Jesus is God, but He is also God-man. Jesus became a man so that he could experience all of humanity’s sufferings and gladness. He wants us to know that he is one with us and show us how to address all of human realities, including love and hatred, birth and death, despair and hope for everlasting life.

He wants to show us that He understands us. He wants the best for us, He is our brother Jesus, His father is our Father. His home is our home. He walks with us here on Earth and guides us through all the days and moments of our lives.

He addresses humanity with God the Father’s will, now He wants us to do everything as He does as a true Son of the Father. We must read the word of God, we must listen to what He says to us; He will tell us what is His will and what is to be done.

We are here to replicate as much as we can the life of Jesus. We look at Mark 12: 28, the question is being asked: What do you want us to do, brother Jesus? What is the most important task we must do to please you? What is the commandment that you want us to do? You have given us talents, Lord. You have given us gifts, you have given us opportunities, direct us according to your will.

The Lord answers, “Take up your cross daily and follow me.”

Daily you must understand yourself and judge yourself according to your Christian faith. How are you doing in your school? How are you doing with your work? How are you doing in your family life? Check this out daily, adjust your life to the ways of Christ. Know, above all, how you are conforming to Christ’s words and actions.

Luke 10: 27-28, “Hear Israel, the Lord, oh God, he is the one true Lord and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind. And, love your neighbour as yourself.”

All of us are sinners, we need to turn to the Lord for forgiveness, Jesus knows this and He cancels our debts by our repentance and His forgiveness by carrying the cross. We are to be positive by loving God and loving our neighbour.

We are to remember God’s love for us and that there is no sins that He cannot and will not forgive. We, likewise, must forgive and forget and move forward hand in hand with God and our neighbours. There is nothing and nobody that we condemn. God alone condemns, He wants us to live a life of love and forgiveness. We must remember the words of Christ, “You who is without sin cast the first stone.” St Paul also tells us, “If anyone says he is without sin, he is a liar.” Jesus insists that in the life of us Christians we will sin 70 times seven daily. Even Jesus is of the line of David, who is an adulterer, a violent man, and a deceiver of his best friend Uriah.

Sinners though we are, offenders of each other, offenders of God, we must continue to love God and to love one another. God blesses us despite all our weaknesses and sins. We are an Easter people. Though we crucified Him, He will never stop loving us and encouraging us to love Him and to love one another!

Fr Richard Ho Lung

Father Richard Ho Lung is founder of Missionaries of the Poor, 87 Hanover Street, PO Box 8525, Kingston CSO, Jamaica; Tel: (876) 550-8987; E–mail: mopfounder81@gmail.com; Web: www.missionariesofthepoor.org