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The week after Easter
is usually a quiet time for the clergy as they have a break
after the Easter services. This year has been slightly
different as I have had a number of pastoral calls to local
hospitals to see parishioners and another one to Cranmer
House – all the parishioners were seriously ill and glad to
see me.
These pastoral visits
are an important part our ministry, and we always respond to
a request to visit the sick.
When we arrive in a
hospital, to see someone who is seriously ill - what do we
do?
Our first task is to
make contact with the hospital staff, to seek permission to
see a patient – this is important because the patient may be
in an isolation ward, not wanting to see visitors or
undergoing treatment. But when we are allowed in, our first
task is to reassure the patient, may be holding their hand,
and then making sure that the patient knows who you are.
Always prayers are said. Prayers can be for a recovery or
prayers of commendation in the final hours before death.
Often we pray with the relatives present and it can be a
very moving occasion. Staff at hospitals are always very
helpful, but you must realise that they have a job to do and
clergy can be an interruption. Curtains can be drawn around
a patient but often I talk to other patients in the ward so
the curtains can be unhelpful. If it is required we bring
the sacrament, but if not, we bless and sometimes anoint
with oil.
It is important
always to put the patient and relatives first and realise
what a traumatic time they are going through.
We try to make sure
that our pastoral care reflects the ministry of Jesus and
how he cared for people.
When Jesus arrived on
Easter Day evening to see the disciples, he would also need
to use all his pastoral skills to re-assure his disciples.
They would be scared, concerned and bewildered. His first
task was to bring them peace. He said, ‘Peace be unto you’.
Then he reassures them that he is Jesus who had been
crucified by showing them the marks of Crufixion. Then he
breathed on them and gave the Holy Spirit and a task to do
to remit sins.
This was the first of
many appearances. Most people can be taught pastoral skills
and Jesus followed these so well – he left his disciples
fairly re-assured and contented, although there would still
be questions and at later stage Jesus would answer these.
These pastoral
skills, which we can all use, they are not just for clergy,
and leaders, but for everyone.
We can calm
situations down, we make sure that everything is understood
and we can see to particular needs.
The task of the
pastoral visit is not just spiritual, nor was Jesus’ visit
to his disciples. He re-assured them and that is what so
many of us want in our lives. The Gospel today is one of
re-assurance – Peace be unto you.
The Reverend Adrian Bell, Rector. |
