Rather than analyzing each of these scenarios, let me give you a testimony from somebody I know. I first met Loretta little over a year ago. As early Friday morning Adoration volunteers, we shared a small Chapel with Jesus for an hour every week. We never really spoke to each other - an occasional 'Hello' or wave of a hand was all the communication between us. Then on a Friday morning in June, as I was praying at the Chapel, I felt the urge to speak to Loretta. So I left the Chapel the same time she did. As we were walking out to the car, I asked her how she was doing. And it came pouring. It turned out her husband Mark collapsed while jogging and an MRI revealed a malign growth in the brain. The doctors immediately operated on it but only could remove 85% of the growth. A few days later the doctors told Loretta that medicines might help, but that they should also start planning for the worst scenario. On top of it, Mark also began to develop blood clots in the lower parts of his body which left him in agonizing pain and in grave danger of a severe heart attack. The doctors couldn't give him any blood thinners because the wounds from his surgery weren't healed. Through faith in God and hard work they have created a happy life for themselves and their kids; but everything just fell apart in a matter of few days.
As she finished talking, I was in shock; I didn't expect this much in return for a simple 'How are you' that early in the morning. The usual me would leave the scene at that point, but that morning I felt like talking to her. With divine inspiration I uttered, "I am glad to see that you are still holding to your faith even while going through these tragic situations. I will also pray for your husband's healing." And she looked at me in dismay, then asked hesitantly, "You mean pray to God for Mark's healing?". She went onto say that she believed that God knows their struggles even without her telling anything, and she was hopeful that God would intervene according to His will. But she wasn't too sure about asking God for a healing - if God would listen to specific requests like that. As rational and well-educated people, both she and her husband also understood that there was nothing much to be done in that situation except to get ready.
As I stood there listening her reasonings, I felt myself being filled with answers to her doubts. I told her about the Miracle Healer in the Bible. I explained to her that the Jesus in that Adoration chapel that we just left is the same Jesus who walked on this earth two thousand years ago. Then I told her about an upcoming healing service conducted by Dr. Bob Sawyer in Baltimore, Maryland. She was still unsure; she thought her husband would never agree. All throughout the conversation, I was at total ease as I felt my thoughts and words being directed my Somebody else. I thought I should stop as I realized she was still indecisive. So I left her there with something to ponder: "If someone had told you that there is a doctor in Baltimore who could cure your husband's illness without charging you a penny for it, would you not drag him there?"
Loretta and Mark came to the healing services a few weeks later. Weeks went by and the updates I was getting from Loretta weren't too promising. Then Loretta began to change - she began showing up late for her volunteering hour, she also missed a few weeks without any notice. It was obvious that her husband's illness was taking a toll on her - physically, mentally and spiritually. Then she emailed me a few weeks ago to apologize for her inconsistency and promised she would be on time every Friday no matter what.
When I walked into the Chapel this morning, Loretta was waiting for me in the lobby. She said that Mark's treatment wasn't going as good as the doctor's expected. So they did another MRI on Monday to determine how much worse he has gotten and to make a better assessment on his life expectancy. But the results from the MRI turned out to be a surprising one for the medical team; they were expecting an increase in the malign growth which they couldn't operate on, but it turned out that the growth has shrunk considerably. All the blood clots that was bothering him were also gone. In fact, Mark has improved so much so that the doctors cleared him to drive again and also to return to work. He is also back to doing his daily jogging.
When adversities rock our boats, we pray hoping that God would stabilize the boat. But what God does is, He calms the waters and entrust us with stabilizing the boat. Many of us judge prayers simply by its immediate results. Unfortunately it is also the best argument against praying as most of the time nothing obvious happens immediately to validate the prayer requests. At least nothing happens as far as our eyes could see or our hearts could comprehend. But that doesn't mean our prayers have no effect on us, or on those who are around us, or even on those who are gone from the face of the earth. The fruits of a simple prayer said in faith is beyond the imagination of any of us. Mark and Loretta were the normal catholics with their usual faith. But through prayer, they have learned to walk in faith, not by sight. We will never know what would have happened had they not prayed for a healing. But I would advise against taking that route to find out. Mark still has a long way to go before returning to his old self, but he is traveling the road to recovery - a road he gladly accepts over the other possibility he was presented with a few months ago.
Wow - Praise God and thank you for letting us all know.
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