Pope calls to be close to those who suffer with the tenderness and dedication of a mother
Francis met with members of the Camillian charismatic family. During the meeting, he told them to live and bear witness to the merciful love of Christ towards the sick, especially the poorest, to meet their physical and spiritual needs. Proclaiming the Kingdom of God and caring for the sick is the task that the whole Church has received from Jesus.
Vatican City (AsiaNews) – Pope Francis met with the men and women religious of the Camillian Charismatic Family.
Talking to them about their charism and mission, he said that living and bearing witness to the merciful love of Christ towards the sick, especially the poorest, to meet their physical and spiritual needs, will help look into the future, to the new forms of the apostolate that the Spirit inspires and which the signs of the times and the needs of the world and the Church require.
“You are constantly engaged in loving and generous donation to the sick, carrying out a precious mission, in the Church and in society, alongside the suffering. When disease disturbs and at times upturns our lives, then we feel the strong need to have a compassionate and competent brother or sister beside us, who consoles us, supports us and helps us to recover the precious good of health, or who accompanies us until the end of our final meeting with the Lord!”
Proclaiming the Kingdom of God and of healing the sick is task the Church received from Jesus, “in particular to Saint Camillus de Lellis, and to all those who follow his example, the gift of reliving and witnessing the merciful love of Christ for the sick. The Church has recognized it as an authentic charism of the Spirit. You live it in an exemplary way, translating it into life on the dual path of directly assisting the sick, especially the poorest, in their bodily and spiritual needs, and teaching others the best way to serve them, for the benefit of the Church and humanity.”
“The great gift you have received is still current and necessary also for this age of ours, because it is founded on charity that will never end (see 1 Cor 13: 8). As a living part of the Church, sent to spread the Gospel so that people “have life and have it abundantly” (Jn 10: 10), you have the wonderful opportunity to do it precisely through the gestures of caring for life and integral health, so necessary even in our time.”
“In this, may the Virgin Mary, Health of the Sick and Mother of God, accompany you and guide you, consecrated women. From her we learn how to be close to those who suffer with the tenderness and dedication of a mother. I would like to pause a moment on this word “tenderness”. It is a word that today risks being dropped from the dictionary! We must take it up again and put it into practice anew. Christianity without tenderness does not work. Tenderness is a properly Christian attitude: it is also the very marrow of our encounter with people who suffer.”
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