No, brothers and sisters, do not exist for yourself, do not become individualistic, do not live for your pleasure, comfort and achievements in this world for these will not bring you lasting happiness. Remember, short-time pleasure leads to long-time suffering; long time self-sacrifice and service lead to everlasting happiness. If you live only for this world, it will let you down.

Happiness is service and sacrifice for others; living for others, especially the poorest of people, brings joy. St Paul tells us just to have enough: If you have a loaf of bread and a coat on your back, what else do you need? Yes! The simple basics of life are needed, but not more.

Christ says on His right hand, “Come you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” But as for the selfish on His left hand He says, “Depart from me you cursed to the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”

Heaven and hell, two realities: a life of love for yourself or a life of love for others, which do you prefer? Choices are made all day long ­— are you creating hell or heaven for yourself and others? The soul wants God and God’s love for others. The flesh wants to fulfil the temporary appetites, the appetites that are never satisfied whereas God satisfies us fully in all our needs if we seek His kingdom here on earth.

There is our soul and the longing for Christ who feeds us with spiritual joy. Nothing can please us more or give us greater joy than serving others and making others happy, especially the poorest of people. To bring good news to others is the purpose of life. Feed a poor man and you will be fed by God; care for others and you will have God’s purpose in life. Bring joy, laughter, to those who weep and you will have joy and laughter in your hearts. A smile, a handshake, a hug and embrace are our means of exemplifying Jesus serving others. This is heaven here on earth.

On the other hand, we create hell on earth for others by our negativity, our constant criticism, our laziness, our lies, our condemnation of others. We are mean to others, both materially and spiritually. We consider ourselves better and more important than others. Such people will not have their lives written in the book of life (Revelations 20: 15). They take away life rather than give life.

There are those who give life and there are those who give death; we are happy who bring good news. They solve problems, they do not create problems; they are positive, they are not negative. They bring peace, not war. They are full of faith and hope through the difficulties of life.

The rich and middle class can bring great joy, not saving in barns for themselves but giving until it hurts. Let us look at the story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 26:19-31). After the rich man enjoyed the best of food and companions, he died. Lazarus, the poor man, is happy in heaven though he has nothing here on earth. “In Hades, where the rich man was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ ”

The rich man creates the fire of suffering here on earth for the poor but he creates everlasting suffering for himself in hell after his death.

My beloved friends, what do you want? We can’t have it both ways.