Healing Ministry Week 2012: February 6-12

Theme: Transforming lives!

20
th
Worl !ay of the "i#k: February 11$ 2012
Theme: The special grace of the Sacraments of healing
Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well (Lk 17:19)
Message of His Holiness Benedict XVI for the 20
th
World Day of the Sick
Bile Te!t" #e$ections and %rayers for Healing Ministry Week" 20&2
Published by
%&#e for Health 'are
'atholi# (isho)s* 'onferen#e of +nia
': info(ccihealth)org
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+or ,ri-ate circ.lation only
Healing Week Feb 6-12, 2012 CBCI Office for Health Care
+ntrou#tion
We contin.e the tradition of celerating the Healing Ministry *eek ec.menically)
The /hristian Medical 0ssociation of India 1/M0I2" 3ational /o.ncil of /h.rches of
India 13//I2 and the /atholic Bisho,s4 /onference of India 1/B/I2 ha-e selected this
year4s Healing Week Theme: Transforming Lives!
Healing incl.des transformation5restoration of o.r relationshi, *ith 6od and *ith
others) Thro.gh health care" *e seek to im,ro-e ,eo,le4s health7 hel, them
disco-er 6od in the midst of s.8ering and ho,elessness7 transform their li-es and
the realities they face) The theme for 20&2 Transforming 9i-es" hel, foc.s o.r
attention on" and align o.r *ork to" this im,ortant as,ect) These Bile st.dies
enhance o.r .nderstanding of *hat transformation means and ho* *e can e
instr.ments of transformation" ho* transformation can e sim,le yet ,rofo.nd)
This ooklet is meant for the /atholic 3et*ork)
Ho, to 'elebrate the Healing Ministry Week-
i. +n Health#are +nstitutions
0rrangements co.ld e made for e-eryone in the hos,ital to :oin the ,rayers" .t
*ith d.e discretion and f.ll res,ect for those sick ,eo,le of other faiths and those
*ith no religio.s ,ers.asion) Inform the ,atient4s relati-es of the gathering) %rinted
materials" *ith ins,irational te!ts and ,rayers co.ld e distri.ted) ;ne or more of
the ,atients" if *illing and ale to do so" may remain alongside the celerant d.ring
readings and ,rayer7 and a fe* symolic gest.res may also e ,lanned)
;rgani<e a*areness ,rograms and meaningf.l celerations for the sta8 engaged in
healthcare)
ii. 'ommunity/0arish level
In collaoration *ith committed -ol.nteers" organi<e e-ents s.ch as: %aralit.rgical
/elerations" /omm.nity celeration of the Blessings and 0nointing of the Sick"
ec.menical ile ser-ice" inter=religio.s ,rayer ser-ice for the sick" health
a*areness seminar" medical cam,s" c.lt.ral e-ents" charitale e-ents" etc
1our 2es)onse
We *ill e interested to kno* ho* yo. celerated the Health and Healing Week and
the World Day of the Sick) %lease *rite to .s) We *elcome yo.r s.ggestions to
contin.e to ha-e meaningf.l ,rograms in the f.t.re)
'('+ %&#e for Health 'are
/B/I /entre " &" 0shok %lace" 6ole Dakkhana" 3e* Delhi=&&0 00&
Tel) 0&&=2>>?0@@2 5 2>>?0@@?" Email: info@cbcihealth.org
3#kno,legements
Dr Vi:ay 0r.ldas" #e-) Ao Aayara: and all others of /M0I team" *ho contri.ted to
this -ent.re
Ms) /elestine Mendonca" Ms) #ose Mary" of /B/I and Mr) 6eorge B) %a.l" design
cons.ltant
Memers of /atholic Health /are net*ork" es,ecially /H0I" SD+I" /36I" and /B/I=
/0#D
We gratef.lly ackno*ledge them for their -al.ale contri.tions)
Healing Week Feb 6-12, 2012 CBCI Office for Health Care
Fr Dr Mathew Abraham C.Ss.R
Secretary !"ce for #ea$th Care
Catho$ic %isho&s' Conference of (n)ia
M4""354 %F H+" H%6+74"" (474!+'T 89+
F%2 TH4 2012 W%26! !31 %F TH4 "+':
20
th
Worl !ay of the "i#k: February 11$ 2012
Theme: The special grace of the Sacraments of healing
Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well (Lk 17:19)
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
On the occasion of the World Day of the Sick, which we will celebrate on 11 February
2012, the Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes, wish to renew my s!iritual closeness to all sick
!eo!le who are in !laces of care or are looked after in their families, e"!ressin# to each one
of them the solicitude and the affection of the whole $hurch% n the #enerous and lo&in#
welcomin# of e&ery human life, abo&e all of weak and sick life, a $hristian e"!resses an
im!ortant as!ect of his or her 'os!el witness, followin# the e"am!le of $hrist, who bent
down before the material and s!iritual sufferin#s of man in order to heal them%
1% (his year, which in&ol&es the immediate !re!arations for the Solemn World Day of the
Sick that will be celebrated in 'ermany on 11 February 201) and will focus on the
emblematic 'os!el fi#ure of the 'ood Samaritan *cf% Lk 10+2,-)./, would like to !lace
em!hasis u!on the 0sacraments of healin#1, that is to say u!on the sacrament of 2enance
and 3econciliation and that of the 4nointin# of the Sick, which ha&e their natural com!letion
in 5ucharistic $ommunion%
(he encounter of 6esus with the ten le!ers, narrated by the 'os!el of Saint Luke *cf% Lk
1.+11-1,/, and in !articular the words that the Lord addresses to one of them, 0Stand u!
and #o7 your faith has sa&ed you1 *&% 1,/, hel! us to become aware of the im!ortance of
faith for those who, burdened by sufferin# and illness, draw near to the Lord% n their
encounter with him they can truly e"!erience that he who believes is never alone8 'od,
indeed, in his Son, does not abandon us to our an#uish and sufferin#s, but is close to us,
hel!s us to bear them, and wishes to heal us in the de!ths of our hearts *cf% Mk 2+1-12/%
(he faith of the lone le!er who, on seein# that he was healed, full of ama9ement and :oy,
and unlike the others, immediately went back to 6esus to e"!ress his #ratitude, enables us
to !ercei&e that reac;uired health is a si#n of somethin# more !recious than mere !hysical
healin#, it is a si#n of the sal&ation that 'od #i&es us throu#h $hrist7 it finds e"!ression in
the words of 6esus+ your faith has saved you% <e who in sufferin# and illness !rays to the
Lord is certain that 'od=s lo&e will ne&er abandon him, and also that the lo&e of the $hurch,
the e"tension in time of the Lord=s sa&in# work, will ne&er fail% 2hysical healin#, an outward
e"!ression of the dee!est sal&ation, thus re&eals the im!ortance that man > in his entirety
of soul and body > has for the Lord% 5ach sacrament, for that matter, e"!resses and
actuates the closeness of 'od himself, who, in an absolutely freely-#i&en way, 0touches us
throu#h material thin#s ? that he takes u! into his ser&ice, makin# them instruments of the
encounter between us and himself1 *Homily , $hrism Mass, 1 4!ril 2010/% 0(he unity
Healing Week Feb 6-12, 2012 CBCI Office for Health Care
between creation and redem!tion is made &isible% (he sacraments are an e"!ression of the
!hysicality of our faith, which embraces the whole !erson, body and soul1 *Homily , $hrism
Mass, 21 4!ril 2011/%
(he !rinci!al task of the $hurch is certainly !roclaimin# the @in#dom of 'od, 0Aut this
&ery !roclamation must be a !rocess of healin#+ Bbind u! the broken-hearted= *Is C1+1/1
*ibid./, accordin# to the char#e entrusted by 6esus to his disci!les *cf% Lk ,+1-27 Mt 10+1,D-
1E7 Mk C+.-1)/% (he tandem of !hysical health and renewal after lacerations of the soul
thus hel!s us to understand better the 0sacraments of healin#1%
2% (he sacrament of 2enance has often been at the centre of the reflection of the $hurch=s
2astors, s!ecifically because of its #reat im!ortance in the :ourney of $hristian life, #i&en
that 0(he whole !ower of the sacrament of 2enance consists in restorin# us to 'od=s #race,
and :oinin# with him in an intimate friendshi!1 *Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1ECF/%
(he $hurch, in continuin# to !roclaim 6esus= messa#e of for#i&eness and reconciliation,
ne&er ceases to in&ite the whole of humanity to con&ert and to belie&e in the 'os!el% She
makes her own the call of the 4!ostle 2aul+ 0So we are ambassadors for $hrist, as if 'od
were a!!ealin# throu#h us% We im!lore you on behalf of $hrist, be reconciled to 'od1 * Cor
D+20/% 6esus, durin# his life, !roclaimed and made !resent the mercy of the Father% <e came
not to condemn but to for#i&e and to sa&e, to #i&e ho!e in the dee!est darkness of sufferin#
and sin, and to #i&e eternal life7 thus in the sacrament of 2enance, in the 0medicine of
confession1, the e"!erience of sin does not de#enerate into des!air but encounters the Lo&e
that for#i&es and transforms *cf% 6ohn 2aul , 2ost-Synodal 4!ostolic 5"hortation
!econciliatio et "aenitentia, )1/%
'od, 0rich in mercy1 *#$h 2+E/, like the father in the 'os!el !arable *cf% Lk 1D+11-)2/,
does not close his heart to any of his children, but waits for them, looks for them, reaches
them where their re:ection of communion im!risons them in isolation and di&ision, and calls
them to #ather around his table, in the :oy of the feast of for#i&eness and reconciliation% 4
time of sufferin#, in which one could be tem!ted to abandon oneself to discoura#ement and
ho!elessness, can thus be transformed into a time of #race so as to return to oneself, and
like the !rodi#al son of the !arable, to think anew about one=s life, reco#ni9in# its errors and
failures, lon#in# for the embrace of the Father, and followin# the !athway to his home% <e,
in his #reat lo&e, always and e&erywhere watches o&er our li&es and awaits us so as to offer
to e&ery child that returns to him the #ift of full reconciliation and :oy%
)% From a readin# of the 'os!els it emer#es clearly that 6esus always showed s!ecial
concern for sick !eo!le% <e not only sent out his disci!les to tend their wounds *cf% Mt 10+F7
Lk ,+27 10+,/ but also instituted for them a s!ecific sacrament+ the 4nointin# of the Sick%
(he Letter of %ames attests to the !resence of this sacramental act already in the first
$hristian community *cf% D+1E-1C/+ by the 4nointin# of the Sick, accom!anied by the !rayer
of the elders, the whole of the $hurch commends the sick to the sufferin# and #lorified Lord
so that he may alle&iate their sufferin#s and sa&e them7 indeed she e"horts them to unite
themsel&es s!iritually to the !assion and death of $hrist so as to contribute thereby to the
#ood of the 2eo!le of 'od%
(his sacrament leads us to contem!late the double mystery of the Mount of Oli&es, where
6esus found himself dramatically confronted by the !ath indicated to him by the Father, that
of his 2assion, the su!reme act of lo&e7 and he acce!ted it% n that hour of tribulation, he is
the mediator, 0bearin# in himself, takin# u!on himself the sufferin#s and !assion of the
world, transformin# it into a cry to 'od, brin#in# it before the eyes and into the hands of
'od and thus truly brin#in# it to the moment of redem!tion1 *Lectio Divina, Meetin# with
Healing Week Feb 6-12, 2012 CBCI Office for Health Care
the 2arish 2riests of 3ome, 1F February 2010/% Aut 0the 'arden of Oli&es is also the !lace
from which he ascended to the Father, and is therefore the !lace of redem!tion ? (his
double mystery of the Mount of Oli&es is also always Bat work= within the $hurch=s
sacramental oil ? the si#n of 'od=s #oodness reachin# out to touch us1 *Homily , $hrism
Mass, 1 4!ril 2010/% n the 4nointin# of the Sick, the sacramental matter of the oil is offered
to us, so to s!eak, 0as 'od=s medicine ? which now assures us of his #oodness, offerin# us
stren#th and consolation, yet at the same time !oints beyond the moment of the illness
towards the definiti&e healin#, the resurrection *cf% %as D+1E/1 *ibid./%
(his sacrament deser&es #reater consideration today both in theolo#ical reflection and in
!astoral ministry amon# the sick% (hrou#h a !ro!er a!!reciation of the content of the
litur#ical !rayers that are ada!ted to the &arious human situations connected with illness,
and not only when a !erson is at the end of his or her life *cf% Catechism of the Catholic
Church, 1D1E/, the 4nointin# of the Sick should not be held to be almost 0a minor
sacrament1 when com!ared to the others% 4ttention to and !astoral care for sick !eo!le,
while, on the one hand, a si#n of 'od=s tenderness towards those who are sufferin#, on the
other brin#s s!iritual ad&anta#e to !riests and the whole $hristian community as well, in the
awareness that what is done to the least, is done to 6esus himself *cf% Mt 2D+E0/%
E% 4s re#ards the 0sacraments of healin#1, Saint 4u#ustine affirms+ 0&od heals all your
infirmities% Do not be afraid, therefore, all your infirmities will be healed ? Gou must only
allow him to cure you and you must not re:ect his hands1 *#'$osition on "salm (), D7 "L
)C, 1)1,-1)20/% (hese are !recious instruments of 'od=s #race which hel! a sick !erson to
conform himself or herself e&er more fully to the mystery of the death and resurrection of
$hrist% (o#ether with these two sacraments, would also like to em!hasi9e the im!ortance
of the 5ucharist% 3ecei&ed at a time of illness, it contributes in a sin#ular way to workin#
this transformation, associatin# the !erson who !artakes of the Aody and Alood of $hrist to
the offerin# that he made of himself to the Father for the sal&ation of all% (he whole ecclesial
community, and !arish communities in !articular, should !ay attention to #uaranteein# the
!ossibility of fre;uently recei&in# <oly $ommunion, to those !eo!le who, for reasons of
health or a#e, cannot #o to a !lace of worshi!% n this way, these brothers and sisters are
offered the !ossibility of stren#thenin# their relationshi! with $hrist, crucified and risen,
!artici!atin#, throu#h their li&es offered u! for lo&e of $hrist, in the &ery mission of the
$hurch% From this !oint of &iew, it is im!ortant that !riests who offer their discreet work in
hos!itals, in nursin# homes and in the homes of sick !eo!le, feel they are truly 0=ministers
of the sick=, si#ns and instruments of $hristHs com!assion who must reach out to e&ery
!erson marked by sufferin#1 *Messa*e for the +,III -orld Day of the Sick, 22 Io&ember
200,/%
Aecomin# conformed to the 2aschal Mystery of $hrist, which can also be achie&ed throu#h
the !ractice of s!iritual $ommunion, takes on a &ery !articular meanin# when the 5ucharist
is administered and recei&ed as Jiaticum% 4t that sta#e in life, these words of the Lord are
e&en more tellin#+ 0Whoe&er eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and will
raise him on the last day1 *%n C+DE/% (he 5ucharist, es!ecially as Jiaticum, is > accordin# to
the definition of Saint #natius of 4ntioch > 0medicine of immortality, the antidote for death1
*Letter to the #$hesians, 20+ "& D, CC1/7 the sacrament of the !assa#e from death to life,
from this world to the Father, who awaits e&eryone in the celestial 6erusalem%
D% (he theme of this Messa#e for the (wentieth World Day of the Sick, 0Stand u! and #o7
your faith has sa&ed you1, also looks forward to the forthcomin# Gear of Faith which will
be#in on 11 October 2012, a !ro!itious and &aluable occasion to redisco&er the stren#th and
beauty of faith, to e"amine its contents, and to bear witness to it in daily life *cf% 4!ostolic
Healing Week Feb 6-12, 2012 CBCI Office for Health Care
Letter "orta .idei, 11 October 2011/% wish to encoura#e sick !eo!le and the sufferin#
always to find a safe anchor in faith, nourished by listenin# to the Word of 'od, by !ersonal
!rayer and by the sacraments, while in&ite !astors to be increasin#ly ready to celebrate
them for the sick% Followin# the e"am!le of the 'ood She!herd and as #uides of the flocks
entrusted to them, !riests should be full of :oy, attenti&e to the weakest, the sim!le and
sinners, e"!ressin# the infinite mercy of 'od with reassurin# words of ho!e *cf% Saint
4u#ustine, Letter ,D, 1+ "L )), )D1-)D2/%
(o all those who work in the field of health, and to the families who see in their relati&es
the sufferin# face of the Lord 6esus, renew my thanks and that of the $hurch, because, in
their !rofessional e"!ertise and in silence, often without e&en mentionin# the name of
$hrist, they manifest him in a concrete way *cf% Homily , $hrism Mass, 21 4!ril 2011/%
(o Mary, Mother of Mercy and <ealth of the Sick, we raise our trustin# #a9e and our
!rayer7 may her maternal com!assion, manifested as she stood beside her dyin# Son on the
$ross, accom!any and sustain the faith and the ho!e of e&ery sick and sufferin# !erson on
the :ourney of healin# for the wounds of body and s!irit8
assure you all of a remembrance in my !rayers, and bestow u!on each one of you a
s!ecial 4!ostolic Alessin#%
.rom the ,atican, ) /ovember )((, Solemnity of our Lord %esus Christ, 0niversal 1in*.
BENEDICTUS PP. XVI
Copyright 2011 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana
http://!"atican!"a/hol#$father/bene%ict$&"i/'e((age(/(ick/in%e&$en!ht'
(+(64 T48T$ 24F64'T+%7" 37! 023142"
+or Healing Ministry Week" 20&2
!ay 1: WH3T +" T237"F%2M3T+%7-
Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,
that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and
perfect.
2eaing: #omans &2:2
2e;e#tion:
/hange" tho.gh a ,art of transformation is not tr.ly transformation) H.man
tendency is to conform" i)e)" to resist transformation) #eal transformation is the
transformation of the inner=self or the mind of a ,erson) The mind is the seat of all
feelings" thinking and character) 0 rene*ed or transformed mind *ill e-en get
manifested in the ody) +or those *ho elie-e" the *ill of 6od is the ,arameter of
transformation and good h.man relationshi,s are its o.tcome) Transformation can
e considered as the o.tcome of tr.e *orshi," i)e)" o8ering a li-ing sacriCce" *hich
is holy and acce,tale to 6od) 0 ,erson ecomes holy *hen he or she is set a,art
Healing Week Feb 6-12, 2012 CBCI Office for Health Care
for 6od) ;nce the real *orshi, takes ,lace" real transformation *ill ha,,en as a
res.lt of it)
<uestion for is#ussion:
1. What are the factors that hinder me from a gen.ine transformationD
0rayer:
6od" lead me to*ard transformation and not mere changes" in my day=today life)
0men)
!ay 2: T237"F%2M+75 T%!31*" 936=4" +7 H436TH '324
When the on of !an comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on
his glorious throne. "ll the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate
the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. #e
will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
2eaing: Matthe* 2E:>&=?F
2e;e#tion:
6od created .s in His o*n image and likeness) 6od is lo-e) G/aring4 is one of the
e!,ressions of lo-e) Health care is a good o,,ort.nity to care for others) With
gro*ing materialism" money is considered as the highest -al.e" e-en more -al.ale
than h.man eings) The attraction of monetary re*ards and ,ersonal ,roCt seem to
e ca,t.ring many *ho are into health care) 0 ,atient often ecomes a case" *hose
s.8ering ,ro-ides .s *ith :o o,,ort.nities and monetary eneCts) The all
,er-asi-e Gc.t system4 for laoratory tests and imaging is making ethical standards
dro, to an all=time lo*)
Ho* can this trend e changedD It *ill e ,ossile if *e go ack to the original
,.r,ose of this nole ,rofession y follo*ing 6od and His commands) When *e
re$ect on Aes.s4 healing ministry and his commitment to ,eo,le" *e get a glim,se
of the tr.th ao.t ho* health care sho.ld e) 0s disci,les of Aes.s" *e m.st set high
ethical standards in the ,ractice of health care" introd.ce a c.lt.re of lo-e and care
in e-ery as,ect of the healing ministry and th.s stand o.t as a G,ro,hetic sign4 in
the midst of health care eing taken o-er y ,roCt making ind.stries)
<uestions for is#ussion:
&) What are the ills in the health care ind.stryD
2) Ho* can *e remain as a ,ro,hetic sign in the midst of the ao-e mentioned
tendencyD
0rayer:
6od of com,assion and lo-e" hel, .s to e!,ress the need to sho* yo.r com,assion
and lo-e to others" oth in o.r *ords and *orks) 0men)
!ay >: M+""+%7 H%"0+T36" 3" 'H37746" %F T237"F%2M3T+%7
$ am the vine% you are the branches. $f you remain in me and $ in you, you will bear
much fruit
2eaing: Aohn &E:E=H7 &:&" 2" &?
Healing Week Feb 6-12, 2012 CBCI Office for Health Care
2e;e#tion:
The 6os,els are f.ll of stories of ,eo,le *hose li-es *ere radically transformed y
coming in contact *ith Aes.s) Aes.s transforms li-es e-en today) Mission hos,itals
are called to e e!,ressions of the Word *ho ecame +lesh I -isile" ,al,ale signs
of the Bingdom of 6od) %eo,le come to .s in ,ain and rokenness" s.8ering and
fearf.l) 6od calls .s to assist Him in sharing their ,ain7 red.ce their s.8ering
*here-er ,ossile7 and to hel, them ret.rn home as healthier and etter ,eo,le)
+or e!am,le" a child *ith Malaria lea-es the fe-er and ,ain ehind and goes ack to
school) This is the 6os,el in action)
0ll hos,itals do medical *ork) B.t for mission hos,itals" it is not :.st a scientiCc
interaction or a commercial e!ercise) We are called to e 6od4s hands" His feet" His
lo-e" so that ,eo,le coming to .s for care may e!,erience His lo-e thro.gh .s and
get transformed) This is o.r *orshi," o.r -ocation" o.r calling) Ho*e-er" it is Aes.s
*ho transforms" not .s) +or this to ha,,en" o.r mission hos,itals need to e
,l.gged into Him" like the ranches of a -ine) The Word m.st ecome +lesh and
d*ell in o.r hos,itals" if ,eo,le are to ehold His glory) Then o.r mission hos,itals
*ill tr.ly ecome channels of transformation in the li-es of ,eo,le I oth *ithin o.r
sta8 and st.dents and in the comm.nity aro.nd .s)
<uestion for is#ussion:
1. 6andhi:i said" JKo. ha-e to ecome the change yo. *ant to see)L What can
this mean for .s" o.r ch.rches and instit.tionsD
0rayer: ; 9ord" *e ,ray that *e may allo* yo. to transform .s" so that o.r
ch.rches" schools and hos,itals may tr.ly e channels of yo.r lo-e and
transformation in o.r co.ntry) 0men)
!ay ?: T237"F%2M+75 "%'+36 (322+42" T% H436TH '324
ince they could not get him to &esus because of the crowd, they made an opening
in the roof above &esus and after digging through it, lowered the mat the paraly'ed
man was lying on.
2eaing: Mark 2:&=&2
2e;e#tion:
The ,araly<ed man re,resents ,eo,le *ho are s.8ering and *ho are forced to li-e a
de,endent e!istence d.e to ,hysical" mental or social disailities) The arriers faced
y the ,araly<ed man and his hel,ers are not -ery di8erent from the arriers
,eo,le" es,ecially the ,oor" face in today4s society) These can e arriers of
"vailability, "ccessibility and "(ordability. The res,onse of the fo.r friends of the
,araly<ed man ,ro-ides a model for o-ercoming social arriers) They sho* concern
for their friend *ho *as .nale to hel, himself) They connect their kno*ledge ao.t
the healing ,o*er of Aes.s eing a-ailale in their midst to the need of their friend)
They take a ,ersonal initiati-e to carry their friend to *here healing co.ld occ.r)
+aced *ith the ostacle of the ig cro*d" they think creati-ely" taking ,ersonal risk)
Aes.s sa* their faith) The faith of the ,aralytic man is not mentioned) ;.r faith in
6od and e8orts to ring the s.8ering to the so.rce of healing co.ld ring holistic
Healing Week Feb 6-12, 2012 CBCI Office for Health Care
deli-erance from ,hysical deility and co.ld also ring transformation) The fo.r
friends are the image of a transformed comm.nity *ho demonstrate lo-e" care"
com,assion and initiati-e in res,onding to the needs of the sick ,erson in their
midst) This is the calling that /hrist ga-e his /h.rch) When /hrist4s follo*ers
ecome tr.e neigho.rs to ,eo,le in need and engage in ser-ice thro.gh lo-ing
relationshi,s in the comm.nity" then the /h.rch can contri.te greatly in
o-ercoming social arriers to health care)
<uestions for is#ussion:
&) What are the social arriers that ,eo,le" es,ecially the ,oor" aro.nd yo. face
in accessing health careD
2) What can yo." indi-id.ally and collecti-ely do for ,eo,le in o-ercoming those
arriersD
>) Ho* do yo. react to an .ncon-entional 5 daring s.ggestion in sol-ing a
,rolemD
0rayer:
9ord *e confess that *e ha-e een largely a,athetic to the needs of others and
locked the *ay of those in des,erate need of yo.r healing ,o*er and forgi-eness)
+orgi-e .s and hel, .s e like the fo.r friends of the ,araly<ed man) Hel, .s make
o.r ch.rch a daring comm.nity ready to take risks for hel,ing ,eo,le in need)
!ay @: T237"F%2M3T+%7 37! 4M0%W42M47T
)Go,* he told him, )wash in the Pool of iloam*. o the man went and washed, and
came home seeing.
2eaing: Aohn M:@
2e;e#tion: 0man *as once an alcoholic and lost his :o on that co.nt) He *as also
an e!cellent s,ortsman) Shortly after he lost his :o" and as he *as contem,lating
s.icide" he ran into a .nch of teenagers loitering on the streets" directionless and
,.r,oseless) Teetering on the edge of s.icide" he *ondered if the oys *o.ld
res,ond to a s,orts initiati-e that he co.ld start) Nsing an em,ty ,laygro.nd as a
ase" he egan an e!,eriment of engaging the oys in fr.itf.l games and s,orts
that transformed him and has since then changed and em,o*ered the li-es of
co.ntless teenagers)
;nly transformed ,eo,le can transform and em,o*er others) When the lind man
*ho li-ed a ,assi-ely de,endant e!istence on the alms and s.8erance of others"
*as healed y Aes.s" he not only gained his sight" .t also gained insight) He is
transformed and em,o*ered) 0 man *ho s,ent his life on the side*alks of life gets
a ne* identity and deates *ith the ,o*erf.l ,eo,le of the society) He declares that
Aes.s is a ,ro,het and still later *orshi,s Him as 6od) Th.s transformation is also
em,o*erment)
<uestion for is#ussion:
1. Ho* do *e ecome agents of transformation and em,o*erment" es,ecially in
o.r *ork ,laceD
0rayer:
Healing Week Feb 6-12, 2012 CBCI Office for Health Care
Transformation is an act of 6race) ;,en o.r eyes 9ord" to see grace at *ork in o.r
midst)
!ay 6: T237"F%2M+75 %=2"4694" F%2 H436+75 M+7+"T21
+hen he said to her, )Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.*
2eaing: 9.ke H:?>=?H
2e;e#tion:
Aes.s" y making ,.lic the *oman4s healing" hel,s to remo-e the social stigma
associated *ith her condition) Aes.s4 ,.lic ackno*ledgement of the *oman4s faith
*o.ld ha-e em,o*ered her to o-ercome all ,ast and f.t.re ins.lts ao.t her
condition) 0s amassadors of the healing mission of Aes.s" *e can do m.ch more
than gi-e medicines and c.re) We can also em,o*er ,eo,le" y the sim,le act of
treating them *ith dignity and res,ect) Ho*e-er" to e ale to follo* Aes.s4
e!am,le" *e m.st o.rsel-es e transformed in the *ays that *e think" act and treat
each other7 in the *ays *e try to .nderstand" address and remo-e the social
arriers that ,eo,le e!,erience)
<uestions for is#ussion:
&) What ste,s can I take to egin this inner transformationD
2) What is the Crst thing that I *ill do di8erently" as a symol of this
transformationD
0rayer:
Dear 9ord" hel, .s e conscio.s of *here *e are lacking" so that *e can seek to e
transformed) Hel, .s not to e hesitant *hen *e are called to e di8erent)
Healing Week Feb 6-12, 2012 CBCI Office for Health Care
Healing Ministry Week 2011: February A-1>
%&#e for Health 'are
'atholi# (isho)s* 'onferen#e of +nia
7e, !elhi
,,,.#b#i.in
,,,.#b#ihealth.org
Healing Week Feb 6-12, 2012 CBCI Office for Health Care