By Mataeliga Pio Sioa
When the Catholic archbishop gave his sermon of damnation to the leader of Government, instead of jumping up and down in a fit of rage, the PM took it on the chin and humbled himself.
The strength of his faith accepted the wrath of his spiritual father as a divine message to mend his ways.
While the archbishop raged, mocked and despised, Tuilaepa sat right there and took it with humility and a silent prayer in his heart for the Lords forgiveness.
He is after all human and readily accepted his shortcoming the archbishop was reeling off from the pulpit.
Every stinging bite of blame resonated beyond the church, Samoa and out yonder for the world to ridicule.
When the ordeal of being signaled out for his ungodly ways and the sins of his condemned leadership smeared on his head, Tuilaepa did his mea culpa, mea culpa and eventually made his way home.
Is it possible for a man accused by his political adversaries a dictator; who holds himself above everyone else, become so contrite and apologetic for his un-Christian ways?
Yes indeed. Tuilaepa proved it.
While his nation of loyal followers poised to raise arms in defence of his integrity and proven leadership qualities, Tuilaepa took on a fatherly role to comfort and restore their faith.
Is that an act a self-centred leader would take who thinks the country should kiss the ground he walks and is above the law, as his political foes are fond of spreading far and wide?
Are the FAST leaders Fiame and La’auli any better or beyond reproach?
Will they too have their turn for spiritual damnation from the pulpit or are they models of God-abiding Christians the archbishop would cuddle warmly in praise of their godly ways?
Halleluiah. Heavens be praised!
So where do we go from here to restore stability in our country we are so proud to profess is founded on God?
We could run to our spiritual leaders but are they still true servants of the Lord who will lead us out of the political wilderness into the peace of Samoa we know so well?
Other than an archbishop who thunders like Moses when he trashed the commandment tablets in his anger, how about his fellow Brethren’s of the Cloth who are keen to try out the flowing white robes of Caesar?
Maybe we should spare being made the butt of the joke of the ‘Sermon from the Pulpit’ and follow in blind faith the new pathway, our politically minded spiritual leaders are pointing out to us as voters.
Wait a minute! We cannot do that now because a return to general elections is not a Christian option or whatever that is.
Where do we go then?
This week we are back to where we wandered like the Children of Israel lost in the desert in search of the Promised Land that Moses never reached in punishment for his bad temper.
It seems our Judiciary is the only pathway left to take in our journey that now feels like a thousand miles with many more thousands of miles still left to be travelled.
Unfortunately, the longer we remain lost the harder it will be to survive on 25% of supplies we are forced to budget for the long run.
If for some reasons yet to be revealed to us that we are being punished from above, is it wrong to ask why out loud without the fear of God thundering from the sermon pulpit?
What if it is…wrong to ask? Should we storm off and gang up with the devil so we could slam the church door in the hope the pulpit will crash to the floor and break into a thousand pieces?
What if we decide to follow the Tuilaepa example and bow our heads in prayer for the Lord’s forgiveness so we can be happy again in the peace and harmony of our God founded island of paradise?
Tuilaepa has taken the lead being the leader that he is why not us? If he can do it like a true Christian, would that make us less Christians if we don’t, when we go to church on Sunday?
As far as we are concerned where we journey and how or when it ends is our choice. We make that choice not have someone else make it for us.
We should keep harping on that point because the answer to a return to political stability is with us and our vote as citizens of Samoa.
Forgive us for our sins of pride Lord.