The Journey 8: TRANSFORMATION IN THE LIFE OF THE SICK

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READ: ACTS 3:1-10

Recently I met a wonderful couple who spend their free time with one of their colleague who was all alone and had contracted a malignant disease and was admitted to the hospital. This person had no one to turn to in time of need, but this  marthomite family would consciously spend time with this lonely lady and made her life little more comfortable in the darkest hour of her life. One day this wonderful couple asked me whether I would be willing to spend some time with this American lady because she expressed her desire to talk to a clergy. I gladly accepted the invitation and all three of us spend about an hour with a lady who had totally lost hope in life, and now lying all alone and feeling the pangs of loneliness. I believe there are lot of people like this American lady that I met , people who are lonely and no one to turn to. Loneliness compounded by the contraction of malignant disease too in this case. Being lonely is one of the painful experience that a human being can go through ones life. An experience that mars the divine image that God created in each one of us. Loneliness can come to ones life because of various kinds of reasons. Some chose to remain lonely, because that is what they feel the best option is, running away from the world, the people and its problems. But there are many other people who are forced to be lonely because of the insensitivity that people tend to show to them. These are people who are desperately seeking relationship, but very few people take initiative to spend time with them so that they are able to  face the crisis of life more meaningfully. It is for this reason that on every Friday we would want to meditate on how we could bring transformation in the life of the sick and suffering. One of the unique things in the ministry of Jesus Christ was  preferential option he gave to the poor and to people who was sick and suffering. There was a genuine concern in our Lord to alleviate the suffering of the  common people. Hence it is the mission of each of us Christian to see to it that we deliberately alter our life style so that we create time and space for those people who are in hopeless situations of life, looking out for the that little rays of hope and comfort which the Lord can provide if we are ready to be a helping hand to them. This requires a change of perspective in the way we view the people who suffer, we need to be ready to be part of their journey of suffering.
Ready to journey with the sick and the suffering?

Prayer
Dear Lord we are sorry that we are  more concerned with our own comforts than seeking the comforts of people who are  going through pain and suffering. Help us to be channels of transformation of your grace. Amen

One Year Bible Reading Plan
Genesis 11, Mathew 6, Psalms 6, Proverbs 2

 

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