“Forgiveness is not just a legal aspect but a healing of the wounded soul”, has said Patriarch Daniel of Romania among other things. To mark the 2024 Solemn Year of pastoral care of the sick, a selection of 25 quotes about suffering and healing from Patriarch Daniel of Romania has been compiled.
1. “God desires to heal the whole of a person’s being; receiving His teaching is itself a condition for healing. From the Holy Scriptures, we clearly understand that the healing of the body is a sign of much deeper healing, which is the forgiveness of sins (Mark 2:10-12).” — (01.01.2024)
2. “The Lord Jesus Christ, His Mother, and the Holy Unmercenary Healers are the true healers of the sick, often inspiring the work of the physician who treats them.” — (01.01.2024)
3. “Jesus knows each person’s suffering, each person’s illness, and He decides when is the best time to show His mercy. Sometimes, it is in response to the pleas of the sick person or those around them, and other times, He shows compassionate and healing love on His own initiative, as in the case of the woman in today’s Gospel.” — (10.12.2023)
4. “Jesus does not consider human illness a fatality or a natural state, even though some have grown accustomed to it. Instead, He is sensitive to human suffering, unfulfillment, and unhappiness.” — (03.12.2023)
5. “The Gospel shows us that Christ the Saviour is the healer of our souls and bodies. Sometimes, He heals through consolation and assistance. At other times, He allows people to experience losses and suffering so that they do not become attached to limited, material, and fleeting things in an idolatrous manner.” — (29.10.2023)
6. “In the healing of the sick, the faith of the community and those around is very important.” — (13.08.2023)
7. “The Saviour Jesus Christ knows the suffering of every person and, at the same time, desires to free people from the dominion of the devil.” — (09.07.2023)
8. “The Saviour Jesus Christ is the Word that gives health and life.” — (02.07.2023)
9. “We should not quickly judge the sick, saying they are punished by God, for often illness is a mysterious call to humility, and this call to humility is also a call to salvation.” — (12.03.2023)
10. “The God who performs miracles is the God who surprises. He decides when to respond to the prayers of the faithful and how to do so.” — (04.12.2022)
11. “He (Christ) is sensitive, empathetic, and compassionate in the face of illness and suffering. This is why He is called ‘Saviour,’ a term which in the language of the New Testament means healer, liberator, and deliverer from difficult situations, illness, suffering, and death.” — (06.11.2022)
12. “Forgiveness is not just a legal aspect but a healing of the wounded soul. The commandment to forgive and love one’s enemies is not only a positive moral attitude but also a state of health.” — (02.10.2022)
13. “Jesus does not love the passive attitude of those who witness the suffering of others. He wants the healthy to stand in solidarity with the sick, not as spectators, but as intercessors for their healing.” — (21.08.2022)
14. “He (the Saviour) defends, saves, and elevates the dignity of the person going through suffering and, through repentance, strengthens them in faith.” — (24.07.2022)
15. “Illness is often an opportunity for God to show His merciful love, His healing power, and to highlight that some who are healed become witnesses of Christ and His divinity more than the healthy.” — (29.05.2022)
16. “His merciful and sacrificial love is evident in the fact that after His resurrection from the dead, the marks of the nails remained in His risen and glorified body as a sign of merciful, compassionate, healing, and forgiving love.” — (29.04.2022)
17. “Jesus Christ does not consider illness a fatality or something natural. He desires for people to be healthy and joyful.” — (23.01.2022)
18. “Even if physical illness is not healed, God’s merciful love grants healing to the soul by uniting the humble soul with God, the most glorious One. Thus, even if one does not obtain physical healing, they achieve healing of the soul through faith, which means salvation and eternal life.” — (07.11.2021)
19. “By healing or freeing people from evil spirits, the Saviour Jesus Christ restores human dignity as beings created in the image of God called to resemble God, meaning holiness.” — (25.07.2021)
20. “Especially those who suffer and seek healing and liberation from difficult situations spiritually perceive God’s help more clearly, that is, they feel His presence.” — (06.06.2021)
21. “We should visit the sick even if we cannot heal them, for our presence encourages them, as sick people often suffer from loneliness and immobility, which exacerbates the pain of illness.” — (05.07.2020)
22. “Even today, Jesus weeps when many people suffer or die. Yet, just as He turned the tears of sisters Martha and Mary into joy, He will help us overcome this great trial of the current pandemic.” — (12.04.2020)
23. “Let us pray to the Mother of God to strengthen all those who are sick and grant wisdom to those who are not to avoid illness. May she help all doctors and medical staff caring for the sick and all those who perform acts of mercy by assisting the elderly, the poor, the lonely, and encouraging others.” — (25.03.2020)
24. “Every person can become the hands of God’s merciful love, working in the world to lift and heal those wounded in body and soul.” — (10.11.2019)
25. “Jesus maintains discretion. He is a discreet healer, not a spectacular one.” — (19.05.2019)
Source: Basilica.ro / Photo: Basilica.ro / Mircea Florescu
