Fr. Richard Ho Lung - Diary Of A Ghetto Priest THERE WAS a loud commotion outside the gate of our home on 34-36 Highholborn Street. "They are stoning her Brothers! Please come quick", was the spontaneous cry of our gateman, David, at the Lord's Place. A woman was being stoned because she was found to be HIV positive. Bro. Pierre rushed outside to the scene and stopped the stoning with words of Christ from the gospel of St. John (8:7). He said, "Any among you who is without sin, cast the fist stone".
Like the Pharisees, one by one the crowd dispersed, leaving Bro. Pierre with the woman, Donna, alone. He then carried her in his arms, for she was weak and bleeding, and took her into our home for AIDS patients and laid her on a bed. He then brought some soup and began feeding her. She then looked intently at him and with tears in her eyes asked him, "Bredda, will de Lawd forgive me?" Moved by this sudden question, Bro. Pierre answered, "Of course! None of us is perfect yet He loves us all, even the most wretched sinner. He waits patiently with His arms wide open to receive those who turn to Him with sincere love and repentance in their hearts." At this she smiled an angelic smile, looked straight at the Cross and died.
Donna was one of the many AIDS patients we have had in our home. Since we opened this centre, some five or six years ago, for those terminally ill with AIDS, we have seen about 300 people who passed away with that disease. When they are in their last days and nothing could help them to survive, they are scorned by society, including their loved ones, and thus end up with the Brothers. The average life-span of an AIDS patient in our home is about six months. There are few strong ones who survive for another three to four years, but most of them die within six months because they arrive at our home in the last stages of their illness.
The Brothers bathe them, feed them, dress their wounds, pray with them, and teach them to love the Lord. Many arrive embittered towards God, society, life, and even self. They curse, they behave badly, they at times get a bit hysterical as though they are possessed with some evil spirit. But with the persistent patience, love, and service of the Brothers they encounter something new and enigmatic. They encounter the divine. And at the end of their lives they seek baptism and reconciliation with God as well as neighbour and thus fulfil the two greatest commandments before they die. And this is the most beautiful moment
of their life. They realise their sinfulness, repent of it, and die in peace. We hear them saying, "I wish I never over-indulged in sin. I should have lived a life of good morals. Oh! If only I could encourage my fellow Jamaicans to be more moral in their way of living!"
Society argues and debates the distributing of condoms and other 'safe sex methods' rather than teaching the people to live a life of good morals. Sin gives birth to sin gives birth to sin and on and on! Giving out artificial means of birth control and offering the 'safe-methods' is not the solution to the problem of AIDS, which seems to be increasing beyond proportion. And still we do not learn.
As a rational being created in the image and likeness of God, man has the intelligence to know right from wrong, good from evil, sin from virtue. Man should not lower himself to the level of animals, constantly seeking to gratify their insatiable physical desires. Man should not reduce himself to being like a beast. He is a child of God and ought to live like one. Sex is something exclusively reserved for marriage for the purposes of conjugal love of husband and wife, with the intention of bringing forth children and thus raising up good and holy families. Outside of this any sexual act is evil and sinful. It is against the will and desire of God.
CONSEQUENCE OF SIN
Therefore, the proliferation of AIDS is a consequence of sin, and even if the 'safe-methods' prevent individuals from catching AIDS or any other STD's, the soul is nevertheless imperilled by its serious state of sin. As a spiritual being man is made of body and soul. Thus the bodily pleasures are not the only satiable ones. As a higher being, man also has the desire for Truth, Goodness, Love in its purest form, Holiness, and God Himself, which is imbedded deep down in his soul. Our AIDS patients recognise this in the last moments of their life.
There is a God, there is morality, and there is a conscience in every man. Let us live in the truth, for the truth, and by the truth. And what is the truth? Christ and the Christian values! Let us not fool ourselves with the falsifying and rationalising of sin. Sin is sin and wrong is wrong. Let us not fool ourselves about this. Therefore, let us now reform our ways and let Jamaica be a nation filled with a love for God; let there be a true and sincere living out of the Christian values and morals, and thus make our island the dwelling place of God.
If we have lived in sin so far, let us repent and reform now! God does not rejoice in the death of the sinner. Rather, God embraces the sinner when he repents and turns back to Him. Let this repentance begin today.
Finally, if you know of anyone who is dying of AIDS and is desperate in his/her need and is in need of our assistance, please call us at 967-3133 and let us know. We will take them into our home. God bless Jamaica! God bless my fellow Jamaicans!
Father Ho Lung is Founder and Superior General of the Missionaries of the Poor.
