An examination of conscience on one’s contribution to society is the biggest gift one can give the country on Independence Day, Archbishop Paul Cremona said this morning.

In his homily during the Independence Day Pontifical Mass at St John’s CoCathedral, Mgr Cremona said that, unfortunately, a lot of suffering was the result of the pride of those who were important in society or authority, or of those who held some form of authority, including in the family.

Relationship between people should be based on truth and sincerity. People’s heart should be free of deceit, fraud and lies for dialogue to be based on transparency and sincerity.

For dialogue to be sincere and fruitful one’s thought, speech and behaviour should be aligned.

Mgr Cremona also spoke on sorrow and said that those who wanted to do what was right should not allow sorrow to hinder them.

Every person who did good in this world experienced sorrow, but accepted this and dominated on it, rather than allowed himself to be dominated by it.

The Archbishop noted that people who tried to do what was right were sometimes persecuted. Persecution sometimes came from the people one met, the media or other places.

Jesus condemned those who persecuted others and these people would have to answer for their behaviour. But he also filled those who were persecuted because of the truth with courage.

On justice, Mgr Cremona said there would always be people who needed help for their rights to be safeguarded. Help had to be given on a personal basis as well as through structures. Those in charge had to keep on the lookout for these people and make provisions for them.

He noted that there were some who, without the help of others, would not be able to get out of their situation. This, he said, was also the case among poor and rich countries.

Later on today, the heads of the country placed flowers at the foot of the Independence Monument in Floriana.