Every February 11, in memory of Our Lady of Lourdes, the Church celebrates the World Day of the Sick, a privileged occasion to turn our gaze towards those who are experiencing the fragility of illness and towards all those who accompany them with tenderness, knowledge and commitment.
In his message for this Day, the Pope invites us to contemplate sickness not only as a time of trial, but also as a place where God becomes close, where compassion becomes concrete and where hope can be reborn even in the midst of pain. It helps us to see that in the Gospel, Jesus changes the question, it is not who is my neighbor? and the answer questions us about the authenticity of our life and our following of Jesus. The experience of sickness – he also reminds us – challenges the entire Christian community: no one can remain on the sidelines when a brother or sister suffers. At the end of his message, he picks up these simple words of his predecessor Pope Francis, with which we identify so much: “the true remedy for the wounds of humanity is a way of life based on fraternal love, which has its roots in the love of God.”
Healing closeness
The Word of God and the example of Jesus show us that the path of care passes through proximity. Like the Good Samaritan, we are called to stop, look, be moved and act. It is not just a matter of extraordinary gestures, but of a faithful presence, capable of listening, supporting and accompanying the processes of pain with respect and love.
In this regard, the Pope underlines the irreplaceable value of those who care: family members, health professionals, pastoral workers and volunteers. In them, an authentic culture of care becomes visible, which recognizes the dignity of every person, especially when weakness seems to muffle the voice and strength.
Illness, a place of hope
Far from a superficial view, the 34th World Day of the Sick helps us to rediscover that illness does not define a person, nor does it exhaust his or her value. Fragility also opens a space for grace, for a hope that does not disappoint and that is sustained by the certainty that God does not abandon his children.
As Daughters of Jesus, we feel called to renew our commitment to be neighbors, to build bridges of humanity where suffering isolates and to be good news for those who bear the burden of illness. Our charism, whose singular note is closeness and familiarity, impels us to care for life, to accompany with compassion and to announce, with simple and faithful gestures, that God’s love continues to work in the midst of pain.
On this Day, we unite our prayer to that of the whole Church, entrusting to the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes the sick, those who care for them and those who, from different places, work every day for a more humane and fraternal care.
Prayer
Lord of Life, on this occasion we come to You with our hearts and minds full of names and stories of sisters and brothers troubled by some illness. They, in the midst of their pain, cry out for your Mercy; we ask for the grace to know how to accompany and love while bearing their pain. You who know pain and suffering, give us the strength of your Spirit, so that imitating the Good Samaritan, we may live the sending of being close to others, always doing good as a profound call for every human being. May Mary, our Mother, in the invocation of the Virgin of Lourdes, the heart of God attentive to the pain and suffering of humanity, take us by the hand and lead us to her Son Jesus, never tiring of consoling, healing and doing good. Amen.
