God is the ultimate healer of any illness and the doctor is only the mediator. We have heard of miracles performed by saints where hopeless cases which were given up by doctors have been cured through the intercession of saints and God, baffling the medical fraternity. Also there are testimonies of certain bad habits, vices etc which can cause problems and illnesses for family members, not necessarily for the family member having these habits, but for others. Many have testified how a good honest confession of sins with a priest has cured them of physical ailments which could not be cured medically. Below are a few examples.
A young couple were not able to have a child after even 9 years of marriage. There was nothing medically wrong with either of them and all treatment procedures failed. A good friend of the husband advised him to totally abstain from alcohol and to throw out all liquor bottles present in his house, telling him that it is like presence of the devil in the house. On following the advice in a few months’ time the wife was pregnant and had a healthy normal baby.
In a house in Karnataka the 3 months old baby of a Christian couple was seriously ill with respiratory distress. The doctor who was called saw the seriousness of the case and told them to get a priest to prepare for the last rites. The priest who arrived promptly saw the presence of a large number of cigarette packets stacked away in a cupboard in the sitting room. He told the father of the baby who was a chain smoker to immediately throw out all the packets. The father reluctantly did so. Within a few minutes the baby’s breathing improved and in a couple of hours he was totally fine without any medical intervention.
A Catholic household in Kerala consisted of the husband, wife, children and his parents. One day the old man [husband’s father] developed abdominal pain and vomitting. Thinking it to be just ‘gas’, they gave him antacids and antispasmodics for the abdominal pain, for a couple of days without consulting the doctor. As there was no improvement and his condition started deteriorating they took him to a family friend, a Surgeon. On examination the surgeon found that it was a bad case of intestinal obstruction but too late to be operated upon. He told the couple, “I am sorry there is nothing I can do medically for him but we can try spiritually”. He asked the old man when he had confessed last. Embarrassed, he replied “30 years back”. Apparently he believed that only God had the power to forgive sins and that the priests whom he considered as sinners have no right to hear other people’s sins, forget about granting forgiveness. The good surgeon implored him to have a good confession and requested his son to call a priest. The old man stubbornly refused at first but realizing that his life was ebbing away and after a good deal of persuasion, agreed. As he opened out to the kind priest he managed a good honest confession. Within a few minutes he passed motions, his abdominal pain and vomitting slowly disappeared and miraculously he was totally fine and normal.
Many question the right of a priest to forgive sins saying that they too are sinners and do not practice what they preach. However this right is given to them by God and no one can question it. Just like a doctor who can prescribe medicines, a lawyer who can take up a court case, a civil engineer who can sign a construction plan, etc only a priest can forgive your sins. Whatever may be the character of the priest, he has this power through God to forgive sins. Also remember that priests are also human like you and me and have given up much to embrace this vocation. There may be black sheep in every profession but one should not take a general view on this. Confession should be sincere and honest and not just a ritual to be gone through like many rush mechanically for confession just before Christmas, Easter etc. You can see from above cases how the man at death’s door and who had a good honest confession after 30 long years ,survived due to forgiveness of sins by the priest through God’s great mercy.
As we celebrate Christmas with all its glitz, glamour and commercialization, let’s also give spirituality a try.
Wish u all a merry Christmas and happy new year 2019.

Dr Edgar