A year ago, Bob and Janet welcomed their first child Tom, who is battling for his life against leukemia. Janet quit her job so that she can spend more time with Tom, whose condition worsens. Bob and Janet are resolved to stabilize their son’s health and ultimately, to seek a cure for him. Their trust in God has remained strong as they find hope in the healing stories of Jesus, who appeared on stage to begin his ministry by proclaiming healing and recovery to those who struggle with physical strength and emotional weakness (Luke 4:18).
I met Karla who was visiting the National Shrine of St. Jude to ask for healing and strength as she battles lung cancer. Karla revealed to me that she has been very worried and concerned as she prepares for her treatment. Though her caregiver has assured her that there’re positive signs of complete recovery given the early detection of the disease. Yet Karla wants to surrender her healing to God. She speaks of the healing story of the man in the synagogue with an unclean spirit with hope and confidence in her own healing from lung cancer (Mark 1:21-28).
It’s almost impossible to find someone who is not concerned about the effects of the current financial crisis. Anyone who has responsibility is tinkering about his or her finances, and fretting about unpaid bills and possible health problems. I know devotees of St Jude who are concerned about their health. Betty was concerned last month about the extent to which her cancer had spread, but when her biopsy showed that it could be treated, her worry morphed to whether the chemo will work for her.
A few weeks ago, I shared a story of a mother who taught in the elementary school in her community for more than a decade, but was laid off along with other teachers at the end of the last school year. Being laid off from the work she loved was devastating. She never saw it coming because she thought that her love of what she did translated into job security. She was very good with the kids, but she embraced her condition with hope and trust in God. She has since been hired as a substitute teacher while she continues to search for a full time position.
