With God nothing is impossible

Sermon by the Rev Cyril Paul, President of the Inter-Religious Organisation of Trinidad and Tobago at Aramalaya Presbyterian Church, today, Christmas Day 2003.

Two women sat talking together in a room. They had several things in common. They were cousins. Both were pregnant. The same angel had appeared to them. Both were selected by God to bring forth children who were to change the future of the world. Here they sat together - youth and age. They were whispering, smiling, giggling, brooding, gossiping, blushing, anticipating, recounting their missions - comparing their experiences. They chatted on and on - Mary and Elizabeth, in a prelude to the blaze of glory which was to spread the world over. These two women were the principal actresses in this drama of vision and splendour and song which all comes to life again this Christmas when we commemorate the nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ.

As part of the wonderful announcement of the Good News, the Angel Gabriel said to Mary, “With God nothing shall be impossible.” This was a message of hope, vision and inspiration. It was a message that brought blessings to its day and generation. In a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, the impossible seemed to become gloriously possible, and obstacles vanished in the face of the splendour, majesty and power of God. What does this message of the birth of the Saviour means to us today in Trinidad and Tobago, and how can we find that same spirit which warmed and challenged and illuminated the hearts and minds of people like ourselves long ago? Today we contemplate the words: “For with God nothing shall be impossible,” and we are reminded too of the words of Proverbs, “Where there is no vision the people perish.” Perhaps today our greatest need of the hour is for a new vision of the wonder of God and a re-discovery of our role in the Divine Partnership.

We need men and women and young people in our Nation today who can catch a new vision in order to rescue this generation as well as to save the next. Today, kidnappings, heinous crimes, violence, mafia-style murders, continue to make our headlines. Where is the vision for this hour and where are those in whose hearts and minds is the burning flame for renewal, rediscovery and revival for “Where there is no vision the people perish?”There is a lot going on in our country at the moment that make us feel very uneasy. We cannot feel at ease when as a result of the serious crime and violence taking place every day, people are afraid. They feel helpless, hopeless and powerless. They live in fear, and there is a growing perception among our people that our law-enforcement services seem incapable of bringing the situation under control. We cannot feel at ease when we have broken down the standards of honesty and integrity, and deceit, greed and intrigue hold sway in our land. We cannot be at ease when we continue to exploit and degrade the woman-hood and girl-hood of our land, forgetting that like Elizabeth and Mary long ago the women hold in their grasp the destiny and the stability of the nation as part of their special responsibility.

We cannot be at ease when too many women continue to be battered by their husbands and companions, and even the strong arm of the Law seems unable to stamp out such abuse. We cannot be at ease when incest continues to be rampant and the raping of children, young girls and women generally is taking place on an almost daily basis. We cannot be at ease when witnesses to crimes are not prepared to come forward and testify because they are afraid of suddenly having a short life expectancy. We need to rediscover our value in the sight of God and each other. We will not commit acts of horror and brutality, if within us, is the power and the presence of the living God. What we need in Trinidad and Tobago today is a cadre of dedicated people, and they must come from every strata of society - compelled with the Spirit to give and not just to get. Christ’s life was one of Service from the beginning to the end, and so ours must be as well.

The parents of our country need to give more of character and distinction to the lives of their children. Too many of our nation’s children are psychologically and spiritually abandoned by their parents and have to face change and decay without parental support, guidance and example. The Spirit of love and understanding which came down at Christmas is the greatest need of the hour throughout our society, and only God, “With whom nothing is impossible” can help us solve some of the problems which face us. The pity is, that so often, when we ponder our assets and achievements, we often count God out. But! Let me remind you today, that God is interested in the life of our Nation as well as in our homes and personal relationships. It is always a tragedy to work against the tide without God. Let us count God in today and look to new horizons. Let us turn from selfishness and deceit, from self-pity and self-seeking to discover the spirit of God - which is the true spirit of Christmas. We need a new vision and a new awareness to match the evil, unbelief and cynicism of our time, and as we re-discover God, we will find that we are indeed a people with a passion for goodness and truth and justice. As we celebrate this Christmas, let us remember that the real enemy of our Nation lies in the destruction of the home and family life, and the consequent moral erosion in every sector of the society which follows.

Christmas is the time when our minds turn to family - but we must go beyond our own family to consider the national family of Trinidad and Tobago and its needs. Everyone has a sacred responsibility in the sight of God - whether he be student, educator, gardener, factory-worker, trade-unionist, politician, journalist, sports-person, sports-official, unemployed or retired person. Christmas will have come to pass in vain for us once again if we fail to reach forth in simple faith and to accept the gift of new life, new hope, cleansing from sin and release from the shackles of selfishness. This is the challenge that confronts us this Christmas. This is the challenge of the hour.