When a Fool Rushes In

Tomorrow morning I will lead the in-person worship service at Trenton United Church and it will be recorded for those at home and elsewhere who want to watch. The events of Rev. Isaac's schedule have resulted in my leading two of the six services since we resumed. 

I was given permission to speak about a topic which is current and from my perspective should be addressed openly. It is Medical Assistance in Dying or MAID, what is sometimes called assisted suicide. It is legal to request MAID in Canada because of legislation passed in 2016. 

Consciously ending one's own life is a profoundly important decision and one fraught with emotion. Some Christian denominations and other faith traditions condemn it as a violation of the gift of life and consider it a sin, even evil.. When the MAID  legislation was introduced  Roman Catholic bishops in Alberta warned that those who chose this way of dying could be denied a Christian funeral, which to my mind is a ghastly and cruel threat to families dealing with grief. So much for compassion. 

There are now proposed amendments to the legislation from four years ago and in the midst of a pandemic we may not be paying close attention. I wrote about this recently and noted that the United Church has responded to the legislation in a way that I can support, for the most part. 

I feel that there can't be a simplistic and rigid response to Medical Assistance in Dying. Neither denial nor threat help. A decade ago I would have told you that I opposed it, largely to protect the vulnerable, including those with disabilities and the elderly. Every life must be valued. While those concerns haven't gone away, and I strongly support providing palliative care for the dying, I realize that there are circumstances when MAID is the compassionate choice, one which respects the wishes of the sufferer.  

I can't claim to be an expert on this subject, so I come to this humbly, and prayerfully. This may be a case of a fool rushing in, but I have endeavoured to become informed, and I'll do my best. I do feel that MAID needs to be addressed honestly and openly, Our faith is embodied in the person of Christ, who died an untimely death and whose resurrection gives us hope. Surely this can help us as we consider what we desire at the end of life. 

You're welcome to join us tomorrow, in whatever format you choose!