Thanksgiving - 15 Jan 2010

I can only thank God for the many graces that He has showered upon me and my family. He has put many Angels and Saints along the path along this journey. Indeed we have never been alone, God has been near and He has made His presence real by your words, friendship, visits and prayers. Along this journey I have realized that I am truly blessed! So many people generous people, Catholics, Christians, non-believers that I know and many that I have only met once or twice have been continually prayed for us. God has showed us what to do and sent ‘Angel’ to answer our questions.

One thing I truly thank is the gift of Faith. With the ups and downs over the year, God has given my family the Faith to hold strong and not give up on HIM. Since we began this journey (18 Feb 2009), we have believed that He will heal.

14 Jan 2010; the day that the x-ray has shown improvement after one year, could see some reduction of the patchiness and intensity of the cancer tumors in the lungs. Started chemotherapy on 23 Feb 2009, Cisplatin+Gemzar (23 Feb till 7 May), Alimta(14 May till 19 Nov) and started on oral tablet Iressa on 15 Dec 2009, through this journey God has been very very generous, I did not suffer the side effects of the chemotherapy.

As I was reflecting this morning after breakfast, the gospel reading for yesterday and today quickly reminded me that I had to give praise and thanksgiving to God and each of you. Jesus healed the leper (Mark 1:40-45) and the men that cut an opening of the roof and lowered the paralytic to reach Jesus (Mark 2:1-12). Like the leper, Jesus said to him:” I will do it. Be made clean.” Jesus has showed me the signs of healing he is granting, when the oncologist showed me the x-ray yesterday. Today’s gospel reminds me of the faith of the friends that went through so much difficulty to push through the crowd unsuccessfully, persevered and went on to carry the paralytic to the roof of the house, cut a hole on the roof and lower him to reach Jesus. I can only see this faith of the friends in you. You have kept us in your prayers to God for healing and strength even with the daily challenge you encounter over this whole year. One year is a long time and it requires a lot of perseverance to keep praying for us.

This also brought to mind the events last February.
20 Feb 2009; at Christ the King Friday Charismatic prayer meeting, Christian gathered the group to pray over me for healing and the message received was John 11:4; ‘this illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.’

Another was during the 9 day Divine Mercy Novena , that Michael Chua organized for me with the family camp group, Karen shared Luke 5:17-26, the healing of the paralytic lowered to Jesus through the roof (same as today’s gospel Mark 2:1-12). ‘And some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed; they were trying to bring him in and set (him) in his presence. But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles 7 into the middle in front of Jesus.’ Scripture did not focus on the paralytic but the faith of the men that brought the sick man to be healed.

I have to give thanks to God and to YOU.