Hospitals
As soon as the door to the waiting room of the hospital emergency center opened, the sounds and sights of bedlam rushed to meet us. The waiting room was overcrowded with a confused and boisterous mixture of the ill, friends of the ill, screaming babies, noisy adolescents, and those who seemingly had no idea why they were there. On one side of the room, the individuals waiting to be processed by the receptionist were fidgeting, with frustrated looks as they impatiently waited for their turn. All showed their disgust with looks of, “Why is this taking so long?” Others, having been processed by the receptionist, were sitting or standing, just waiting to be called into emergency room for treatment, hoping that their long waits would finally end. Intermittently their hopes of care would be raised as a nurse appeared at the door to shout the name of the next patient to receive treatment. Frequently their hopes were dashed as the name called out by the nurse was not the one they wanted to hear; their frustration continued with a hint of anger beginning to surface. The delay in being seen and treated by a doctor seemed endless.
Finally, the person’s name was called and he, along with a relative, moved towards the door where the nurse was standing. Now he could discuss his illness with a doctor and, hopefully, a remedy would be offered. There would be no certainty of a cure, but at least a course of action would be recommended; a stay in the hospital or a prescription for medication may result. Hope, but no certainty would be the likely outcome of the visit.
Most hospitals have trained, professional personnel who analyze and evaluate the medical, physical needs of their patients. The question that they attempt to answer is “How do we help the patients at the hospital return to good physical health?”. However, there exists another type of hospital with trained professionals; one that addresses the moral and spiritual failings of individuals who are seeking to return to good moral and spiritual health. It is the one that treats sin and sinners.
Sin occurs in the breaking of one’s relationship with God; fortunately the relationship can be restored. The Catholic Church is the hospital for sinners; the place where sin can be cured and moral and spiritual health restored. When asked the reasons for his conversion to Catholicism, the brilliant 20th century English writer and philosopher, G.K. Chesterton, commented, “Because it is true….and it offers the forgiveness of sin.” The Catholic Church was given the obligation to help sinners and forgive sins when Jesus Christ appeared to Apostles on the first Easter Sunday and said, “Whose sins you shall forgive are forgiven and whose sins you shall retain are retained.” In the sacrament of Confession (Reconciliation), the Church through the successors to the apostles can offer a guaranteed return to a relationship with God. The sacrament of Confession offers an assurance, not just a hope, of one’s return to good moral and spiritual health.
It is interesting to note that medical hospitals are generally crowded and very busy, while Catholic churches are often empty at the times of Confession. Are there no sinners in need of forgiveness? Have humans lost the very sense of sin? We all sin and most of us rupture our relationship with God numerous times during our lives. Do we return to God through Confession or do we continue to be separate from God. All humans need repentance for their sins and a renewal of their lives.
On many occasions, Jesus reminded people “to repent.” We are all anxious to cure our medical ills as quickly as possible. Why are we not as determined and anxious to repent and cure our moral and spiritual failings, which can result in the worst of conditions….hell? Without repentance and renewal, Hell is where we will place ourselves.
Suggested Reading
“Confession” by Adrienne von Speyr, published by Igantius Press – von Speyr is a Swiss convert and mystic guided by the famed theologian Fr. Hans Urs von Balthasar