I looked at the young man sitting opposite me, and it was obvious that he was in a great deal of emotional pain. In my mind, I saw a knife, so I asked him whether he had brought a knife with him to the church. He replied that they were, in fact, scissors. I must admit that it made me feel vulnerable and uneasy. He was extremely volatile, but the fact that his backpack was some distance away by the church entrance gave me a measure of reassurance.
I knew that this session would be difficult. Exorcisms are never easy and carry many risks, but my focus goes beyond anxiety or fear. I want to see the patient restored to a dignified, healthy state. The young man in question was homeless and had been sleeping rough for some time. He was plagued by various issues which, taken together, suggested that he was under an external disturbance and was struggling hard not to lose his sanity.
As soon as I began the process, there was a visible change in him. He became restless and angry, and at one point, he lurched forward towards me but stopped short of attacking. I remained still and showed no reaction. He then began crying and apologised, saying that he had to restrain himself from attacking me and from spitting at me. He was genuinely embarrassed. I calmed him and assured him that I was not angry with him. He knelt on the floor in front of me, took my hand, kissed it, and sobbed even more. It took some time, but by the end of the session, he was in a much better state and left the church looking like a different person.
That day, I learned a valuable lesson about not judging others and about appreciating what I have. Everyone has their cross to bear.
