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First published in Gridiron, the Parish Magazine of St Laurence Church,
Upminster
Am I just lucky?
Towards the end of 2008 Fr
Michael was diagnosed with motor neurone disease. Even for someone who has
spent the best part of his life reflecting on the human condition, Fr Michael
still struggles to make sense of his illness. In a series of articles he
reflects theologically on what it means to be ill.
It
happened again. I had another visit from a representative of the Care Services
whose job was to check that I was still entitled to the level of care I
receive. Inevitably, it involved filling in a form.
We
came to the question, "In what way has your illness affected your mental
state?" I replied that I did not think that suffering from MND had
affected my mental state at all. "Surely," he said, "you must
sometimes get depressed." Again, I answered that I do not. Rosalind, my
wife, chipped in with the observation that we try, and generally succeed, to
remain positive.
He
looked at us for a moment, then said, "I suppose that is so because you
are Christians."
This
prompts a question that I ask myself often. Do I cope well with the horrors of
MND because of my religious faith, or am I just lucky in my personality?
A
few months ago I read an interview with Prof Stephen Hawking (who also suffers
from MND). He is far more disabled and I am, yet he was reported as saying that
he has never felt as content with his life as he feels at present.
Prof
Hawking is not a religious man (although I find some of his scientific writings
border on the 'spiritual'). If he can cope so well mentally without religious
faith, it would seem to imply that personality is more important than religiosity.
He and I are just lucky.
It
is certainly true that I have met many seriously ill Christians who cannot come
to terms with their misfortune. Christian faith does not always save you from
depression and a negative attitude.
Yet
I would want to say (and say it emphatically) that I personally stay positive because of my faith in God. Perhaps I
am lucky in my personality, but it is my Christian faith that makes me what I
am. Certainly, people without faith can cope with illness in an exemplary way.
But a religious faith provides a powerful context for making sense of your
misfortune.
Survey
after survey has shown that (on average) Christians faced with serious illness
cope better, complain less and live longer than those with no faith.
Stephen
Hawking, despite the fact that he sometimes makes me cross by his comments on
religion, is an inspiration to me. Serious illness need not destroy you
mentally, nor prevent you from relishing life.
I
respect those who cope with life's misfortunes despite having no religious
faith. However, for me, as with many believers, I find that God often surprises
me with the gifts of courage, optimism, assurance and humour. It is this faith
that makes me what I am and keeps me positive.
