Actor and comedian Jim Carrey had a surprising message for a group of former gang members and prisoners at Homeboy Industries in Los Angeles.
Homeboy Industries is a rehabilitation center led by Jesuit Rev. Gregory J. Boyle, according to Christian Today. Carrey was invited to speak to a group at the center and he gave a clear Christian message.
“You are heroes to me, and I admire you,” Carrey began. “'When you stepped through these doors, you decided to be a part of this family. You've made a decision to transcend and to leave darkness behind, and it takes a champion to make that decision.”
Carrey has himself experienced some dark times with his depression and with an accusation that he supplied drugs which led to his girlfriend’s suicide, although he denies these charges.
Carrey shared with the crowd what gives him hope in the midst of life’s trials:
“And ultimately, I believe that suffering leads to salvation. In fact, it's the only way...that we have to, somehow, accept, not deny, but feel our suffering and feel our losses. And then, we make one of two decisions. We either decide to go through the gate of resentment, which leads to vengeance, which leads to self-harm, which leads to harm to others. Or, we go through the gate of forgiveness, which leads to grace.
[Y]our being here is an indication that...You've made the decision to walk through the gate of forgiveness to grace, just as Christ did on the cross.
He suffered terribly and He was broken by it, to the point of doubt and a feeling of absolutely abandonment, which all of you have felt. Then there was a decision to be made. And the decision was to look upon the people who were causing that suffering with compassion and with forgiveness, and that's what opens the gates of heaven for all of us. I wish that for all of you. I wish that for myself.'”
To hear Carrey’s entire address, see below.
Photo courtesy: Flickr.com
Publication date: July 20, 2017
