When Patients Pray for the Chaplain

Long ago, I had assumptions about what it meant to be a chaplain in a hospital.  I assumed that the chaplain would come along after the doctors had visited the patient, that the chaplain would do pastor type things, like praying and perhaps communion and last rites, depending on denomination.

At some later point, when I'm done with chaplain training and have more time in the mornings, I may write about what we've been doing as chaplains--it's much more intense than just praying, and in fact, prayer may not even be part of a chaplain visit.

In an ideal world, the hospital chaplain is not the only one giving pastoral care--the patient's pastor may be visiting too.  Of course, many people don't have a home church, and even if they do, the home church may not have a traditional pastor, who can make regular hospital visits.  For my parish, Faith Lutheran in Bristol, I can visit after Sunday worship, but that's it.  Fortunately, parishioners can fill in the gap, and they do, but not every church community is so lucky.

Yesterday, I had a variety of hospital visits, and the whole week has been one of variety.  I've had expected joys, like my own prayers, most of them silent.  I've also had unexpected joys, like when a patient offers to pray.   I don't know why I didn't expect to have people pray for me, but I have been surprised at my overwhelming gratitude when others pray.

I shouldn't be surprised.  I remember getting a Christmas card from Mepkin Abbey with this notation:  "The monks of Mepkin are praying for you and with you."  I burst into tears. 

I don't have the time to explore this idea in depth this morning, but I did want to record this joy so that it doesn't disappear into the mists of memory.

(This meditation will show as published on Saturday, June 28.  I actually wrote it on Friday, June 27, but forgot to hit "publish")