Opinion: finding faith beyond granted wishes
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Melissa Coburn of Melbourne reflects on how her faith evolved after her husband received a stage four cancer diagnosis and ultimately passed away.
As a child, Coburn received a statue of Mary, which became a source of comfort and a model for her own mother’s selfless love. When her husband became ill, Coburn initially expected her prayers for his recovery to be answered, believing his goodness warranted a reprieve from such a severe illness.
Despite her husband’s peaceful acceptance of his fate and her own deepening faith during his illness, Coburn struggled with trusting God after his death, questioning why her desperate wish for his health went unanswered. She found renewed strength in the example of Mary, who maintained her faith through hardship, from an unexpected pregnancy to witnessing her son’s crucifixion, and realised she too must trust in God’s plan, even amidst profound loss.
Coburn continues to find solace in the damaged statue of Mary, a symbol of shared experience and enduring connection. She believes that those who have died are not truly gone, but rather continue on a path that all people eventually follow.
