Richard Ho LungIN THESE times of darkness, there is still light. Christ broke through the bleakest of times, much like ours, and brought a new message of love: not a love that takes for oneself and possesses for oneself, but a love poured out for others.
Christians today talk about the end times and the Second Coming. Indeed, wickedness and confusion engulfs our modern age, and there are many victims of man's unfettered plunge into selfishness, materialism and self-concern. Even at the death of others modern man will do what he wills to gain his ends. Euthanasia for the elderly and even children is being legalised, abortion, massive nuclear war, terrorism, legalisation of prostitution, gay marriages, and the never ending images of death and cynicism projected by TV, radio and the printed media are daily events. Even youth have been made morbid and terrible, as children come to hate and violate one another. No longer is youth a source of innocence and renewal.
Yet the Lord came to earth and told us, "Heaven and earth shall pass away but my word shall not pass away." The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and His name is Emmanuel, that is, God is with us.
I cannot tell you how much I love my island. I cannot say how much I love people, young and old, the poor and the rich who are kind to the poor, and Christians who seek out meaning and holiness in a world gone amuck. There are those too who are non-believers who sense something is terribly wrong in our modern age-and seek meaning and purpose beyond this world. Young men have come to us who want the Lord. All were in search of something deep, something meaningful, worthy of expending their entire lives.
TOTAL DEDICATION
And, there was I, in search of something pure and deep and complete in its demand for total dedication. Christ's sacrifice of His life for others, especially the poorest and most forgotten and rejected captured my heart. I wanted to lay down my life - this weak and sinful person had nowhere else to go but that terrible and pathetic figure of Christ laid down on the altar of this world to forgive sins and wrest from the stranglehold of Satan the terrible grip he has on the world.
By the power of God, these young men have been drawn by the Missionaries of the Poor. We sacrifice our lives for the homeless and destitute and take them in to our homes. That same act of sacrifice carries high the cross of Jesus Christ.
One such young man, Brother Rolando, has lost both kidneys and we desperately needed the donation of a healthy kidney for him to live. Mary Olsen, an American volunteer, volunteered one of hers but there were signs of diabetes. By a miracle of medicine and the caring expertise of Dr. Everard Barton and a team of doctors and nurses, Brother Rolando has been able to live for the past two years by dialysis which purifies the blood, a function usually done by the kidneys. But the time has come and fourteen brothers volunteered to donate their kidney which matches with his blood type.
ONE IN THE FLESH
I watched them, as the time grew closer. "You and I are one in the spirit," said Brother Joseph. "But now we will be one in the flesh. You will have part of my body in your body." They looked at each other and giggled. "Now we will be brothers in the flesh and in the body."
"What an amazing thing," said Brother Rolando to Brother Joseph. "Well, we are al-ready closer than I am to my own blood brothers and sisters." "Isn't that strange?" smiled Brother Rolando. "The spirit is so much greater than the flesh."
"I really want to do this Brother Rolando. It's a privilege for me to do this."
The two brothers have gone to Atlanta. So far they seem to be a good match for the kidney transplant. I am so grateful to live among young brothers who are my sons in the Spirit. We live together as one in the Lord, all of us answering the call to follow Jesus. We partake in the word of God, the Eucharist and the works with the poor daily.
We live under the same roof, eat the same food, and are of one heart and mind in Christ. Yes, the Spirit of God is stronger than the flesh! The brothers have learned over the years to make sacrifice for one another and the poor. We will lay down our lives for our friends. This is the example we want to set for the world: to love by making sacrifice of our very lives. Brother Joseph will submit to the operation. He will lay on the operation table-in an act of self-sacrifice so that Brother Rolando might live.
Father Richard Ho Lung is founder and leader of the Missionaries of the Poor.
