To the sick
and elderly and their medical personnel in
IN THE FACE OF PAIN AND GRIEF
12 May 1988
On Thursday, 12 May,
the Holy Father went to the Cathedral of
Beloved Brothers and Sisters,
1.
My visit to the cathedral of this friendly city of
I
have particularly desired this meeting to tell you, beloved sick present here,
and all those who are afflicted with infirmity throughout the breadth and length
of this country of
2.
The mystery of suffering makes us shudder.
It is not easy to accept pain and death, because it means accepting our
frailty in its various dimensions. The
mystery becomes even more dense when we enter into the
suffering of Christ, the Son of God, in whom every human suffering finds its
explanation and transcendent meaning.
Jesus, too, suffered pain and death, leading him to exclaim: “My father, if it is possible, let this
chalice pass, but not my will but yours be done” (Mt 26:39).
The
bishops of the whole world thus reminded us in their message to the sick at the
conclusion of the Second Vatican Council:
“We have something deeper and more valuable to give you, the only truth
capable of answering the mystery of suffering and of bringing you relief
without illusion, and that is faith and union with the Man of Sorrow, with
Christ the Son of God, nailed to the Cross for our sins and for our salvation”
(n. 4).
Furthermore, if we know how to bear suffering in the right way, we can
also learn at the same time to discover God, to understand our neighbour's pain
and unite ourselves to Christ who suffers for all. This is to fulfil what St. Paul indicated:
“In our own body to do what we can to make up all that has still to be
undergone by Christ for the sake of his body, the Church” (Col 1:24).
3.
However, there is another equally important dimension capable of humanizing
suffering; it
is the action that we can perform, alleviating the sufferings of others and
thus expressing our fraternal love. In
the face of pain, solidarity and love grow.
For
this reason, the Church, like the Good Samaritan of the gospel, following the
footsteps and teaching of the Master, has always shown particular interest in
the sick, the poor and the neglected. In
addition to their own concern for the sick, the Apostles entrusted to the
deacons the care of the widows and the needy.
From earliest times people suffering from illness or poverty have been
especially received in the monasteries and churches of Christianity. Long before States became concerned with
these citizens, the Church established hospitals for the sick, hospices for the
abandoned and other institutions to attend to those who were suffering from any
need.
For
every Christian, to visit and assist the sick is a work of mercy, because Jesus
is present in them: “I was sick and you
visited me” (Mt 25:36).
4.
Today also the Church continues to offer these services, even if modern society
has become more and more responsible for their general organization. Today also, the presence of Christians in the
places where people suffer sickness, loneliness and abandonment, is always
notable. It is a task that is both
Christian and humanitarian.
To
continue that vocation of evangelical witness, meritorious religious
institutions were born within the Church, whose members consecrate themselves
totally and in an exemplary way to the care of the sick. That presence is no less appreciated here in
5.
Likewise, I express my deep appreciation and respect to the doctors, nurses,
and medical aides for their exemplary vigilance in the exercise of their
profession. This is a true vocation,
destined to relieve our suffering brethren.
Few professions are as worthy of such great esteem as that of the doctor
when he or she acts with dedication and an ethical and humanitarian sense. This puts doctors on a level very close to
the priesthood, in which their mission is to heal the body and, at the same
time, alleviate the spirit.
Therefore I encourage these professional people to be conscious of their
most worthy commitment, to be at all times at the service of life and never of
death, to be totally honest in the choice of treatments and surgery, not to
yield to the temptation of money, nor to abandon their country - which needs
them - only for material gain. They
should see their patients - even the poorest, who may not even be able to pay
for their services - as human persons and children of God.
My
beloved sick brothers and sisters: you
who are living the Lord's passion, if you live it with him, you strengthen the
Church with the testimony of your faith and the valour of your sacrifice. With your patience, fortitude and joy, you
proclaim the mystery of Christ's redeeming power, and you will meet the
crucified Lord in the midst of your sickness and your suffering.
I
recommend to God all those who work for the sick in hospitals, nursing homes,
sanatoriums, centres
of assistance to the dying and in the psychiatric hospital of this city. I would like to repeat to you, doctors,
nurses, chaplains and other hospital personnel: yours is a noble vocation. Never forget that it is Christ whom you serve
in your suffering brothers and sisters.
To
all the sick who are present here and to all who are
present at this meeting through radio and television, I give you an
affectionate embrace with the love of a brother. I ask you to offer your sufferings for the
Church and her pastors, for the unity of Bolivians and the prosperity of your
country, and i give you my special Apostolic Blessing.