One of the most common attitudes that people had about sickness was the following. I am suffering, I am sick. I have to accept this sickness because this is a punishment from God for my past sins. Jesus never expressed such an attitude. Jesus never said that sickness is a punishment for whatever we might have done in our lives which is contrary to His way of living and acting. Our God, as powerfully manifested in Jesus, is not a God of vengeance. When people sinned, when people committed serious transgressions, Jesus forgave. In addition, He constantly challenged the person concerned to decide once and for all to change and to follow the ways of the living God.
The second attitude that I often had to face with people who were sick was this. I am sick. I am suffering. I need to accept this sickness and I will offer it up for the benefit or for the good of others. It is true that a very important teaching of our Catholic faith is the importance to suffer for the sake of others. Some people are specifically called and chosen by God for such a ministry and mission. I remember quite well, Pope John XXIII as he lay dying with cancer, he made a very specific prayer to offer up his pain, anxiety and discomfort so that the whole church would greatly benefit from the teachings and conclusions of the Second Vatican Council. However whenever Jesus faced people with sickness He healed them as we read in today's gospel. Our duty is to pray for healing and then we let God do whatever He desires.
Suffering is still a big problem today. As followers of Jesus we need to have a very clear understanding of how to face such situations. Jesus had compassion on those who were suffering and His desire was to make them well. Jesus considered healing of sickness as a very important part of his ministry. He did not only heal the body of the sick person but also their fears, their anxieties, their despair and their shame. Suffering became an opportunity for Jesus to show the face, the heart and the compassion of our God. He immersed Himself in the midst of suffering in order to bring peace, comfort, and care, as well as physical well being. He showed us how important it is to walk with those who suffer.
What are we called to do when someone close to us is sick? As Christians we are invited to adopt the following attitudes. The sick person has certainly the need of the medical profession. In our country we are blessed with many dedicated doctors, nurses and support staff who are very competent in their profession. We are also blessed with amazing progress in medical technology. As a result many sicknesses which were once considered untreatable are now days treatable with proper medical care. However, over and above all this, the sick person needs hope and encouragement. This is something that all of us can give. When I was sick myself I used to receive such a boost when the specialist used to tell me, "We are on the right track. It will take a bit of time but we will get there". When it is possible to do so without deception, hope needs to be given.
Moreover sick people are not to be left alone. We need to judge wisely how long and how frequent our visits need to be. Again speaking from personal experience, sick people get comfort and courage when somebody visits them. Jesus held this practice to be very important. "Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take as your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world......I was sick and you visited me." (Mt 25: 33-34, 37) When we visit the sick, let us also make sure that we say a little prayer with them.
Prayer is important. However we need to pray believing that our God desires the best for the sick person. Our duty is to pray and then we leave everything else in God's hands. There are various ways in which we can pray for the sick. We can use the popular and traditional prayers that we have learnt since we were children like the rosary and other proper devotional prayers. We can also talk to God about the person who is sick. "Lord this person is sick. Come upon this person with your healing touch. Touch those parts of the body that need to be healed. I know that you are here with me and I ask you to lay your hands and pour your healing power on this person who needs your help. Lord give this person peace of mind and heart. Take care of any anxieties and fears and replace them with your soothing presence. Amen"
The simplest prayer for those who are sick is using the words that Martha and Mary made to Jesus on behalf of their brother Lazarus. "Lord, he whom you love is ill." (Jn 11:3) We do not need to be professors with many degrees after our name to be able to pray for the sick. It requires a heart of compassion for the sick and a heart which firmly believes that Jesus Christ is alive today and therefore He can do the same wonderful tings that He did during His earthly life.
Our God knows the meaning of pain. Jesus endured much suffering. He went through a horrible death. However, that was not the end of the story. Christianity gathers its strength constantly from the fact that Jesus is alive today, interceding and praying for us so that we continue to do his work. This is ultimately the reason why we pray for the sick. We pray not only for the sick person to feel a bit better or a bit more comfortable. We pray for the sick person to get better in order to continue the work of Jesus in a powerful manner. This is what Peter's mother-in-law did after Jesus healed her fever (today's gospel). She served others.
Death is also part and parcel of our human condition. The ultimate healing is when we encounter our death with the hope and the belief in the resurrection.
God bless.
