One day, I anointed two elderly women. The first one, the son said, “please keep open your evening schedule for mommy’s masses. The doctor says she can go anytime. It has been a month already and she is still alive. No respiratory, no dialysis, no extraordinary measures”. The second one just came from a stent procedure. The doctor said that in two days, she could leave the hospital already. Just when they were about to leave though, she had a heart attack.

When we deal with sickness, there are three things we should bear in mind:

1. Our life on earth is temporary. Whether we get our healing or not, one of these days we are all saying goodbye. 
2. We human beings are body and soul. Notice in the bible when Christ heals, he would always say, “Your sins are forgiven.” In other words, more than the body, please take care of our spiritual life. It is the soul that goes on to immortality. That is why in the wisdom of God, sickness can be a way for us to be reminded that life is short, swift, and uncertain.
3. God is in control. Often, when we encounter the death of a loved one so many things race in our minds. “We should have done this and we should have not done that.” “The doctor committed a mistake.” “The nurse did not administer the medicine soonest.” There is no looking back but we can always trust God. He is in control.

That is why we continue to pray to God for our loved ones who are in need of healing. Also, as we celebrate the memorial of our Lady of Lourdes, we ask her powerful intercession of Mama Mary. 

For those who have been to Lourdes, there is a place there where people have to leave behind their wheelchairs and crutches. A very powerful testimony that they have been cured of their sicknesses. However, there are many, many more who leave Lourdes still in a wheelchair and crutches. What they are truly grateful for, is the peace and inner healing.