The Power of Presence

Composed by: Br. Dominic

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us... (all kneel)

What a testament of love! The very thought of God being made man for the sake of being with and among his people, to me speaks volumes on the level of intimacy God wants us to experience through Jesus Christ.

God in the form of Jesus was able to see how we see, feel how we feel, and live life as to experience humanity. 

On the same note, something I've been reflecting on is seeing the hospital not through the eyes of a worker but through the eyes of a patient. Perhaps if I take on this new perspective I can gain some insight as to how I can approach and communicate with my patients on a deeper and more personal level. I want to be able to feel how they feel and be like minded. To experience empathy. Looking back to nursing school, I remember being taught the importance of empathy. 

One of the biggest obstacles in making these connections is the pressure in the workplace for us to be more efficient, task oriented, high performance/yield workers. We live in a society that encourages and praises the ability to multi-task but I find myself believing the contrary. At this rate, we run the risk of becoming more like robots and less like people, at the cost of losing our ability to make these connections. There's an immeasurable value to how we connect with others. 

Despite these obstacles, I am reminded of the importance of communication and attentiveness, not only in the context of work but in all my relationships. There is power and value in giving someone your presence.  

In the end, we cannot lose sight of the importance and the sanctity of the human person. When we look at the person, we can begin to see Jesus Christ, in the context of His sacrifice. We can begin to see how we are connected with Him in His suffering, death and resurrection.