Does God really care about your sickness?

Yesterday after 5pm I had to pick up one of the work vehicles that had been in for repairs at the mechanic in Rossmore. One of the girls in the office drove me to get it. It’s a long drive to his workshop and when I arrived I could tell he was pleased to see us come so he could leave work. My lift drove off and I thanked the mechanic (Sam) for the keys and strode towards the repaired van. As I entered the cabin something prompted me to wonder, “What if the van still won’t start? How would I get back home?”

I must have jinxed myself (even though I don’t really believe in jinxes) because as I turned the key all I got was the rapid clicking noise of a nearly flat battery. The mechanic must have heard it as I saw his face drop.

“I’m gonna have to call the auto electrician to take a look at this tomorrow..” he said with obvious disappointment in his voice as he hunched pathetically over the car bonnet he was just about to shut.

I thought I saw the colour drain out of his face as he said, “Come on I will give you a lift back to where you need to go”.

“No, its OK I will call my lift to come back. She is not going to be happy but she will be ok” I said referring to the lady who had driven me to Rossmore and who was already on the road thinking about what she was going to wear in anticipation of an enjoyable night out with her boyfriend.

He nodded a happy acknowledgement. He didn’t look like he wanted to go anywhere right now. 

By the time I called her on the mobile she was nearly home but she promised she would be straight back.

“You don’t look too well” I said referring to Sam's yellowing appearance.

“No I have health issues” he said without giving anything away. “How long have you been working with ……..” he asked.

“Oh, I’m very new” I said, “I am just learning the job”.

“Yeah? What were you doing before this job?” he asked with some degree of interest in why a man my age would be embarking on a new career like this.

“I was a Catholic priest” I announced and waited for the usual surprise.

The man straightened up. “Really?” he asked incredulously.

“Yes, I was a priest.. for nearly twenty years.”

“Well, I am a Catholic. But not a real good one,” he said echoing the typical response I get when I tell people I am a priest. “No, the Lord and me aren’t actually friends”.

“Why is that?” I inquired genuinely interested in an opportunity to try and remind people that even if they think that God is not their friend He is actually so much more than a friend.

“Well my illness for a starter. I have only one barely functioning kidney. I have to go on a machine every night and once a week I go to Hospital for dialysis. I can’t have children and that has meant I pretty well never had a hope of finding a wife. And nothing I ever try seems to go right. It’s like God has it in for me.”

I remember hearing this many times from many people in my life as a priest. 

I always wonder if I would be so optimistic if I had health issues or someone in my family died suddenly. I have been immune from personal tragedy in my life and I feel very blessed that even though I do have my share of trials it seems everything I do turns out right in the end.
“Why do you think it’s God who has given you these health issues, Sam?” I asked.

“Well I dunno, isn’t he supposed to be in charge of things?”

For many years I felt the blame that people wanted to give to God for the bad things that happened in their life. For a long time I took responsibility for unanswered prayers and disappointments. I could never quite justify why God answered some people's prayers and not others. 

“Have you ever asked Him to heal you Sam?” I pushed. “I mean, its hard to blame God for what has happened if you don’t ask Him to change your circumstances.”
I was only throwing that out there. 

I didn’t know if he has not prayed for his health or for his life situation to be different. I can see he has a good business and lives on a valuable block of real estate. Perhaps God has helped him in other ways.

“I need a kidney transplant. I can’t ask my brother because he smokes and drinks a lot so his spare kidney is probably not going to last much longer than mine anyway. I just have to wait for someone to die! And I have been waiting four years” he said pathetically.

I started to wonder why a man who feels he has so little life left in him would spend that remaining time repairing cars.

“Why don’t you retire from work and try to enjoy it?” I said looking around at the cluttered workshop with lots of vehicles in various states of repair. “Do you like your job?”

“Well I do actually. It’s a challenge but I enjoy working on cars” he said.

Right then my lift rolled quietly down his gravel driveway.

“I will come back again Sam and we can continue our conversation. One of the reasons I felt despair in my role as a priest was because I met so many people like you who were afflicted with illness or sadness and I could never find the right words to encourage or give hope. All I could do is promise to pray for them. I promise I will pray for you Sam. I am going to ask God to heal you. And I am going to ask all my friends to pray for you too”.

His face brightened and I thought it was because of my words but it was actually his acknowledgment of my pretty young companion who was picking me up.

“I will see you tomorrow Sam. May God bless you and heal you..” I said with confidence and sincerity. 

So now I am asking you, good reader, to offer a prayer for Sam and pray that God may heal him or give him hope.

As I got back in the car and explained Sam’s situation to my young driver she said, “I am giving up soft drinks for Lent. I am going to offer it up for Sam!” she said proudly.

I was happy to see a vibrant and optimistic nineteen year old who still gives up things for Lent and believes in the efficacy of her sacrifices for someone else.

I recall a miracle that the disciples of Jesus were unable to effect. They asked Jesus (who later actually did the healing) “Why couldn’t we do that?”

Jesus’ reply was, “This is the sort of miracle that can only be done with prayer and fasting!”

That is the message of Lent in a nutshell. We offer up our sacrifices because we have something we want God’s help with and we unite our offering up of something we like for the good of someone else.