In the gospels, Jesus got angry with his disciples because they were hindering the children from coming to him. When the disciples tried to turn them away, Jesus said "Let the children come to me" (Matt 19:14). Our Lord spoke out on behalf of the little ones at a time when they were generally despised and ignored by society. The gospels also record specific instances of Jesus healing very sick children (see Mk 5: 22-44, 35-42). In continuing the healing ministry of Jesus today, pediatricians continue to work for the welfare of many neglected children and continue to be the voice of the voiceless. Collectively as a profession, pediatric doctors have a voice that people will listen to, and they can have an important say in some problematic issues regarding children in our world of today.
Summary: Our Lord healed sick children, and pediatricians carry on his same mission today. From their very baptism, Catholic pediatricians are asked to share in the prophetic mission of the Church. Pope Francis stated that all the baptized are "agents of evangelization." There are various areas where pediatricians can advocate on behalf of suffering children. The individual and collective voices of pediatricians can be a powerful force for change in society.
Keywords: Advocacy; Evangelization; Mission; Pediatrics; Prevention.
© Catholic Medical Association 2019.