Richard Ho Lung - Diary Of A Ghetto Priest IN OUR modern times, we consecrate the man of passions. We are accustomed to seeing and enjoying great anger, violence, volatility. Carnal love, women and men who recklessly abandon their loved ones and responsibility is an everyday recurrence in the media. Wining and dining, eating and drinking of the best money can offer is the taste being offered to the elite, the woman and man in vogue.
Power raw power and ambition bring acclamation in people of today who seek heroes and heroines daring to use people and have it all. The rich and extraordinary selfish who are successful have been fully highlighted and given top ranking in the media world. In a word, the seven deadly sins pride, covetousness, lust, gluttony, envy, anger, and sloth provide high drama for the media but at the same time provide uncontrolled passion as a way of life.
SENDS OUT A MESSAGE
There will be superstars in the whole matter of uncontrolled passions and vices and whether it be the "who is who" news columns or the scandal sheets, it sells. At the same time it sends out a message and meaning to the public, including the young, that if you wish to be successful you must be sensational, shocking by giving yourself over entirely to passions.
Contrary to the goals and the purposes of true news, the media has become the worst perpetrator of a philosophy of evil and indiscipline. It is the philosopher which exonerates the dark forces in man, or as St. Paul calls it, "the principalities and powers" of evil.
The passions of men without the discipline and control of reason and wisdom, as we find exalted in the Bible, will destroy us. Not just Jamaica, but the whole world seems to be unravelling as we move from being a coherent and organised universe to being a globe out of control spinning topsy-turvy. Yet the passions can be a source of energy, a creativity and dynamic power. The passions sublimated under God and good reason can transform our world. But they must be governed and directed by people who are truly spiritual, not self-indulgent egotists. Pride can be converted into true service of all humanity, lust can be converted into self-sacrificing love, covetousness can be converted to justice and good stewardship, anger can be converted into righteousness.
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I challenge the media who have such tremendous power to transform our society by rejecting advertisements and newscasts that propagate the baser instincts, and to promote and posit values that are noble, beautiful and honourable which eventually lead to a happy, prosperous and just society. For a while, only few will attend to the good news of deeply spiritual men and women, but finally it will happen. In time the media will get a large audience while promoting the virtuous life. We will see as a modern people, that people by nature as sons and daughters of God are truly good and capable of heroic virtues and acts.
I say that because I know that. There are Jamaicans who are marvellous and virtuous who work with us day by day. They are wondrous people. But also there is a youthful contingent of young men who are happy beyond measure; they exalt Jamaica and especially the poor. They live in God and under God yet are totally given over to serve Jamaica's poor. They are passionate, yet controlled. This blend of passion and control has to be for all men and women. That's what brings about an energetic and a wondrous type of creative humanity and civilisation. Fr. Richard Ho Lung is founder and leader of the Missionaries of the Poor.
