I see God’s love creating and sustaining the two plants on the altar of our Interfaith Chapel. Two plants that have been there for around 12 years; life flowing from their roots through their stems and petals, symbolizing the creative life-giving spirit of God at the center of the universe.

I see God as I cross the 2nd floor bridge from Collamore to the Atrium Building. On a cold cement ledge outside a window. In the raw early days of spring, exposed to the elements, a pigeon has built a nest from twigs and leaves and is sitting on an egg, or two eggs. And, with the warmth and instinctual love of her body, brings to birth new life. And nourishes her young until they can fly. The warmth of love. I see God in such a loving birth in the face of that which is impersonal and even hostile to life.

I see God in the sound of Code Blue. Nurses and doctors and other staff running to a room in an effort to save a patient’s life. Doesn’t matter which patient. Or his or her religion, race, nationality or social class. It is about the preciousness of every patient’s life, and the commitment to revive and sustain his or her life. I see God in “exceptional care without exception” [Boston Medical Center’s motto].

I see God in an intensive care nurse’s desire that a patient who has just died and has no family, not be alone. At that nurse’s request, she and I stood by the patient’s bedside, and I offered prayer—to the God of love who reveals that every human being is precious and to be cared for.

Finally, I hear God in the words of another intensive care nurse. A daughter came to visit her mother. The daughter is diabetic, was unable to eat anything before arriving at the hospital, felt somewhat ill, and asked me if there was a place on the unit where she could make toast for herself. I said I’d go ask her mother’s nurse. When I did, the nurse replied, “I’ll make it for her. What does she want on it?” I was moved by such exceptional caring.

God is love. And the hospital reveals the infiniteness of God’s love. The hospital especially is such a human crossroads of our lives: it reveals our diversity and our connectedness, our individuality and our commonality, our uniqueness and our oneness.

“What does she want on it?” I believe these words especially reveal the loving spirit of the nurses whose lives we remember and honor and celebrate today.

“I’ll make it for her. What does she want on it?”
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Rev. Bill Alberts is hospital chaplain at Boston Medical Center. “What Does She Want on It?” was presented at the November 3, 2007 Massachusetts Memorial Hospital Nurses Alumni Association’s Annual Homecoming Memorial Service, at which members who died during the year are honored. Dr. Alberts is a nationally known writer and a frequent contributor to CounterPunch. In addition, he is convener of the New England Chapter of CPSP. He can be reached at william.alberts@bmc.org.