From: "D.C. Kavouras (by way of Rev. Eric J. Stefanski, )" To: Subject: CLIMB: Sermon To Police Chaplains Date: Friday, November 02, 2001 12:54 PM Preached 7/14/00 in Mobile, AL to Int. Conf. of Police Chaplains. By: Rev. Dean Kavouras, Cleveland, Ohio. Dear friends in Christ, 19 days ago at 11:00, on a warm, peaceful, sunny, Sunday morning - Cleveland police officer Wayne Allan Leon, age 32, was murdered in cold blood while conducting a "routine traffic stop". Though he was dead on scene, Cleveland EMS and fire personnel were able to revive him, only to lose him and revive him again. At Cleveland's Metrohealth Medical Center, a level one trauma facility, I stood at Wayne's feet watching and praying as the most marvelous medical talent on the planet, feverishly worked to connect him to life support systems, in hopes of later finding and repairing the damage. However, the single .45 caliber bullet, discovered later through CT scan to be lodged in the first cervical vertebra, had removed all hope of saving the life of this dearly beloved family man. About 11:45, 3rd district commander Jim Davidson and DC Patrick Stevens went to the family home to inform Mrs. Grace Leon that her husband had been seriously injured. Leaving her small children in the bathtub, in the care of a hastily summoned neighbor, the young wife was rushed to the side of her fallen hero. >From the time Mrs. Leon walked into the ER doors at about 12:15, till 3:00 a.m the next morning I had the sad but blessed privilege of ministering to her, to her family and friends and to Wayne's fellow officers. Because Wayne Leon was the third Cleveland police officer in 3 ½ years to be gunned down in the line of duty this death seemed all the more catastrophic. Now many of you have similar experiences to relate, so I don't pretend to be unique; but I would like to give you a perspective on our work this morning that will both strengthen us and be of benefit to those we serve. This is my third line of duty death in 5 years of chaplain work and I'll tell you in all candor that had I been a chaplain in my younger years, I would not have been able to handle it. This work takes seasoning, it takes perspective and experience; and not every clergyman, even those who are otherwise good at one/one ministry are willing or able to do what we do and to go where we go. But it also takes an abiding confidence that the Word of God, of which every pastor is made a steward (1 Cor 4:1) , is able to heal the hearts of all who have been wounded by sin, death and the devil - even as this un-holy trinity manifests itself in violence against police officers and the tragic victims of crime to whom we minister. Now I told you earlier that I am a pastor in the LC-MS and as such come at this work from a very conservative and traditional background, one in which we believe that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is still the power of God unto salvation for all who believe and that this Gospel will meet all of our deepest needs in life and in death. It's become fashionable in chaplain circles, as in most of Christianity, to surrender the "wheat" of theology and the Word of God, and replace it with the "chaff" of psychology, sociology and any other theory du jour which tickles the pastoral fancy. But I desire to remind you all today that the Holy Scriptures are still the reliable, all-powerful, all-sufficient, life-giving, sin-forgiving, soul-soothing and soul-restoring Word of God; and that we can do no better - for ourselves and for those we serve - than to make rich and proper use of this only agency on the the planet which, in some measure, can ease and restore the hearts of all the Grace Leons of the world. Last year in Philadelphia at an FBI chaplains conference, we learned about something called "compassion fatigue". SA Vince McNally described something which we have all suffered. In an attempt to imitate our Lord - who immersed Himself into our world and into our condition, to willingly suffer what we suffer (and thereby redeem our lost world) - we too desire to identify personally and lovingly with those we aid in the tragedies of their lives. And if you are like I am, we believe that if we can somehow enter into our people's pain and let it wash over us even as it washes over them, that this will somehow lessen their sorrow and heal their wounds. And if by some process of Freudian "transference" we could in deed effect such a reduction in the distress of the Grace Leons of the police world!, we would all do well to give up our sanity and lay down our lives for our friends; we would all do well to say with St. Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. Oh the pain we have all felt not only for people, but also with people! The sleepless nights and intrusive images, the short term memory loss and other symptoms of anxiety - but our angst has helped no one. What I'm saying dear friends is this - if we try to use our chaplain persona as the healing mechanism for the mortal anguish of Grace Leon, we help no one; and I would argue that we even short-change those we try serve because "compassion fatigue" renders us unable to objectively do what needs to be done, which is deliver the comfort of Christ to those in pain; and be the re-assuring presence they need us to be in the crises of their lives. Fellow chaplains - when everyone else is loosing their heads, when sorrow and despair flow mingled down, it is then that we are called upon to be a soothing presence and to inspire confidence with demeanors and voices which echo both solace and hope. In the months and years of darkness that follow the violent loss of a beloved husband and father, we are called to be the steady, consoling voice of God to our L.E. flocks. This does not mean that we are aloof. It does not mean that we are robots. It merely means we recognize, as St. Paul wrote, that the all surpassing power is from God and not from us; that just like an ER Doc, it is our job to skillfully apply the balm of Gilead and to remain in control of our emotions. Now we all know that no matter how professional we are, some of that grief will and must touch us; but if we are not careful, it can also destroy us. St. Paul writes in 2 Cor 4:5 we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. Dear friends, in these few words of St. Paul gives us the formula for successful ministry in chaplaincy work. For here he reminds us of heaven's most perfect gift and earth's highest treasure, Jesus Christ as LORD! Lord of our salvation; Lord of life and of death; Lord of peace and comfort . . . Lord of all! who, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, is still in loving control of each of us and of our destinies. My kindred souls in this divine service, we do not preach ourselves, we do not promote ourselves, we do not offer ourselves or sacrifice ourselves, for you and I as such, are no comfort at all and of no use at all in the crushing burdens of our people's lives. Our only value is not as holy hand-holders, though appropriately we do that sometimes; not as sacred psychologists, though we may use some or other of its principles from time to time; not as post-modern prophets preaching a hazy Gospel of doubt and indifference to Christ and His healing Gospel - but Paul's formula includes two powerful tools, which are never so sturdy as when used together. Those two tools for success in our work are these: 1. Jesus as LORD, and 2. us, the called and ordained servants of Christ, bringing His light and His promises to bear on the sin and death which plague our people, and specifically as this is accomplished by use of the Holy Scriptures. Now we all know that when we arrive on scene of an officer death or some other epic tragedy, that we don't immediately open our prayer books and begin to preach. Though sometimes this is done successfully, normally its not the way we proceed. At this point our prayers are usually silent and our message is in the formative process. Often, when the people on scene know who you are, whether by personal knowledge or by that all-helpful little tool known as the clerical collar - just your very presence there is re-assuring and often, it, along with the firm timber of your voice is able to communicate a comfort which 10,000 modern theories of grief will never supply. But that comfort comes, not because we are men of compassion but because we are messengers of the living God. Our very presence as ministers of Christ, called to serve the souls of men, brings to their minds all the solace and strength they've ever associated with the Christian faith. It demonstrates the love of God to them in a very powerful way before a word is ever spoken. How many times have you arrived on scene, communicated your hushed greetings and simply asked "may I wait with you for a while"; never saying a single word until someone finally breaks the silence and says "chaplain, why did this happen?". And though this is not the time for lengthy theological discourse, it usually becomes the time for simple Christian assurances which contain great power and comfort, for Scripture, especially the Psalms, Romans 8:31ff and the like, and time for prayer, especially the L.P. and other formulations which people have spent a lifetime learning for such a time as this. When Wayne Leon died 19 days ago, there were numerous family members, friends and fellow officers visiting his life-supported bedside throughout the day and into the early morning following. And several times during that day Wayne's family, fellow officers and the CPD command staff asked their chaplain to stop and pray, to stop and seek what comfort we could from bright light of God's precious, book divine. And this brings me to my final point, fellow chaplains, that a thoughtful, reverent and proper use of the Scriptures will begin a healing process in people's souls of which they are totally unaware but which is assured by the mercy and promises of God Almighty. We do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, in control of all things and working out all things for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose, which all of us have been from the moment we were crucified with him and buried with Him; and raised again into newness of life with Him in the waters of Holy Baptism. The Word of God is alive, and it is powerful, sharper than any two edged sword - through God's Holy Spirit, it is able to reach places in the soul, hidden recesses in the joints and the marrow where the wisest wisdom of men is incapable of penetrating. The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit - by it we can perform sacred surgery, implanting in people the lavish love of God as shown in the person and work of His dear Son, who, by His stainless life, His brutal death and His wondrous resurrection has procured life and salvation for all who put their trust in Him. By the Word, which is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our paths, the Good Shepherd, who laid down His life for the sheep, from whose hand we can never be snatched and from whose love we can never be separated, not by life or death, not by trouble or hardship; not by .45 caliber bullets, not by present pain or future fear . . . this very Good Shepherd, via his mighty Word, which cleanses and sanctifies; which calms and comforts all who are oppressed by death, will provide for us . . . and for the people we serve, life and salvation and a lively hope which will never perish, spoil or fade away. And so I urge you today to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest the Holy Scriptures for yourselves - and to use this perfect instrument for the healing of souls, for the divine cure to death and for relief from the anxieties that crowd themselves into your life and into the lives of those whom we are privileged to serve. Amen. Rev. Dean Kavouras Cleveland, Ohio action@multiverse.com Rev. 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