{"id":1959,"date":"2013-01-09T16:11:00","date_gmt":"2013-01-09T16:11:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/you-are-not-alone-pope-tells-those-suffering-from-sickness\/"},"modified":"2013-01-09T16:11:00","modified_gmt":"2013-01-09T16:11:00","slug":"you-are-not-alone-pope-tells-those-suffering-from-sickness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2013\/01\/you-are-not-alone-pope-tells-those-suffering-from-sickness\/","title":{"rendered":"‘You are not alone,’ Pope tells those suffering from sickness"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Vatican City, Jan 9, 2013 \/ 09:11 am (CNA\/EWTN News<\/a>).- Ahead of the World Day of the Sick, Pope Benedict XVI expressed his closeness to those with illnesses and reaffirmed that Jesus Christ's sufferings give meaning to their own.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cYou are not alone, separated, abandoned or useless. You have been called by Christ and are his living and transparent image,\u201d said the Pope, quoting Pope Paul VI's words from the Second Vatican Council.<\/p>\n

\tThe 21st World Day of the Sick will be celebrated Feb. 11 on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. Pope Benedict released his message for the day on Jan. 8.<\/p>\n

\tThe Pope said the observance is a day for the sick, health care workers and the faithful to engage in prayer, to offer one\u2019s sufferings \u201cfor the good of the Church\u201d and to recognize in those who suffer \u201cthe Holy Face of Christ who, by suffering, dying and rising has brought about the salvation of mankind.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tThe Pope used the parable of the Good Samaritan as a point of reflection. Jesus\u2019 parable \u201chelps us to understand the deep love of God for every human being, especially those afflicted by sickness or pain.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tThe parable recounts how the Good Samaritan cared for a man who had been injured in an attack by thieves. The Pope said its concluding words, \u201cGo and do likewise,\u201d show how his disciples should behave towards others, especially those in need.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cWe need to draw from the infinite love of God, through an intense relationship with him in prayer, the strength to live day by day with concrete concern, like that of the Good Samaritan, for those suffering in body and spirit who ask for our help, whether or not we know them and however poor they may be.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tPope Benedict said this is true for everyone: pastoral workers, health care workers, and the sick themselves.<\/p>\n

\tHe cited his 2007 encyclical \u201cSpe Salvi,\u201d which said healing is found not by sidestepping or fleeing from suffering but rather by accepting it and \u201cfinding meaning through union with Christ, who suffered with infinite love.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tThe Pope noted that many Church Fathers saw Jesus in the Good Samaritan. In the man who fell among thieves and was injured, they saw the wounded and disoriented humanity of sinful Adam.<\/p>\n

\tJesus, he said, \u201cdoes not jealously guard his equality with God but, filled with compassion, he looks into the abyss of human suffering so as to pour out the oil of consolation and the wine of hope.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tPope Benedict encouraged Catholic health care workers and institutions, dioceses, religious congregations, and all those involved in the pastoral care of the sick.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cMay all realize ever more fully that \u2018the Church today lives a fundamental aspect of her mission in lovingly and generously accepting every human being, especially those who are weak and sick,'\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\tThe World Day of the Sick will be observed at the Marian Shrine of Altotting in Germany. The Pope asked that the Virgin Mary help health care workers and \u201calways accompany those who suffer in their search for comfort and firm hope.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Vatican City, Jan 9, 2013 \/ 09:11 am (CNA\/EWTN News).- Ahead of the World Day of the Sick, Pope Benedict XVI expressed his closeness to those with illnesses and reaffirmed that Jesus Christ's sufferings give meaning to their own.<\/p>\n

\t“You are …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1031,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1959","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","category-vatican"],"yoast_head":"\n'You are not alone,' Pope tells those suffering from sickness<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Vatican City, Jan 9, 2013 \/ 09:11 am (CNA\/EWTN News).- Ahead of the World Day of the Sick, Pope Benedict XVI expressed his closeness to those with illnesses and reaffirmed that Jesus Christ's sufferings give meaning to their own. “You are ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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