Illness
Understanding Illness…

We often dwell on various life events. One of them is an illness. No person has not been or will not be sick. And no one is more eager to see a child’s recovery than a parent. This fact is dramatically depicted in the story of the boy’s father, who suffered from epilepsy. This man must have heard hundreds of reports of Jesus’ miracles; maybe he even saw some with his own eyes. Now he asks Jesus to show the same power and mercy to his son. “If you can do anything, have mercy on us and help us!” (Mk 9:22b) The parents’ great desire for their child to be healed. They must have already tried many times to find a doctor. They were even so close that they begged Jesus’ disciples. But it is interesting to note that they were unable to cure this son.

Why? They wondered about it themselves, and that’s why they asked Jesus. They received the answer: “This kind cannot be driven out by anything except prayer.” Let’s note well this answer:
“…only by prayer”. The healing that Jesus gives is not only about the healing of the body, but also of the soul. And therefore only human ones are not enough abilities. Man does not have a solution to all problems. But God is Lord even over man, he can do everything. We must gain such trust in him that we can turn to him in joys, but also in sorrows. The key to the growth of our desire and zeal is prayer and fasting. To pray in truth and intercede effectively, we must believe and trust that “the earnest prayer of a righteous man availed much.”(James 5:16). Such a conviction will lead us further than prayers, which are only the repetition of requests. Rather, we will enter into God’s presence, discern what is in God’s heart, and then pray according to his will, uniting our heart and will with his heart and will.

When a person is healthy, he is satisfied and can work with joy and spread joy around him. Let’s learn to ask for such health. For the health of the body, but also of the soul. Then we will freely experience life with Christ. We have something to pray for – for ourselves, our beloved children, for our parents. Let’s not forget that the most effective is prayer. 

St. Augustínus lived a very free and scandalous way of life in his youth. Faith and relationship with God somehow did not attract him. And yet he had a mother who never stopped asking God for him in her prayers. She prayed for him for about 18 years. And it paid off! Today we venerate her son as a saint. Even Monika herself got this promotion. 

It is worth asking, and it is worth praying, dear brothers and sisters!
God, we want to pray often and daily for ourselves and for all those whom you have entrusted to us. Give us perseverance in prayers.