Jesus said to him in reply, “What do you want me to do for you?”
As an oncosurgeon, we ask this same question every day to almost every patient after we break the news, explain their options, and counsel them.
Some women sit in absolute silence with terror and fear in their eyes, some cry aloud, some don’t fathom what we are asking of them, while some have so many questions.
Unlike the medical system elsewhere, patients in India (especially in the government sector) prefer the doctor to take the decision for them, and in oncology, it’s a team, a multidisciplinary team!
Every day at 2pm, we shut doors and sit with files and papers and discuss cases—decide the fate of humans, their tumors—will they be cut out or will they need chemotherapy or radiation? Can we save their fertility or is the benefit and risk weighing in either way?
The stigma of the big C, the patriarchal society, illiteracy, and poverty, all contribute a lot to the poor decisions of the patient—delayed check-ups, skipping follow-ups, rationing medications and worse zero family or social support!
Often I think of Jesus like a doctor to our ailments—asking us, “What do we want to do?”
Live a life of sin and hate…?
Pick a time to pray and forgive…?
believe in false gods and chase money…?
Do we want to work hard to be better humans and respect the basic commandments?!!
Recently a very devout senior doctor from Goa passed away in a tragic accident related to a malfunctioning elevator right in front of her husband. She was always cheerful, part of the choir at the St. Luke’s Guild for Catholic doctors and devout Catholics! Made me pause and reflect—we live in a temporary world but with hopes and aspirations like we are permanent.
Let’s just ask ourselves as we bring it to prayer and answer, “What do you want me to do for you?” when Jesus asks — let us articulate our issues and hopes aloud and help another build their aspirations too. Let’s love as selflessly as Jesus and live as fiercely as Him every day in prayer!
AMEN
