“One doesn’t ask of one who suffers: “What is your country and what is your religion?” One merely says, “You suffer. This is a enough for me. You belong to me, and I shall help you.” (Louis Pasteur) Pasteur’s words are on a plaque outside of Chicago’s Cook County Hosp. I spent a summer there as a student chaplain visiting many “Skid Row” patients. I prayed with them and heard their stories. I think it helped me become a more caring person. ;-) Jack
FROM FACEBOOK LIZ; and others feign “suffering” for personal gain. be sure you discern the difference... ===JACK: You've worked with people who are suffering. You know what it is. I do, too. This quote is about those people. So what, if some feign it? ===LIZ: when i hear “country” and “religion,” i can’t help but think this is a “subtle” reference to our current immigration/el paso situations. i support immigration thoroughly when it’s done legally. it is those people who are not even free to leave the country of their oppressors whom i pray for... the chinese, for example. ===JACK: It's sad that this quote, spoken in the 19th century, in France, by a famous scientist should be colored by politics in current America. Louis Pasteur did so much in his lifetime to alleviate sickness and suffering. We need to know more about what drove him to do what he did. Read again the quote. I subscribe to that philosophy.===LIZ: you gotta admit the timing is right for my thinking that... i subscribe to it, as well. and i love all dairy products, btw. merci, monsieur pasteur! ===JACK: I know that you are a caring person...and, yes, I knew that choosing this quote might cause some veering off the subject. My mind works that way. I purposely did not mention anything political. It was simply: "How do you deal with suffering?"===LIZ: i know, btw. you have one of the sharpest minds and you are provocateur, in the best sense of the word.===JACK: Thanks for the good words.
FROM HONEST JOHN: That must have been an interesting summer. My guess is that you were already a caring person....this helped bring more out of you.===JACK: ...A life-changing summer for me. I also worked with people living at "the poor farm" and people living at the tuberculosis sanitorium and at the veterans hospital. I was also involved with a Granger Westberg workshop where I was randomly picked from the group to "visit" Dr Westberg as a patient to illustrate how I would approach a patient in the hospital. "Sweaty time!"
FROM SF IN WB: Powerful!===JACK: We need to relearn from the past.
FROM RS IN TEXAS: Good thing there is Lutheran World Relief and other global agencies, since our beloved president has said next year the quota for refugees is zero.===JACK: LWF is an excellent choice for knowing that your gift-dollars are well used to help needy people, regardless...
FROM BLAZING OAKS: It looks like (in your blog) you have done much more than the average person to involve yourself with the suffering: the least, the last and the lost! Following Christ's example of continually mingling with the poor and disenfranchised of society in His day! As the book of James emphasized, when Christians see a need, they do what they can to alleviate that need. Pasteur certainly walked his talk, and is an icon for caring service. Good quote!===JACK: There's a story behind the story. One summer, as a pre-seminary student, I applied to get work to serve some congregation that didn't have a pastor. I was assigned to do City Mission work in Chicago. I went to a professor and said that there must have been a mistake. I wanted to get experience in a congregation. "Go ahead, take this work in Chicago. v It will be good experience." Wise man! Not only did I do hospital calling, but I also set up a store-front Vacation Bible School for neighborhood children (from scratch). I also had plenty of opportunities to preach on Sundays when local pastors were on vacation. The very best summer...ever! It also taught me to trust the call of God.
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