6 Presentation We only fully enjoy the treasure of health when we are unexpectedly confronted with fragility. Illness appears, at the heart of our existence, like a thief of tranquility, of serenity. Everything seems to change, without warning. Sickness intrudes upon us, upsetting the balance of our lives and wearing us down, often to the point of leaving us speechless. It isn’t easy to put this inner earthquake into words! Worse, how can we even begin to express what we’re going through if there isn’t someone there to listen patiently? Everyone feels, during these long hours of pain and suffering, the need to stabilize themselves in a loving relationship, to cry out their complaint in the hope of being heard, to express incomprehension, and also to rediscover inner peace. On this road of trial and tribulation, it’s good to discover, like the disciples of Emmaus, that we're not alone. Christ walks alongside us, a companion for pilgrims lost in bewildering questions. Christ joins us in the smile of the caregiver, in the person who knocks at the door, in the availability of the person willing to be our neighbor, like the Good Samaritan of old. All these visits can become a “Visitation,” nourishing within us the desire to pray. This little guide is intended to help us put our feelings into words during the difficult hours, to keep faith in the midst of adversity, to hold on to the warm hand extended to us by the Lord. Whether we’re at peace or in turmoil, this book will help us escape the “solitary confinement” of illness. Father Jean-Marie Onfray Head of the Health and Justice Subcommittee of the Bishops' Conference of France
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