THAT’S “persons with disability” or
“people with
disabilities.” We have to distinguish their many kinds if only to
better know how to care for them. This is part of the new sensitivity
we should develop as the world becomes more complex each day.
Remember that St. Paul once told us that we “bear one
another’s burdens,” for that is how we “fulfil the law of Christ.”
(Gal 6,2) Even more, he tells us that we should always consider others
better than us—yes, including those with disabilities, since according
to him, this was the mind of Christ. (cfr. Phil 2,3-5)
The kinds of disabilities can come in different
combinations or forms and in varying degrees. One type usually brings
in the other types. And so, we just have to be more discerning and
more skilful in dealing with them in their concrete condition.
The more common type are those with physical
disabilities—the blind, lame, mute and those with other bodily
deformities. These persons are easy to identify and relatively easier
to handle.
Basically what is needed is to give them facilities that
are more material than spiritual, more tangible than
intangible—wheelchairs, crutches, guide or care-giver, ramps,
elevators, etc.
The more difficult ones are those with mental and
emotional disabilities. More specialized skills are needed. And while
some medicine is used, what is more necessary is greater human
interaction. They require more attention. And the therapy is longer
and more complicated.
The most difficult ones are those who can be described as
persons with attitudinal disabilities. They can look normal, but they
actually are not. Nowadays, some people are even promoting the culture
of “having an attitude,” as a way to create an impact on society.
We need to be most prepared to deal with these people.
First, because they now are far more than those with other
disabilities, and worse, they are not easily identifiable. Second,
because they are really more difficult and more challenging to deal
with.
We cannot be naive in the face of this growing phenomenon
around us. We have to have to proper dispositions, and better, also to
have the appropriate skills in dealing with them.
They normally do not admit there’s something wrong with
them. But they definitely have a wrong attitude or outlook toward
life. Even with the most elementary indicators and criteria, they
would already fail.
They are proud, haughty, self-centered, self-righteous,
judgmental, lazy, indifferent, greedy, sensual, etc. And if they are
not of the OC type (obsessive-compulsive), they would be in the other
extreme—apathetic, pessimistic, prone to fall into self-pity, and
feeling as if the whole world is against them.
St. Paul already described them in his Letter to the
Romans. They are “detractors, hateful to God, contumelious, proud,
haughty, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, foolish,
dissolute, without affection, without fidelity, without mercy.”
(1,29-30)
They have a very restrictive and subjective concept of
what is right and wrong, what is good and bad, moral and immoral.
These would often be determined according to their own criteria of
convenience and other terms of self-interest.
Faith, religion, piety, virtues and things like these have
practically no place in their world-view. If some tribute is given to
these values, it is merely out of formalism or because they cannot
escape having to go through some lip-service that is clearly devoid of
substance.
We have to be ready for these persons. We should always be
hopeful and eager to go through the rigor of dealing with them as much
as possible with a lot of naturalness, and even poise and elegance.
The first thing we have to do is to use the supernatural
means. We have to pray a lot for them, offer sacrifices and develop a
healthy apostolic attitude toward them. Instead of fleeing from them,
we should rather go to them and develop and deepen friendship with
them.
Yes, we also need to develop virtues, like patience,
fortitude, creativity and generosity. A certain insensitivity is
welcome in the sense of not being too sensitive to all the forms of
inconveniences and contradictions that they are likely to cause.
When dealing with persons with disabilities, we normally
would be most understanding and compassionate. If we readily are like
this with respect to those with physical disabilities, we should be
more so with those of have emotional, psychological and, worse,
attitudinal disabilities.
This would be charity in its finest forms, a concrete and
proximate participation of the charity of Christ toward us as
expressed in his crucifixion and death. God and goodness will always
prevail.
disabilities.” We have to distinguish their many kinds if only to
better know how to care for them. This is part of the new sensitivity
we should develop as the world becomes more complex each day.
Remember that St. Paul once told us that we “bear one
another’s burdens,” for that is how we “fulfil the law of Christ.”
(Gal 6,2) Even more, he tells us that we should always consider others
better than us—yes, including those with disabilities, since according
to him, this was the mind of Christ. (cfr. Phil 2,3-5)
The kinds of disabilities can come in different
combinations or forms and in varying degrees. One type usually brings
in the other types. And so, we just have to be more discerning and
more skilful in dealing with them in their concrete condition.
The more common type are those with physical
disabilities—the blind, lame, mute and those with other bodily
deformities. These persons are easy to identify and relatively easier
to handle.
Basically what is needed is to give them facilities that
are more material than spiritual, more tangible than
intangible—wheelchairs, crutches, guide or care-giver, ramps,
elevators, etc.
The more difficult ones are those with mental and
emotional disabilities. More specialized skills are needed. And while
some medicine is used, what is more necessary is greater human
interaction. They require more attention. And the therapy is longer
and more complicated.
The most difficult ones are those who can be described as
persons with attitudinal disabilities. They can look normal, but they
actually are not. Nowadays, some people are even promoting the culture
of “having an attitude,” as a way to create an impact on society.
We need to be most prepared to deal with these people.
First, because they now are far more than those with other
disabilities, and worse, they are not easily identifiable. Second,
because they are really more difficult and more challenging to deal
with.
We cannot be naive in the face of this growing phenomenon
around us. We have to have to proper dispositions, and better, also to
have the appropriate skills in dealing with them.
They normally do not admit there’s something wrong with
them. But they definitely have a wrong attitude or outlook toward
life. Even with the most elementary indicators and criteria, they
would already fail.
They are proud, haughty, self-centered, self-righteous,
judgmental, lazy, indifferent, greedy, sensual, etc. And if they are
not of the OC type (obsessive-compulsive), they would be in the other
extreme—apathetic, pessimistic, prone to fall into self-pity, and
feeling as if the whole world is against them.
St. Paul already described them in his Letter to the
Romans. They are “detractors, hateful to God, contumelious, proud,
haughty, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, foolish,
dissolute, without affection, without fidelity, without mercy.”
(1,29-30)
They have a very restrictive and subjective concept of
what is right and wrong, what is good and bad, moral and immoral.
These would often be determined according to their own criteria of
convenience and other terms of self-interest.
Faith, religion, piety, virtues and things like these have
practically no place in their world-view. If some tribute is given to
these values, it is merely out of formalism or because they cannot
escape having to go through some lip-service that is clearly devoid of
substance.
We have to be ready for these persons. We should always be
hopeful and eager to go through the rigor of dealing with them as much
as possible with a lot of naturalness, and even poise and elegance.
The first thing we have to do is to use the supernatural
means. We have to pray a lot for them, offer sacrifices and develop a
healthy apostolic attitude toward them. Instead of fleeing from them,
we should rather go to them and develop and deepen friendship with
them.
Yes, we also need to develop virtues, like patience,
fortitude, creativity and generosity. A certain insensitivity is
welcome in the sense of not being too sensitive to all the forms of
inconveniences and contradictions that they are likely to cause.
When dealing with persons with disabilities, we normally
would be most understanding and compassionate. If we readily are like
this with respect to those with physical disabilities, we should be
more so with those of have emotional, psychological and, worse,
attitudinal disabilities.
This would be charity in its finest forms, a concrete and
proximate participation of the charity of Christ toward us as
expressed in his crucifixion and death. God and goodness will always
prevail.
No comments:
Post a Comment