The Art of Accompaniment Book | Page 66

56 The Art of Accompaniment Fearless Healer Paramount to a fruitful apostolate of accompaniment is the mentor's love, acceptance, and welcome of the one they accompany. Regardless of the challenging or uncertain circumstances in which the one accompanied finds themself, a mentor is fearless by being unafraid to encounter them in these contexts despite messiness, confusion, or chaos in their life. A mentor who offers this presence to the one they accompany heals through providing a space in which they are met where they are on the Christian journey. In this sense, the mentor is not responsible for healing the one accompanied themself, but is responsible for fostering healing conditions in the accom- panying relationship. These conditions provide the one accompanied a solid foundation on which to begin their active seeking of the Lord. A healing space is not only one that welcomes and respects circumstances of those ac- companied, but is also where truth is freely welcomed; to provide a space of healing, the mentor is also unafraid to challenge the one accompanied with pastoral and fraternal correction. To be a fearless healer, the mentor must accept the responsibility to foster a relationship in which Christ can be eas- ily found both in a welcoming and loving hospitality and in the awareness and movement towards the truth. On the road to Emmaus (Luke 24), Jesus demonstrates creating a space of fearless healing. Jesus first provides a space in which the disciples can freely express their fears and questions. In walking alongside the disciples in the midst of their disillusionment, Jesus models a way of ministry that is human: embodied, relational, and derived from experience. This moment of compassion, charity, and listening allows for the disciples to trust Jesus, know and believe in his investment in them, and open their hearts to his teaching. Because he chooses to accept the frame of reference in which the disciples find themselves instead of admonishing or correcting them im- mediately, Jesus forms the disciples for their mission by creating a space for healing in his relationship with them. Concretely, a mentor becomes a fearless healer in cultivating their own willingness to walk with the one they accompany in complex or difficult life situations, practicing a pastoral attitude concerning items of a sensitive or difficult nature, holding space for both non-judgment and fraternal cor- rection when appropriate, becoming knowledgeable about outside resources