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"In contemporary society, a certain culture considers the sick person a troublesome hindrance, failing to recognize that he makes a valuable spiritual contribution to the community. Illness and death are not realities to flee or criticize as useless, but both are stages on a journey" (John Paul II, 11/2/2001). "Illness is neither an unbearable burden for human beings nor does it deprive patients of their full dignity as persons. On the contrary, it can become an enriching experience for the sick and for their whole family. So many brothers of ours, apart from effective help in these delicate moments of their life, need above all respect, closeness and support" (John Paul II, 16/2/2001). In times of pain God tries to mature man preparing him for the Kingdom. Man is invited to accept suffering on him and get embodied in Christ's mystery, to participate of Redemption with Jesus, becoming co-redeemer with Him. |
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In this sense the sick people lend an irreplaceable service to the Church, to the people of God. In the silence of their pain, they intercede for the salvation of men, participate with their life of the mystery of the Cross. Through the sense of their pain "they serve us".
The Lord says to us: "You do the same", that is why as a community of the Church, and from the grace of our charism, since 1984 a group of young people and adults have been going weekly to visit sick people who are in hospital. We seek to accompany them, to receive them in our heart, and to announce God's love, which makes us share the same Mystical Body of Christ.
"Suffering is present in the world to provoke love, to give birth to works of love to one's neighbour, to transform all human civilization into a Civilization of Love".
