• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Effie Caldarola
          • John Garvey
          • Father Ed Dougherty, M.M.
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
  • CR Radio
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe

Finding Jesus in the hospital

January 9, 2019
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window

There’s no sign that says, “Jesus,” with an arrow.Or, if there is, we couldn’t find one as we walked the halls of the Johns Hopkins Hospital looking for the statue of Jesus.

Fortunately, my husband remembered where the statue of “The Divine Healer” was, and he guided our sons and me to the large marble statue standing in the hospital.

There He was. Jesus. Standing under the dome with his arms outstretched, welcoming us in. We gazed up at the statue, looking at the wounds in his hands and feet, noticing the flowers and notes left on the base.

“Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest,” read the words carved below him. They are such fitting words for hospital visitors who bring their own worries and fears and questions. Hospitals cannot solve every problem. But they bring healing and hope. Jesus, of course, offers all that—and more.

Our sons found a book of notes and prayers and intentions off to one side. It was full, but they turned to a page with enough space for the names we wanted to include, including the person we had just visited. We don’t know how much time she has left, but we know she’s nearing the end of her journey on this earth.

We had just been to visit her upstairs with our children. I had wondered whether taking them was the right decision, but we had a beautiful visit, full of conversation, laughter, and a few tears. Yet again, our children exceeded my expectations, embracing the encounter with compassion and understanding.

Now we stood gazing up at this statue of Jesus. I had seen it in photos, but never in person. The statue is somehow smaller than I had thought it would be, but also more powerful and impressive.

I found myself thinking of all the ways in which we can encounter Jesus in the people we meet in a hospital—the doctors and nurses, of course, but also in the patients, and in those we love.

The healing Jesus brings isn’t always bestowed on earth. I don’t understand it. But I know that along with asking for healing, we also pray for strength and courage. We ask God to walk on this journey with us.

And He does. This statue shows us a risen Jesus who has conquered death. Death will come to each of us eventually, but the story will not end there.

For now Jesus offers comfort and rest. We might be wishing for more, but maybe for today, that’s what we need the most. He would know.

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

Rita Buettner

Rita Buettner is a wife, working mother and author of the Catholic Review's Open Window blog. She and her husband adopted their two sons from China, and Rita often writes about topics concerning adoption, family and faith.

Rita also writes The Domestic Church, a featured column in the Catholic Review. Her writing has been honored by the Catholic Press Association, the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association and the Associated Church Press.

View all posts from this author

| Recent Commentary |

Life in Christ

Maryknoll pilgrimage to Central America offers glimpse of ‘sacrifice’

7 Lessons I Learned at Disney World

A miracle at a Sunday Mass in Connecticut

Question Corner: How can I contribute to every charity that asks?

| Recent Local News |

Catholic group pushing for inclusive housing in city

Sulpician Father Louis Reitz dies at 93

Sister Regina Marie de l’Eucharistie Loftus dies at 86

Fullerton Passion Walk a ‘deeply moving’ experience

Ellicott City resident named president of Catholic Charities D.C.

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • As pope leaves hospital, he comforts couple, jokes with reporters
  • Hate crimes targeting religions on rise in Canada; crimes against Catholics increase 260 percent
  • Assisted suicide, euthanasia an ‘incredibly slippery slope’ in the West, says CUA panel
  • Arrests made for ‘unruly conduct’ at Virginia university that disrupted pro-life meeting, injured student leader
  • Doctors say pope can be discharged from hospital
  • Pope visits pediatric oncology ward, baptizes infant
  • Movie Review: ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’
  • Catholic group pushing for inclusive housing in city
  • Additional charges filed in Vatican finance trial

Search

Membership

Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2023 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED