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ABSTRACT
Time is not sequential only. This essay considers the simultaneousness of times as we experience it in the Eucharist, the re-enacting of the past and the anticipation of our future wholeness in the celebration of the present moment. It shows that this simultaneousness can be linked to the way in which people with dementia relate to time. When people with dementia get mixed up about time this is a symptom of a serious disease. But there may be other aspects to it. Their re-enacting the past may be valid behaviour. Their low future orientation may make it possible to value the present more. Losing cognitive memory does not mean that there is no memory at all. Involuntary memory or implicit memory is still available even after cognitive recall goes. This paper postulates that this is a memory which points to God’s grace and shows that people with dementia can help us to see the Eucharist from a different perspective. They remind us of our own fragility and dependence on grace and make us aware that Eucharistic remembrance is involuntary, too. If we are willing to learn from them we may approach and celebrate the Eucharist in a less cognitive way
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
Notes
1. It is estimated that a new case arises somewhere in the world every 3 seconds (Alzheimer’s Disease International, Citation2021).
2. See Eph 1:10. “Fulfilment of the times” is a literal translation from the Greek. The NRSV translates verses 9–10: “[H]e has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”.
3. The American philosopher and psychotherapist Eugene Gendlin made use of this body knowledge and self-awareness in clients when he developed his Focusing Therapy (Lincoln, Citation2007, p. 18).
4. All Bible references are taken from the NRSV unless stated otherwise.
5. Mt 26:17, Mk 14:12, and Lk 22:7.
6. See e.g. Heb 13:8.
7. A reference to the Eucharist made by the Second Vatican Council (McGrath, Citation2017, p. 394). Aquinas called it a signum prognosticum (Lane, Citation1996, p. 471).
8. “Darum loben die Engel deine Herrlichkeit … mit ihnen vereinen auch wir unsere Stimmen und bekennen ohne Ende: Heilig, heilig, heilig … ” (Evangelisches Gottesdienstbuch, Citation2020, p. 719).
9. Other causes of dementia are e.g. alcohol abuse, stroke, or other vascular diseases.
10. This incident was passed on to me in conversation by Mathias Wirtz, deputy chairman of the Alzheimer-Gesellschaft Brandenburg. It occurred in a care home within a team of carers he was responsible for. He says that care for people with dementia is for the most part being creative in finding new ways of getting through to them.
11. It has been described as a “theological disease” by David Keck (Schweizer, Citationn.d., p. 148).
12. Petra Behringer, a church member who has done voluntary work with people with dementia in a care home has observed that there are patients who can yield control and are able to enjoy life as it is and trust those who care for them. As the intellect diminishes they increasingly see with the eyes of the heart and are able to discern who is trustworthy in a non-cognitive way.
13. Katie Tupling and Anna de Lange remind us that “[w]e are all one stumble away from becoming disabled”. (Tupling & de Lange, Citation2018, p. 3).
14. Tom Kitwood first advocated person-centred care for people with dementia. He postulated that as long as there is relationship and encounter personhood remains. This includes helping people with dementia to remember or by remembering for them ensuring that their history is not lost (Schweizer, Citationn.d., p. 151).
15. Naomi Feil’s Validation Method works with this premise: There is a reason for people with dementia to re-enact the past, e.g. unfinished business (“Validation Method”, Citation2021). The term validation method implies that the experience of the person with dementia is a valid experience and should not be ignored or fought.
16. “Memory, the place for the gathering of scattered time, tells us more than anything else about the meaning of resurrection” (Worthen, Citation1999, p. 519).
17. “My times are in your hand” (Ps 31:15).
18. Judith Snow who lived with spinal muscular atrophy said that being with a person who is slow due to disability could ground and relax you just as much as going to an expensive spa (Swinton, Citation2017, p. 72).
19. Christina Puchalski lists 3 necessary steps for this “Ministry of Presence”: to decide to be fully present, to recognize the dignity of a person apart from her cognitive functioning, and to let go of preconceived notions as to what makes sense in conversation and rather be guided by intuition. (Puchalski, Citation2010, pp. 44–45).
20. Pastor Tim van Iersel relates how he was approached by a middle-aged woman during communion with a peppermint in her hand: “Please give this to my mother, she will not take the bread.” This took him by surprise but after a moment’s hesitation he gave the mint to her mother with the words: “This is my body” (Iersel, Citation2020, p. 71).
21. Theologian Paul Tillich said that “only if we take care of the unconscious layers of our existence our whole being will be touched, shaken, and turned.” If faith is intellectual only our unconscious will be bent and distorted (Ihsen, Citation2021).