A lot of people in Jesus' day thought that he was mad and deluded. Ultimately that led to his rejection, scorning and punishment. Unfortunately even today, people who are deemed to be 'mad' face a similar fate. Often they are shunned by family, friends and co-workers, who are afraid and shocked at the symptoms and sometimes the behaviour that accompanies them. They are then treated in a mental health system that may not always have the resources to deal with the complexity of the problems that the people face.

Nowadays the term used for 'madness' is usually psychosis; a condition that is frightening for the person experiencing it, and sometimes for people observing it. It often involves hearing voices or strange noises that are not coming from people in the room, or having vivid images or 'hallucinations' that are distressing and frightening. This can range from hearing and seeing a dead brother, to hearing a nasty and malevolent voice ordering the person to kill. Unfortunately these symptoms often lead to the person being treated as if they themselves are somehow nasty.

Far from being evil or malevolent, the vast majority of people suffering from mental health problems become the victims of nasty behaviour, rather than the cause of it. It is rare that a person with psychosis commits a crime. Unfortunately it is only when this does occur that many of us hear such terms as 'psychosis' and 'schizophrenia', via an often unsympathetic media. The gospels are full of examples where Jesus reached out to people with illnesses and diseases, who were shunned and regarded as outcasts by their communities. Jesus broke through all the barriers to come to where these people were. He touched people with leprosy, healed people with mental health problems and all manner of illnesses. Jesus’ first and last starting point was love for the person ‘inside’. 

• For all people who are suffering from mental health difficulties, that they would receive treatment that is kind, humane and effective in healing them.

• For their friends, family and co-workers, that they would go beyond their fear of the symptoms of serious mental illness, and continue to love and accept the person experiencing it.

• That Christians everywhere would follow Jesus and reach out to people with mental health problems, showing them love and acceptance and no judgment or condemnation for their condition

• That people with psychosis are listened to and respected, even when their experiences and behaviour appear unusual or sometimes frightening

• That the Church would become better equipped and resourced to give pastoral care to people with serious mental health problems