Deacon Ed Shoener,
1st Sunday of Lent, Year C
The story about Christ in the desert on this first Sunday of Lent is a good story to reflect on when considering mental health conditions and mental illness. All too often people living with a mental health condition or illness, such as bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia or even the more common conditions of depression and anxiety, can feel like we are living in a desert.
A spiritual desert of fear, stigma, and discrimination where we are told that we are not good enough, that we are somehow lesser than others. A spiritual desert where we can forget who we really are.
In the desert Christ was tempted to forget who he was. The spirit of evil, the devil, tempted him by suggesting that who he was, was not good enough. He should be more powerful, or wealthier. He was tempted to question himself – are you really who you think you are?
For people living with a mental illness all too often they are told they are not good enough. They are not seen or known for who they truly are.
This is what I written about not defining people by their mental illness:
So often people who have a mental illness are known as their illness. People say that "she is bipolar" or "he is schizophrenic." When you talk about people with a mental illness, please do not use that phrase.
People who have cancer are not cancer, those with diabetes are not diabetes. People with bipolar disorder are not bipolar – they have an illness called bipolar disorder.
The way we talk about people and their illnesses affects the people themselves and how we treat the illness.
In the case of mental illness there is so much fear, ignorance, and hurtful attitudes that the people who suffer from mental illness needlessly suffer further.
Our society does not provide the resources that are needed to adequately understand and treat mental illness.
All too often, even with the best medical care available, always taking the cocktail of medicines that they are prescribed and doing their best to be healthy and manage their illness - that may not be enough.
Someday cures will be found for mental illness, but until then, we need to support and be compassionate to those living with mental illness, every bit as much as we support those who suffer from cancer, heart disease or any other illness.
That was what I wrote in my daughter Katie’s obituary. She died when she was 29 years old on August 3, 2016, from suicide after an eleven-year struggle with bi-polar disorder.
Our family was very open about Katie’s mental illness and suicide because we wanted our neighbors and parishioners to know what happened so that there would not be any gossip or hushed talk. We had hoped Katie’s obituary would encourage an open and honest conversation in our small town of Scranton, Pennsylvania, about mental illness and suicide.
What actually happened was totally unexpected and amazing. Her obituary went viral. It was covered in the news around the world. Katie’s obituary has been seen by millions of people.
It apparently speaks to what so many people who live with mental illness experience.
I am convinced that God used Katie’s obituary to deliver His message of love. It was just one small thing, but God used Katie’s obituary to help people understand that He is with them in their struggle with mental illness - and He has mercy on those who die by suicide.
One person wrote: "God is using this for a good divine purpose, to educate others to be compassionate... do not be quick to judge because it can happen to you or anyone.”
I closed Katie’s obituary by saying this: Please know that Katie was a sweet, wonderful person that loved life, the people around her - and Jesus Christ.
Pope Saint John Paul II said this about mental illness: “Christ took all human suffering on himself, even mental illness. Yes, even this affliction, which perhaps seems the most absurd and incomprehensible - configures the sick person to Christ and gives him a share in his redeeming passion. Whoever suffers from mental illness "always" bears God's image and likeness”.
The Church is not called to cure mental illness – that is the task of medical science. We are called to be a healing presence to help people find wholeness and peace in the midst of the illness.
The Bible uses the word “Shalom” – which is peace and a right relationship with God. Our call is to help people with a mental illness find a healing presence, to experience God’s Shalom.
That is what the mental health ministry here at St. Thomas of Canterbury offers. The good people in this ministry offer people living with mental health conditions and illnesses, and their families who support them, a place of belonging.
A place where people support each other and pray together so that no one feels alone in their struggle with mental illness. A place to sing together, like we just did in the responsorial psalm, “Be with me Lord when I am in trouble”.
You know, people who live with a mental illness are some of the most courageous and brave people I know. They deserve our respect.
They do not want our pity – they simply want to be welcomed and loved. At times, they carry a cross that is so heavy and hard to fully understand – but Christ understands.
We pray to God, the Lord of Mercies, to comfort and relieve those who are troubled in spirit because of a mental health condition or illness.
Bring them hope. Bring them peace. And bring them the consolation of this loving Church community. Amen