We Are the Lord's: A Catholic Guide to Difficult End-of-Life Questions by Jeffrey Kirby S.T.L

Author:Jeffrey Kirby S.T.L. [Kirby S.T.L., Jeffrey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: TAN Books
Published: 2019-06-28T05:00:00+00:00

The distinction between the two is essential for our discernment since ordinary care is the summons of the Lord. We are called to abandon all things and to give an obedience of faith to these areas of our end-of-life care. It would be severely regrettable if a person were to have lived their entire life as a faithful Christian but then abandoned the cross and the demands of discipleship at the end of life. In order to prevent this scandal, each of us is obliged to enter into serious discernment, seek counsel, and to do whatever the Lord asks of us.

It’s worth remembering again that we do not determine but merely discern what is morally good. Our discernment is marked by our faith in the Lord Jesus and his Church, which is guided by the Holy Spirit. Our first principle stands and is very much needed in this process. It cannot be negotiable; otherwise, we end up following our own fallen preferences.

It’s natural to ask, in acknowledging our human vocation and our particular vocation, how we can discern what is ordinary or extraordinary. Is it possible that something is obligatory to one person but not to another? Are these terms applied to specific medical procedures or types of treatment?

The distinction between ordinary and extraordinary care can also be seen as a discernment of benefits and burdens. This means our reflection must involve some practical elements, such as the possibility of survival or benefit to one’s person, the degree of possible side effects, the extent of the proposed treatment, our capacity for pain, our responsibilities to other people or society, and our financial means. Within the boundaries set by our first principle, we have to add these other factors into the arena as we decide whether we are obliged to accept treatment or not.

Since our discernment follows our particular vocation, it is possible that a medical procedure or treatment is obligatory for one while optional for another. Following the state of affairs within the boundaries set by our human vocation, we cannot solely identify a specific medical procedure or treatment as ordinary or extraordinary. While the medical community may do so and use the same terms, the Church uses these terms far more holistically and calls for us to consider many areas of our life and not simply the medical invention that is being proposed.

And so our discernment imitates that of the rich young man. We seek to know what the Lord is asking of us and then, like the apostles, to generously respond with trust and confidence in the ways of God. The Lord will never overwhelm us or abandon us. He will only give us what we can carry. But in order to carry what he gives us, we must rely on him and the workings of his grace.

Conclusion

We are the Lord’s. As Christian disciples, we follow what Saint Paul called “the more excellent way of love” and we seek, in all that we do, to draw closer to him.

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