The Two Disabled Children

My pastoral visits to different regions always reveal particular cases that, while they move me deeply, ultimately teach me profound lessons.

Every week I visit various parishes in remote areas to witness firsthand the efforts of our priests and to help accordingly—not only with advice and planning but also practically in building churches, clinics, schools, orphanages, and so on, as well as with feeding programs that provide a meal to the poor and forgotten orphaned children we encounter everywhere.

Although the journey was tiring, it didn’t discourage me. I always prioritize this mission. After conveying the message to both the priest and the parishioners about close cooperation and their contribution to development among the villagers, especially regarding charity work, the priest invited me to pray for two sick people.

A Shocking Encounter

Within minutes we reached our destination. We walked through the lush vegetation along a path. We arrived and were welcomed by a middle-aged woman.

She was happy to see us, especially that we would see her two sick sons. What a surprise and what pain, however, when we realized the condition of both patients… These were two boys who had been paralyzed since birth—and not only that. They couldn’t understand, couldn’t speak, couldn’t feel their legs or arms.

I made the sign of the cross and began with “Blessed is our God.” After reading the appropriate prayers with holy oil that I always carry for special cases, I anointed all parts of their bodies with their mother’s help. “For the healing of soul and body!” It wasn’t easy.

The Mother’s Example

I was amazed, however, by the mother. One was forty, the other twenty-five. Without a father, of course! What a cross! I thought. Such love, such sacrifice, such selflessness, I thought. I wondered again and again how this woman could single-handedly provide day and night care for these creatures of God all these years, without complaint, without weariness, silently and with such devotion.

Once again I remembered how we so-called faithful Christians complain and don’t think about how many people like us carry a permanent and unbearable burden in their lives—that of the cross.

How instructive this situation is, offering us an invitation rather than imposing it upon us, so we have this choice to freely decide whether we want to carry this cross that will become for us a revelation that we didn’t do what we thought we were doing, but what God Himself wanted. Our submission to God’s will was so positive and fruitful that in the end we have this great honor and blessing to enjoy the goods of His heavenly Kingdom.

Through all this we will better recognize and understand the value of life and our existence through the gospel virtues of purity, humility, selflessness, and gentleness.

The Lesson of Love

This mother with her two disabled children sits there and quietly offers her humble service without complaint, with selflessness and without seeking attention, inspired by the same love that Christ Himself offered to every person regardless of color, race, language, or origin.

This act of hers, therefore, builds unreservedly all the riches of her soul with the heavenly transfusions of God’s grace. Through her spiritual goodness and sincere humility without any self-promotion unfolds that virtue of love and mercy for which God of ultimate humility and compassion will reward her, since she has lived and practically applied the gospel teaching: “Let all that you do be done in love.”