Tomorrow is April Fool’s Day and I recently read that it was going to be cancelled. The reason – there was such foolishness happening in governments around the world that surely it must be a joke, writes Ruta Mave.

Unfortunately, it is not and equally disappointingly the poor and vulnerable will suffer as the fodder they have always been to the rich and power loving beings of civilisation.

Five years ago, Covid had not yet arrived here, but our first responders were working very hard. They were offered a round of applause and a two-metre distant air pat on the back. This was five months after Prime Minister Mark Brown, as the Finance Minister, gave all politicians a 42 per cent pay rise. Government promised our health, teachers and police workers, a three per cent pay rise, in three years’ time. Well, it has now been five years, did our first responders get a pay rise and did they get any bonuses for overtime and danger money? Not one politician offered to give anything from their overpaid selves. In fact, they gave themselves more travel allowances. Five years on and the politicians have just given themselves more travel money, police, nurses and teachers are still waiting, but it is pointless giving a pay rise if there is no one left to give it to.

Tomorrow also marks the end of our cyclone season, and once again the churches of our community will come together and give thanks for us not having the devastation of a cyclone hit our nation. Power of prayer cannot be denied when a concentration of thought and intention are asked and shared.

The first of November, which marks the start of our cyclone season, our people come together to pray and ask for a clear, calm and compassionate weather for the five months between November and April. To keep our people, land and crops safe to deliver us from any disturbing weather or cyclones. April 1^st, they say thank you. Thank you, Jesus they say, thank you father God they say, thank you, mother nature they pray. And for years now it has worked, we have been spared. The churches set aside their differences and they come together to give thanks, love and gratitude for the deliverance of calm weather.

If religion can come together to pray for peace in the weather, why can we not come together and pray for peace in the world and in our own communities.  Some call for us to be legally called a Christian nation, being a Christian does not come from the label you wear or the building you pray in. Christianity comes from what you do from your heart when no one is watching you, how you live your life and talk to your loved ones.

For a practicing Christian nation with several different denominations in such a small population, why do we have high appalling domestic violence statistics against our women, children and vulnerable? In comparison, how many Muslim workers or faith followers living here have been charged and arrested for disturbing the peace or assaulting their fellow citizens?

The power of group thought and intention is not lost on science. It has been proven that thoughts and prayers can and do have a power and energy that is measurable, that exists, that can evoke change and direction.

Positive thinking is not a gimmick from the hippie sixties, it is a state of being that can and will bring light and good things into your life. The energy of thought is empowered by belief and action. There are many lines of verse from the good book that says when you believe you receive and with thankfulness will you be granted your request.

Why don’t we pray for a better life for all those hidden in the homes and away from public eyes. Let’s focus more on being better people in our homes, family and society before we judge and rule out others. When we can do that, then we do not need anyone to make a law to say we are a loving, peaceful nation – we will be living the truth of it.

The history of April fool’s day is said to come from the time when the calendar changed from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar in 1573. The Julian calendar started the new year at the spring equinox on April first but when it changed to the Gregorian it started January first. Those who were slow to get the news and continued using April first as the start of the year, became the butt of jokes and hoaxes and called April fools.

Sadly, we don’t have to wait for April 1st to identify fools in our government; they like to remind us daily.