Archbishop:New TT neededBy NALINEE SEELAL Sunday, March 9 2008
Roman Catholic Archbishop Edward Gilbert yesterday called on citizens of Trinidad and Tobago to come together regardless of religion or political affiliation, to search out evil, isolate evil and correct evil.
He was speaking at the funeral service of Justice of the Peace Winston Best, 80, whose decomposed body was found in a makeshift grave at Quarry Road, San Juan, last Saturday.
“It is important for you to understand that all of us must come together rising above politics, rising above ethnic distinctions, rising above religion to come together to make all things new.”
The mourners at St Dominic’s Roman Catholic Church in Morvant were told by Archbishop Gilbert that Winston Best died a martyr.
“Martyrs hold a special place of honour but deaths of martyrs bring forth a new level of energy.
“Evil people and underdeveloped people who have no values and who do evil do not understand the dynamics of martyrdom, they decide that by killing what they perceive to threaten them, they are going to force the community to live in fear, what happens in truth is that death of martyrs becomes more powerful than their lives, that’s the truth,” Gilbert said.
According to the Archbishop, historically, the death of martyrs has changed history and evil people learn too late that they started something that they could not possibly finish, and quite soon they become victims of their own evil plans.
He cited the Book of Revelation, which was written to encourage people living under persecution.
“It fits perfectly to what the community of Trinidad and Tobago is experiencing right now,” he said.
“It is a book filled with symbols understood by the believing community.
“The Book of Revelation challenges people to take charge of their lives and to get into the process of making all things new with wisdom which brings values, and with justice that champions human rights and human dignity, only those things will lead to a community of peace.
“We have to understand that the only way to peace is through wisdom, peace and love, there is no shortcuts, no other way.”
He added that the late Winston Best fits the person with proper perspective of loving God more than self and world.
“The problem, is that the evil people knew he was a man of love and justice so they knew how he will respond to a home bound citizen who needed help, of course he will say yes and they used these virtues to lure him to his death.
“Whether his death will become more powerful than his life, will depend on whether the people of Trinidad and Tobago will respond to the call of God to make all things new.
“We can walk out of this service saying that the leadership of this country must listen to us, help us to organise ourselves as people of integrity and hit this agenda of making all things new.
“Winston died a martyr to justice, I ask you to allow the power of a martyr’s death to bring forth new life in you, in your relationships in the horizons, in relation to the national community,” advised Archbish-op Gilbert.
He added that citizens must allow the power of a martyr’s death to motivate the nation to come together at all levels, to build a community of love and justice because there is no other road to peace.
“God is not naive, God is not a fool, when God calls us to collaborate it is possible,” he concluded.
JP Best was buried at the Mucurapo cemetery following the funeral service.
