PM speaks of goodness and truth at Easter

PRIME MINISTER Patrick Manning, in his Easter message, said the cornerstone of the society was grounded in the values taught by Christ — goodness, truth, justice, peace and love. The following is the Prime Minister’s message: “On this Easter Sunday, we celebrate The Risen Christ. The miracle of Jesus Christ’s resurrection touches every single one of us who takes heart in the triumph of good over evil. It is not simply that we believe in the resurrection as a new beginning for all of mankind. The very cornerstone of our society is grounded in the values taught by Christ — goodness, truth, justice, peace and love, in our hope that these will always prevail, no matter what challenges befall us from day to day.

“Over the last 40 days of Lent, Christians around the world would have spent time in prayer, fasting, and in doing works of charity as ways of commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. “What continues to amaze the world after Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection is that the values he espoused are still alive today, and most relevant. Even those of us who are not Christians understand and appreciate that Christ’s teachings are instructive in a world bombarded by negative distractions that serve to veer us away from realising the Christ-like part of our nature, which must exist in all of us, and makes it possible for us to love and do good for each other.

“Today, as we celebrate Easter Sunday, we are really celebrating the two most important gifts that God has given us — life and love. The former is precious. The latter provided for its fullest meaning. “Easter should serve to remind us, not only on this occasion, but also throughout the year of the power of love to overcome all obstacles and give meaning to life. It is written — ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, so that whosoever believed in him shall not perish, but shall have everlasting life.’ “Easter therefore speaks to our hearts, seeking to give rise in all of us to new life, of which the fullest expression must be the love of our neighbour as we would ourselves, and acting on that basis daily. “God’s richest blessings and a joyous and meaningful Easter.”