‘There are no labels in what is good and decent’

By Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Ta’isi Efi 24 April 2016, 12:00AM

His Highness Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi The Head of State Remarks at the S.D.A Prayer breakfast at  Wilson

I’ve been asked to speak about Pastor and Mrs. Wilson’s mission to Samoa. 

I’m happy to do this because Filia and I had the pleasure and privilege of speaking to both of them for half an hour on the plane ride from Pago to Fagali’i; and later in the day, for another half an hour when they came to Tuaefu to pay a courtesy call. We found them people of vocation that is they are truly committed to God’s work.

Before the plane took off, Filia mentioned concern about the weather. 

Pastor Wilson turned around, and said, “Do you mind if I say a prayer?” 

And both of us responded, “Please do”.

He said a short prayer in the simplest language, and the gist was, “Dear God, please watch over us”. Shortly afterwards, we became engrossed in conversation. 

Pastor Wilson said, “we can get lost in theology. What is important is to seek and find meaning in the Biblical text and then to locate the core and substance in how we think and what we do. And then he summed up by saying, “Christ spoke simply.” Mrs. Wilson intervenes, “Sometimes we can find the profoundest truths in the innocence of the young”

We spoke about the urgency of interfaith dialogue amongst different Christian communities.

We spoke also about how the ritual and performance of prayer has been relegated to the margins by a misguided self-consciousness that we intrude and impose by saying prayers in public.

We spoke as well about the irony of the militant Muslims Satanic savagery - that notwithstanding - it provides an interesting insight into the lack of faith and conviction, in an environment of godless secularism in the Western world.

Because my message is supposed to be short, let me sum up by saying, that their humility and generosity of spirit reflect the best and the finest in their favourite Biblical text: Micah 6:8: And what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God.

For in the end, there are no labels for what is good and decent, for what is humble and merciful across the churches or religions. 

For they are good and decent, humble and merciful on their own merit regardless of labels. I wish Pastor and Mrs. Wilson God’s blessings in their work.

By Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Ta’isi Efi 24 April 2016, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

Upgrade to Premium

Subscribe to
Samoa Observer Online

Enjoy unlimited access to all our articles on any device + free trial to e-Edition. You can cancel anytime.

>