Fr. Richard Ho Lung, Contributor THE ONLY person who is capable of raising the dead to life is Christ, our hope and our redeemer from sin and death. He did it in the remarkable incident with Lazarus, Mary and Martha's brother, who for days had died. St. John's Gospel mentions that Lazarus' corpse "stinketh." Also, there is the remarkable and most momentous of events when Christ Himself rose from the dead three days after His burial. In reflecting on the promise of the resurrection, St. Paul states, "Oh death, where is thy sting?"
As the world descends into darkness at the turn of the millennium, and world morality seems to be disappearing from the face of the earth, we find man's spirit is low, troubled, and full of despair, the darkness already seems to be shuddering before the light of Christ's second coming. We need to be steady; we need to hold on to the wheel and carefully work our way through the tunnel. The battle between good and evil, hope and despair, light and dark is very much upon us. There is nowhere to run, nowhere to go. We must look ahead. As the world and all values fall apart, the spirit of man is languishing, economies are dying, family life is broken - we really are like sheep without a shepherd. Loyalty and fidelity to God, our fellowmen, our countries, and to one another are disappearing, leaving the hearts of many broken.
When the soul or spirit of man is not held together by a vision, or by the Creator of the world who is God himself, all things fall apart. At the moment Satan stalks the land and people are being tempted in a world that knows not what it's doing. St. Paul tells us, "Put on the whole armour of God, that you may stand against the wiles of the devil. For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, and against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth." (Ephesians 6:11-14a)
We must be discerning and we must be brave, the battle will be won. Humanity cannot take too much meaninglessness and unhappiness. We must know the truth, live and die for it. This truth is Christ, the Saviour of the world.
The word of God, which reveals Christ Himself His ways, His presence, and His reality, is the source of new life. The sacraments are the divine life and grace of God; they fill us with the sacred and the wonderful promises of the Lord. To create a new future, the new Adam, Christ shows us the way. Every word and action of Christ are the hope and the future our world.
So many Jamaicans and US citizens have come to us and worked with us. They are startled and filled with joy as we work with the very poor whom Christ worked with in the Gospels. The missionaries of the Poor labour in imitation of Christ, and find Christ, and are filled with hope. Even when our destitute and homeless die their faces are turned to heaven. Sin and death among our dying do not conquer the truth of Christ's promise of eternal life.
All the forgotten ones, discarded in the streets, rejected and lost bring great hope to us as we see these little ones who stare daily at death doors, yet smile, pray, give thanks, and battle against despair.
How much we Jamaicans have! Yet we forget it. We don't need much to be happy. Even if every material thing and our loved ones are taken away the seed of hope, Christ himself, is deep in the souls of every Jamaican.
Let the old pass away. Never mind the losses in this material world even if it be our loved one. We must wipe our tears away, move on, move forward into the future, create a new future for everyone this time, not built on things that are passing, but on the solid foundation of Christ, His ways, His wisdom, and His promises.
There is much work to be done. Christ our hope, the baby parcelled from heaven and sent to us as the Father's gift, is coming once again. We must open our hearts and let Him in. Don't be distracted by the world, the gifts, the money, the alcohol and the partying. Let us enjoy this new life that comes us from the Father's hands, let us hold each other's hands in unity and wipe away our tears.
When Christmas is all finished, let us preserve the baby child in our lives and live a new life, a life of values, a life of spirituality and morality. It's the New Jerusalem, which will bring happiness to everyone's hearts.
The Very Rev. Fr. Richard Ho Lung, Missionaries of the Poor is Founder & Superior General of The Missionaries of the Poor.
