Assuming your friend is open to the discussion, here is one possibility.
John 3:16-17 is often considered the entirety of the gospel of Christ in a nutshell:
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.
You might ask her if she has heard of how God’s Son saved the world. If she knows that it was through his passion, death, and resurrection, affirm that. If not, give her the answer. In either case, bring out a crucifix to show her. Through his suffering and death, Christ saved the world. But he did more than that. He also gave human suffering value. When we offer up our sufferings to him in union with the suffering he endured, our suffering can be used by God to help others – perhaps to give them hope, comfort, or the gift of faith.
Suggest to your friend that she might like to keep the crucifix with her to meditate on when the pain of her illness becomes difficult. Offer to answer any questions she has and to pray with her if she would like. If the discussions go well and your friend indicates interest, suggest that she talk to a Catholic priest or deacon about the possibility of baptism. Baptism washes away original sin and all sins committed prior to it. And, by becoming a member of the body of Christ through baptism, through her suffering she will be able to, like St. Paul, “complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the Church” (
Col. 1:24).
It should be reiterated though that if your friend is not interested in discussing this with you, you should not pressure her. Pray for her (perhaps particularly
the Divine Mercy chaplet), comfort her, be with her, and entrust her soul to the mercy of God.
Recommended reading:
Making Sense Out of Suffering by Peter Kreeft
A Travel Guide to Heaven by Anthony DeStefano
