Bishop Llanos Presides at Holy Mass on National Day of Prayer

In brief

Bishop Robert Llanos presided at Holy Mass at the Holy Family Cathedral in St. John’s as the Catholic community observed the National Day of Prayer in Antigua and Barbuda.

During the liturgy, Bishop Llanos told the congregation that love is the essential element for a nation to mature and grow according to God's intentions. 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 prioritizing personal or collective interests over God can lead to a form of idolatry where people place their 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 others, and pray for those who treat people badly. He connected these teachings to national life, suggesting that the way people live with one another is as important as the content of their prayers.