Good people suffer many troubles, but the Lord
saves them from them all [Psalm 34:19]
In this year’s Hong Kong Film Awards, the nominations for Best Film include works by two emerging directors. Apart from these two films that address the topics of student suicide and elderly care, there has been a recent surge in films worldwide, including those from Hong Kong, that reveal stories of suffering individuals. It is as if they are awakening us to the fact that even in highly developed international metropolises, there exists a group of people who need our companionship and support.
These suffering individuals around us may lack care and support, face immense mental stress, live in poverty, or occasionally encounter adversity themselves. Do we provide them with space and companionship? In our fast-paced lives, we often have little time to soothe our own emotions, let alone care for those around us. Yet, every person longs to both give and receive love and compassion. When we lack genuine concern for one another or express love and care based solely on our subjective judgments of what is best for the other person, it can lead to division and indifference.
Pope Francis reminds us to counter global indifference. He draws from the questions posed in Genesis: “Where are you?” [Genesis 3:9] and “Where is your brother?” [Genesis 4:9]. God always understands our actions, yet He never tires of us. He reminds us, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery” [Exodus 20:2]. Lent is precisely the time for repentance and freedom. We should find the courage to repent, break free from bondage, and cast aside weariness and indifference.
During Lent, it’s a time for action—to pause and give those around us space and time, to walk alongside the suffering. Just as the Good Samaritan stopped to help an injured brother or sister, we too can assist them, helping them navigate difficult times and rekindling hope for the suffering.
Lenten Campaign Organising Committee, 2024
