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"Since I saw myself so crippled and still so young and how helpless the doctors of earth were, I resolved to go for aid to the doctors of heaven that they might cure me."
-- St Teresa of Avila
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Jesus was known for his ministry of healing, and he taught his disciples to do the things he did, including healing. He sent them into the towns and villages in Israel to heal the sick and proclaim the nearness of the kingdom of God, to manifest the goodness of the kingdom. Those two ministries went hand in hand - healing the sick and proclaiming the kingdom, healing and preaching.
We are the Body of Christ on earth, said St. Paul. The same Jesus who healed all kinds of illnesses and all kinds of people two thousand years ago is healing today through ordinary folks like you and me. The Episcopal Church has a long tradition of healing ministry, and many Episcopal parishes offer a weekly service with an opportunity to be anointed for healing.
This tradition of anointing with oil for healing began while Jesus was ministering (Mark 6:13) and is recorded in James 5:13-16 as a practice of the first generation of Christians.
Other denominations and faith traditions also practice healing, with or without anointing. I like the Episcopal practice (shared by Catholics, Lutherans, and others) because it has such ancient roots. And it is sacramental, so there is the mystery of God's presence and action through the ordinary elements of creation. I am grateful for that mystery and for the opportunity to experience it.
I have written a collection of prayers for those with dementia and their caregivers. The brochure includes a couple of prayers for healing. You can download it here --> Alzheimer's & Dementia Prayers. The prayer below is another healing prayer I wrote at a 2004 retreat.
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