Bishop Solis's message for World Day of the Sick

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The Most Rev. Oscar A. Solis Bishop of Salt Lake City

The 29th World Day of the Sick will be celebrated on Feb. 11. It is a feast day of the Roman Catholic Church that was instituted by Pope John Paul II on May 13, 1992. Beginning in 1993, this feast has been observed yearly on the commemoration of Our Lady of Lourdes, which is Feb. 11. It is intended to be a special time for all believers to offer prayers for those who are afflicted by illness, and to share one’s suffering for the good of the Church, as well as to remind us to see in our sick brothers and sisters the face of Christ.

This is also an important occasion to remember all those who serve in Catholic health ministry and all the health-care providers who attend to the needs of the sick.

Pope Francis’ message for this year’s celebration encourages all faithful believers “to build a trust-based relationship with the sick and the nurturing of integral human healing based on the commandment of love that Jesus left to his disciples.” Our Holy Father, in his inspiring words, said, “a society is all the more human to the degree that it cares effectively for its most frail and suffering members, in a spirit of fraternal love.” Hence, we must strive to achieve this goal so that no one will feel alone, excluded or abandoned.

The coronavirus pandemic has brought tremendous suffering to people all over the world and has infected millions of people and claimed millions of lives. Sadly, one of the realities that we discovered is that those who were affected greatly are our most vulnerable brothers and sisters, the elderly, the poor and marginalized who have no access to the health services from their own government. It also revealed the global inequalities and inefficiencies of the health-care system of every nation due to unjust management of the resources and discriminative political systems that are indifferent to the sufferings of the poor and those in need.

Mindful of this bleak global reality, Pope Francis expresses his spiritual closeness with the suffering poor and marginalized with assurances of the Church’s loving concern during this time of helplessness. While he commends the heroism of health-care personnel, volunteers, support staff, priests, men and women religious who helped, comforted and served many of the sick and their families with great dedication and love, he exhorts all of us to provide a soothing balm of healing comfort and consolation to the sick in their suffering.

This is the opportune time to put our faith and love into action, consistent with the teachings of Christ; that is, to care for all in their time of illness, poverty or unjust treatment. We cannot turn our backs but must develop the spirit of empathy and compassion so that their suffering becomes our own when we reach out and serve them.

Therefore, let us invoke the blessings of God that we might have the heart of Christ to pray and to care for those who are suffering and for the health-care workers who attend to their needs. We entrust all our brothers and sisters to Christ, the Divine Healer that through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy and Health of the Sick, they may find comfort, healing and salvation.

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us!