I remember when I was a boy there appeared in the country someone considered a scholar who began to preach a new type of politics, and his teaching made a deep impression on the people of Trinidad and Tobago because, unlike many before him, he taught with authority. At that time we were a colony of Britain and the English were our masters, and to them we owed our allegiance.

Then along came this voice that taught us: “The long period of imperialism to which we have been subjected has stunted our economic growth, both by denying us the capacity to take part in the management of our own affairs and by the nominated system…”

Preaching in this manner he was able to convert many from their old ways of thinking and acting. Many who were possessed by colonialism shouted out to him, “ What do you want with us? Have you come to destroy us? ”

And he replied to their colonial way of thinking, “ Be quiet! Come out of them !” And though there were reactions of convulsion on the part of many possessed, they changed their way of thinking from Colonialism to Independence.

And the people were so astonished that they started asking each other what it all meant. “ Here is a teaching that is new ,” they said “ and with authority behind it… ” And his reputation rapidly spread everywhere , through all the country of Trinidad and Tobago .

And this man's name was Dr Eric Williams.

In life we at times find people like that who can cause us to change our former way of life and follow them because we realise that they are preaching with authority. We are ready to follow for they have the ability to rid us of the unclean spirit which has possessed our minds stymieing our growth.

This is what Fr Gerry Pantin did when he started Servol. For us it was a new way of thinking. We never expected a priest to enter the slums and mingle with the marginalised and those discarded by “decent” people. He attracted followers who had to dispossess themselves of the unclean spirit that was controlling their minds and causing them to despise the poor.

The same can be said of Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King Jr and Rosa Parks. Many followed them because they spoke and acted with authority. Their ideas were new and even the unclean spirits had to obey them and leave the minds of many of those possessed. And their reputation spread throughout the whole world.

These are the people most of all who have revolutionised the world and spread the Good News.

We pray therefore:

Lord, we thank you for those people like Eric Williams who preached democracy, ‘cutting across race, creed and colour'; people like Martin Luther King Jr who had a dream that whites and blacks would walk hand in hand; people like Mother Teresa who established the Sisters of Charity to care for the poor, sick and dying. They teach with authority and their teaching is new and makes a deep impression on us.

We ask forgiveness for the times we allow ourselves to be possessed by unclean spirits which cause us to despise our less fortunate brothers and sisters, which cause us to discriminate against others because of their class, race, or religion.

We implore you to send us brothers and sisters in our society who will not be afraid of teaching us with authority and ridding us of the unclean spirits that hinder us from accepting the Good News. May their reputation spread rapidly everywhere throughout the whole world. Amen.

Felix Edinborough is Managing Director of Catholic Communications Studios and a parishioner of St Anthony's, Petit Valley .