The 30th World Day of the Sick will take place on February 11, the memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes. Dated December 10 and released January 4, Pope Francis’s message for the day is entitled “’Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful’ (Lk 6:36): Standing beside those who suffer on a path of charity.”
The Pope’s message has five sections: “Merciful like the Father,” “Jesus, the mercy of the Father,” “To touch the suffering flesh of Christ,” “Centers of care as ‘houses of mercy,’” and “Pastoral mercy: presence and proximity.”
“Dear brothers and sisters, to the intercession of Mary, Health of the Infirm, I entrust all the sick and their families,” the Pope concludes. “United with Christ, who bears the pain of the world, may they find meaning, consolation and trust. I pray for healthcare workers everywhere, that, rich in mercy, they may offer patients, together with suitable care, their fraternal closeness.”