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Christ is the Saviour Who appeared on earth, to deliver us from our sins and from the fear of death. His arrival has been greeted by many who recognise their plight, just as a man in a small boat would be welcomed by people on a doomed ship such as the Titanic.

The human race is doomed, without Christ. It would sink into utter hopelessness and vice. Christ alone has the power to free us and make us worthy of Heaven: holy and happy.

Christ is the only one who can cut the bars of sin in which we are imprisoned, like passengers on a doomed liner. Some people, however, do not want to change, and are not pleased to be approached by Christ or His followers.

Many people allow Christ to rescue them from captivity in their sins. Some people - as if turning away from a rescuer beside their doomed ship - want to persist in their sinful activities. They will all drown, unlike those who bravely plunge into the water, to reach Christ. "THOSE WHO REFUSE BAPTISM ARE LOST", if they understand what baptism truly means.

Christ sees all people trapped in original sin, except those who have repented and put their trust in Him. Christ said that each person who believes and is baptised can be saved, but the one who refuses to believe, is lost. This refusal includes the culpable refusal to be baptised, when baptism is the way we put our trust in Christ's saving power and receive His Spirit.

People who persist in sin, and 'drown', are doomed souls 'lost' in the ocean, and utterly lacking the grace of God which is life. Yet they will rise up at the end of time, for the Last Judgement, when the justice of God will be revealed, as well as His marvellous work of salvation.

Everyone will see plainly, at the Last Judgement, who, in life, has pushed people aside to save his own life, and who has sacrificed his life to help others. The true state of each soul will be revealed; and the just will be rewarded, and the damned will return to Hell.

Just as the Titanic was lost, with many hundreds of lives, because of the decisions and actions of a small number of people, so the human race was 'lost' - deprived of supernatural life - because of the decisions and actions of a small number, who were our first parents. Yet Christ came to save us. The Father could not allow mankind to sink in hopelessness and sin.

The Lord advised me to approach my 'Last Judgement' picture just as I approach a domestic task. If I need new tablecloths I measure the table, choose the fabric and make decisions about my time. In the same way, with a huge painting to do, I can simply measure, prepare, reflect, and take one step at a time.

Some of the people who meet sudden death plunge deep into the depths of Purgatory, because they love God but are not fit for Heaven without purification. They go down as surely as a stricken ship goes down; yet they are safe. Everyone who dies is immediately judged, and either goes towards Heaven - even if via Purgatory - or plunges into Hell.

Whether people die of natural causes, or disease, or in earthquakes, or explosions, or in apparent accidents on bridges, ships or motor vehicles, each person will be judged on his life and behaviour. Each of us should ask: "Where will I end up going?" - that is to say, to Heaven or Hell?

Each of us will die one day. Each of us will be judged on our life and behaviour by the good God who made us to love and serve Him. Each of us should ask himself, now: "Where shall I go - if I die soon?" Are we on the way to Hell, already, or on our way to Heaven?

A faithful person who believes in God's promises, prays in Christ's name, and is confident that her prayers will be granted because she is Christ's friend. It is as though she approaches a great king - the Father - sure that Christ the Prince is beside her in the throne room, saying to His Father: "Please grant her requests".

A person who wishes to show respect and honour towards the King, who is God the Father, as she approaches Him whilst she is accompanied by Christ the Prince, is willing to be suitably robed for the occasion, when she makes her requests. She clothes herself in garments offered to her: garments of penance, reverence, contrition, trust and love.

For as long as life on earth endures there will always be demons gibbering in the darkness, trying to drag souls into sin. Whoever calls out to the Immaculate Virgin Mother of God, Mary, and asks for her prayers, will receive grace from God and be drawn towards the light of Heaven.

If we are tempted to be proud or self-satisfied, seeing the good work we achieve for God, we need only remember Christ's Passion, by which He won for us all the graces we enjoy, and the blessings of the spiritual life, and we shall be able to serve Him as He deserves, in humility and gratitude.

We must remove from ourselves and our lives whatever prevents us from entering the small 'doorway' to a life of humility, joy, spiritual beauty; that is, remove our sins and foolish attachments.

A person whose heart and soul is numb with lack of faith or despondency is like a person sitting covered with ice in a snow-bound landscape. The only solution is to let Divine Love into his heart, and to take a new look at his life.

When a person once 'frozen' in despondency allows Divine love to melt him he begins to see things he had once taken for granted: his health and strength, the clothing and shelter he had taken for granted, and the family and friends he had ignored - and many other gifts from God.

Like figures In a wintery landscape, we see all around us persons who remain frozen by despondency or lack of faith. Those who would allow Divine Love to enter their hearts would 'thaw'. They would repent of their immorality, and begin to notice all that is good, which God has given to them but which they ignore.