"Thy will be done." That quartet of words is easy to say as it is difficult to accept. Those four words came to mind when we learned of the death of the 11-year-old girl we prayed for but never met - Regina Sweeney.
Virtually overnight, a fever that developed into a severe staph infection transformed the lively fifth-grader into a patient in the intensive care unit. The Lenten suffering of Regina and those who loved her did not go unnoticed as she was taken off life support at 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 20, 48 hours before the commemoration of Christ's suffering and death on Good Friday.
Regina's parents Kathy and Dr. Gregory Sweeney chose that time because it is the "hour of mercy," which Catholic.net notes commemorates Christ dying, assuming our sins and granting us eternal life.
The death of a child is more painful than any type of physical pain; even the kind Regina bravely fought. It is enough to shake - and even shatter - even the faith foundation of the most God-centered people.
Yet love and hope, not bitterness, filled the hospital room where the Sweeneys, their seven other children, their pastor and friends gathered to bid an earthly good-bye to Regina.
Prayers for healing were not answered with Regina's physical recovery, but that was not due to a lack of people praying. A church held a nightly prayer vigil and a Facebook page to pray for Regina attracted thousands touched by the little girl's plight.
Kathy Sweeney told The Altoona Mirror that her pastor, Msgr. Anthony Little, told the family that Regina had her Easter early; that she had risen with Christ.
Mrs. Sweeney told the Altoona newspaper that although she did not know God's plan, her faith was not shaken.
"Thy will be done."
All of us face pain to ourselves and our loved ones that cause us to ask God, "Why?"
All we can do is follow the example of the Sweeney family and focus on Who and not why with the certainty that God's will for us is also his immeasurable love.
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Spiritual scars remind us of God's healing love.