acitindia

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Faith experienced, faith shared (1)- Ms. Maria Goretti Gonsalves

Recently I received an e-mail from a friend that said: To thank God when things go right is gratitude, to thank Him in all circumstances is faith. That set me thinking about gratitude and faith.

My cousin Prasad, a Jesuit constantly advises me: “Give thanks to God in all, even when you don’t feel like it”. I began practicing it and found it difficult to thank God in all circumstances. Last week his sister, my cousin Carmen was discovered with cancer of the pancreas. It was devastating to hear of it, my waking and sleeping thoughts were with her. My sister, a medical practitioner told me that it is one of the most painful of cancers. How can I thank God for this? I tried to thank him although I did not feel grateful at all. On the contrary, the big question WHY loomed in my mind. I still kept at it, and eventually began to see God’s will in it and even to feel grateful. Faith grows with gratitude and faith transforms.

Already we have begun to feel his Providence in the little “miracles” that take place even in the midst of this devastating occurrence. The doctors rally around, the family unites, we begin to appreciate my cousin and we express it in words and actions making her realize how much we love and care. Her 65^th birthday is on 4^th May. Her husband and kids are planning a big surprise with a rainbow made from Styrofoam with messages from all of us all over the world. They want to make her day, and make her happy.

So I continue making thanks my waking and sleeping prayer and I feel my faith grow. Try it out for yourself, it works like magic, only it’s not magic, its FAITH.