When taking a break for lunch last Friday morning, I picked up February’s edition of the Anglican Journal. Before turning the front cover page, an article by Matt Gardener, entitled, “Pandemic Challenges Hospital Chaplains,” caught my eye. My enthusiasm became so inflated that I was inspired to immediately respond.
Now, I’m sure that most of us have experienced, during our lifetime, a trip to the hospital as a patient. And whether for a short time or an extended period, a chaplain of one’s own faith has always been there to administer spiritual comfort as needed.
In his article, Mr. Gardener is writing and presenting a mini biography of two hospital chaplains and their individual beliefs or two different religious persuasions. He elaborates on how an overwhelming health crisis, namely COVID-19, influenced their decision to close the gap between their respective faiths.
We are all fully aware that with the multiple waves of COVID-19, hospitals are at their highest capacity. Multiple emergencies have necessitated an urgent request for the help they provide as members of the clergy. With so much suffering and so few volunteers to help the chaplains, they found themselves forced to break with tradition. Regardless of faith choices, attention was prioritized to the patients who had the greatest need for spiritual comfort; but they were always cognizant that both of them were worshipping the same God regardless of the possible differences in their method of delivery. At the same time, good will between faiths was always displayed.
Much appreciation must be showered upon these individuals who unselfishly spend long hours right alongside health care professionals in this free will mission of humanity
“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” Galatians 5:6
