Meditations and prayers for the sick, aging, disabled, and shut-ins MEDITATIONS AND PRAYERS FOR THE SICK, AGING, DISABLED, AND SHUT-INS Spec: ] C 0 pa vyx ! r „ jMy dear friends: Sickness, suffering, and dying remain an ] inescapable part of life. To those without^ | faith they constitute the "problem of evil.” \ For centuries wise men and philosophers ' have tried to find some reasonable explana- tion for evil. They have yet no satisfying | answer. j Christ, our Lord, though He wrote no book, j revealed the meaning of the mystery by suf- ; fering Himself, and making pain part of His - new order of salvation. In His passion and death on the Cross Christ made plain the ; significance ofsickness and sorrow to all who believe in Him. “/ was sick, and you visited me,” He will say to each of us on judgment day. g Thus,. the sick person is no longer a rnere% sinner, someone accursed and to be avoided, but an image and sign of Jesus Christ,'^ Himself In imitation of our divine Master we take pity on all who suffer. In serving the sick we know we serve Christ in His suffering members. “Bear the ills of every- . one, ” St. Ignatius of Antioch tells us. | This is why Franciscan Mission Associates;^ has prepared this booklet of meditations and' prayers for the sick, the aging, the disabled, and shut-ins. All of us, whatever our condi- 2 tion in life, share in building the city of God that is to come. In that heavenly city the leaves of the trees along the river of life will cure us forever of all our mortal infirmities. So please pray often for the sick and the suffering, visit them, and encourage them to walk worthy of their special vocation. Please induce them not to waste their pain, but to offer it to God for our Franciscan mission- aries, their people, andfor us who need them. Father Bernard, O.F.M. Director The Cover: The sea resumes its shape and keeps its form after it washes sandy diores and dashes against its rocky , coasts. So, too, must our life accom> s modate itself to the pain and trouble of sickness without losing its identity, or purpose. "liiiiiP 3 FOR THOSE TAKEN SICK^ Reflection: How very few of us will ever voluntarily choose any form of sickness or suffering! When such a trial comes, you must try to view it as a sign of God’s special mercy. “Whom the Lord loves, He also chastises.” If you accept God’s favors, must t you not accept sorrow from His hands, too? Petition: Holy Job, patient prototype of Christ, you remained as faithful to God in affliction as you were in prosperity. Please : come to my aid now in this necessity, and . aid me to bless His holy name, as you did. By God’s power may I be restored to my former state as you were. God’s Word: We prove we are servaiits of ; God by great fortitude in times of suffer- I Practice: Jr With bodily activity curtailed j you shopld be more ready in spirit to grow s glpser topbrist. So make good use of this « iMtypitliiBipiltf’graeePji^^^^ 'I > murtJ FOR THE DISABLED, CONVALESCENTS, AND SHUT-INS Reflection: Many hurry heedlessly past hospitals and convalescent homes, intent on their cares and business, with hardly a though t to those suffering within. Your impairment and confinement offers a heaven-sent chance to re-evaluate and become fully aware of life s real meaning. Now is an acceptable time to come to terms with God. It is never too late or too soon to love Him. Petition: Archangel Raphael, who cured Tobias of his blindness and guided his son on his journey, please intercede now for me, and help all of us who suffer. Angel of light and love, assist us now, heal our infirmities and implore God’s mercy on us. "T God’s Wojd: .We bear in “our body the “sufferings of the'death of Jestfs solhatthei life of Jesus also may^be seen in our.bodvl , PrictHe: ' For-1htfe:®T^t£5l*ar things work togetheffofl^d.:*Study and pray how you irnay turnfyour ’'present- situation .to best 'advantage, before*God.C 5 FOR THOSE CONFINED TO BED . Reflection: How time drags on leaden feet when you are restricted to bed whether in aa hospital or at home! Yet, you have a work^ to do for Christ and with Him even when you cannot move about. How many of those;: who are healthy are heedless of Him! Petition: Blessed Lady, our Mother Mary, you are called the health of the sick. Ini your kindness and pity assist me to use these hours to draw close to Christ. Help us, Mary, not to waste these moments of pain and physical confinement. God^s Word: It makes me hapg| to liffer for you, as I am suffering now, and in my gwri^hody to'make $ip kU that still has to tejwdergotie by Christ for the sake of His in - God’s ever"! heavenxwithout | ^^Ptactice: Trust today Watchful care of you am 4- not?.a^Sparrow falls from „ His knowing of it. 6 t®' ..... . er‘^ . ' suffCTing'^S'no’'^^^ powW{'i^liais.^^n|^ His saving po^lvfer.” ' ' Pope^Paul VI 7 1 FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT EAT ^ i Reflection: Nearly two-thirds of the people^ in the world never get enough to eat while the other third buys diet pills because it eats too much. Christ, our Lord, tells us, “I have food to eat that you know nothing' about.” Petition: St. Francis of Assisi, you are re- nowned for your heroic fasting and prayer. Please help me to make a virtue of my present necessity, and implore God’s mercy that I may nourish myself on His word and the bread of heaven. God's Word: It is the spirit' that gives life, the flesh has nothing to' offer/ The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life; Jn 6:63 ; Practice: Since for your body’s sake you must now fast, make of it a prayer that 8 FOR THOSE UNABLE TO SLEEP Reflection: As bad as any bodily pain is the tired mind unable to renew and refresh itself by sleep. How slowly the night hours pass for those weary of wakefulness! The Lord, our God, never sleeps and watches always over you. He is close by you if you turn to Him in faith, and forget the cares and troubles of the day. Petition: St. Joseph, protector of the Holy Family, whose sleep was so often interrupted for God’s work, intercede for me in my distress. Please help me and all those who need quiet, repose, and restful sleep that we may awaken refreshed in body and spirit. God*s Word: ^In'peace I lie down, an^ asleep at once, since you alone, God,,! my rest secure.^Ps.^:8 , . ^ s, Practice:, slf tfe copes pnexp«s4t^b! must not fiiid.you asleep.^nd ‘ to you, I say tcT^i; Stay Awake ! (' .< > . s,, . . 9 FOR THE AGED AND INFIRM ^ Reflection: As you grow older, how much’ faster time seems to fly! You wonder,^ “Where have our years gone?” However old and infirm you may become, you can truly remain young at heart. The Lord renews our youth like the eagle’s. Petition: Virgin Mother, Mary, you grew old and must often in your loneliness have remembered the days in Nazareth when Jesus and Joseph were with you. Pray for me, please, when loneliness oppresses me. Teach me to remain ever young in heart and to have faith that God will restore the vigor of youth in the joy of heaven. God's Word: My ^oSl tlfrstsT^ God, the God of life. . Whw R;go to see the face of Practice: lit tf'fe&teTeach ^day the example jof St. Pwltof'whom, as he said, “to livgj^' QlHSt, M is gain.” While you7j|^j^xGQ|i .still” lias a work, howeW huthbi^f^ yoifTto do, for Him. ^ 10 "Christ is the only master; Christ Is the only book, the book that contains all divine wisdom. My book should be Jesus Christ on the Cross: a book en- I tirely written with His precious blood I that is the price of my soul, and the r redemption of the world. The five ! chapters of this book are the five sacred wounds. I want to study this one book alone, and other books only as they comment on it." 11 ii FOR THE MENTALLY AFFLICTED Reflection: We live in troubled times, an age of great anxiety. All of us are affected ’subtly by the climate of our age. You must try to learn emotionally as well as intellect- ually that God is truly very close to each of us. His peace He x)ffers you in a way the world never can. Petition: St. Dymphna, powerful patroness I of all who are afflicted mentally and emo- tionally ask our Lord to grant us, please, an ' untroubled heart, peace, calm, and rest. Help me to learn how to entrust all my fears and worries into His hands, and to place all my confidence in Christ’s love for me. 12 Wr. tK I FOR THOSE IN GREAT PAIN Reflection: Christ, our Lord, learned to say ' the psalms at His mother’s knee in Nazareth. As He hung in His agony on the cross for r love of us, the same prayers sprung spon- taneously to His lips. In your moment of pain you become one with the suffering ' Christ. Petition: Our Lady of Lourdes, your mother- ly help has restored many to health. Please assist me now through your unique power with your divine Son whose agony you shared so closely on Calvary. Help"' me to ask God’s aid in the words He will recognize as His Son’s own prayer, “My God, why have you forsaken me?” ' . God's Word: From the depths I c^Il to cry , for iJhelp! , lilies, «^passitonrtely to my |/pikdipg.' fi i30M-a ' ,l Practice: God knows how difficult it is to be patient whde in pain.. Christ learhed less^. as He was nailed to ifis cross. ! Whear ' 13 FOR DOCTORS, I NURSES, AND ALL . 1 WHO TEND THE SICK | 1 I Reflection: We all depend on one another greatly. This truth you may forget when you 1 are well. The vocation of doctors, nurses, and all who care for the sick is often trying, j Remember to pray for your doctors and i nurses. Be grateful to God when you are ? cured, but be sure also to thank the doctors, ' too. Petition: St. Luke, dear and glorious physi- cian, assist doctors, nurses, and all who tend the sick, to heal my bodily ills. Please ask the divine physician to heal me spiritually as well, and to aid all who are sick. Code's Word: It not the healthy need the doctor, but the sick. I did not come to call the virtuous * * Mk 2:17 Practice: The more jjrg ^tik ojf^,rieeds nurses are huinirtt^ou^ to apprecate a brave OTil0,'^