At the heart of Easter is discovery. In today’s Gospel, the disciples Peter and John, having learnt that the body of Jesus was not in the tomb, set out on a journey of discovery.

John arrives first and, perhaps stunned into silence, he remains transfixed, uncomprehending. Peter joins him at the entrance of the tomb and enters it to see what he could see.

Easter means for the Church a celebration of the truth that Jesus, the Crucified One, has risen from the dead. It is this truth which gives the Church life and makes it life-giver.

In our world, our nation, our communities where we grapple with death daily, our Christian faith calls us to be bearers of life and to pursue truth – to set out courageously on a path of self-discovery to come to that truth.

The search for truth means that we will not be put off by distractions or obstacles put in our way, that we will not accept the simple, practical answers to profound questions, that we will not be afraid of discovering the truth itself.

As a nation, Easter 2008 holds new possibilities for us. The country is confronted with many issues that require courage, persistence and determination to find the truth. Often truth is put on hold as people seek out what serves their “truth”.

Easter also teaches us that we will not come to truth without taking stock of our present situation and remembering or recalling who we are and the gifts we have been given. If we are to realise our true potential, this recalling or rediscovery is vital.

The two disciples, on reaching the tomb, do not immediately grasp the significance of what has taken place. The evangelist John says: “They had failed to understand the teaching of scripture, that he must rise from the dead” (20:9). In the end, their remembering, guided by the Holy Spirit, will bring them to understanding.

Media’s responsibility

Pope Benedict XVI, in his book Jesus of Nazareth, writes: “The Church’s remembering is not merely a private affair; it transcends the sphere of our own human understanding and knowing.

It is a being-led by the Holy Spirit, who shows us the connectedness of Scripture, the connection between word and reality, and, in doing that, leads us ‘into all the truth’.”

What is the truth about Trinidad and Tobago? What prevents our country from becoming what it is meant to be? These answers can only come as we, helped by the grace of God, set out in an honest manner to obtain them, keeping before us the dream that still lives within us. Easter, therefore, can lead us in our quest.

All institutions of our society ought to seek after that truth. The news media, in a special way, have the ability to shape public opinion and perception and, therefore, have to be particularly concerned with the kind of story they tell – whether they are “upholding truth”.

It is important that media practitioners take seriously this trust placed in them, as it is important that others – in particular government agencies – acknowledge the media’s responsibility. Not to do so is to infringe on the rights of the public.

While there are times when secrecy is necessary, it cannot become the norm. The Church has taught, regarding the mass media: “Secrecy should ... be restricted to matters that involve the good name of individuals or that touch upon the rights of people whether singly or collectively“ (Communio et Progressio, art 121).

It was troubling to learn last week that one minister in the Ministry of Finance might not see media rights in quite this way. But the immense responsibility bestowed on the media (who were rightly aggrieved by the minister’s comments) places even greater obligations on them to be painstakingly accurate and fair and to use “careful judgment” in their quest for the truth.