At the Mass for the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, Bishop John Mung Ngawn La Sam of Myitkyina Diocese urged over a thousand faithful to seek God throughout life’s inevitable trials and to use digital platforms for good, framing eternal hope against the backdrop of human mortality.

Presiding over the 10:30 a.m. service at Ra Da Kawng Cemetery on November 2, 2025, with seven concelebrating priests, Bishop La Sam delivered a homily that moved from the certainty of death to the challenges of modern life.

“A human being is like a clock,” the bishop said, reflecting on life’s fragility. “It keeps going until the battery runs down. From the moment we are born, we already carry a death sentence — for one day, we all must die.”

He acknowledged that life is a mix of success and failure, joy and sorrow, but emphasized that every circumstance can be a path to God. Bishop La Sam reminded the congregation that material possessions are left behind at death, and only one’s spiritual legacy endures. “What goes with us is how we have lived — our love, our faith, our relationship with God,” he stated.

The bishop encouraged prayers for departed relatives, noting their sacrifices and the mercy of God. “God is merciful; there is no sin He cannot forgive,” he said, warning that despair over forgiveness is itself a sin.

Connecting the Gospel reading to daily life, Bishop La Sam stated that judgment would be based on care for others, with the greatest sins often being neglect. “People are dying not from starvation, but from hunger for love,” he said, quoting St. Teresa of Calcutta.

He then addressed the pervasive influence of the internet, which he called the “new continent.” “It is the most populated place in the world, where billions of people live, buy, sell, learn, and preach,” he observed.

However, he cautioned against its misuse for gossip or attacks, urging instead for constructive communication. He presented Blessed Carlo Acutis as a model for the digital age, a young man who used the internet for evangelization. “He dedicated every online effort to Jesus and Mary, showing us that holiness is possible even in the digital world,” Bishop La Sam said.

Concluding with a metaphor of a fading twilight, the bishop directed the faithful toward enduring beauty. “Everything we see fades away — but the true beauty that endures is the beauty of God,” he said, before inviting continued prayers for the dead.

The Mass served as a collective moment for the community to honor their departed loved ones while receiving guidance for navigating both earthly life and the digital frontier with faith.

By RVA Lisu Service