Two days before surgery I learned from the head of the oncology ward that the tumor was a very large one and inoperable. All they could do was perform an exploratory and run some more tests. I realized then that we had to brace ourselves for every eventuality. My mother was not aware of the seriousness of her condition. My reply to inquiries from my family and relatives was always the same: “We have to hope for the best and pray for her healing.” I asked all my friends to pray for the same intention.

Finally, my mother underwent surgery. After that came my conversation with the surgeon, which I will remember as long as I live. “Just as I feared,” he said. “A very large tumor ravaging two thirds of the pancreas. There was nothing we could do except take a sample. If I were you, I’d take your mother home, away from the oncology ward. Her condition is incurable. The tumor’s growing so fast . . . only a matter of weeks.”

“A matter of weeks!” The words kept ringing in my head. I begged the Lord not to take my mother. I kept telling Him I believed He would work a miracle. I believed Mom would live. I trusted God was allowing all this to bring our family closer to Him. The truth of God’s mercy and the prayers of so many people interceding on Mom’s behalf did not allow us to lose hope. My father, brothers, and I prayed the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Quite by chance I came across a book entitled Saint Faustina and the Divine Mercy. The rich testimonies of faith contained in it strengthened our conviction that “with God all things are possible” (Lk 1: 37). We began to trust in our hearts that the Merciful Jesus would not allow our mother to die. Our praying became more and more fervent even though Mom’s condition after surgery became even more serious. Knowing that she had received the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick and was taking Holy Communion every day filled me with peace. Confident that everything was in God’s hands, I placed a medal of the Merciful Jesus and Saint Faustina around Mom’s neck.

Good Friday came – the first day of the Divine Mercy novena. I had been looking forward to this as a time of exceptional grace. Before going to the hospital I called the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy nearby and asked for their prayers. Good news awaited us. The biopsy revealed that the tumor was not malignant. Surprised by the results, the ward head informed us there was now a fifty percent chance… The next day the doctor on call unexpectedly discharged my mother from the hospital (with a fever and without medication). She was extremely weak and still in pain. At home we watched over her and prayed. The Divine Mercy novena was still in progress and we waited for a miracle.

On the vigil of the feast, I hung a picture of the Merciful Jesus in Mom’s room. This way she could have Him constantly in view. In the morning of Divine Mercy Sunday, for the first time in more than two weeks, my mother had no fever. She beamed with joy as she received Holy Communion from the eucharistic minister. She was sitting on her own in an armchair. (Just a week before, on Easter Sunday, she had received the Eucharist in bed while still in pain). After Holy Mass I asked the priest if I could bring Saint Faustina’s relics home to my ailing mother. He agreed. There was great surprise and joy at our house. Together, through the intercession of Saint Faustina, we prayed to the Merciful Jesus. We kissed the relic. I touched the affected part of Mom’s abdomen with it and asked Faustina to pray for her cure. After this, I returned the relic to the church and took part in the Divine Mercy service at 3 p.m. Later that afternoon my mother was feeling so well that she was able to sit with us at the table and talk for almost two hours. We knew she was on the mend.

On this special feast, which we had so looked forward to, the Lord wrought a clear sign of His Mercy. Glory and praise and thanks be to God! As far as I was concerned, it was a miracle. Since that day Mom has had no recurrence of her illness; and every day at 3 p.m. our family meets to pray before the image of the Merciful Jesus.