Pope Francis greets
the pilgrims gathered in St Peter's Square for the Mass (VATICAN MEDIA
Divisione Foto)
Pope: 'The sickbed can become a holy place'
In his homily for the Jubilee of the Sick and Healthcare
Workers, Pope Francis says that "The sickbed can become a holy place,
where charity burns away indifference and gratitude nourishes hope.”
By Francesca Merlo
In his homily for the Jubilee of the Sick and Healthcare
Workers, taking place on the 5th and 6th of April, Pope Francis drew
inspiration from the prophet Isaiah.
In his sermon, which was read aloud by Archbishop Rino
Fisichella, Pope Francis invited the faithful to contemplate the situation
of the Israelites in exile: “it seemed that all was lost”, the Pope said.
However, he continued, it was precisely in their moment of trial that a new
nation was bring born.
Pope Francis compared this experience to the woman in the
day's Gospel reading, who had been condemned and ostracised for her sins. Her
accusers, ready to cast the first stone, were halted by the quiet authority of
Jesus who told her “Go your way. You are free. You are saved”.
In comparing the stories, Pope Francis says that God does
not wait for our lives to be perfect before he intervenes in them. Rather, said
the Pope, “He enters into our wounds. He knocks at our door, not despite our
suffering, but because of it”.
Mass for the Jubilee
of the Sick and Healthcare Workers (Vatican Media)
Illness and care
Turning then to those who are ill and to all those who
assist them, the Pope acknowledged the deep suffering that illnesses can bring.
“It can make us feel like the people in exile… or like the woman in the
Gospel,” he said. But, he continued, it can also be a place of encounter, a
“school” in which we learn to love and be loved with humility and grace.
Pope Francis then reflected on his own illness, and
consequent dependence on others, describing it not as a burden but as a lesson
in trust, gratitude and hope. “Let us not push back”, he said, adding: “Let us
allow ourselves to be loved”.
Pope Francis then turned to the healthcare professionals,
thanking them for their work and encouraging them to receive every patient as
an opportunity to renew their sense of humanity. “The sickbed can become
a holy place,” he said, “where charity burns away indifference and gratitude
nourishes hope.”
Call to compassion
Bringing his address to a close, Pope Francis recalled the
words of his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI, who reminded the Church that “the
true measure of humanity is determined in relation to suffering”. A society
that turns its back on the weak, he warned, becomes cruel and inhuman.
Finally, Pope Francis urged all those present to resist the
temptation to marginalise and forget those who are elderly, ill, or weighed
down by the hardships of life. “Let us not banish suffering from our
surroundings,” he said. “Let us not exclude those who are frail.” Instead, we
must allow God’s love - poured into our hearts - to transform even suffering
into a space of communion and growth.
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét