The sick are to be cared for before and above all else, for it is really Christ who is served in them. (Benedict's Rule: A Translation, Kardong, 36.1)
I don't deal well with illness. I am fortunate that I am very rarely ill because I am a total wimp when it comes to pain and I do not have much patience with others when they are sick either. The slightest rash or itch or cough is enough to depress me for days. So again, I am extremely grateful for me good health.
That being said, I still need to deal with Benedict's invitation to have compassion and care for those around me who might be sick--whether it be a head ache, diabetes, cancer or arthritis.
What lessons can I learn from working with the sick that will help me in life? How can I learn to see the face of Christ in the ill rather than just the blood, the mess, and the unpleasantness?
My uneasiness comes from not feeling real in control of situations. So...maybe all that I need to learn today about the ill is to pray for patience or to learn to slow down. Maybe my lesson might be to listen carefully to others and their needs. Maybe I am just being called to be there with the person through their pain.
May I remain open to God's presence in life especially when it is difficult to just be.
Sr. Catherine, OSB
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