Tea & A Good Book Brewing- Installment 42, A Witness To Joy {And a Giveaway!}

A book that was written as a witness to the life of a woman who died of cancer at the age of 28 sounds really, really sad and depressing.

And the fact is, it is sad. In a perfect world, stories like Chiara's would not need to be written.

But the title, A Witness to Joy gives us a hint that there is something different about this story, something greater than grief and mortality.

Indeed, one cannot get away from the notes of redemption and triumph.

And oh, yes, the joy! Inexplicable, holy joy that could only come from one source...

The story of Chiara Corbella Petrillo is astonishing. Told by her very close friends, Simone Troisi and Cristiana Paccini, it is a personal account of her life, mainly starting with her courtship and marriage to Enrico.

Then comes the first blow: their first child will not survive beyond birth. The couple refused to abort, even under pressure, and saw it as their mission to immediately accompany this baby to her encounter with God. Chiara wished with all  her being to place herself at the best advantage to allow this to happen, so that everything could be realized according to God's plan.

The baby, a little girl named Maria Grazia Letizia, died within an hour of birth.

To the human mind, it would look like this couple has had their cup of sorrow and now deserves a cup of blessing in turn.

Instead, Chiara gets pregnant again and it is soon discovered that her second child would also not survive, although it had completely different abnormalities than the first.

It cost Chiara and Enrico much to give their second child back, but this pregnancy was received with the same gratitude and serenity as the first. To anyone who asked news of her pregnancy and her plans for the summer, Chiara was once again able to respond with a smile that, after the birth, Davide Giovanni had an appointment in Paradise.

Enrico and Chiara's responses to devastating loss were certainly not of the "human strain," but therein lies the appeal of their story and the hope for anyone facing trials: Jesus gives supernatural strength and peace when we need it.

The couple laid their second child to rest almost exactly a year after the first. Their commitment to carrying these children until the appointed time of their arrival, instead of hastening the arrival and inevitable deaths, was a testimony to their faith in God and in their belief that all life is sacred.

When Chiara became pregnant a third time, it was soon confirmed that the baby was healthy and whole, but another dark cloud loomed on the horizon: Chiara's health.

A little before she discovered she was expecting, Chiara was aware of an aphtha (a small white ulcer) on her tongue. Initially she did not give it much thought, but with the passing weeks, the aphtha did not go away; indeed it worsened.

With time it was diagnosed as carcinoma.

Chiara had surgery, but as she was expecting, more rigorous treatment had to wait until the baby was delivered, and here again Enrico and Chiara refused to compromise the life of their baby for their own sake. Chiara did not wish to risk the life of her unborn son in order to save her own.

"Chiara knew that little by little Francesco was growing in her womb and that together with him the dragon (cancer) was also growing. But as a mother, she wished to assume those risks that were hanging over her baby, relieving him of this weight by taking it upon herself. Going forward with the weeks, waiting as much as possible, would set the risk for him at zero. It was simple love." 

Two days after her little son's full-term arrival, Chiara had a second surgery, and the results of the tests showed that she would need further treatments.

The treatments, however, were to no avail. The cancer metastasized until there were lesions growing all through her body, and Chiara became terminal.

In the final weeks and days of her life, Chiara faced darkness, pain, suffering, and the desire to live, but her faith in God lifted her time and time again to amazing new heights of peace and rest. The story is very emotional as it tells of her last days, but the notes of triumph are irrefutable and could only be possible for a child of God.

When Enrico asked Chiara, in one of her last days, "is this yoke, this cross, really sweet, as Jesus said?" Chiara replied, "Yes, Enrico, it is very sweet."

Truly Jesus had not deceived them. They were on the right course.

Chiara was a devout Catholic, so there are many parts of her story and references to saints and special feast days that I can't identify with, but the shining testimony of her life leaves little doubt that there was a relationship with Jesus.

This book is a witness to the fact that Joy is a hard-won virtue. It may be experienced in the good times of life, but it is not learned while dancing under the sunbeams.

Rather, it is learned at the foot of the cross.

And, once we have tasted of this fruit and found it sweet, it can be not only Chiara's, but all of our happy endings.

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As promised in this post, where I introduced November's book of the month, I am planning to host a give-away for the very copy of this book that I ordered and read.

As difficult as the story may be, it is also very thought-provoking and inspirational, and I would recommend it to anyone willing to be challenged!

If you are interested in entering the giveaway, please leave a comment below, and as always, leave an email address if you do not have reason to believe that I already have it!

The give-away will close on Saturday evening, November 28, at 10:00 pm.