A few hours ago, I received an email from a friend of mine that brought tears to my eyes. Jacinta is a a Singaporean whom I met when she came to attend a retreat here in Divine Retreat Centre, India in 2004. At that time, she was journeying to be a Catholic and was baptized a year later. I can still remember so vividly Jacinta sharing that it was a miracle that she somehow ended up coming for the retreat at short notice. She was not sure what it was but she was certain God had a very special reason to do so - she was fully convinced of that in her heart that He had a special plan for her life.
Well, in these past seven years, I have learnt of Jacinta's incredibly courageous will to overcome cancer which has kept recurring. I have heard of Jacinta's four rounds of chemotherapy and even an experimental drug which unfortunately has not worked out now. Yet the one thing that always amazes and humbles me is Jacinta's very positive and matter of fact way of sharing and discussing all the setbacks and challenges she constantly faces in her long battle to overcome cancer. There is absolutely no self-pity, no tears except her incredible faith in Jesus!
I have often thought about Jacinta - a recent convert to Catholicism and yet her faith has made all the difference in her life. How many of us can discuss all the setbacks and the cancer recurrences calmly and still remain upbeat and thankful for God's Mercy in answering prayers? That is what I have constantly heard from Jacinta - her thankfulness always to God and the prayers that were being said for her. Frankly, I really do not know how I would be in her shoes. All I can say is that Jacinta is a beautiful example of Christian courage and an inspiration to me...just as I am sure she is to many of her family members and friends.
Last nite, Jacinta sent me an email which began with these words, "Praise the Lord! Through the mercy of God, I survived the 10-hour operation. After surgery, I was kept in intensive care unit and high dependency unit for close monitoring for 3 days." Well, just reading these first few lines made my heart seem to stop for a few seconds! I have often prayed for God's Glory to be manifested in Jacinta's complete healing. Why was God taking so long? She had called me before her operation and I was so touched by her inner strength to write to me just one day after her 13-day stay in hospital!.
The rest of Jacinta's email finally made me realize what I failed to see before. Jacinta is a Christian hero to all of us who know her because she has found inside herself the key to her life - her will to live joyfully for Jesus!
It is in Jacinta's long cancer battle that she is making me fully realize the incredible Power of Faith - of having full trust in God and entrusting one's whole life in God's Hands. Many of us may say these words and think we are doing so - but do we truly believe that and do our actions exemplify that? I know I struggle to do so.
To be a committed Christian, you and I are called to be "More Than Conquerors." (Romans 8:37) Well, that means we cannot be timid Catholics - choosing never to create waves, caving in to worldly demands for the sake of security in life or not daring to take a politically incorrect stand because the majority of society may not like it. No indeed! It is the very opposite, we are called to have courage - to act despite our fear. We must remember God's Promise, "Have not I commanded you? Be strong, vigorous, and very courageous. Be not afraid, neither be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9)
The good news that really made me so proud and happy for Jacinta is her cheery words saying that the team of doctors who operated on her told her, "You are a survivor!" and they had presented her successful operation case to a large group of doctors a week later. And they told her, "You are a celebrity!" Well, I wholeheartedly agree that she is a celebrity - Jacinta's will to live is a celebration of the Presence of Jesus in her life!
The longer I serve in Divine, the more I realize that I am blessed with an increasing number of friends around the world - just ordinary people like me - who with great, quiet and firm courage choose to live for Christ despite obstacles, rejection and difficult troubles that come their way. They do not give up. They have these virtues in common - a deep faith in God, a firm resolve to courageously answer His Call in their lives and most importantly, every one of them dares to live for HIm!
God is Love! Let us love God with all our hearts for then we live in His Promise of Hope - "For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline." (2 Timothy 1:7)
Without courage, we cannot aim to be the best that we can be for God! To be His Light to the world, each of us must dare to be "lighted candles" whose flames burn steadily and not flicker and die out quickly. The music video "Courage Quotes" set to the M People song, "Search For The Hero Inside Yourself" is most uplifting.
Jacinta - you are Christ's Light to the world!
“Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow.” May Ann Radmacher |
