Anyways, during my time there, various programs and treatment plans were implemented. Since this was a teaching hospital, the door was wide open for best practice methods, even spiritual care. Now, I use this term loosely, since the hospital could not define it. But I don't fault them for trying. I fault the "spiritual" leaders for doing so. And failing. Miserably.
One evening, my supervisor asked me if I would like to take some of the consenting high-level patients to a "non-denomonational service." Since he and my co-workers knew I was the resident "Christian staff," I seemed like the logical choice. I agreed, though, I knew this was going to be a roller coaster ride of heterodoxy at best, if not complete and utter heresy.
In this case, I hated being right. I brought the patients into one of the conference rooms where this service was supposed to commence. The chairs were all arranged in a circle. Then, the "pastor" came out, with her husband, and proceeded to greet people warmly. She was dressed in a Barbara Bush blueish-type skirt suit. Every fiber in my body was ready to dash out, but it seemed the higher calling at this point was to just do my job and watch the kids. I wish I could say it got better.
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| I looked for a picture of someone whispering into their own hands... Yeah, apparently nobody finds that edifying, or at least picture- worthy. |
This lady asked everyone to have a seat (her husband on standby, with a cd player on hand to play crappy music later) and started to talk to us about the "things we're not proud of." At first I thought, "Okay, interesting...where is this going? Any talk of Jesus on the way?"
She then told the patients that "a good exercise in forgiveness is to whisper whatever is on your hearts into your cupped hands...then (as if this was the ceremonial buildup), everyone lift up your hands at the same time, and release-or let go of-- whatever is bothering you."
Flabber-ghasted to say the least, I thought to myself, "you know, these kids have been better served by being given three meals a day, structure, and people to talk to about their problems." The so-called spirituality of this service was ego-centric, or person-centered, meaning, they were instructed to "forgive themselves," and not receive eternal and temporal forgiveness from the One who truly offers it. Jesus was never mentioned, never mind the cross. I felt deflated for these patients.
The whole situation deserves greater unpacking in another post (the heresy of female pastors, non-liturgical, or non-biblical services, etc.), but the point is, if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Sound familiar? The tragedy of a confession is not the confession itself, but the lack of absolution, or knowing from Whom our forgiveness eternally comes. Both confession and absolution are gifts...not something we can contrive.
Yes, as Christians we can forgive each other and tell someone that Jesus forgives them when they confess their sins. However, the place to be spiritually nurtured is in the Church, where a pastor can guide and protect each member by way of defining and proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ crucified for the sins of the world. Church is not some fuddy-duddy place where men garb themselves in dresses and prance around for no good reason. Jesus has commanded men to shepherd people, forgive them of their sins on Christ's behalf, and nourish them in the Word of God (Jesus) through teaching, preaching and administering the Sacraments.
Church is neither a feel good "circle-time" to hug ourselves or pat ourselves on the back. It is a time to hear how, without Jesus, we are utterly depraved and eternally lost in our sin. A pastor holds up the Law's mirror, accusing us all of how fallen we are; that even our thoughts condemn us for eternity. This hard truth about sin reminds us we cannot save ourselves, let alone forgive ourselves. But it doesn't stop there. This accusation is a blessing as the sweet Gospel rushes in to reassure us that Jesus comes to us in Holy Absolution, every day in our baptisms, in His Word, and when we receive the Lord's Supper.
The greatest problem (among the many) with that non-denom service was that the patients were told, yet again, about what they had to do in order to feel some peace in their lives. In terms of true spirituality, this is no comfort whatsoever. Yes, we might change our behaviors and make life easier on ourselves temporally. But spiritually...we can not change our sinful condition.
All they truly needed to hear is that Jesus IS the Peace that passes all understanding. That even their confession has been given to them by God so that they might hear this peace. They are loved, forgiven in Christ, and kept in the faith for all eternity. So, in the tragedies of their lives and the problems that they are enduring now, Jesus is faithfully watching them and bringing them comfort.
This is true for all of us. Please don't let a so-called spiritual leader tell you that you need to do anything for your eternal salvation. God grant us all churches where proper teaching and preaching of God's Word is available by rightly ordained and faithful pastors.
Jesus has done it all at the cross. Thanks be to God.
Jesus has done it all at the cross. Thanks be to God.
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