Speaking at the White House following his confirmation and swearing-in as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. struck a powerful and poignant note as he looked both back and then ahead to his tenure at the agency.
“For 20 years, I’ve gotten up every morning on my knees and prayed that God would put me in a position where I can end the childhood chronic disease epidemic in this country,” Kennedy said.
The new secretary of HHS was referencing a turning point in his life, a spiritual transformation where he tackled various addictions threatening to spiral out-of-control.
Previously describing these eye-opening events in his life at a “Socrates in the City” event hosted by Eric Metaxas, RFK, Jr. said he “had to change at a deep, fundamental way [and] … I knew that was going to require a spiritual awakening.”
But he added, “After you have a spiritual awakening — you can’t live off the laurels of the spiritual awakening. You have to renew it every day. … You have to renew it by staying in that posture of surrender.”
At times, that “posture” has placed. Kennedy at odds with prevailing wisdom and societal norms. During the campaign, he pledged to “Make America Healthy Again” by examining and evaluating the safety of our food supply and even challenging those who believe pharmaceuticals should serve as our first line of defense against disease.
But talking with Fox News’ Laura Ingraham after Thursday’s events, RFK, Jr. suggested that food and exercise are only part of the problem and solution.
“We’re not just in a health crisis, but we’re in a spiritual crisis. And those things are connected. We have a whole generation of kids that feel alienated, dispossessed. They are in an existential crisis, and not only because of their health. There’s a purposelessness in their lives, and sense of uselessness and ineffectiveness.”
Kennedy’s concerns and observations are confirmed by the devastating data surrounding mental health in America.
Over 36% of young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 and nearly 30% of those between ages 26 and 49 report having some form of mental illness. Rates of depression and suicide have skyrocketed across the nation.
It would be an easy fix if all that were needed would be a better diet with fewer chemicals, preservatives and food dyes. If only the listlessness could be solved by drinking more water and exercising on a daily basis.
To be sure, our physical health has a significant impact on our emotional and spiritual wellness or lack thereof. Speaking from the Oval Office, Kennedy made an insightful observation when he said, “A healthy person has 1,000 dreams. A sick person only has one.”
But by delving into the spiritual, Kennedy is drilling down to a foundational truth. Our spiritual disciplines are critical to enjoying a happy, fulfilling, and meaningful existence.
Classic Christian disciplines include prayer, Bible reading, study, personal and corporate worship, fellowship, giving back and serving others.
It was the apostle Paul who warned, “Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness, for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Tim. 4:7).
Recognizing that we weren’t built for this world but rather for the next is a truth that helps us endure and manage whatever challenges that come our way.
To be sure, Kennedy holds some personal positions that do not square with the beliefs of many evangelical Christians. He has pledged to carry out the pro-life policies of the Trump Administration yet has previously expressed support for abortion. It’s not entirely clear where he lands on some other theological questions
America is in a spiritual crisis because so few people are believing and accepting the liberating truth and peace that comes with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Kennedy seems to recognize that no political, economic or even health related solution will cure our spiritual woes. He is right.
Image from Getty.
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