By Leon Bent
The World Day of the Sick is an awareness day, or observance, in the Catholic Church which was instituted on May 13, 1992 by Pope John Paul II. Beginning in 1993, it is celebrated every year on February 11, the memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes. It is not a liturgical celebration, but it seeks to be for all believers “a special time of prayer and sharing, of offering one’s suffering”.
Pope John Paul II had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease as early as 1991, an illness which was only disclosed later, and it is significant that he decided to create the World Day of the Sick only one year after his diagnosis. The pope had written a great deal on the topic of suffering and believed that it was very much a salvific and redeeming process through Christ, as he indicated in his apostolic letter Salvifici Doloris.
He chose the memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes for the date of the observance because many pilgrims and visitors to Lourdes, France, have been reported to have been healed at the Marian Sanctuary there through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin. The pope also venerated the sanctuary of Harissa, in Lebanon.
In 2005, the World Day of the Sick had a special significance since the ailing pope later died on April 2 of that year. Many people had gathered in St. Peter’s Square in Rome to pray for him as he lay dying. In 2013, Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation on this day, and he gave his declining health as his reason for retiring.
“Jesus’ words, “Come to me, all you who labour and are burdened, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28) point to the mysterious path of grace that is revealed to the simple and gives new strength to those who are weary and tired. These words of Christ express the solidarity of the Son of Man with all those who are hurt and afflicted. How many people suffer in both body and soul! Jesus urges everyone to draw near to him – “Come to me!” – and he promises them comfort and repose. “When Jesus says this, he has before him the people he meets every day on the streets of Galilee: very many simple people, the poor, the sick, sinners, those who are marginalized by the burden of the law and the oppressive social system… These people always followed him to hear his word, a word that gave hope! Jesus’ words always give hope!” (Angelus, 6 July 2014).
“On this XXVIII World Day of the Sick, Jesus repeats these words to the sick, the oppressed, and the poor. Jesus does not make demands of those who endure situations of frailty, suffering and weakness, but offers his mercy and his comforting presence. He looks upon a wounded humanity with eyes that gaze into the heart of each person. That gaze is not one of indifference; rather, it 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” (Pope Francis’ Message for WDS 2020).
“In your experience of illness, you certainly need a place to find rest. 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. In this home, you can meet people who, healed in their frailty by God’s mercy, will help you bear your cross and enable your suffering to give you a new perspective. You will be able to look beyond your illness to a greater horizon of new light and fresh strength for your lives”.
“Life must be welcomed, protected, respected and served from its beginning to its end: both human reason and faith in God, the author of life, require this”.
The joy of generous giving, he wrote, is a barometer of a Christian’s health. It is a treasure that can be enjoyed fully only when it is shared.” “‘Gift’ means more than simply giving presents: it involves the giving of oneself. ‘Gift’ differs from gift-giving because it entails the free gift of self and the desire to build a relationship. It is the acknowledgement of others, which is the basis of society. ‘Gift’ is a reflection of God’s love, which culminates in the incarnation of the Son and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.”
Although it is referred to as a “Day,” the World Day of the Sick is actually comprised of a program lasting several days.
Now, this gold nugget! As we bring Christ’s healing to the infirm, may his grace be a remedy as well for our own spiritual debility. We find our healer in Christ.
Leon Bent is an ex-Seminarian and studied the Liberal Arts and Humanities, and Philosophy, from St. Pius X College, Mumbai. He holds Masters Degree in English Literature and Aesthetics. He has published three Books and have 20 on the anvil. He has two extensively “Researched” Volumes to his name: Hail Full of Grace and Matrimony: The Thousand Faces of Love. He won The Examiner, Silver Pen Award, 2000 for writing on Social Issues, the clincher being a Researched Article on Gypsies in India, published in an issue of the (worldwide circulation) Vidyajyoti Journal of Theological Reflection, New Delhi. On April, 28, 2018, Leon received the Cardinal Ivan Dias Award for a research paper in Mariology.