Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for October

(September 30, 2011) Here is a brief comment on the general prayer intention of Pope Benedict XVI for the month of October: that the terminally ill may be supported by their faith in God and the love of their brothers and sisters. The Catholic Church’s teaching on respect for life from the moment of conception till its natural end, is based on the sacredness of life because God is its sole author. On the contrary our culture tends to see the terminally ill as a burden. The reason behind this attitude is: “They’re going to die soon anyway. So why not be merciful and end their pain and misery with euthanasia?” It’s the modern man’s tendency to disguise murder as mercy. In February 2009, Pope Benedict called euthanasia “a false solution to the drama of suffering, a solution unworthy of man. Indeed, the true response cannot be to put someone to death, however ‘kindly,’ but rather to witness to the love that helps people to face their pain and agony in a human way.” Hence October’s general prayer intention obliges us in two ways. First, we must support them in the faith that every human life from conception to natural death is sacred. This is done by helping the terminally ill find meaning in their suffering. Secondly we must provide them compassionate care, as the Samaritan did for the wounded stranger on the roadside. But above all, let us join the Holy Father in October in praying in a specialy way for the terminally ill.