Lent 2015 From Indifference to Compassion

Make your hearts firm!   Our reflection for the fifth week of Lent continues to focus on indifference as it relates to end-of-life issues. This week we'll look at the last of three Biblical texts proposed by our Holy Father, through which he addresses himself to individual Christians: "Make your hearts firm!" (James 5:8)   "As individuals too, we are tempted by indifference. Flooded with news reports and troubling images of human suffering, we often feel our complete inability to help. What can we do to avoid being caught up in this spiral of distress and powerlessness?" The Pope proposes three things we can do to avoid powerlessness:   Pray!   "First, we can pray in communion with the Church on earth and in heaven. Let us not underestimate the power of so many voices united in prayer!" - Pope Francis Are any of us without needs and intentions to pray for? Hardly! Even if we don't feel we have needs of our own, our families and friends have plenty of challenges worth praying for! Even if our intentions seem overwhelming, let's not forget to pray for those we might not even know, especially those who are sick and near death, those who are tempted to give up in despair, and those who do not realize the inviolable dignity of every single human life. The U.S. Bishops' Conference Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities has created a useful collection of prayers for the sick, the elderly and their caregivers. Click here for a pdf version of this resource.  The Anointing of the Sick in a nutshell The Church gives us powerful gifts of grace in the sacraments. Two of these, the Eucharist and the Anointing of the Sick, are especially oriented toward the healing of our bodies and souls. In them, we are directly touched by Christ the Divine Physician. Prior to Vatican II the Anointing of the Sick was commonly called Extreme Unction or the Last Rites, because the sacrament was often given only at the moment of death. Some older people who remember this outdated understanding are still frightened at the thought of this sacrament, but there is no need to be afraid. A Christian may receive the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick each time he/she falls seriously ill; the sacrament may be repeated each time one's condition worsens. By virtue of their age the elderly may receive this sacrament at any time. So if you know someone who is elderly or seriously ill, encourage them not to wait until it's too late to be anointed!  The graces of this sacrament include ( see Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 1532): The uniting of the sick person to the passion of Christ, for his/her own good and the good of the Church Strength, peace and courage to endure one's sufferings Forgiveness of sins Restoration of health, if it is conducive to his/her salvation Preparation for the passage from this life to eternal life Reach Out!   "Second, we can help by acts of charity, reaching out to both those near and far through the Church's many charitable organizations. Lent is a favorable time for showing this concern for others by small yet concrete signs of our belonging to the one human family." - Pope Francis Just three weeks ago Pope Francis spoke to a gathering of persons involved in the care of the terminally ill and the elderly in Rome. He told them that abandonment is the most serious illness of the elderly and the greatest injustice they can suffer. "The human person, in fact, in whatever circumstance, is a good in and of himself and for others, and is loved by God," he told the group. "For this reason, when life becomes very fragile and the end of earthly existence approaches, we feel the responsibility to assist and accompany the person in the best way." Caring for others is not always easy, however. Caregivers need prayer and support just as much as the sick. Did you know that caregivers have a patron saint in St. John the Evangelist? This is because Christ confided his own mother to St. John from the Cross and from then on he cared for Mary as his own mother. The Friends of St. John the Caregiver is an international Catholic organization addressing the needs of family caregivers. Click here to visit their website, which provides many useful educational and spiritual resources. Accept your limitations "Third, the suffering of others is a call to conversion, since their need reminds me of the uncertainty of my own life and my dependence on God and my brothers and sisters. If we humbly implore God's grace and accept our own limitations, we will trust in the infinite possibilities which God's love holds out to us. We will also be able to resist the diabolical temptation of thinking that by our own efforts we can save the world and ourselves." - Pope Francis The following prayer from the Friends of St. John the Caregiver can help us to accept our own limitations when caring for others:   Heavenly Father, help me better understand and believe I can do what you ask me to do. Forgive me for the times, even now, when I question your judgment. As I go about the many daily tasks of caregiving, give me energy. As I watch my loved one oh-so-slowly walk across the room, give me strength. As I answer his/her repeated question just one more time, give me patience. As I look for solutions to whatever is the most recent concern, give me wisdom. As I reminisce with him/her about the "good old days," give me a moment of laughter. As I get to know my loved one in a new way, seeing both his or her strength and frailty, give me joy. As I sit beside my loved one's bed waiting for his or her pain medication to take effect, give me comfort. Lighten my burden, answer my prayer, and give me the strength to do what so often seems impossible. Give me a quiet place to rest when I need it and a quieting of my anxieties when I'm there. Change my attitude from a tired, frustrated and angry caregiver to the loving and compassionate one I want to be. Remain my constant companion as I face the challenges of caregiving, and when my job is through and it's time for me to let go, help me remember that he or she is leaving my loving arms to enter your eternal embrace. Amen. Passion of Christ, strengthen us so we will have the grace to turn to you in prayer, to reach out to our brothers and sisters in loving service, and to lay our weaknesses and burdens at the foot of your Cross! For end-of-life information and resources from your State, click here >>  For more information, contact the Publications Office: serenity@littlesistersofthepoor.org |  410-744-9367  |  www.littlesistersofthepoor.org

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