World Day of the World Day of the SickSick

FebruarFebruary 11y 11thth 20152015

World Day of the SickWorld Day of the Sick was launched by Pope John Paul II in 1992. He designated February 11, Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, to be an annual day of prayer and consideration of the sick and of those who care for them.  It is a day on which we reflect on the Christian meaning of illness, pain and suffering - whether we are healthy or not. People in the medical profession are invited through this day to recognise and value the spiritual dimension of their work.

The theme of Pope Francis’s message for the World Day of Sick 2015 is “I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame,” taken from the book of Job.

Pope Francis invites people to see the world and those who are sick or in need of care with "the wisdom of the heart," which is pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, merciful, certain and sincere.

"How great a lie," he wrote, "lurks behind certain phrases which so insist on the importance of 'quality of life' that they make people think that lives affected by grave illness are not worth living."

Criticizing approaches that devalue human lives, especially the lives of those who suffer from serious illness, Pope Francis highlighted the importance of offering increased care and concern instead, urging people to demonstrate a compassion that does not judge and that "does not demand conversion."

Pope Francis entrusted this years World Day of the Sick to the intercession of Mary, "who conceived and gave birth to Wisdom incarnate: Jesus Christ, our Lord."

The Pope ended his message with the following prayer:“O Mary, Seat of Wisdom, intercede as our Mother for all the sick and for those who care for them! Grant that, through our service of our suffering neighbours, and through the experience of suffering itself, we may receive and cultivate true wisdom of heart!”

Prayers for World Day of the Sick

On this World Day of the Sick, when we are called to be especiallysensitive to the needs of the sick, we pray to God:

God of healing, heal your people.

We bring before you our needs and the needs of the sick throughout the world,

God of healing, heal your people.

We pray for the patience of the sick,And the compassion of caregivers.

God of healing, heal your people.

Let your blessing of healingCome upon all those who are sickMerciful God, hear our prayers.

Prayer to the Sacred Heart for the Sick

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place into Your Hands, wounded out of love for us, all those I know and love who are ill, injured or in need of Your healing touch in any way. I remember those who are at home and those in hospitals and nursing homes, those who are recovering slowly, those who are lonely or afraid. Be with them all, most loving Jesus, especially those for whom I now pray: (pause to remember all those you wish to pray for.)Lord Jesus, please send Your Mother Mary to be with them in their time of need. May she who knew life's sorrow and pain in her own heart, console them with the joy of her Immaculate Heart now reigning with You in heaven.

Prayer for the Caregiver

God of comfort and strengthBe with those whose spiritsexhausted by the demands of caring for the sickdoubt the existence of lovequestion the fairness of lifeor stare into the reality of losing a loved one to death.Sooth the body and ease the pain.Calm the anxiety and the fear.Build trust in your everlasting presence and love.God of all, hear our prayer.

Amen.

May the God of the well and the sick,The caregiver and the cared for, The comforter and the comforted,

Be with us this day.Amen.