The power of love and care

In 1992, the Holy Father John Paul II designated February 11 as World Day of the Sick. He said that this day shall be “a special time of prayer and sharing, of offering one’s suffering for the good of the Church, and of reminding us to see in our sick brother and sister the face of Christ, who, by suffering, dying and rising, achieved the salvation of mankind.” (Letter instituting the World Day of the Sick, 13 May 1992, 3).

To realize and respond to the Holy Father’s call, in 2001, we started observing the said celebration in our parish. We looked for the sick and aged parishioners, visited them, brought the holy viaticum at their beds, heard their confessions and invited them for the celebration of the Holy Eucharist in the parish church.

Last year, February 11, we had around 150 aged persons who came to the parish church. We celebrated the Holy Mass, administer to them the sacrament of anointing of the sick, provided medical assistance, said to them a blessing, and invited them for a common meal.

Such celebration primarily aims at helping the sick and elderly face their situation in life. Pope Benedict XVI in his message for the 15th World Day of the Sick this year said, “Sickness brings with it a moment of crisis and sober confrontation with one’s own personal situation.” It may be difficult indeed for the aged and sick to endure life. But being sick is not just a burden to bear but an opportunity to offer our sufferings to Jesus. It can become a blessing. Addressing the sick, the Holy Father continues, “I encourage you to contemplate the sufferings of Christ crucified… Trust that your sufferings, united to those of Christ, will prove fruitful for the needs of the Church and the world. I ask the Lord to strengthen your faith in his love, especially in moments of suffering.”

This celebration is also a fitting opportunity in this month of love for the children and the young to express their love and service for the sick and the aged, not only to their own sick loved ones but to their neighbor in the parish as well. When this is done, a new seed of change is planted.

Finally, this makes us realize the inter-dependence of the children and the aged. While the children or the young give joy to the aged, the aged guide and inspire the young.

James Aury rightly puts it, “The power of love and caring can change the world.”