Fr. Law was obviously very upset. Tonight in his lesson, he was not himself. The "Devil Verdict" has taken its toll on him. He tried to be cheerful and to crack a few jokes with us. But we could sense that he had to take great pain to do so. His brothers in the Hierarchy have not come to his defence. Sometimes, he became speechless, seemingly racking his brain to search for the most appropriate words which would not disturb our conscience. He was torn between the class and the court scene in the Council Meeting.
In this event, everybody becomes a loser.
An anti-wealthy atmosphere is brewing all over Hong Kong and is getting thicker day after day. The recent Cafe de Coral incident is just one such example. In this "Devil Verdict" event, Fr. Law has only voiced what most people have kept in the depth of their hearts. Now, the mass media and the Hierarchy are working together to crown Fr. Law a martyr. On the other hand, L' Devil is being painted more devilish and the upper echelons in the Hierarchy bending towards the super-rich instead of opting for the poor as has always been taught by the Church since the end of the 19th century. The stakes are high and Fr. Law is dispensable. Some people console themselves and speculate that the Second Man in Command would lose his favour before the Big Boss as well as his chances of succeeding the Big Boss because of the way he handled this issue.
As your students, Fr. Law, we support you. We pray for you. Perhaps you should also consider going on a 30-day retreat to examine your consciousness. Probably you will find, in the deep recess of your heart, L' Devil accusing you before God and then repenting in front of Him.
To quote Abraham, "God will provide Himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." (Genesis 22:8)
Let go, Father. God will provide Himself the Law.
My Sweet Jesus. Look down on Your faithful servant and see how bravely he has fought his battle for the poor. Console him when he feels abandoned like You on the cross. Do not let despair tempt him. Protect him from all evils. Amen.
St. Martin of Tours, pray for Fr. Thomas. Amen.
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