Bishop Robert Llanos presided at Holy Mass at the Holy Family Cathedral in St. John’s, Antigua, as the Catholic community observed the National Day of Prayer.
During the liturgy, Bishop Llanos told the people of Antigua and Barbuda that love is the essential element for national growth and maturity. He noted that while knowledge is necessary, it can lead to vanity and self-importance if it is not accompanied by love. The bishop warned that placing individual or collective interests above God can lead to a form of idolatry where people trust in worldly power and authority rather than in God.
Addressing the Gospel readings, Bishop Llanos spoke about the difficulty of Jesus' command to love enemies, do good to those who hate, and pray for those who treat others badly. He emphasized that love is what allows a nation and its people to reach what God intends for them.