U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, R-5th, declared Wednesday that “God does work in mysterious ways.”

The congressman’s revelation came during a speech on the floor of the U.S. House in Washington where he revealed to his colleagues he had been diagnosed with high-risk prostate cancer. He said the planned course of treatment, which includes a radical prostatectomy, would result in him missing House votes until he’s cleared to travel.

He hopes to return to Congress in early January.

Brooks said he was diagnosed Halloween night, and that both his father and grandfather had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. He shared that 71 percent of prostate cancer patients die in less than five years if the cancer spreads beyond the abdominal cavity.

“In stark contrast, almost all prostate cancer patients live longer than five years if the cancer is discovered early and killed before it spreads,” he said.

Brooks, who finished third in the special Republican primary for U.S. Senate on Aug. 15, said losing may have been the best thing that could have happened. He explained if he had won, he wouldn’t have had time for his physical and PSA test and he wouldn’t have had a prostate biopsy.

“In retrospect, and paradoxically, losing the Senate race may have saved my life!” he said.