Oxygen Tank

Oxygen Tank

I spent eight years in seminary preparing for public ministry. That training included Latin, philosophy, theology, hermeneutics, scripture, rubrics, canon law and some subjects I can't remember anymore. I received a classical education that was long on academics but short on practical pastoral training.

In my last year, I did have one quarter of clinical pastoral education. This was a “hands on” hospital chaplain-training program. Our instructor, a certified chaplain instructed our class in hospital ministry. Little did I know that this training was to be a big part of my early years as a pastor?

One of my first parish assignments included chaplain at two major hospital and a dozen nursing homes. I shared these responsibilities with two others. It was not uncommon to be woken up in the middle of the night to answer an emergency call. It was challenging work with lots of on the job training.

One such emergency call I remember well to this day. I was to report to report to the surgery unit to anoint a patient who was having serious surgery. Never having been in an operating room, I was told to suit up in surgical garb and follow the nurse into the operating theatre. Standing next to the anesthesiologist, I was asked to anoint the patient with oil and pray.

With all that was going on, I wasn't paying close attention to what I was doing. I quickly anointed the sick person, said a prayer and started to leave. I was just about out of the room when a nurse said, “Father, I think you made a mistake.” Bewildered, I turned around and saw a large greasy cross on the oxygen tank. I had anointed the tank not the patient. Totally embarrassed I wiped off the oxygen tank and anointed and prayed for the patient.

Even though I got it wrong that time, it was a learning experience. That story flashes through my mind every time someone asks me to anoint with oil and pray. The words of the Bible are true: “Is anyone sick? He should call for the elders of the church and they should pray over him and pour a little oil upon him, calling on the Lord to heal him.”