34TH WORLD DAY OF THE SICK | FEBRUARY 11, 2026

“The compassion of the Samaritan: loving by bearing another’s pain”

Today, we celebrate the 34th World Day of the Sick, established by St. John Paul II and celebrated each year on February 11th, the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. It is an opportunity to devote special attention to the sick and to those who provide them with assistance and care, both in health care institutions and within families and communities. As we observe this day in 2026, we are invited to look toward the Shrine of Our Lady of Peace in Chiclayo, Peru, where the solemn international celebration is being held.

This year, Pope Leo XIV has invited us to reflect on the theme, “The compassion of the Samaritan: loving by bearing another’s pain.” Drawing inspiration from the Gospel of Luke and the encyclical Fratelli Tutti, the Holy Father reminds us that compassion is not just a feeling, but a decision. He writes, “Love is not passive; it goes out to meet the other. Being a neighbor is not determined by physical or social proximity, but by the decision to love.”

In his message, the Pope emphasizes that the pain of the sick is not the pain of a stranger, but the pain of a member of our own Body—the Church. He challenges our modern “culture of haste” and indifference, urging us to pause, draw near, and provide a “listening ear.” According to Pope Leo, the Church becomes a true home for the suffering through encounter, presence, and shared mission.

Addressing all those who are ill and those who care for them, the Pope noted that “To care for the sick and the most fragile is not an optional gesture, but one of the clearest signs of fidelity to the Gospel.” He spoke movingly of the “Samaritan spirit” found in healthcare workers, family members, and volunteers who stop along the way to heal and accompany. He calls these acts of service a “measure of a society’s health” and a visible proof of our love for God.

The Holy Father concluded by entrusting all who suffer to the maternal protection of Mary, Health of the Sick, asking us to offer our inconveniences and pains through her intercession for peace in our world.

PRAYER

“Sweet Mother, Hear Our Prayer” (World Day of the Sick, February 11, 2026)

“Let us raise our prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Health of the Sick, asking her to assist all who suffer and are in need of compassion, consolation, and a listening ear.” — Pope Leo XIV

Following the Pope’s recommendation, let us pray this ancient family invocation for the sick:

Sweet Mother, do not part from me. Turn not your eyes away from me. Walk with me at every moment, and never leave me alone. You who always protect me as a true Mother, obtain for me the blessing of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Intercessions:

• For children suffering from incurable diseases and their families, that they may find the strength and medical support they need.
• God of compassion, heal your people.
• For the elderly, the lonely, and those whose illnesses are invisible to the world.
• God of compassion, heal your people.
• For doctors, nurses, and caregivers, that they may be “angels of hope” and instruments of Christ’s gentle mercy.
• God of compassion, heal your people. Amen. 🙏🏽

34TH WORLD DAY OF THE SICK | FEBRUARY 11, 2026 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/34th-world-day-of-the-sick-february-11-2026/