Quote of the Day (John Predmore, Praying for Physical and Spiritual Healing)

“For continuing or renewed health for all those I love,

         Strengthen them in your mercy, Lord.

For all struggling with life-threatening illness,

         Be their source of comfort, O Good Shepherd.

For all weakened by age or infirmity,

         Strengthen both their limbs and their spirit, O God.

For all suffering from mental or nervous afflictions,

         Be their calming presence, Lord Jesus.

For all with disabling handicaps,

         Give them courage and patience, O Lord.

For all struggling with spiritual anxiety, depression or addiction,

         Shower them with your love and mercy, O God.

For all who feel alone, for the lonely, the marginalized, the homebound, the shunned, and those who feel on the edge of society,

         Let them feel your comforting presence.

For all close to death,

         Ease their pain and grant them your peace, O Sacred Heart

For doctors, nurses, hospice workers, and caregivers,

        Guide their healing actions and inspire their words and spirit,

        most Loving Lord.”—Jesuit priest John Predmore, “Prayer: Petitions for Healing,” Prayer: Petitions for Healing (blog), Aug. 23, 2012

As I age, I have watched in dismay as more and more people fall victim to physical and mental illness—an experience that I am sure many other Baby Boomers can identify with. I hope those who read this will join me in praying for all those afflicted in these ways.

 

Quote of the Day (James Thurber, on a Medical Situation Often Occurring in Winter)

“There is, of course, a special problem presented by the type of person who looks well even when he doesn’t feel well, and who is not likely to be believed if he says he doesn't feel well. In such cases, the sufferer should say, ‘I look well, but I don't feel well.’ While this usage has the merit of avoiding the troublesome words ‘bad’ and ‘badly,’ it also has the disadvantage of being a negative statement. If a person is actually ill, the important thing is to find out not how he doesn’t feel, but how he does feel. He should state his symptoms more specifically — ‘I have a gnawing pain here, that comes and goes,’ or something of the sort. There is always the danger, of course, that one's listeners will cut in with a long description of how they feel; this can usually be avoided by screaming.”—American humorist and cartoonist James Thurber (1894-1961), The Owl in the Attic and Other Perplexities (1931)