Diary of a Ghetto Priest Hope is belief in things unseen

Our call is to be in heaven with Christ and all the saints. It is so difficult but so beautiful! But first, we are called to be with the Lord and all the sufferings and struggles He endured in order to be true to Him.

If we wish to be Christians, shouldn’t we follow Him and do what He does in every way? I shudder, I tremble. God give me the courage! St Paul asks, have we suffered like Him on the cross? have you been crucified like Him on the cross?

It’s true. the brothers and I have taken on the poor - they are the poorest of the poor. The brothers do this so that they will live and labour by the principles of the beatitudes that articulate Christ’s calling.

Now we are in the season of the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. If we die with Him, we will rise with Him, and, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” (John 12:24)

This is what happened to Christ, and this is what we are called to do in our time of death. I think of our very difficult time and the call to live a life of truth. At all times, we must remember that we are sinners. We hurt others, we are hurt by others. We condemn no man. we, too, are sinners. We forgive all sins, and we beg to be forgiven by those whom we have offended. The admission of our sins and the request for forgiveness comes when we do not call right wrong and wrong right.

I fear the call to die for my sins, the sins of others, as Christ died for all of us. The admission of our sins is beautiful and brings hope to the world.

The resurrection is at hand. But we must go through the passion, suffering for our wrongs, and the wrongs of others. Then the crucified Christ will become the risen Christ. If you and I have loved each other to the end, we will know a joy and happiness that is way beyond understanding. When we are there in heaven, we will see and know and experience the greatness and gladness past any understanding, and we will be together and be with Christ. (John 12:32), “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men to myself.”

Still I fear death, still I fear suffering, and yet I know it is the only way to eternal life. (Isaiah 35:8-10): “Everlasting joy shall be upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.” So, let us go through our passion, suffering, and death with Christ and one another and thus enjoy eternal life.

Father Ho Lung is founder of the Missionaries of the Poor charity. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.