"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you." Jeremiah 1:5
We are all created in the image and likeness of God.
The St. Vincent de Paul Respect Life Ministry works to promote and respect human life from conception to natural death. We all have the responsibility to nurture, protect, and sustain life at all stages. Our parish, in collaboration with our parish school, the Archdiocese Office of Marriage and Family Life, local and international organizations, as well as surrounding parishes, will work towards the common goal of protecting life.God of all goodness, look with mercy on all who suffer, that they may be comforted. Let your healing hands be upon them. When they are fearful, ease their fear and anxieties. When they are afraid, give them strength and courage.
Reflect
The source of human dignity lies in the reality that God became man to save us and calls us into communion with him. The Good Samaritan, who goes out of his way to aid an injured man, shows us what it really means to fulfill the commandment to love our neighbors. Despite our best efforts, it can sometimes be difficult to recognize the profound value of human life when we see its full weakness and fragility. Yet, the faithful care of human life until its natural end is entrusted to every person.
Death is a decisive moment in our encounter with God the Savior. Helping our neighbor to prepare for this moment is a supreme act of charity, encompassing the patient with the solid support of human relationships to accompany them and help them be open to hope. The Church learns from the example of the Good Samaritan how to care for those who are sick or dying, respecting and defending every human life. Each of us is invited to imitate the Samaritan’s example, to “Go and do likewise” (Lk 10:37). The Good Samaritan shows us that our relationship with our suffering neighbor should embrace the qualities of attention, listening, understanding, compassion, and accompaniment.
We need to learn how to look upon our own existence and that of others and to recognize that every human existence is a unique and unrepeatable wonder, one to be received and welcomed as a gift. We are invited to “remain” at the side of a suffering person, as the Blessed Mother and the beloved disciple remained at the foot of the Cross. Their example provides a way to understand that, even when it seems that there is nothing more to do, there is much to do — because “remaining” by the side of the sick is a sign of love and of the hope that it contains. Healed by Jesus, we become men and women called to proclaim his healing power and provide care for our neighbors, until the very end
Reflection adapted from “The Witness of the Good Samaritan: Palliative Care and Hospice.” Scriptural excerpts from NABRE © 2010 CCD. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
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