Learning
Illness: a Christian reflection
The Reverend Mark Birch, Minor Canon and Precentor
Bible passage
We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labour pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.
Romans 8:22-26
Reflection
If one of our friends told us that she was praying to God to make her ill, we might think she was joking. If she wasn’t joking, we might think she needed counselling.
In the 14th century, in Norwich, a young woman prayed for a physical illness that would take her to the point of death, and her prayer was granted a few years later.
Religious people have always done things that seem strange and extreme, but what is interesting about this young woman was her reason for wanting to be ill. It wasn’t because she hated herself. It wasn’t because she wanted to die. She wanted to be ill because she wanted to understand more about love.
Most of us find illness frightening and we avoid it as much as we can. Hospitals are terrifying places for a lot of people, and we rightly admire those who work in them. But physical or mental illness is a fact of life for many, many people.
Most of us are really bad at being ill. Perhaps I should just speak for myself! It is hard not to close in on yourself when you are in pain. If you are used to being healthy and independent, having to depend on other people can be really difficult.
Illness is the clearest reminder to us that we cannot always be strong. Any of us can become ill. It’s just part of being human. We are, of course, right to do everything we can to find new treatments and cures for disease, but we will never be immune from being weak sometimes (even a lot of the time), physically or mentally.
I once worked in a school for young people with complex physical and learning disabilities. Life was hard for those students, but the way they coped with their weaknesses, and being so dependent on other people (often with great humour and dignity) was inspirational. The longer I worked there, the more I realised that I was a student too. I was learning all kinds of lessons about how to be a proper human being with weaknesses as well as strengths.
Coming back to that young woman from Norwich, I’m still not sure it’s a good idea to pray to be made ill, but she realised that there are things we can learn from being weak. Being a Christian, she was encouraged to think about how Jesus became weak and suffered, in the events we remember in the week leading up to Easter (Holy Week). She was taught that the reason Jesus became weak and suffered was, at the most basic level, because of love – his love for us – and that his love shows us God’s love.
By becoming ill, by becoming weak, that young woman (known as ‘Julian of Norwich’) believed she could get closer to understanding the love of God in Jesus, and went on to write one of the greatest pieces of English spiritual writing; ‘Revelations of Divine Love’.
Illness is never a good thing, but perhaps it is something we can learn from. Perhaps, through weakness, even illness, we can all learn something about love?
Prayer
Watch Thou, o Lord, with those who wake, or watch, or weep tonight, and give Thine angels charge over those who sleep. Tend Thy sick ones, O Lord Christ; rest They weary ones; bless Thy dying ones; soothe Thy suffering ones; pity Thine afflicted ones; shield Thy joyous ones. And all, for Thy love’s sake.
St Augustine
