Catholic News

Due both to religious laws and human experience, these lepers knew they were not allowed to go close to anyone. The lepers of Jesus’ time knew their place; they knew they were unwanted.

They understood they had to keep their distance.

This is a point worth reflecting on because it has relevance for our society.

Trinidad and Tobago is not spared social leprosy.

The lepers in our midst also know they must keep their distance. This malady of modern times has been created by individual behaviour as well as by our social structures.

These lepers are unable to come close to us, or do not want to come close to us, because of negative experiences and the walls and barriers that society has built up.

The “us” here refers to the Church, our Government institutions, public figures, medical professionals, members of the protective services and teachers, and even our family members. The fact is some feel they cannot come close to “us”.

The open-door policy is often lacking in many of our institutions and at every level of society.

We are becoming less and less accessible to one another.

Simply put, our society has become so selfish and fragmented that some do not wish to draw close to the “other” because they feel unwanted and judged.

Public figures, outside of election time, easily become standoffish and inaccessible. Can the people get close to our elected officials as they did during pre-election walkabouts? Too many of our organisations, both public and private, make members of the public feel they are an annoyance when they simply wish to ask a question or seek some good or service.

Some professions have so out-priced the poor that they are forced to keep their distance. The poor can no longer go near some doctors’ and lawyers’ offices to seek medical or legal assistance: they have effectively become social lepers because of high medical and legal charges.

Again at another level, there are people who think they must maintain a certain distance from us because of our negative and anti-social attitude. Our society is, therefore, suffering from fracture, fragmentation and “distance”. The bonds of community relationships are unravelling quickly.

In view of this, every public figure, including religious ones, should reflect on the social leprosy that rules, regulations, protocol, prices and poor attitudes have created.

Our groups and institutions as well as individuals, like Jesus, must reverse the social malaise of modern leprosy and work at bringing “healing” to those who feel it is better to keep their distance