Visiting the Sick

Jesus showed his care for the sick through his touch. However, he also visited people in their homes, such as Simon Peter’s mother-in-law who had a fever. Jesus ‘took her by the hand, and helped her up’. The fever left her.  (Mk 1: 31)  

Comforting the Sick

According to Matthew’s Gospel, one of the criteria at the Last Judgement concerns our care of the sick. What will be our answer when we are asked whether we cared for them and visited them?

Some people shy away from visiting a sick person. They feel uncomfortable and do not know what to say or do. Just being there can be comforting to someone whose sickness isolates them from their normal routine and from their community. 

Prayers for the Sick

In The Pastoral Care of the Sick we are given some ideas to use when we visit the sick. We are called to ‘help them to pray’. Models of prayer are provided to ensure that the prayer is in tune with our Christian faith and hope.  God is called ‘the lasting health of all who believe,’ the one in whom ‘we find security’.  (PCS 60)  

A special prayer is included for the elderly ‘who have grown old in your service’ that they may have strength and courage as they continue to serve God.   (PCS 61)

We are also called to share with them ‘the Word of God proclaimed in the assembly from which their sickness has separated them’.  (PCS 46) 

In fact, we are told that prayer should be taken ‘primarily from Scripture’. The unity with the Sunday Assembly, from which they are isolated, can be maintained through sharing the Sunday readings with the sick person. 

The Psalms

A further source of scriptural prayer is the Psalms. Here there is a rich collection of prayers that express all the joys and sorrows of the human heart. Even one verse can provide a prayer that can be easily repeated by a person struggling with illness and pain. 

Verses such as “Do not hide your face from me in the day of my distress” allow the person to tell God how hard they are finding this suffering.  (Ps 101) 

The Psalm continues and ends on a note of hope in God “who looked down from heaven to earth.” (PCS 58)

This kind of prayer can ‘comfort the sick in time of anxiety, encourage them to fight against illness and perhaps restore them to health’.  (PCS 42)

The sick are also encouraged to offer their sufferings ‘in union with Christ and to join in prayer for the Church and the world’.   (PCS 56)

Sickness can lead to self-pity and depression; yet the sick are called to intercede for others. Some particular intentions are suggested for their prayer such as peace, people suffering a disaster, the Church.

Sick Children

The special needs of sick children and their families are addressed. The minister is invited to use a short response, which the child repeats after each line: “Jesus, come to me. Jesus, put your hand on me. Jesus, bless me.”   (PCS 67)

The prayers call out; “ God of love, ever caring, ever strong, stand by us in our time of need.” (PCS 69)

Parents could pray with quite small children using these kinds of prayer.

Whoever is sick, the community is to be ready to pray with them in their time of need. We must also encourage them to pray, ‘when they are alone or with their families, friends or those who care for them’.   (PCS 55)

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This article was originally published in  ‘Healing Ministry’. ©  Diocese of Parramatta.  2001, 2007. Reprinted with permission.