– Tej Francis
Email: tejfrancis@gmail.com
(Vatican News) “Come to me, all you who labour and are burdened” is the theme of the World Day of the Sick, to be marked on 11 February. In caring for the sick, Pope Francis is encouraging in healthcare workers the human warmth and personalized approach of Christ, the Good Samaritan.
Pope Francis is urging the human warmth and personalized approach of Christ, the Good Samaritan, in healthcare professionals, workers and volunteers.
He makes the call in his message for the 28th World Day of the Sick, which the Vatican released on Friday.
The Catholic Church marks the annual day on 11 February, the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. The theme of this year’s observance is “Come to me, all you who labour and are burdened, and I will give you rest,” taken from Matthew’s Gospel (11:28).
Jesus’ mercy for all
Christ’s words of solidarity, comfort and hope, the Pope explains, is for the very many simple people, the poor, the sick, sinners, those who are marginalized by the burden of the law and the oppressive social system… The mercy and comforting presence of Jesus, he says, embraces people in their entirety, each person in his or her health condition, discarding no one, but rather inviting everyone to share in His life and to experience His tender love.
Warmth and personalized approach
The Pope notes that sometimes human warmth is lacking in our approach to those suffering incurable and chronic diseases, psychological diseases, situations calling for rehabilitation or palliative care, numerous forms of disability, children’s or geriatric diseases… “What is needed is a personalized approach to the sick, not just of curing but also of caring, in view of an integral human healing.”
Church – the “inn” of the Good Samaritan
Those who are sick, the Pope says, attract the eyes and heart of Jesus. He says, “Christ did not give us prescriptions, but through His passion, death and resurrection He frees us from the grip of evil.” In this regard, he says, “The Church desires to become more and more the “inn” of the Good Samaritan who is Christ (cf. Lk 10:34), that is, a home where you can encounter His grace, which finds expression in closeness, acceptance and relief.”
“Yes” to life and human person
In serving the ill, Pope Francis urges healthcare professionals that “the noun ‘person’ takes priority over the adjective ‘sick’. He urges them to “always strive to promote the dignity and life of each person, and reject any compromise in the direction of euthanasia, assisted suicide or suppression of life, even in the case of terminal illness. Let us remember that life is sacred and belongs to God,” he says; “hence it is inviolable and no one can claim the right to dispose of it freely.”
Attacks on healthcare
Pope Francis laments that during wars and violent conflicts, healthcare professionals and facilities are attacked, and in some areas, political authorities attempt to manipulate medical care for their own advantage, thus restricting the medical profession’s legitimate autonomy.
Noting that many across the world have “no access to medical care because they live in poverty”, the Pope urges healthcare institutions and government leaders not to neglect social justice.
The Holy Father concludes his message thanking all healthcare volunteers who serve the sick, often compensating for structural shortcomings, while reflecting the image of Christ, the Good Samaritan, by their acts of tender love and closeness.
Follow
