The Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes is celebrated on the 11th of February. This is day is also known as the World Day of the Sick. Saint John Paul II inaugurated this day, and since 1993 each year this day is set aside in a special way as a day of prayer for the sick and the suffering, and our ministry and service in caring for them through our medical profession and loving service.
This year for the 29th World Day of the Sick, Pope Francis has taken the theme, “You have but one teacher and you are all brothers” (Mt.23:8) – calling for “a trust-based relationship in our care for the sick”.
The Pope reminds us that “sickness always has more than one face: it has the face of all the sick, but also those who feel ignored, excluded and prey to social injustices that deny their fundamental rights” (cf. Fratelli Tutti, 22). In this great list we also acknowledge those who suffer silently, not having anyone to share their pain. Illness, whatever form it takes reminds us of our human vulnerability and it is in this place of our utter vulnerability God meets us with the invitation to “come to him”.
Pope Francis says that “A society is all the more human to the degree that it cares effectively for its frail and suffering members, in a spirit of fraternal love”, and invites “to empathise with those who suffer”. He urges us to strive to achieve this goal.
It is almost a year since, as a nation, we experienced the first lockdown due to the present Coronavirus pandemic, and almost a year worldwide. During this year our medical professionals, family members and many other – both young and old – have ministered faithfully and lovingly for the sick, the vulnerable and the forgotten, and continue to do so making many sacrifices. We recognised and acknowledged their unselfish loving service when as a nation we gathered to “clap for them” at 8.00pm each evening during the first lockdown. We continue to remember those who serve and minister to the sick and the vulnerable and we salute them, and pray for God’s blessings and strength so that all of us will be able to continue to serve each other with love and care in Jesus.
The Pope refers to the Biblical figure of Job in his message for this year. Job laments the harshness of life he has to endure. Like Job, for our sick and the suffering their lives may seem an unbearable burden laid upon them. We pray that through our loving care and service we may be able to support them and comfort them, helping them to know the healing hands of the good Lord are upon them. Like Job we turn to God in trust knowing fully well that God is with us in all our sufferings. We turn to our teacher, the Lord himself, so that we can learn from him, just as he served without any boundaries, how to serve one another. We pray that our love be genuine, our service sincere and our faith in God strong in spite of our weakness.
Our Lady of Lourdes – Pray for us.
St. Bernadette – Pray for us.
Bishop Paul Hendricks
Chairman, The Catholic Association
Canon Edward Perera
Director, Southwark Lourdes Pilgrimage
