Prime Minister Allen Chastanet on Sunday morning took the opportunity to pray for the nation, during an appearance on Choice TV’s Blood & Faith program hosted by Mother Elenore Collymore. Chastanet indicated that these are difficult times, with many decisions to be made regarding the country’s future. This includes handling the reopening of the country’s borders and dealing with the many persons suffering without a job. COVID, he says, is a test of our time as well as faith.
The prime minister shared the following prayer:
Father God, I come humbly before you today to give you thanks for all your blessings and your mercies, particularly during these past few months. The health and the economic challenges which we have been facing have reminded us how much we need you as a nation and as a people, and we rely on your grace and favour every single day.
I ask you Holy Father, as we grapple with the decision about opening our borders and fully reopening our economy in the coming weeks, that you keep our country protected from the ravages of COVID-19 pandemic. May the holy spirit lead me every step of the way as the prime minister of this country, as well as the members of my Cabinet and others in positions of leadership in this country, to make the right decisions to bring peace and prosperity to all our citizens.
We ask for your wisdom and strength to be constantly present within us, we pray that you fill us with all the courage to face the road ahead, as we work to rebuild our nation after grappling with this crisis. We pray for your protection over our people and ask that you cover us with your love and keep us distant from the evil intent of the enemy.
We ask that you build a hedge of protection around our beloved Saint Lucia and bestow your blessings upon us. We pray for the knowledge to understand your will, hear your voice and know your ways. Keep our footsteps firm on solid ground and help us to be consistent and faithful in all our dealings.
Give us the endurance to stay the course and not to be distracted. Do not allow fear or worry to control the minds of our people but rather to constantly reassure us that you are in control and guiding us at all times. Father, keep your words of truth planted firmly within us, help us to keep focused on what is pure and right, and give us the power to be obedient to your word.
Remind us that your voice speaks louder and stronger than that of the enemy, and that we are safe with you and your purposes and plans will not fail. We know that you will always provide for our needs and will shower this country with your grace and blessings in all things. Help us to be generous and kind to others and to be our brother’s keeper, especially at this time. May the fruits of your spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, togetherness… be manifested in our lives.
Heavenly Father, lift our peoples spirits and fill our hearts with faith and optimism as we navigate this journey together with you as the captain of our ship. Thank you for keeping us safe from this virus so far and we ask your continued blessings for the people of Saint Lucia. We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.”
The prime minister also took the opportunity to ask for forgiveness from persons whom he may have hurt, stating that he is simply trying to build a new Saint Lucia. Said Chastanet: “I want to say to your audience that if in any way that I have done anything to hurt anyone, to upset anyone, be assured that that was not intentional. And I ask for your forgiveness and I ask for your blessings. I am a human being like everyone else. I can say to you that I genuinely try to do the things that I think that are right. Do they always come through? No. But I know that I did it for the right reason.”
He continued: “And I can re-question my reasoning to make sure that I don’t make that mistake again. But certainly there is nothing that I am doing to try to hurt anyone and I’m certainly trying to do things to help build a new Saint Lucia. Because the Saint Lucia that we have, sadly, has failed us in may ways.”
