February 11 is the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes and World Day of the Sick. As is traditional , the Holy Father has written a letter to mark the occasion.

Pope Francis grapples with the profound questions facing those who are suffering and those who care for them. “How can we be strong when our bodies have severe, debilitating illnesses that require costly treatment that we may not be able to afford?

Quoting the theme of the ‘Jubilee of Hope’ The Pope writes that true hope “does not disappoint,” and in fact “strengthens us in times of trial,” but he acknowledges that this confidence can often prove perplexing in real situations of suffering.

“In these situations,” the Pope says, we sense our need for a strength greater than our own. We realize that we need God’s help, His grace, His Providence, and the strength that is the gift of His Spirit.”

The Holy Father goes on to invite the faithful to reflect on ways God remains close to those who are suffering.

The Pope recalls that when Jesus sent the 72 disciples on mission, He told them to tell the sick, “The Kingdom of God has come near to you,” that is, “to help the sick see their infirmity… as an opportunity to encounter the Lord.”

This encounter, he explains, can be transformative, helping us to discover “a solid rock to which we can cling amid the tempests of life, an experience that… makes us all the stronger because it teaches us that we are not alone.”

“How often, at the bedside of the sick, do we learn to hope!” he writes. “How often, by our closeness to those who suffer, do we learn to have faith! How often, when we care for those in need, do we discover love!”

The Pope emphasizes the need “to learn how to appreciate the beauty and significance of these grace-filled encounters” between patients, doctors, caregivers, family and friends.

“All these are rays of light to be treasured; even among the dark night of adversity, they give us strength, while at the same time teaching us the deeper meaning of life, in love and closeness.”

Pope Francis concludes his Message with a special word for those who are sick and suffering, reminding them that they have an “especially important” part to play in the Jubilee. “Your journey together is a sign of hope for everyone, ‘a hymn of dignity, a song of hope’.”

And he thanks them for their witness, in the name of the whole Church and in his own name, assuring them that they are always in his prayers, and extending to them his blessing.