We Are Fragile, But We Know How to Pray: This Is Our Strength
World Day of the Sick was created so that we, as individuals and as a global community, can remember and offer prayers for those in need of care or suffering from illness.
Suellen Figueiredo
20. February, 2021
World Day of the Sick was created so that we, as individuals and as a global community, can remember and offer prayers for those in need of care or suffering from illness.
Whether it’s the person who’s in a hospital bed, or the person who lives every day with some kind of chronic illness, we remember them on World Day of the Sick, as well as those who care for the sick, oftentimes in very poor conditions. On this day we want, as a Church, to remember all these people and situations and to appeal for better conditions for everyone who needs it.
Despite positive news about the effectiveness of Covid-19 vaccines, the global community still faces a real threat from a pandemic which has plagued us since 2020, and which has led to 110 million infections and more than 2.4 million deaths (source: WHO, 23 Feb 21). We all live daily in the shadow of Covid-19.
In this context, we, as Christians, should reflect on how to live a life of prayer when we don’t always have the strength to perform the most basic daily tasks.
How can we find the strength to maintain the spirit of trust in Divine Providence and not give in to the fear and difficulties that this disease causes?
Asking myself these questions and speaking with people who have tested positive for Covid-19 helped me to understand what it means to have an illness and how Schoenstatt’s spirituality can help overcome it.
During hard times, use every opportunity to pray
“As a person directly affected by this pandemic, I would like to share my experience. It all started as a throat irritation with flu and fever symptoms. After two medical consultations I received the diagnosis that I had tested positive for Covid-19.
In a third visit, and with the worsening symptoms, I learned that 70% of my lungs were compromised, which, thanks to our MTA, did not develop into something worse. But due to side effects, I needed to be admitted for tests. That’s when, due to the state of the air in the waiting room, I felt a sensation of suffocation, which became more normal once I moved to a different area.
Later, in a moment of prayer, I thought about how desperate it must be for those who develop a serious illness and what our Father and Founder, Fr. Kentenich must have endured during his imprisonment in the Dachau concentration camp.
During my recovery I was in isolation which obviously restricted ‘normal’ activity, but I made time for prayer, including the Confidence prayer and meditation in Heaven,” says C. R., from Olinda/PE.
Pray with your eyes
It is very often the case that sick people are not hospitalised, but remain living in their own home. So, in many cases we experience illness in the home of a sick loved one.
This is what Priscila Araújo, from Olinda/PE, shared with us:
“I’ve been married for two months. My husband and I are both health professionals; I graduated in pharmacy and he is an intensive care unit (ICU) nurse. Since before we married we’ve been living with the reality of Covid-19.
My husband contracted Covid-19 while we were still engaged. We got married at the end of November. It’s been a very challenging time. Last month he became infected for a second time, and this time, I became infected also, meaning we were both sick together.
The fact that we were health professionals helped us take care of each other when the other was worse. Being involved with Schoenstatt since our youth helped us to maintain our faith, even when we could not pray as we usually do.
Many times, my only way of praying was to turn my gaze to the Blessed Mother in my Home Shrine, which I made in my last year in the Girls’ Youth, and to ask the MTA to take care of us and to not allow fear and illness to make us worse.
We are both now recovered and have returned to the Tabor Shrine of the New Evangelization to thank our Mother for taking care of us.”
We are fragile beings, but we know how to pray
In this special time of Lent, let us pray for those who still suffer in and out of hospital beds, whether with Covid-19 or other illnesses.
May they, through the intercession of our Mother and Queen, remain secure in faith and confident of recovery. Let us pray also for those who can no longer pray, that they may see God at work in their daily lives.
“Christian prayer infuses into the human heart an invincible hope: whatever experience touches our path, God’s love can transform it into good. […] We are fragile beings, but we know how to pray: this is our greatest dignity, it is our fortress. Courage! Pray in every moment, in every situation, because the Lord is close to us. When a prayer is in harmony with the heart of Jesus, it obtains miracles.” (Pope Francis, Audience, February 10, 2020).
Translation: Stephen Bromley