatred, and illegalities. The overwhelming majority of our people have faith in God, their country, and themselves; they are hopeful, too, of their future in Christ, and in the building of an even better St Vincent and the Grenadines; they reaffirm daily that our nation is founded on the belief in the Supremacy of God and the freedom and dignity of man and woman; and they know instinctively that we are one people, one nation, with one destiny under one God. And rightly our Vincentian people are in quest of One Love, an elevating Hopefulness, and Faith made perfect in deeds! They crave for a more united, not a more divided, St Vincent and the Grenadines!

Jesus Christ is the well-spring and source of Faith, Hope, Love and Unity. We celebrate His divine birth; His promise of redemption for mortal sinners, whom we all are, is real; and His grace which has brought us safe thus far, will take us safely home.

At Christmas 2015, we reflect on the remarkable truth that the Lord is our light and our salvation and He sent His son Jesus for our redemption. We reaffirm our belief in Him and His hallowed name and that His will be done on earth as it is done in Heaven; He is the provider of our daily bread; He forgives us all our sins as we forgive those who trespass against us; we pray sincerely that we be led not into temptation; that we be delivered from all evil; and that His kingdom, power, and glory exist now and forever.

Further, at Christmas 2015, we must strive more than ever to be good neighbours; we must consider the poor, the vulnerable and the marginalized, and in the process, the Lord will deliver us in times of trouble. At this Christmas season, I urge that we give generously and open-handedly to the poor and to do so without a grudging heart; and if we do so, the Lord our God will bless us in all our work and in everything to which we put our hand.

To be sure, these are challenging times. But with Faith, Hope and Love we will succeed, as a united people, in meeting all the challenges, those which are externally-sourced and those which are home-grown.

Finally, I remind all to eat, drink, and act sensibly and in moderation. A settled heart applied to wisdom will lead us away from excesses and to the Holy Spirit and genuine joyfulness.

I wish all Vincentians a Happy and Joyous Christmas 2015. May Almighty God continue to bless us all!