Klaipėdos universitetas

In the modern technologized XXI century, the man, surrounded by advancing medicine and improving conditions of life, stumbles upon the disease and the suffering it causes. In such a world full of disease and pain, the Church shows care for the sick in various spiritual ways. On February 11, 1992 St Pope John Paul II officially introduced the annual commemoration of the World Day of the Sick, when the Catholic Church celebrates the liturgy of Our Lady of Lourdes. The World Day of the Sick was first commemorated on 11 February, 1993. John Paul II pronounced thirteen world days of the sick (1993–2005) and addressed them with special letters-messages. Also, John Paul II introduced the tradition of celebrating the World Day of the Sick every year in an important shrine dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary of a chosen country. The choice of such shrines dedicated to Mary reveals that the Church is attentive to all suffering physically and spiritually, that the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary is called upon in the prayers for health for the sick, and the Mother Mary of Jesus is shown to those caring for the sick as an example of the perfect love of God and neighbour. This article reviews the places of commemoration of the day of the sick associated with the Blessed Virgin Mary in the letters of Pope John Paul II. Discussing the marianism of the places of commemoration of the world days of the sick, the care of Pope John Paul II for the sick and those who perform the service of love for the sick is revealed.

The 21st century is proclaimed to be the era of enhancement of quality of human life. Providing of social assistance plays an important role in the improvement of the quality of human life. In order to ensure the appropriate social assistance its providers have to be guided by ethical norms. Adherence to the principles of ethics is the basis of social assistance which makes it even more effective. The ability to behave ethically while providing social assistance is the main qualitative aspect of the service for its clients. This article highlights those ethical principles which are connected to respect, justice and protection.

“Today Christ calls us to agree with Him and follow Him on the path which transforms all our existence” (Pope Francis). The first transformation takes place through Baptism. Baptism pardons all our sins both original and personal. However, forgiveness of the original sin remains a controversial truth of faith. Pope Benedict XVI said that “original sin is usually hard to understand” and therefore talking about original sin is a way to say that salvation is primarily universal and not individual. In order to more fully understand what happens at Baptism, this article overviews Biblical aspects of the original sin, development of the doctrine of the original sin in the history of the Church and consequences of the primordial sin. It is also revealed what Baptism does to the original sin.

Overcoming guilt and feeling spiritual peace is a fundamental human endeavour. The church calls for reconciliation with oneself, others and God and it calls to seek salvation – eternal happiness and peace. One of the most active preachers of the teaching of the Church was priest Jurgis Pabrėža (1771–1849), whose 250th birth anniversary has been commemorated in 2021. He was the man with an ambition to serve others wholeheartedly so that we “receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5: 9). Speaking of human guilt and liberation from the oppressive feeling of guilt in his sermons, Fr. J. Pabrėža provided the example of Cain’s story. J. Pabrėža mentions the biblical name of Cain in his sermon collection “Sermons on Various Matters” 22 times. Of 48 sermons in this collection Cain is mentioned in 5 of them. Examples of Cain’s experience of sin and guilt are provided when discussing the spiritual well-being of a person: who has no hope of being saved; who does not commit sin by killing another man; why is it bad to desire what belongs to another; what evil is there in a jealous sneer towards others; what is wrong with a blasphemous confession? In the biblical story of Cain and examples of this narrative in the sermons of Fr. J. Pabrėža we see that a person experiences a disturbing feeling of guilt as a subconscious state of insecurity, helplessness and spiritual suffering, and as a lack of meaning in life. This sense of guilt has its own cause – sin, i.e. acting in the world against the laws of nature.

Typology is a rich strand of biblical interpretation, present in both the Old and New Testaments. It reveals the deepest truth about Jesus Christ as the Merciful Saviour. Biblical typology illuminates the consistent fulfilment of God’s salvatory plan. This article depicts the story of Joseph, son of Israel, from the Old Testament as a prototype of forgiveness corresponding to Jesus Christ’s forgiving and salvatory activity in the New Testament. The parallel between Joseph and Jesus displays the development of forgiveness in the stories of the Old and New Testaments. This article presents fourteen typological parallels between Joseph and Jesus revealing the course of salvatory forgiveness.