by Bishop Bill Gohl
Like so many who were gathered, it was good to be a part of the familiar life-shaping moments of the liturgy – Kyrie; Glory to God, Alleluia; We believe in one God; Holy, Holy, Holy; Lamb of God – these words, despite the multiple languages being intoned around me, were nourishing and bonded all of us into a rich and wide-reaching community around the globe.
Even the invitation to the communion was intentionally vague and ambiguous, hence the "ecumenical" nature of the mass. Baptism and believing that in the Eucharist we receive the true Body and Blood of Jesus Christ were a part of the invitation, and like everyone else in the room, I joined the line heading toward the promised feast.
It was really a marvelous liturgy – less than 30 minutes long – that made me feel genuinely glad to be a Christian with and among this community.
The "preaching," however brief, was dreadful. It was damaging, poor theology couched in the beloved Good Shepherd Sunday readings. I probably would not have known much about what Father Juan Baptiste was saying, except that he painstakingly translated it into English and French – and passed out copies for us to read along while he preached in Spanish:
"There is salvation in the Name of Jesus Christ: The collective representatives of our nations are responsible for our safety. In Mexico, we have a National Safety Council and in the United States they have the FBI and CIA, all concerned with safety. The sooner a threat to our safety is detected, the better it is for everyone involved.
"Yet, many are not aware that a dangerous threat to our personal safety is posed by a meaningless existence. Psychiatrists and mental institutions are reminders of it. Once a person has to be referred to them, harm to that person's safety has already been done.
"Christianity, the movement started by Jesus of Nazareth, wants to save people from precisely such a meaningless existence, which the Bible calls 'darkness.' The word 'salvation' is mentioned on almost every page of Scripture. A mental breakdown is a tragedy, resulting from the fact that a person cannot cope with life. Counseling and medication may help.
"Christianity, however, offers something that helps prevent it. Christians who faithfully live their faith will not break down easily. They have reserves unknown of elsewhere.
"Today's readings deal with your safety. Let us hope that you will discover a few untapped reserves that could keep you going on your way to a great future."
In my mind, the major issue here is that poor theology and an uniformed medical understanding of mental illness is couched in platitudes that sound spiritually-minded and "religious," but for listening can accomplish more of the same psychological damage it ostensibly seeks to address. The results can be devastating, sending a member of the community who is already bearing a heavy burden back into the world with the heavier burden that it's their fault, they didn’t have "enough faith" or a "strong enough" relationship with Christ, the church or the community.
The reality is mental illness can be deep, traumatic, and life-changing, there is no "quick fix" or spiritual elixir; healing and discerning how to manage the disease is a journey – sometimes long and wending – with many threats, none of which are the result of faithlessness.
Ministry and community with those who experience mental illness, and those who love and support those in that experience, requires a tremendous amount of grace - and God's people should be deeply committed to sharing in such grace. Still, mental illness often has a physical component that sometimes has to be dealt with physically.
Sometimes we give into the non-scriptural pap that gets passed from generation to generation, something akin to "God doesn’t give us more than we can bear;" or worse, "what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger." Except, of course, when it does kill you – socially, spiritually, emotionally, physically. To carelessly speak of mental illness as being a problem of faithlessness endangers the safety of our listeners and hampers the church's work to come alongside those who are experiencing and living with mental illness as a place of safe community bearing hope – grounded in reality.
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever! Let Israel say, "His steadfast love endures forever." Let the house of Aaron say, "His steadfast love endures forever." Let those who fear the Lord say, "His steadfast love endures forever." Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me in a broad place. With the Lord on my side I do not fear. What can mortals do to me? The Lord is on my side to help me; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in mortals. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in princes. All nations surrounded me; in the name of the Lord I cut them off! They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side; in the name of the Lord I cut them off! They surrounded me like bees; they blazed like a fire of thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them off! I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation. There are glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous: "The right hand of the Lord does valiantly; the right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord does valiantly." I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the Lord. The Lord has punished me severely, but he did not give me over to death. Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it. I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Save us, we beseech you, O Lord! O Lord, we beseech you, give us success! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord. The Lord is God, and he has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God, I will extol you. O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. – Psalm 118