Why Did God Give Me Cancer?

Why did God give me cancer?  I ask myself that a lot.  I'm a good person. I go to church.  I pray.  So why does God give me something that is so hard to fight.  A fight I'm probably going to lose.

I take solace in realizing that everything has a purpose.  I got cancer for a reason.  God thought I needed cancer.  I just need to figure out why.

Maybe it was to show me the importance of getting the most out of every day of my life.  Maybe it was to center me on my faith in God.  Maybe it was to help me appreciate the Eucharist and the sacrifice Jesus made for us.  Maybe it was to write this blog to get my feelings about my faith out there for the people to read.

Whatever the reason, having cancer is hard.  But I need to remember that Jesus put me in this situation for a reason.  And when I think it it too hard, I need to remember that He knows what I can handle even more than I do.

He made me a cancer patient because He knows I am capable of handling it especially with his help and grace.  I continue to pray for His healing everyday, but I need to understand that He has a plan for me.  Maybe that plan includes a miraculous healing, maybe not.  But I have to have the faith that He knows what is best for me.   

The Feast of the Holy Innocents

Today is celebrated as the Feast of the Holy Innocents in the Catholic Church.  What does that mean to me?

In Ancient Egypt, Pharaoh feared the Israelites were becoming to numerous and he might lose his control over them.  He ordered that all male Hebrews be killed as babies by being thrown into the Nile.  Many children must have died.  Moses was spared by his mother and the charity of Pharaoh's daughter.  He would eventually lead the Israelites from Egypt.  

Years later King Herod heard of the birth of the King of the Jews in Bethlehem.  Fearing he might lose his control, King Herod ordered the massacre of all boys in the area under the age of 2.  Many innocent children must have died.  They are considered the first Christian Martyrs.  Jesus escaped with his parents to Egypt and stayed there until it was safe to return.  Jesus would eventually lead the Jews and become the Savior of the World.

Today our society fears losing control in their own life.  We allow the killing of many innocent children on the womb.  Who knows how many of those children could have led us to making the world a better place by advancing medicine or technology.  I hope we haven't murdered our times Moses before we even get a chance to spare him or her.

I pray for all the innocent children who have perished at the hands of those who fear they will lose control.  I hope they reside in Heaven with Jesus.

That's What Christmas is All About, Charlie Brown

 In 1965, Charlie Brown asked what Christmas was all about.  Linus quoted the Bible to explain what Christmas really meant.

That scene is my favorite of all the Peanuts holiday specials.

It makes me sad that not only have we as a society forgotten what Christmas was all about-focusing on trees and presents and vacations-but this special would never be made today.  Quoting the Bible would be difficult to get any producer of mainstream media to allow.  It would be looked at as not inclusive enough.

We, as a world, seem to have forgotten today is the day that:

"God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life."

Maybe through all the hustle and bustle of Christmas we can take a moment to remember that.