RC Archbishop of Port of Spain Jason Gordon has urged everyone to forgive family members who offended them in the past, as a way to improve all of their lives and the condition of Trinidad and Tobago.
He urged this be done for the jubilee year of 2025, the launch of which he celebrated with a holy mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception at Independence Square, Port of Spain, on December 29.
The idea of a jubilee year began in the time of Moses as a time of redemption and renewal, when debts were forgiven, slaves freed and land left fallow. The idea was later expanded by Jesus Christ to offer people freedom from sin and despair.
Gordon said in this jubilee year, a year of grace, God was pouring out many blessings to people, who he said should reciprocate.
"Consider that nothing, nothing, nothing, is too much to give our God in this year of grace. You cannot outdo God in generosity.
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"I dare you during this year to try it. Try to be more generous than God. See what happens.
"The more generous you are as a family, moving in pilgrimage to sacred sites, the more generous you are in works of mercy and charity to the poor, the more generous you are in forgiving those who you hold in debt and those you are holding in your heart – the more generous you are this year is the more generous and the more blessings you will receive from the Almighty God."
He spoke of Christ declaring a jubilee year as a time when people will be freed and forgiven.
"This is a time of grace and favour."
It is a time for grace, mercy, forgiveness, devotion and love for God, Gordon said.
"If you hold someone in your heart and for years you have not been able to forgive, now is the acceptable time. This is the moment of grace.
"Do not allow this moment to pass you by and do not allow this year to close with you still holding resentment in your heart to anybody at all, living or dead."
He urged people to pray to God for the grace and mercy in their hearts needed to forgive others.
"If every single one of us forgave those who hold us or those who we hold in some form of bondage, there will be a freedom that we will experience as a people of God, and that freedom will take the church to new places, as she experiences becoming who God calls us to be."
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He said Christ has set people free and God wants them free.
"Open wide your heart and let God in. Open wide your heart and let God in. Unforgiveness is the greatest obstacle to God's grace acting in our world.
"Let us start with forgiveness in the family. Hmm. Hmm. Hmm. Hmm. Allyuh hearing me?
"You know that is the hardest place to start. But you know what they say about charity? It begins at home.
"Let us start with forgiveness in the family. Let us at this time beg God for the grace to release those who we believe have hurt us or beg them for forgiveness if they believe we have hurt them."
Gordon touched on the three virtues of faith, hope and charity/love, urging listeners to be "pilgrims of hope."
He urged families to make a pilgrimage together by journeying to a sacred site. During this they should ask God to free anyone they negatively held in their heart from any emotional debt.
Gordon urged worshippers not to fear for the future but to trust in God.
"We are facing the world on the brink of disaster like we have not seen for 100 years."
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He mentioned Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
"Everywhere you look, you see we are two steps away from disaster that could strike at any moment."
But he said a pilgrim of hope believes that in all things, God is working His plan.
"So we look at events that are unfolding before us, and a pilgrim of hope adopts this attitude: 'Lord, I am dying to see how you are going to make right out of this crooked thing that I am seeing before me.'
"We believe God turns everything to good for those who believe and hope in Him."
The service ended with the choir leading worshippers in Willard "Lord Relator" Harris's song Christmas Is Yours, Christmas Is Mine, and the congregation then singing the national anthem.
