Sickness

When I was still serving at Hospicio de San Jose, Manila-- sick and old members of the hospice usually talks to me. From their sick bed, they would hold my hand and at their old age they would make an effort to reach for my ear. They usually whisper to me, "brother, please pray for me...hirap na hirap na po ako..." and tears would fall shortly from their eyes. Br. Phoelix, my fellow seminarian would start to rub their back. He would comfort them with his warm and big hug, and seeing how they suffer, we, most of the time, burst also into tears. That was a moment of sympathy where we felt the presence of God reaching our hearts to love Jesus in everyone who are sick, aging and suffering. They usually cannot comprehend the meaning of their sufferings so I usually tell them that their loneliness and pains are the mere sacrifice that they can offer to God. But it's not easy to suffer. It's not easy to bear the unceasing pains. I always tell them, "Just hold on...offer your sufferings to Jesus Christ."
As I reflected, with their agonies, they, who are sick and suffering, also shares the pains of Jesus Christ which He bears on the cross. With their burdens, they become Jesus Christ present in our midst. Through them, who are weak and dying, I encountered Jesus Christ...the very reason of my servanthood... the very reason of my faith and my hope. denmar