“You are afraid to suffer,but it is better to thank God for it, because the more you suffer down here below, the less you will endure above.” (Saint Lydwine of Schiedam).
Over the last few days, we – as a global community – have celebrated the occupation of nursing. During a period of global pandemic, where healthcare systems have struggled to cope with the sheer volume of demand, the medical profession – particularly, in nursing – has experienced a period of unprecedented demand and respect.
We have come to realise, as a community, that nursing is a very valuable profession, without which it would be very difficult to minister to the sick.
These days – in the developed world – nurses must undergo very vigorous training in order to qualify as medical nurses. For most nurses this involves a university degree as a minimum requirement. However, in times gone by, nurses were not people who were respected in the community. Often, nurses were lower class people, who were usually women (or women of religious orders) who took on the most unsavoury tasks associated with healthcare.
In the sixteenth century, Saint Camillus de Lellis left his affluent life to devote himself to the care of the people who he called his “masters”, who were in fact the poor and sick. When the other nurses felt nauseated by the sickness and needs of the patients they would say, “This one is for Camillus.” hen people came to seek Saint Camillus out – even very important people – he would continue in his work and send a message… “Tell him to be patient; I'm busy with our Lord Jesus Christ.”
You see, Saint Camillus knew that God is in all things – and in all suffering. He knew the words of Christ, when He told us about Agape and said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, you shall love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:34-40).
And those commandments – which are really one commandment to love – were lived by all the saints. Legend has it that when Saint John the Apostle was an old man, he needed to be carried around by his disciples when he wanted to preach as there were no wheelchairs. Saint Jerome who lived in the fourth century explained that when Saint John preached, he would always say, “Little children, love one another!” When his disciples asked him what that meant he replied, “It is the Lord’s command, do that and it's enough!”
And love involves suffering. Saint Lydwine of Scheidam said, “You are afraid to suffer, but it is better to thank God for it, because the more you suffer down here below, the less you will endure above.” And that is why legends exist like the one about the nun, who was so tired and nauseated by caring for a particular patient that she decided to ask her Abbess to relieve her of the work. On her way to meet with her Abbess, as she passed the chapel she heard Christ saying, “My child, will you now leave Me?” Bursting into tears, she answered, “Never, my love!” and returned to the task without complaint.
And that has been in my mind today as I rush off to the Abbess to take a reprieve from the love that I have been asked to give… And I pray for the Grace to hear my Beloved say, “My child, will you now leave Me?” And I pray for the Grace to answer… “Never, my love!”
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.
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