About a year ago I was approached by a person who works at a local hospital that cares for people struggling with mental illness and addiction. I was somewhat familiar with their work but learned a lot from her once I got a tour and some information. She is a devout follower of Jesus who was concerned about the spiritual needs of the people she was serving, but this hospital has no chaplain or money to provide spiritual care. She asked if I would consider coming in once in a while to do some kind of churchy stuff, and I said yes. The plan was to have 8 or 9 of us who could rotate once every two months or so since we often have other commitments on Sunday afternoons. I have been there twice in the last two months, but none of the others who expressed interest have yet to take a turn. I am it, for now.
There are four units, and I do a 20-minute discussion on a Scripture passage of my choice. The responses of the patients vary from total disinterest to fanaticism; some of these folks know the Bible as well or better than I do! Some are searching and some have wild ideas; everyone who participates does so of their own free will because religion should never be forced. And while I start every session in the same way, the conversation can go in any of a hundred different directions, often ending up in a question-and-answer time. A lot of these patients have been hurt by religion in some way or another, and I work hard to not be one more reason for them to be afraid of it.
When I enter those doors, I think about the story of the man with a legion of demons in him (the story is in Matthew, Mark, and Luke). He terrorized the people of his area and was so strong that he would break the chains they would wrap him in. Jesus didn’t blame his parents and He didn’t blame the victim. Jesus saw his desperate situation and removed the demons (okay, this might or might not be a metaphor) from him. After the man wanted to follow Jesus, Jesus told him no; go home and tell everyone how great God is. Jesus loved this man enough to heal him of his torture and then sent him to be a witness to His work. Nobody was – or is – beyond redemption and change.
One woman yesterday asked me if people can change and be forgiven, and I said, of course, they can. Another woman asked me what she should do about her son who is an atheist and I told her she should love him. The topic of the day was about God’s kingdom having room for non-Christians; I said yes, which most of them liked. They have people in their lives who aren’t Christian too. If we are called to love one another because we are all made in God’s image, I suspect that this means people who are of different faiths as well. And different genders and sexual orientations. And different nationalities. And different mental statuses. It isn’t easy to love everyone the way Jesus did, but it can’t hurt to try. It can, however, hurt not to.
Prayer – You, God of the universe, make each one of us with Your divine spark. We should look at each person and be filled with awe because You are in each one of us. Amen.
Today’s art is part of an ancient fresco in a Ukrainian Catholic Church that I found on the website of the American branch of the church. A location is not given. The demons are riding pigs to their death after Jesus expelled them from the man.