Tuesday, September 26, 2006

God's people

Pink Shoes writes on a theme I've been contemplating this week. Her insights are helpful.

Like Pink Shoes, I am learning. One of the most difficult parts of CPE (and all hospital chaplaincy I think) is not seeing a family all the way through a crisis or the death of a family member. I often start caring for a family, but have to pass them on to the next chaplain when my shift ends. I know that I can't be there all the time, but I worry that they will feel abandoned when I leave.

Pink Shoes points out that these people aren't my families to care for. They belong to God. It is awfully presumptuous of me to believe that only I could provide the right pastoral care for them. If I live the faith I profess, I will be able to leave knowing they are in the care of the ultimate caregiver.

1 comment:

Theresa Coleman said...

two things:
God's already in the room before you get there and God will still be in the room when you leave.

And think about it being a movie theatre. You come in while the movie is in progress and leave just after you learn the characters. I never really got used it it either....