The Unbelievable

Rita Bruce has been devoted to Bhagavan Baba for a number of years. Presently she is very actively involved in Swami’s educational programs.

Sathya Sai Baba tells us that if we sur­render to the Lord, He is obliged to protect us. Does His protection and love stop with the individual devotee? It appears that His promise of protection also includes the devotees’ entire family. For the past 10 years, I have seen His love and grace spill over into the lives of my children, and recently I have witnessed this same expansive love reach out to touch the lives of my parents as well. How many times have I read about Sathya Sai Baba’s miraculous healings, never realizing that some day He would include my father. After all, miracles are something you read about, but never hap­pen to you.

In October 1984, my father was told that he had cancer of the colon and liver. It seemed like an unfortunate time to receive such grave news. My mother and father were going to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in a few short weeks. We had planned a mass and recep­tion for family and friends. It was to be a time of joyous celebration.

The doctor told them to postpone the operation until after their anniversary. It took great strength for my mother and father to go on with the celebration, even though Dad’s illness was terminal. Some­how they would manage, and they did. Their strength came from their deep faith in God.

A few days after their anniversary, Dad’s colon became blocked and emergency surgery was performed. I call this “divine timing“.

As my mother and I sat across from the sur­geon, we really wanted to hear that the news was hopeful, but the prognosis was not good. My father had cancer in the small intestine, the abdomen, the colon, and in 50% of his liver. The colon was so inflamed and cancerous that he had to give my father a colostomy. His death was only a matter of time.

Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year passed. Dad’s health went from bad to worse; his large form shriveled. He couldn’t eat and lost 46 lbs. My mother was so depressed that she lost 35 lbs from worry. I constantly called on Swami for cour­age, and to help my parents through these troublesome days. I prayed that if it was His Will, to please heal my father and give my mother the strength she needed.

My parents are devout Catholics and feel very close to Jesus. They cannot under­stand my relationship with Sai Baba nor the concept of “God in human form” being someone other than Jesus. When I spoke about Sai Baba, I could see the fear in their eyes, especially my father’s, so I remained silent. They actually knew very lit­tle about Baba or my trips to India.

The day after my parents’ wedding anniversary in November, our son Craig departed on his first trip to India to see Sai Baba. We were so happy for him. Well, on Christmas Eve Craig received our first let­ter and we received his; “Divine timing!” We told Craig about his grandfather’s oper­ation and cancer. He was upset and wrote a note to Swami, asking Baba to help his grandfather. On Christmas day, Craig had a first row seat and as Sai Baba approached him, he held up the note. Sai refused the note but made vibhuti [holy ash] for Craig, and gave him padanamaskar [touching the feet to] “sur­render to the Lord”.

Craig sent some of the vibhuti home which reached us in mid‑January. After eating the vibhuti, Dad’s weight stabilized. They used the vibhuti because I told them of its miraculous power to heal. What did they have to lose? They were desperate.

One afternoon in January, I was meditat­ing, mostly talking with Baba. It seems as if I heard Him say that Robert and I should come for a visit in March and November this year (1985). I replied, “But Sai, my father is dying of cancer, how can I come in March?” The voice replied, “Don’t worry I’ll take care of your father.” Immediately, we arranged for airline tickets leaving on March 1st.

Continuing with the sequence of events, in February my father received an unusual phone call. To have the doctor call you without any prior contact from you is unusual. The surgeon suggested that Dad have another operation to re‑connect the colon and reverse the colostomy. They prayed and decided to have the second operation.

This time after surgery, the doctor was very hopeful. He was smiling from ear to ear. He said that the colon was so much better. He removed the cancerous tumor and recon­nected the bowel. As far as he could tell, all the cancer in the liver, intestine, and abdo­men looked to be benign. A few days later this was confirmed by the tests. The doc­tors were amazed! They were further astonished by Dad’s quick recovery after four hours of major surgery. We took Dad home in one week, three days before we left for India—”Divine timing“.

At Prasanthi, Sai Baba gave us an inter­view. I held up my parents’ picture and asked, “Sai did you cure my father of cancer?” Baba patted me on the shoulder and replied, “I sure did!” I will never forget the thrill of my “Father” telling me, He cured my father.

It’s hard to believe that a few short months ago my 76‑year‑old father was so close to death. This summer he looks great and is playing 18 holes of golf four times a week. The comparison is unbelievable; Sai Baba makes it believable.

He changes the un‑changeable.
He cures the un‑curable.
He loves the un‑lovable.
It could only be ….God in human form.

~Rita Bruce
Source: Sanathana Sarathi, Feb. 1986

The Gita advises that service to the sangha or community is the highest seva, as well as the most beneficial sadhana. You cannot run away from this obligation; you have to use the community of men wherein you are born for sublimating your egoism and saving yourself.

Seva taken up as sadhana teaches sahana (forbearance.) Even Avatars demonstrate in their lives the supreme importance of seva. When Dhar­maja performed the great Rajasuya sacrifice, on the advice of the sage Narada, in order to propitiate his deceased father, Lord Krishna attended the sacrifice and asked to be allotted some service; He preferred the ser­vice of removing the leaves on which food was served for the thousands who were fed every day! Since service was so dear to Him, He was revered as the King‑maker of the age, the law‑giver for all.

~Baba