Sharing our Faith
As the season of Advent draws to a close, we look forward to the first coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, “God with us”. It is a time for many of us, to gather as families and friends to join in celebrating God’s great love for us. This is also a very opportune time to share our faith.
Most of the people I visit as a hospital chaplain did not expect to have been admitted to hospital. Having a conversation with your family before an unexpected event results in hospital admission can be a great help to receiving the care you expect and reducing stress for your family.
There is a website advancecareplanningontario.ca put together by Hospice and Palliative Care Ontario which has many excellent resources to help with those conversations. I highly recommend taking the time to go through it. The conversations could include what kinds of care are desired. For example, resuscitation (CPR) can possibly result in broken ribs which, for the elderly can take longer to heal.
Our catechism, paragraph 2278 (emphasis added) says “Discontinuing medical procedures that are burdensome, dangerous, extraordinary, or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be legitimate; it is the refusal of “over-zealous” treatment. Here one does not will to cause death; one’s inability to impede it is merely accepted. The decisions should be made by the patient if he is competent and able or, if not, by those legally entitled to act for the patient, whose reasonable will and legitimate interests must always be respected.”
Having a Substitute Decision Maker (SDM) is automatic, usually family although you may appoint an Attorney for Personal Care. For those with no family or POA, the province of Ontario will appoint a SDM, but since it is impossible to have a conversation with someone who is not appointed until after one is no longer able to make his own decisions, being proactive and having the conversations sooner rather than later. It is also helpful to choose a SDM younger than yourself, because it is certainly possible that by the time they are needed, one’s peers could be unable or unwilling to act on your behalf. It is also important to select and individual or individuals who will accurately represent your faith and what is important to you.
As we celebrate the great feast of Christmas, we celebrate the Word who became flesh and dwelt among us. We are reminded also that each one of us is made in the image and likeness of God. This affects how we live, how we deal with illness, and how we face death. Part of Advent is preparation for the Second Coming, as well as the First (Christmas). May our preparations be guided by the Holy Spirit so that we bear witness to our faith, and share that faith with our families and friends.
May God grant us, each one, a very happy Christmastide!
Fr. Kipling Cooper