Archbishop Ian Ernest: “Easter is the beginning of a new life...”

This month, it will be ten years since Ian Ernest is Archbishop of the Indian Ocean. His pastoral letter for Lent 2016 focuses on the need for prayers. On the eve of celebrations marking Easter, News on Sunday met him at the Bishop House in Phoenix and discussed current happenings with the world engulfed in violence and the challenges facing his congregation. What is your message to your congregation and to all Mauritians for Easter 2016? In my pastoral letter at the beginning of Lent, I emphasized on the need for prayer in our daily life. This central message is meant to help members of the congregation to pursue their journey of faith with conviction. The letter has been an important tool for those sharing the faith to go deep in their reflection and meditation, use it for group study, it has been used as a reference during Lent sermons and as a base for bible studies. The letter was also meant for the whole population and I am happy that it was accepted, as Christian values are universal. The clergy wants its members to consolidate their relationship with God, to renew their faith and to serve humanity; for such values are grounded in the Christian faith. For us Christ is not only a preacher but the Son of God. Easter is the beginning of a new life, with the triumph of justice over injustice, peace over violence, love over hate, a new way of life in the resurrection of Christ. The resurrection of Christ is the central theme of our faith and is as essential to our faith as His death. The whole meaning of Easter today is to be Christ-like. For my fellow countrymen, my Easter message is one of hope and of life. As members of society, we are all members of one family – the Mauritian nation. We should keep our enthusiasm and motivation, as we know that we are journeying towards a common destiny – the love for our Creator and to our brethren. We are of a religious nation with strong moral values. We need to follow the path of self-denial as Christ wants us to disregard greediness and share with others. My message is one of courage, sacrifice and love for one and all. You underline the importance of celebrating the resurrection of Christ and yet Easter is not a public holiday… Easter falls on a Sunday, which is already a no-work day. The Christian congregation is facing a lot of challenges these days… There is a tendency in all of us to disregard anything that is not in line with our belief, whether it is political, philosophical, scientific or religious with the result that we become poorer than we otherwise would have been. It is therefore good to face challenges which I believe can give us an opportunity to have a fresh look at the basic tenets of our faith. We need not be frightened by challenges to our beliefs. Predominantly Christian countries from Europe, just like the USA, are undergoing deep changes in their value system such as like legalising gay marriages; the latest being Portugal. How does the Church react to this evolution? I do not think that one should focus the debate of sexual deviation to countries of the North only. This kind of deviation exists since antiquity, hundred years before the advent of Christ. People have heard of Sodom and Gomorrah! However, Jesus upholds the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman and this teaching is emphasised by St Paul in his letters to the dwellers of cities he visited urging them to follow these precepts. Jesus asks us to hate sin but not the sinner. This is what is being preached in our Church – to love and welcome everyone, whatever his values but when it comes to the Scriptures we stick to the teachings of Christ. We are not to judge but to love, because love can overcome whatever sin. What about your Province? Is it suffering from the same evils as in the Middle East? Our world is shaken by all forms of violence – at family level, at schools and public places. We are becoming more and more attached to our success and achievements disregarding the needs of others. We are no longer arising for a common destiny but have become selfish, possessive and greedy with no sustainable values. However, I should say that the Indian Ocean region is quiet, as it contains a varied culture with various political systems and up to now, we have not witnessed any potential threat to life. It is therefore important to make the most to protect this togetherness and to prevent and denounce any evil tendency. Those at the helm should strive to govern in accordance to laws and strive to keep peace and harmony in their respective countries. We should bear in mind that the terrorist is a victim of an unjust society who is recruited by unscrupulous people for the accomplishment of their own evil intent. Do you have a personal message for our country and the population of the Indian Ocean of which you are the Archbishop? Jesus is our guide through our earthly journey. Easter is the season to wish that we live in peace, justice and love. As we celebrate Easter I greet you and the peoples of the Indian Ocean with the ancient greeting used by early Christians: ‘The Lord is risen!’