Stunned silence.
Last week I listened as my mentor shared the frustrations of being a pastor to the elderly and dying. People who have lost the ability to think, to remember, to speak, to function. They might spend years shuffling around hallways lost and confused, confusing times and places and people and things. They seem to be the shell of a person.
A family deals with what looks like the impending loss of a father. He will leave behind three daughters, 10, 9, and 5. A rare form of cancer, diagnosed a month ago, now terminal. At best guess a month left.
I'm sure the pastoral thing to do would involve offering words of comfort to those who are hurting. To offer prayers, scripture, hugs and smiles. Shouldn't something come to me? I'm in seminary for gods sake. I should be able to say something.
Stunned silence.
All I can think is what the hell?
1 comment:
I know that the role of a pastor in times of fear and tragedy is different from my role of therapist, but I wonder if sometimes it is ok to just not say much. I think pastors often feel they are expected to know all the answers that will bring peace to people, but maybe at times it's more helpful just to be there, to bear the burden and the pain with them, to listen and reflect and empathize. I read this article once in (surprise!) the Banner. And I thought it was pretty insightful about what people need in times of fear. http://www.thebanner.org/magazine/article.cfm?article_id=2043
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