It was a special Sunday and Father Ignatius had been invited to
celebrate Mass at the Hospital Chapel. The tiny church was full to
capacity with nurses and doctors and other medical staff commemorating
the 50th Anniversary of opening the hospital.
The priest approached the lectern and said:
“I am very pleased to see so many of you gathered here today to
celebrate 50 years of service which you, and this hospital, have given
to the community.
“I would like, if I may, to read you three passages from the Bible. The first is from Luke Chapter 4 Verse 40.
“After sunset all who had friends who were sick with various diseases
brought them to Jesus; He placed His hands on everyone of them and
healed them all.
“This reading is from Matthew Chapter 8 Verses 2 and 3.
“Then a man suffering from a dreaded skin-disease came to Him, knelt
down before Him, and said, ‘Sir, if you want to, you can make me
clean’”. Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him. “I do want to,”
He answered. “Be clean!” At once the man was healed of his disease.
“And finally I like to read from Mark Chapter 7 Verses 32 to 35.
“Some people brought Him a man who was deaf and could hardly speak, and
they begged Jesus to place His hands on him. So Jesus took him off
alone, away from the crowd, put His fingers in the man’s ears, spat, and
touched the man’s tongue. Then Jesus looked up to Heaven, gave a deep
groan, and said to the man, ‘Ephphatha’, which means, ‘Open up’. At once
the man was able to hear, and his speech impediment was removed, and he
began to talk without any trouble.”
Father Ignatius paused for a few seconds and looked at the congregation.
“You will remember” he said, “that the woman who followed Jesus on the
way to Jairus’ house only had to touch His cloak and she was healed.
“A few verses further on, we read that when news came that Jairus’
daughter was dead; Jesus walked all the way to the house and there He
performed His miracle and raised the little girl.
“Have you noticed, I wonder, something common in all these stories we
have read? They are written by different people; Luke, Matthew and Mark,
yet they all record something in common. What is it?”
Father Ignatius paused yet again to allow the congregation to think.
“In all passages we read that Jesus touched people to heal them,” he continued.
“Jesus placed His hands on the sick. He touched them, and they were healed.
“Now we know that Jesus was, and He is, all powerful. He could have
clicked His fingers, or even thought about it, and the sick person would
have been healed, if He wanted to.
“But He didn’t do that. He stopped and touched them instead. And they were healed.
“He really didn’t have to walk all the way to Jairus’ house. He could
have said ‘Talitha, kaum. Little girl, I tell you to get up!’ from the
very place He was standing and she would have been raised from the dead.
“But He did not do that. He walked all the way there and raised her up in the presence of her parents.
“And what we learn in all these stories is that Jesus really cared about
people. He sympathized with them. He shared their pain and their
worries and their fears and had compassion for them.
“He stopped and took time to speak to them. To touch them and to be with them on a one-to-one basis.
“He didn’t just raise His hands and a multitude of them were healed at
once. He treated them as individuals and loved each one of them as
individuals. They were important to Him and He made them feel worthy of
His care and attention
“And that’s what I would like to remind you dear friends.”
Father Ignatius stopped for a few moments yet again.
“Most of you gathered here are practicing in the medical profession. And
I do know that you tend to get very busy … I’ve been here visiting many
times and seen you work very hard dealing with several emergencies at
once.
“And being busy … it is possible that sometimes you may deal with those
in your care as just another patient, another case in the long list of
cases that come your way.
“Please remember that the person lying there in the hospital bed, or
waiting for medical tests, is a human being with fears, worries and
natural foreboding of what is to come.
“If you can, spare a minute or two treating that person as an individual
… just like Jesus did all those years ago … and still does today.
“And this thought applies to the rest of us as well … those not in the
medical professions. Counsellors, lawyers, teachers … and priests too.
“Oh yes … I’ve known many priests too busy rushing from one Ecumenical
Meeting to another to spend time with their parishioners … I suppose I’m
guilty of this sin too … may the Lord forgive me.
“Whatever our profession … medical or otherwise … let us remember to
treat those that God has placed in our way with love, care and
compassion; just as Jesus taught us.
“No matter how busy we might be; let us never switch off our kindness dispenser!”
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UBI CARITAS ET AMOR. DEUS IBI EST.
UBI CARITAS ET AMOR. DEUS IBI EST.
Friday 17 December 2021
Loving and Caring
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Loving and caring
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...loving and caring are two things in short supply these days.
ReplyDeleteSadly, you are right, Tom.
DeleteGod bless.
Thank you for this.
ReplyDeleteThank you Aritha.
DeleteGod bless you.
Dearest Victor,
ReplyDeleteSo very true and a little kindness, a few words often, can perform miracles by uplifting a person's spirits!
And it feels so good for being able to help maybe just one person, for handing just a tiny glimpse of HOPE and LIGHT.
Hugs,
Mariette
Often people are too busy to think of, or have the time for, a little kindness or sympathy. I've seen it in hospitals. I don't blame them really. They are all so busy these days.
DeleteYou are so right, Mariette.
God bless you.
💞
DeleteA nice reminder, Victor. Everyone could use some kindness in their lives.
ReplyDeleteIndeed they do need kindness. It works wonders.
DeleteGod bless, Bill.
"He stopped and took time to speak to them. To touch them and to be with them on a one-to-one basis."
ReplyDelete💙
Amen Sandi.
DeleteGod bless you always my friend.
Excellent observation and lesson.
ReplyDeleteThank you JoeH.
DeleteGod bless.
I don't suppose caregivers mean to be dispassionate -- we're told they need to remain objective. All the same, I wish more folks realized the healing benefits of human touch.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Mevely. They seem to be so busy these days. It's all about outputs and turnovers. She asked me to turnover and I refused!
DeleteGod bless you.
Excellent post! We can all treat people with love and kindness no matter what we do or where we go. :)
ReplyDeleteSo true, Happyone. Life is getting so busy these days.
DeleteGod bless always.
I know what is in you comes out through Ignatius, as it should. Great sermon in a few words. Meaningful and actually to the point.
ReplyDeleteLove it.
Sherry & jack stopping for the night in South Georgia...
Thank you for your kindness always, Jack. I'm so grateful we met on the Internet. Have a good time and a good rest in South Georgia.
DeleteGod bless you and Sherry always.
Just the touch of another human is all that is needed sometimes, especially among elderly people who live alone or are confined to bed in a nursing home or hospital, or even younger people who are alone for whatever reason.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right, River. Loneliness, and often illness, can make people so isolated. Thank you for caring.
DeleteGod bless you.
A personal touch makes all the difference in the lives of others. Jesus most definitely knew that and wants us to do the same.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Victor!
Absolutely essential Victor, kindness must come from the heart to suit the situation of each individual we come across in our lives.
ReplyDeleteThe other day i saw a sign.
ReplyDeleteHuman.Kind.
Be Both.
Have a blessed and beautiful day!