A Fourth Church Sermon by Victoria G. Curtiss

May 3, 2009 | 6:30 p.m. Vespers

I Will Deliver

Victoria G. Curtiss
Associate Pastor, Fourth Presbyterian Church

Psalm 91:1–6, 14–16
Matthew 5:1–12

The past week we have been inundated with information about a new disease, first called swine flu and then H1N1 flu. Schools closed; flights to Mexico were canceled; and the use of hand sanitizers increased. Initial fears that this flu could be as deadly as the 1918 pandemic strain lessened as its traits were better understood. By the end of the week, public health officials were advising those with flulike symptoms not to go to the hospital unless they were feeling truly terrible. Doctors were told not to test as much for the virus and to write fewer antiviral drug prescriptions, saving them for those with severe symptoms. As we become better educated about this disease, we can respond with less fear and more appropriate actions.

Increasing education is a significant aspect of the ministry of the Cameroon America AIDS Alliance, which members of Fourth Church support. Many persons in Africa believe that those who are sick with AIDS have been poisoned or cursed through witchcraft. People with AIDS are so shunned that the general population refuses to be tested: people don’t want to know if they have AIDS, because they don’t want others to know. This is a huge obstacle to the prevention and treatment of the disease. The Alliance has launched a major education campaign in Cameroon, led by pastors who are teaching their congregations about the true cause of this disease and how it can be prevented and treated.

A similar campaign is needed in our country around mental illness. Even though medical research has classified brain disorders as “no fault” of those who are affected, misunderstanding persists. Pervasive stigma has resulted, sending those afflicted into isolation, secrecy, and shame. Less than 50 percent of the people who suffer from mental illness seek treatment, in large part due to stigma. In addition, insurance companies often do not provide adequate coverage for treatment, and recovery programs and resources are far too few and can be difficult to access.

The church can make a significant difference. The marks of an authentic, faithful Christian community are described in the Beatitudes. Each beatitude begins in the present tense: “Blessed are . . .” Blessed are the merciful, those who show kindness and forgiveness to others. Blessed are the meek and poor in spirit, those who know they need God. Blessed are those who mourn, lamenting the ways our world falls short of God’s vision. Blessed are the peacemakers and those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, those who strive for justice, especially for the outcasts. Blessed are the pure in heart, who claim their identity as beloved children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, who go against the grain in order to be faithful to God. These describe people of faith.

The Beatitudes are also Good News for those who are affected by mental illness. Jesus blesses the poor: incomes of the mentally ill are substantially below others. Jesus blesses the hungry: mental illness not only often brings physical poverty but also a spiritual hunger for connection to God and others. Jesus blesses the merciful: many courageous and unsung heroes care for those with brain disorders. Jesus blesses those who mourn: many grieve the loss of loved ones who’ve committed suicide or who have not fully recovered. Jesus blesses those who hunger for righteousness: advocates work for better resources for treatment and rehabilitation. Jesus blesses the persecuted: many who suffer are shunned because of social stigma. Blessed are they, Jesus says. Blessed are they.

Each beatitude also moves to the future tense: “Blessed are those who . . . for they will . . .” This points to the direction God is working, the promise of things to come. God is shaping a new creation. The kingdom of heaven on earth will prevail. We recognize God in our midst when comfort comes, when the hungry are filled, when the excluded are included, and when the rejected are rewarded. Things will change, Jesus promised. This is the promise we find in Psalm 91 as well: God will deliver. God will rescue us and honor us. Our God is a God who brings healing, hope, mercy, and protection.

The church needs to set the record straight. If you are afflicted with mental illness, it is not a sign that God has abandoned you, nor that you need to get on God’s good side to be well. It is not sinfulness nor demon possession nor lack of willpower nor a character deficiency that leads to mental illness but rather biological, neurochemical factors. No one should believe that if they just had enough faith they could stop taking medication or if they just prayed harder they would snap out of it.

The church needs to reassure people that even when they don’t sense it, God is present with us. In a documentary film called Shadow Voices, several persons described their road to recovery from mental illness. Their faith in God was very important, as well as medication, a good recovery program, and the love of others who believed in them. One said, “It’s important to have faith, to find hope, and to know you are a child of God.”

Cathy Smith, a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis, is challenged by bipolar and post-traumatic stress disorders. She said,

My attitude toward letting others, especially those at church, know of my struggles changed during an intense time of turmoil. I have come to a place of comfort where I believe that we are all made in the image of God, and part of our purpose in this life is to walk alongside one another, especially those who are hurting or marginalized. By sharing my struggle and challenges with others, I am allowing God to enter into our relationship and the grace of God becomes evident in all of our lives.

Some members of Fourth Church, including those leading in worship today, are witnessing to God’s grace through the Mental Health Ministry. One member told me that her experience with a son who has mental illness “is difficult, heartbreaking, mind boggling, and gut wrenching. “ She and others are reaching out to support families as they adjust their expectations of loved ones who are ill and as they face the challenges of gaining access to treatment programs. They provide education about how hard it is for those with mental illness to cope with daily life and to make decisions and how much compassion is needed for those afflicted, who often are burdened with low self-esteem, as if they have a black hole inside, haunted by the question “Can I really do this?”

In yesterday’s Tribune there wasan article about Debra Lynn Gindorf, a mother who was finally released after being imprisoned for twenty-four years for killing her two infant children while she suffered from postpartum depression. The fact that she was put in prison shows how misunderstood and ignored postpartum depression was at that time—and still is. Many persons suffering from mental illness are behind bars: 300,000 to 400,000 are in prisons, and double that number are on probation. There are more persons with mental illness in the Los Angeles County Jail than in any hospital. Some are there simply for trespassing. Prison guards usually don’t know these persons are mentally ill or how to respond helpfully to them.

Debra Gindorf was fortunate to have strong advocates who understood that she had suffered from postpartum depression. One of her advocates was Carol Blocker, whose own daughter jumped to her death three months after giving birth to a daughter. Carol said, “There is no way that a new mommy would go through labor and want to kill herself and her babies unless it was a terrible illness.”

Kathleen Hamill, an assistant appellate defender who has spent much of her career fighting for Gindorf, said about Gindorf’s release, “It’s a victory for the human spirit. This is mercy and forgiveness. This is New Testament values in action. My whole feeling about humanity has skyrocketed.”

“New Testament values in action”: what a witness the church can make. You don’t need a degree to be an ally with those affected by mental illness. We can be supportive in ways that are similar to how we care for persons with other diseases: with prayer and encouragement, cards and phone calls, visits in the hospital, caring and listening, sharing meals, helping with tasks around the house, and assistance in getting professional help.

Dr. Gunnar Christiansen, whose son has mental illness, didn’t know where his son was for about fifteen years. During that time his son was eating out of garbage cans. Dr. Christiansen urges that when you see someone in that situation, ask if he or she has family and if you could contact them. He also believes that “the potential role that the faith community could play in giving hope and help to those affected by mental illness is more than significant; it is phenomenal. How wonderful it would be if congregations had welcome environments in which those with mental illness were understood, loved, and given the opportunity to love in return.” How powerful it would be if the 70 percent of Americans who are part of a faith community would advocate for the rehabilitation services that are needed in our country. “How marvelous it would be,” says Dr. Christiansen, “to have stigma erased in the minds of such a large segment of our population.”

Biochemical illnesses of the brain may be characterized by disturbed and sometimes bizarre thinking and behavior. Nevertheless, inside each of these individuals is a person asking for acceptance. They want to be regarded and treated in the same manner as persons with a kidney or heart disorder. No illness should encapsulate all of who anyone is or can be. Everyone has dreams—to belong, to be able to provide for our families, to use our gifts and do something useful. People can and do recover from mental illness. God calls the church to help that happen.

God will deliver. God answers when we call and is with us in times of trouble. God rescues and honors all of God’s people. Blessed are we.