Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.— Psalm 66:1

Mass readings: Acts 8:5-8,14-17 / 1 Peter 3:15-18 / John 14:15-21 (55) 

Living with Chronic Illness 

Anyone who suffers from a chronic or debilitating illness knows that can be all-consuming. It’s difficult to think about anything else and one’s activities are contained within the boundaries set by the ailment. For 20 years my mom suffered from Parkinson’s disease. Our family watched her endure the decline in her ability to perform mundane tasks: one day she stopped making the bed; another day, she stopped applying makeup.  

Mom attended a few services for the blessing of the sick, and although those prayers didn’t provide relief from physical suffering, they did give her hope and the ability to soldier on. In today’s reading, Philip cures many people in Samaria, causing “great joy in that city.” This passage also is a source of hope that God cures in His own time, in His own manner.  

Prayer: Dear Lord, bring comfort and peace to those who are suffering today.