Spirituality – Making a surprising comeback?

Since his election in March this year, Pope Francis has made some rather bold headlines. Some of these, even made headlines here in Kenya, particularly the one where he is reported as saying; “…If someone is gay and seeks the Lord with good will, who am I to judge?” (Daily Nation, Monday, July 29, 2013).

But for me, it is the recent interview – quite lengthy at 22 pages that he gave to Jesuit magazine, that made the deepest impact. Just to clarify, it is not because he is non-judgmental about gay people, that I find it impressive, rather it is because I agree with everything he says. True, it is refreshing to hear a different narrative from “hate the sin not the sinner” but what is even more refreshing the Pope’s look at Catechesis and Theology in General.

Reading through, the entire interview, which I am tempted to serialize on this blog – if only to propagate it online, I found myself agreeing with everything he says! More particularly the section where he says

“The most important thing is the first proclamation: Jesus Christ has saved you. And the ministers of the church must be ministers of mercy above all….a genuine sermon must begin with the first proclamation, with the proclamation of salvation. There is nothing more solid, deep and sure than this proclamation. Then you have to do catechesis. Then you can draw even a moral consequence. But the proclamation of the saving love of God comes before moral and religious imperatives. Today sometimes it seems that the opposite order is prevailing.…”

It is the last sentence that I wonder the most, whether the Kenyan clergy ever understand that, the proclamation of salvation must come first, - the saving love of God, well before the moral and religious imperatives. This is not to say that moral and religious imperatives are not important, but rather, that the person must first experience (Encounter or undergo), the love of Christ, and then from that experience, the moral and religious imperatives flow. Yet, the experience of many socially stigmatized people, is that, the door of God’s saving grace is presented as open, only after undertaking the prescribed moral and religious imperatives.

The Pope also talks about the epitome of catechetical experiences - The Journey to Emmaus (Lk 24: 13 – 35). It is interesting that this is presented as a 7 mile (or 11 kilometer journey), the end of which is the self-revelation of Christ, and the confession of the two disciples “Were not our hearts burning…” Every time I hear a preacher – or perhaps I should qualify this by indicating am only referring to more theologically founded religious leaders (because the MPESA Pastors, follow a supermarket principle – more feet through the door), speak of gay people in such hostile and clearly hateful terms; I often wonder, whose Gospel are they preaching? Certainly not the Christ, who had to walk the 7 mile journey, with guys who thought he was the biggest fool of the day in Jerusalem!

In my daily work on matters relating to HIV/AIDS for Key Populations (Sex workers, MSM and People who inject drugs), stigma and discrimination are serious challenges in availability, access, and uptake of health services. The situation is made worse by the political situation in which political power and religious influence have created a mutually beneficial, patrimonial and clientelist symbiotic relationship. This in practical terms mean that ability to change policies and laws hostile to religiously/morally marginalized sections of the society are stillborn even when the political class is conscious of the serious public health consequences of inaction. The political classes, who understand these challenges, are often afraid of engaging in the much needed and urgent policy and legal changes for fear of annoying the religious leaders and/or providing opportunity for opposing leaders to out-compete them.

It becomes necessary therefore to engage with the religious leaders because they hold the key to ending stigma and discrimination against Key Populations especially in the context of HIV/AIDS and health care generally. An ideal situation would be if they were to listen to the Pope when he says: “The message of the Gospel, therefore, is not to be reduced to some aspects that, although relevant, on their own do not show the heart of the message of Jesus Christ.” The question they should perhaps ask is, if Jesus were to minister to the Key Populations today, who are struggling to access HIV prevention, treatment and care services, would he support the retention of these policy, legal and structural barriers, including stigma and discrimination, or would he say like he does in MK 2: 24 – 27, that the Sabbath is made for man and not man for the Sabbath?

This is not to relativize the teaching role of the religious community, but rather to recognize the image of God in these people. The Pope puts it better:

“A person once asked me, in a provocative manner, if I approved of homosexuality. I replied with another question: ‘Tell me: when God looks at a gay person, does he endorse the existence of this person with love, or reject and condemn this person?’ We must always consider the person. Here we enter into the mystery of the human being. In life, God accompanies persons, and we must accompany them, starting from their situation. It is necessary to accompany them with mercy. When that happens, the Holy Spirit inspires the priest to say the right thing.”

Meanwhile, on the Pope’s appeal for the church, “to step outside itself and go to those who do not attend Mass, to those who have quit or are indifferent. The ones who quit sometimes do it for reasons that, if properly understood and assessed, can lead to a return.” As one who has quit, I certainly would be willing to return, but what will I find upon return? A hostile Cardinal Njue who works his lungs out “Forget! Forget! Forget!” or Fr. Kamanzi, who when we meet at Galleria Mall tightens his face so hard –  it must hurt; till in empathy to the pain in his face, am tempted to tell him, “Relax Fr., am not even a catholic anymore!”?

Yet, there just might be a Prophet among the Kenyan clergy. Right now, Key Populations in Kenya are yearning for one. A prophet who understands as the Pope puts it, that

"Being prophets may sometimes imply making waves. I do not know how to put it.... Prophecy makes noise, uproar, some say ‘a mess.’ But in reality, the charism of religious people is like yeast: prophecy announces the spirit of the Gospel.”

We are looking for one who will say, that there is no theological necessity to criminalize Key populations, and to retain structures that enhance stigma and discrimination, leading to unending spread of HIV both among members of Key Populations and the general population. Is there such a prophet in Kenya?