Vatican City, Feb 10, 2004 / 22:00 pm
It is a great act of love to take care of those who suffer, said Pope John Paul II today in his general audience on the occasion of the World Day of the Sick.
For Christians today, suffering is also a gift for the Church and the world, he said.
“The World Day of the Sick constitutes a strong call to rediscover the important presence of the suffering in the Christian community and to value always their precious contribution,” said the 83-year-old ailing pontiff.
“From a simply human perspective, pain and sickness can appear as absurd realities,” he said. “However, if one allows oneself to be illuminated by the light of the Gospel, one can grasp its profound salvific significance.”