It is interesting to note how people react to illnesses and accidents, especially when they are either a part of it or have avoided it. In the latter instance, most people express how lucky they were. It was a narrow escape, but they beat the odds. Those who experienced a setback due to being affected either are upset because they have a problem which may be life-changing or are grateful because it was something minor.
My two surgical encounters with cancer in 2008 and a third
in 2023 concerned me, but I never felt I was being punished. I took it as a
sign of my faith being challenged in which I could honor my belief in God and
accept His love of healing. It was an opportunity for me to view what was
happening as a sign of strength, not weakness. I found that putting my trust in
God was more rewarding towards a good relationship with Him rather than second
guessing my plight in life.
I learned this lesson when I was in my twenties. As a
writer/reporter for a large Midwest newspaper, I was invited at Christmas time
to visit veterans' hospitals with my colleagues. We would bring financial gifts
from subscriber donations to remind those who were injured that they were not
forgotten and how much they were appreciated for their service during a time of
need.
The first ward we visited had soldiers who had been there
since the Spanish-American War of 1898 and World I from 1917 through 1918. Many
were missing limbs, were blind or were too old to communicate as it was in the
mid-1960s and they had no relatives alive or things in common with current care
givers. Some said thank you, others smiled, and some had tears that they were
still remembered and for comrades they lost in battle. Other wards had soldiers
from World War Il and the Korean Conflict.
What I noticed in many of the wards were items indicating a
connection with religion, whether it was a picture of Jesus, a crucifix or
non-Christian remembrance such as a Jewish Star of David. Some mentioned they
prayed to God and would have visits from clergymen of varying faiths. All of these veterans never expected to leave
the hospital due to their injuries. Most seemed to have accepted their
condition.
At the end of these visits, it gave me a sense of how
difficult life can be for some people, especially those who fought for our
freedom and suffered physical, mental and emotional wounds for their sacrifice. I did not second guess what was said,
accepting they were honest in their assessment of what life brought them. I made a promise to myself that I would never
take for granted what people in all sorts of dilemmas suffer.
God created us for a purpose. We need to recognize what it
is and to cement our relationship with God so we can better understand our
purpose on earth which is to serve all those in need just like Jesus and Elisha
did in healing lepers in St. Luke's Gospel and the Book of Kings, respectively.
May we all be like Naaman or the Samaritan person with
leprosy who appreciate God's part in our life and thank Him with all our heart
for His love and healing ways.
Reading 1: 2 Kings 5:14 – 17
Psalm: 98:1
– 4
Reading 2: 2 Timothy 2:8 – 13
Gospel: Luke
17:11 - 19
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