I was sitting in Mass last night and I felt very strongly that I should ask all of you to pray for a friend of mine. He has been going to the hospital daily for treatment for a genetic and possibly fatal disease. He can only receive this specific treatment at this specific hospital because his doctor there actually pioneered this program. The medicine, technology, and therapy are exclusive to that hospital, and —praise God — it’s been working! It’s been curing him!
The problem is he had a few “run-ins” with several other doctors there that were on call and making rounds. To be honest, they were pretty negligent in their care. Actually, more than negligent. Patients were harmed. Anyway, the doctors have been let go but my friend said he’s done with that hospital. He’s leaving. He’s unsure at this point if he’s going to just quit treatment or if he will transfer to another facility. Either way, though, another facility, even a great one, won’t have THIS specific treatment.
I feel so bad for my friend. I totally understand his frustration, but I also want him to continue making progress. Please pray for him that he makes the right decision.
Before you do that, though, you should know that my friend wasn’t going to a traditional hospital with a typical doctor. He was attending the hospital of the Catholic Church daily for a potentially fatal condition known as “concupiscence” (a strong tendency toward sin) that he inherited from Adam and Eve. The treatment he has been utilizing was the sacraments. His medicine was the Eucharist and his therapy was Confession.
His divine Physician (and great High Priest) is Jesus Christ who pioneered this program more than 2,000 years ago… but, unfortunately, other doctors (other priests) making rounds in His Name have been gravely negligent with those in their care. More than negligent. Patients were harmed. Many of them.
Some “hospital” administration wrongly tried to cover it up. But their actions have been exposed now, and those “doctors” are being dealt with and let go, as are some administration. Because of this, new screenings, protocols, and security measures have been (and are being) put in place. The hospital of the Catholic Church is being cleansed and undergoing a major transformation. And someday it will be better than ever.
So, I am praying that all my friends who said they are “done with the Church” will have the grace of patience to withstand the cleansing… so that they can continue to benefit from the medicine for their souls. Yes, Jesus is present in other churches (the Divine Physician does work in every Christian facility across the globe), but you won’t find the sacraments anywhere else. The Eucharist and the sacrament of Reconciliation are the exclusive treatment available only here. And they’ve been of great benefit for my friend and many others now considering leaving.
So, now that you know the whole story, and if you still feel led, please pray with me for my friend and all those contemplating leaving the Catholic Church during this time of cleansing.
“Therefore, since we have a great High Priest who has ascended into Heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet HE DID NOT SIN. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16)