Compassion and the Victims of AIDS

I read with interest the commentary by the Rev. Arthur Holquin on AIDS (Nov. 17) and was glad to see the perspective of a church leader regarding this issue.

While I cannot share his distinction of homosexuals as “intrinsically disordered,” I was impressed with his unconditional compassion toward suffering individuals. I especially appreciated his reference to Swift in admitting that we too often have “just enough religion to hate, but not enough to love one another.”

I am always disappointed to hear those who insist on preaching right and wrong from their flimsy moral pedestals claiming Christ is their witness. To bear witness to Christ is to reach out and care for our sisters and brothers who are suffering, not to inform them that they are deserving of their fate because they have offended God.

Faith in God should give us strength and courage to share ourselves and our love with people in need, no matter how socially appropriate they may or may not appear to be. Faith does not give us license to play the role of God and sit in judgment of the actions of others. The God I believe in is not sitting on a heavenly throne gloating over the fact that “immoral” and “indecent” human beings are suffering and dying from a painful and baffling disease. I am certain God is present in the pain and fear that each stricken victim feels.

A Christian is called to serve Christ, and nowhere is He more clearly present than in the face of a homeless person, the hungry, the prisoner and the suffering AIDS patient. I applaud those who, regardless of their faith (or lack of faith), their sexual identity or their personal sentiment toward homosexuality, reach out in a compassionate way to share in the suffering of their neighbor.

BOB EICHINGER

Newport Beach