This Friday (September 26th), we will join with countless others around the country to take part in the Macmillan Cancer Support Day. Morning prayer starts at 9.15am, followed by coffee and cakes. It is always a very special morning.
Cancer is a word that brings with it a storm of emotions. Fear, sadness, uncertainty, and sometimes even anger. It is a reality that touches many of our families (mine included – my first wife died of cancer and my eldest son Jamie was treated for leukaemia), our friends and our community. Some of us carry the diagnosis ourselves; others walk alongside loved ones who are unwell. Whatever our situation, cancer reminds us of our human frailty – and yet, even in the darkest valleys, our Christian faith speaks words of comfort and hope.
One of the hardest things about cancer is the way it disrupts life. Hospital visits, treatments, and waiting for results can leave people feeling exhausted and isolated. For families, there is often the heavy burden of worry, as well as the practical demands of caring. There are no easy answers to the “why” questions that arise: Why me? Why now? Why them? And yet it is precisely in these moments of questioning that the Gospel shines its light.
The Bible never promises us an escape from suffering. Jesus himself knew the pain of illness, loss, and death. He wept at the tomb of his friend Lazarus; he bore the anguish of Gethsemane; he carried the cross. When we suffer, we do not do so alone. Christ walks with us, bearing our pain, holding our hand, and assuring us that even when we cannot see the way ahead, he is there.
Many people living with cancer speak of how faith sustains them. Prayer – both their own and the prayers of others – can bring a deep sense of peace. Even a simple verse, such as Psalm 23’s “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you are with me,” becomes a lifeline. In the silence of waiting rooms, on sleepless nights, in anxious moments, God’s presence can be felt most keenly.
Faith also transforms how we as a community respond to cancer. When we bring meals to a neighbour undergoing chemotherapy, when we drive a friend to hospital, when we simply sit and listen without judgement, we become Christ’s hands and feet in the world. Love in action is a powerful witness. Cancer can isolate, but Christian fellowship heals that isolation with compassion, kindness, and practical help.
And our faith points us beyond the present moment. While cancer reminds us of the fragility of life, Christ reminds us of the gift of eternal life. Death does not have the last word. St Paul wrote, “Nothing in all creation – not death, nor life, nor anything else – can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” This hope does not take away the pain of illness, but it does anchor us in the assurance that God’s love is stronger than death itself.
Cancer will always be a difficult journey. But it is not one we travel alone. With Christ beside us, and with the love of our Christian community around us, even in the face of suffering we can glimpse the blessing of God’s presence – a presence that brings comfort, strength and hope that endures forever.
