This year (2018), the World Day of the Sick of the
Roman Catholic Church falls on Quinguagesima Sunday, the Sunday before Lent, on
Cycle B of the Liturgical Calendar. Invoking the apostolic missionary nature of
the Church in reference to Luke 9:2-6; Matthew 10:1-8, and Mark 6:7-13, Pope
Francis proclaimed: The Church’s service
to the sick and those who care for them must continue with renewed vigour, in
fidelity to the Lord’s command and following the eloquent example of her
Founder and Master, in his message for the 26th World Day of the
Sick message.
As these Gospel passages referenced in Pope’s
message describe, the apostles were sent to euaggelizo
(preach the Good News, the Gospel) and to therapeuo
(heal) the sick, wherever pastoral needs were great, as commissioned by Jesus.
However, this apostolic commissioning did not take place in the beginning, as
Jesus first demonstrated preaching the Good News and healing the sick to the
public, as well as to his disciples (Mark 1:21-2:12; Matthew 4:12-25; Luke 4:14-44).
Though people in need sought Jesus to hear the Good News and to be healed, it
is important to note that Jesus moved around to wherever there were pastoral
needs for evangelization and healing, first through Galilee and eventually to
Jerusalem. The disciples, whom Jesus
recruited, in Galilee, had the privilege to learn Jesus’ pastoral ministries of
teaching (evangelizing) and healing by observing closely. Then, Jesus gave them
a chance to put what they had learned into practice by commissioning and
sending them. This was to make them more than being disciples. This was to make
his disciples his apostles, which literally means those who are sent.
Ultimately, what is described in Mark 1:21-2:12; Matthew 4:12-25; Luke 4:14-44
is Jesus’ preparation for “one holy catholic and apostolic Church”, giving the
four marks to the Church, as in the Nicene Creed.
The catholic (universal) Church has been constituted
of the faithful disciples, well-nourished with the Holy Eucharist, filled and
empowered with the Holy Spirit, and eager to be sent, to euaggelizo (preach the Good News, the Gospel) and to therapeuo (heal) in all nations on earth.
This year, we have read Mark 1:21-28 for Septuagesima
Sunday and Mark 1:29-39 for Sexagesima Sunday.
These sequential Gospel readings for the last two Sundays leading to Quinguagesima
Sunday’s reading for Mark 1:40-45 remind us how the Church traces her roots in
Capernaum, when Jesus recruited some fishermen, like Andrew, Simon, James, and
John, and how her prototype is found in Jesus’ early pastoral ministries of
evangelizing and healing in and around this small fishing village by the Sea of
Galilee.
In an ecclesiological vision of Pope Francis, the
Church must function as a “field hospital”, readily available to those who are
in need to be enlightened and to be healed.
Way before this vision of Pope Francis, St. John XXIII, then Pope John
XXIII, proclaimed that the Church as the dispenser of the medicine of mercy to
convene the Vatican II Council. In this “field
hospital” of “the medicine of mercy”, those who were once cast out as “unclean”
(Leviticus 13) can be made “clean” and be brought back to the community, as
reflected on the Gospel reading for this year’s Quinguagesima Sunday, Mark
1:40-45.
As we are about to enter the season of Lent, heading
to Quadragesima Sunday, after Ash Wednesday, let us not only reflect and repent
our own sinfulness but to remember what we are called: essential staff members
of “the field hospital” of “the medicine of mercy”. Yes, we ask for the Lord’s help, which comes
with “the medicine of mercy”, in “the
field hospital” to be made “clean” and be blessed for holiness– so that we can
be better apostles to reach out our brothers and sisters in need throughout the
world more effectively on our respective apostolic missions. This way, our
catholic Church may become truly one as we are to euaggelizo and to therapeuo,
reflecting how Jesus did and how the Apostles did.
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