Hafa Adai everyone,
This is the Governor’s weekly address
. Governor Eddie Baza Calvo offers a special prayer for our world.
To see the video, you can go to the Governor’s YouTube Channel. You can also follow along with the transcript shown below.
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Hafa Adai my fellow Guamanians,
Pope Francis, in a recent general message stated, “Even hope, like all good things in this world, has enemies.”
It seems, these days, that we talk about enemies more than we used to. Whether its global warming, North Korea, mother nature, hate groups, shooters … It’s as though we are surrounded by elements that derive pleasure from our misery and suffering.
Pandora, central character of a Greek myth, had a box that she opened despite being warned not to… and in doing so, let loose all the evils of the world. But one last thing was drawn out from the box: and that was hope. Hope, the Pope stated, “supports life, protects it, keeps it and makes it grow.”
My dear friends, it is up to us to nurture hope and stand against the misery of the world. About a week ago, the First Lady’s Peace Mass was concluded with a Rosary, during which we had a moment of silence and said a prayer for those whose lives were lost and those who were injured in the senseless tragedy in Las Vegas.
Additionally, a group of young Guamanians led by Daphanie Ngirachelsau and Jeremy Stoker, held a prayer vigil in East Hagåtña in remembrance of the Las Vegas victims.
The participation of the community in the Peace Mass and Rosary, as well as the leadership of our young people in calling for an end to hate and praying for peace … those things give me hope…. Hope for the future of our island, and future of world.
Even as we discuss this, there are those in California who mourn the loss of lives caused by a wildfire. People from across the nation are reaching out to the victims of the fires — I ask that you join First Lady Christine and I in prayer for the people of California as well.
But these prayers, vigils, and rushing to the aid of others. These events remind us that there is hope, that there is good, and there is love in the world — even if it doesn’t always make it to the front page of the paper. And it exists because we work to keep hope alive. This week, let us come together and continue to guard it and fan the flames with faith and diligence and our caring for one another.
Thank you and God bless us all.