Fr. Richard Ho Lung - Diary Of A Ghetto Priest THE STORY of Abraham's conversation with God about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, is a story we should all be familiar with from the days of our childhood Sunday School classes.
In it, we see Abraham trying to bargain with the Lord. He says first of all, "Lord, if there are 50 righteous men in this city, will you not spare it?" Genesis 18:24. The Lord responds that He would not. Abraham boldly continues his discourse with the Lord on the same matter as he moves from 50 to 40, and right down to 10. The Lord continues to respond that He would not destroy the city even if there were 10 righteous people.
Our little island is covered with churches on many corners and on numerous narrow little streets. We are indeed blessed to have so many Christians around us. Whether Methodists, Baptists, Anglicans, Catholics, etc., Jamaica is a country with a population that is Christian at heart. Prayer, communion, fellowship and service of each other are all done in the name of Christ. So we do have righteous men and women in our little island of Jamaica, and this means that God will surely spare us from any serious disasters or destruction.
ESCAPING DESTRUCTION
Over the last few years, we have truly been saved from serious climatic crises. Several hurricanes, which seemed to be directly headed for Jamaica, providentially changed direction and spared us. This can be no accident. This is God's love and protection for a people He has chosen for Himself. "We are God's and He is ours, and His banner over us is Love."
We also have on the other hand, the darker side of our country. There is much injustice, ungodliness, and disrespect for human life. We experience insecurity because of our lack of faith and see the effects of selfishness all around us. Although we may be divided as a Christian family, we are all united in the desire not to share in the same fate as Sodom and Gomorrah. We must remember that we are just a little island which can be swallowed up by the sea at any time just as Port Royal was. Let us remember the serious disaster the earthquake caused a century ago. Not only are we surrounded by darkness but we face serious consequences because we have forgotten the good things the Lord has done for us.
NO NEWS LIKE BAD NEWS
The media report incidents of violence in our country daily. In the same media, we are bombarded by advertisements encouraging and promoting illicit sex, we read of accounts of rape and incest, we hear of the widespread promotion of sex education in schools, and so on. We hear fewer and fewer reports of justice or stories of forgiveness and unselfish acts. Materialism, competition, and many self-indulgent practices and behaviour are not only accepted as the norm but are promoted and praised.
There is still light, however, and that light is Christ. This light is being spread through the efforts of the many Christians who live among us. They are like little lights shining in the darkness of sin and decay. The people of Sodom and Gomorrah lived in darkness, refused the light and then were destroyed by fire and brimstone. Nineveh, on the other hand, repented in sackcloth and ashes and with prayer and fasting. Thus, they returned to the Light and were saved. Our God is not reluctant to bring down disaster upon us. For now His mercy and love for us are staying His hands. How can we learn to live in the light? What must we do to get rid of the darkness around us? In order to live in the light, we are to love God first and foremost and we are to love our neighbours as ourselves.
PRIMACY OF LOVE
On examination, we can sum up the Ten Commandments in the first two greatest commandments love of God and love of neighbour! The first three commandments are directed to the Lord and the next two to our neighbour. We are to love God above all else and should have no other gods besides Him no money god, no pleasure god, no self god. We should not take God's name unnecessarily and we are to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. These commandments mean what they say. We should go to church regularly and sincerely worship the Lord. With regard to neighbour, we are told to respect and honour our parents, not to commit adultery, not to steal, not to kill, not to covet one's neighbour's wife, not to covet one's neighbour's goods and not to bear false witness.
We can make that light already among us blaze even more brightly if each little church, each little congregation adopted one or several poor individuals or families from their surroundings.
If each of us who is able to, takes care of at least one other needy man, woman or child there would be less want, less suffering and more happiness in our land. And we are all able to aid one another in some very small way, if not materially then with a kind word or helping hand. In our homes for the homeless here in Kingston, we, the Missionaries of the Poor care for almost 500 destitute and abandoned persons and provide weekly food rations for hundreds more. Here in the inner city, the lives and works of our brothers are testament to the fact that serving others can make a difference.
On a national scale, we as Christians, as Jamaicans, can make a difference too, if we start with our own surroundings by loving and serving our immediate neighbours.
CARING FOR NEIGHBOURS
After reflecting on the Ten Commandments let us look carefully into ourselves to see where we stand. We cannot love God if we cannot love our neighbour. St John says in his first epistle, "If anyone says, 'I love God', and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen." (1 John 4:20) The love of God is inseparable from love of neighbour. If we want to live in the light we are to love our neighbour as ourselves. St John says again, "He who loves his brother abides in the light but he who hates his brother is in the darkness." (1 John 2:9). It could not be stated any clearer than this. Murder, rape, beatings, sexual and child abuse, stealing these are fruits of darkness. We are here to help each other, especially those most in need. Selfishness is the greatest barrier to brotherhood and unity. Even though we may come from different backgrounds and religions we are all human beings, children of the same God.
Therefore, let us all strive to live in the light. Let us serve each other selflessly and be righteous in the sight of God so that we will be worthy of Him and we too like Abraham will hear him say, "for the sake of these righteous I will not destroy the city."
The Very Rev. Fr. Richard Ho Lung, MOP, is founder and Superior-General of the Missionaries of the Poor.
