"If our hopes in Christ are limited to this life only, we are the most pitiable of men." We Christians have sometimes been criticized for the opposite attitude: our hope in Christ is limited to heaven only, for we see life on earth as a tragic experience, which we must endure and so receive the reward of eternal life in heaven.

This attitude is not the spirit of Jesus. For, if it were, Jesus would not have had the courage to journey "through towns and villages preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom" . Faced with possession by evil spirits and a great variety of illnesses, he would not have reached out to help the afflicted. Fortunately for the human race, we Christians have not in fact placed all our hopes only in heaven but have worked strenuously in many ways for a better world with our many institutions to help the poor and the marginalized. Our schools and universities have educated people in their responsibility for the welfare of humanity, the promotion of justice and peace, compassion and care for others. We are energized to do all this, because we hope in Christ and trust in the power of love.