Pope Francis blesses the sick following Mass in Fatima
(Vatican Radio) At the conclusion of the Mass in Fatima,
after a period of Adoration of the Most Holy Sacrament, Pope Francis gave a
special blessing to the sick, who had come to the Shrine to pray to Our Lady.
Following the blessing, the Holy Father greeted the sick,
reminding them that “whenever we experience a cross,” Jesus “has already been
there ahead of us.” He continued, “In His passion, He took upon Himself all our
suffering. Jesus knows the meaning of sorrow and pain. He
understands us, He comforts us and He gives us strength, as He did to Saint
Francisco Marto and Saint Jacinta, and to the saints of every time and place.”
Pope Francis called on those suffering from illnesses to
live their lives as a gift: “Like the shepherd children, tell Our Lady that you
want to offer yourselves to God with all your heart.”
Below, please find the full text of Pope Francis’
remarks:
Greeting of His Holiness Pope Francis to the Sick
Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima
Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima
13 May 2017
Dear brothers and sisters who are sick,
As I said in the homily, the Lord always goes before
us. Whenever we experience a cross, he has already been there ahead of
us. In his passion, he took upon himself all our suffering. Jesus
knows the meaning of sorrow and pain. He understands us, he comforts us
and he gives us strength, as he did to Saint Francisco Marto and Saint Jacinta,
and to the saints of every time and place. I think of the Apostle Peter,
in chains in the prison of Jerusalem, as the whole Church prayed for him.
The Lord comforted Peter. That is the Church’s ministry: the Church asks
the Lord to comfort the afflicted like yourselves, and he comforts you, even in
ways you cannot see. He comforts you in the depths of your hearts and he
comforts you with the gift of strength.
Dear pilgrims, we have before us Jesus hidden yet present in
the Eucharist, just as we have Jesus hidden yet present in the wounds of our
brothers and sisters who are sick and suffering. On the altar, we worship
the flesh of Jesus; in these our brothers and sisters, we encounter the wounds
of Jesus. The Christian adores Jesus, the Christian seeks Jesus, the
Christian can recognize the wounds of Jesus. Today the Virgin Mary asks
all of us the same question that, a hundred years ago, she asked the shepherd
children: “Do you want to offer yourselves to God?” Their answer - “Yes,
we do!” – makes us able to understand and imitate their lives. They lived
life, with its share of joy and suffering, as an offering to the Lord.
I invite those of you who are sick to live your lives as a
gift. Like the shepherd children, tell Our Lady that you want to offer
yourselves to God with all your heart. Don’t think of yourselves simply
as the recipients of charitable solidarity, but feel that you share fully in
the Church’s life and mission. Your silent presence, which is more
eloquent than a flood of words, your prayers, the daily offering of your
sufferings in union with those of Jesus crucified for the salvation of the
world, the patient and even joyful acceptance of your condition – all these are
a spiritual resource, an asset to every Christian community. Do not be
ashamed of being a precious treasure of the Church.
Jesus will pass close to you in the Blessed Sacrament as a
sign of his closeness and love for you. Entrust to him your sorrows, your
sufferings, all your weariness. Count on the prayer of the Church, which
from every corner of the world rises up to heaven for you and with you.
God is our Father, and he will never forget you.
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