# Prayers for the sick and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy
*2019-07-05*

> Bill Young reflects on the suffering of children with cancer and the importance of charity before leading a series of powerful Catholic prayers and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.

## Praying for the Little Ones

I want to start by mentioning a little boy named Tommy. We visited him in the hospital in Broward County. He is seven years old and is fighting cancer for the second time; the first time was when he was four. He is the brightest little boy, and he understands all the technology and everything going on around him. We are praying this Chaplet for Tommy and his mother.

It is heartbreaking to see children suffer from such a deadly disease. I think of Monica, whose son fought brain cancer and lived until he was nine, even though the doctors said he wouldn't live that long. These parents are so strong to keep fighting and to start foundations to help other families. Many of these are single mothers who are struggling to pay their bills while their children are in treatment. When you have to pay $500 out of pocket per treatment, it adds up quickly.

## The Call to Charity

I belong to the Area Cancer Foundation, and we are approaching our tenth anniversary. We are a small group of 100% volunteers—our CEO, Diane Travelli, Monica, and myself receive no salary. Everything goes directly to the families who fall through the cracks, the ones that big corporate donors often overlook. We are currently looking for sponsors to help us host a health fair in Davie, Florida. If you have a business or the means to donate, please consider helping us support these families.

I believe we must do more than just stay home and watch Netflix. Jesus told us, 'Whatever you did for the least of these, you did it to me.' Whether it is a large donation from someone wealthy or a small gift from someone who has very little, it is the act of love and service that matters. We are called to recognize the face of Jesus in the poor and the suffering.

## The Chaplet of Divine Mercy

At this time, we enter into the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. We begin by acknowledging the blood and water that gushed forth from the heart of Jesus as a fountain of mercy for us. After the Our Father, Hail Mary, and the Apostles' Creed, we offer the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.

Through this prayer, we ask for mercy on the whole world for the sake of His sorrowful passion. We conclude by calling upon the Holy God, the Holy Mighty One, and the Holy Immortal One to have mercy on us. We trust that in difficult moments, we may not despair, but commit ourselves to His holy will, which is love and mercy itself.

## Devotions to St. Pio and the Sacred Heart

I recently received a relic and a prayer from St. Padre Pio that was recited by Saint Pope John Paul II. It asks for humility of heart and the eyes of faith to recognize Jesus in the suffering. I also want to share a prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, asking Him to accept our consecration and draw us nearer to His heart day by day.

I recall a powerful experience at a conference where the heart of St. Pio was exposed. I felt the heat of the heart of our Lord Jesus Christ. It reminded me of the Gospel where the woman touched Jesus' cloak and was healed by her faith. That is the faith we hold onto for Tommy, for my friend Annette, and for my cousin Roger, all of whom are battling cancer. We trust in the Sacred Heart of Jesus, believing that in the thousand-year reign to come, there will be no more sickness, no more death, and no more crosses to bear.

*Whatever we do for the least of our brothers and sisters, we are doing for our Lord Jesus Christ.*