Psychology and Sacrament

During CPE this Summer, I have been learning how chaplaincy in a non-sectarian institution (A.I. Nemours Children's Hospital in Wilmington, DE in this case) functions as an expression of common grace--the grace that is a sacramental extension of God's soteriological grace, but not intentionally aimed at preaching the Gospel directly. As I explained it to friend, common grace is like the perfume still filling the ballroom just after the duchess has departed--causing one to wonder, "Where did she go? I must have just missed her."

Of course, not everyone will want to follow after her, and some may despise her perfume, but she is the hostess of the feast we attend. In the same way, not everyone is receptive of the good gifts God gives to all of us, but he (and we as his Church) avails them anyway. So my intent in CPE is to help families and patients find a degree of emotional and spiritual wholeness during a time that is often difficult to have much of either. Some people embrace the gift of a caring ear to help them find solace. Some cannot or will not accept the opportunity pastoral/spiritual care providers offer. Sometimes, as chaplains, we fail to make the offer clear, accessible, or impose our own difficulties as unconscious barriers to what God wants to offer through us.

Psychological wholeness is a gift from God. And the means to that kind of grace is most usually through the chaplain listening--not giving advice, pontificating, or attempting measure up a broken soul to an external standard of emotional health and urging them to reach it by sheer force of will. Thus, the time spent simply being present, sharing in the story told by the client, and reflecting back that story to them is often the most important sacred act we can give. Sure there is a time for prayer, for searching Scripture, for responding to the client's invitation for input. But trust is the foundation earned to offer those additional gifts as the Holy Spirit directs. And trust is built when you can show you listen and make a real attempt to understand the reality of the client's situation.

So psychology is a sacrament of common grace that can help us become better pastors to the flock of God, better missionaries reaching out to broken people, even better evangelists--who know how to listen as much as we know how to talk.