Take care of the suffering like the Good Samaritan: Pope
January 08, 2013: Blessed Teresa of Calcutta would always begin her day with an encounter
with Jesus in the Eucharist and then she would go out into the streets, rosary in
hand, to find and serve the Lord in the sick, especially in those “unwanted, unloved,
uncared for”, said Pope Benedict XVI in his message for the World Day of the Sick,
which falls on 11 February 2013. The message titled ‘go and do likewise’was published
Tuesday, calls on people to imitate the Good Samaritan, in showing greater care for
those who are sick in mind or in body, even those whom we may not know.
“We
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”, said the Pope.
On 11 February
2013, the liturgical memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes, the Twenty-first World Day of
the Sick will be solemnly celebrated at the Marian Shrine of Altötting, Germany. This
day represents for the sick, for health care workers, for the faithful and for all
people of goodwill “a privileged time of prayer, of sharing, of offering one’s sufferings
for the good of the Church, and a call for all to recognize in the features of their
suffering brothers and sisters the Holy Face of Christ, added the Pope Benedict XVI.
With
the concluding words of the gospel parable of the Good Samaritan, “Go and do likewise”,
the Pope said that the Lord indicated the attitude that each of his disciples should
have towards others, especially those in need. We 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.
But Jesus is the one who sheds the garment of his divinity,
drawing near to human suffering, even to the point of descending into hell, as we
recite in the Creed, in order to bring hope and light. He does 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.
The
Year of Faith which we are celebrating is a fitting occasion for intensifying
the service of charity in our ecclesial communities, so that each one of us can be
a good Samaritan for others.
In the Gospel the Blessed Virgin Mary stands
out as one who follows her suffering Son to the supreme sacrifice on Golgotha. She
does not lose hope in God’s victory over evil, pain and death, and she knows how to
accept in one embrace of faith and love, the Son of God who was born in the stable
of Bethlehem and died on the Cross. Her steadfast trust in the power of God was illuminated
by Christ’s resurrection, which offers hope to the suffering and renews the certainty
of the Lord’s closeness and consolation.