THE CHURCH IS A CLINIC FOR SPIRITUAL RENEWAL AND HEALING

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

THE CHURCH IS A CLINIC FOR SPIRITUAL AND RENEWAL AND HEALING

“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues,
preaching the gospel of the kingdom, AND HEALING ALL KINDS
OF SICKNESS AND ALL KINDS OF DISEASES AMONG THE PEOPLE”
(Matthew 4:23).

“BLESS the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless
His Holy Name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who HEALS ALL YOUR DISEASES,
Who redeems your life from destruction…”
(Psalm 103:3-4)

“There he found a certain man named Aeneas
who had been bedridden eight years and was
paralyzed. And Peter said to him, ‘Aeneas,
Jesus the Christ HEALS YOU. Arise and make
your bed.’ Then he arose immediately”
(Acts 9:33-34).

In our Holy Orthodox Church we believe that as there was power with our Lord Jesus Christ to heal during His earthly Ministry, so there is power in His Church to continue His HEALING DIAKONIA (MINISTRY). “Then having summoned His twelve disciples, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every kind of disease and infirmity. These twelve, Jesus sent forth having instructed them thus: ‘Do not go in the direction of the Gentiles, nor enter the towns of Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach the message, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand! Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils. Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:1-8). The holy mission of the Church is precisely that, to preach the gospel, to cure the sick, to raise the dead, to cleanse the lepers, and to cast out devils. Jesus’ instruction to his holy disciples continues to be implemented through His Church and will continue until the end of time.

The holy Apostle Paul reminds constantly: “Now you are the body of Christ, member for member. And God indeed has placed some in the Church, firstly apostles, second prophets, thirdly teachers, after that powers, then gifts of healing, services of help, powers of administration, and the speaking of various tongues” (1 Corinthians 27-28). Indeed, the healing power of Christ is active within the Church and all faithful have access to this healing power. Orthodoxy teaches that the Church is A SPIRITUAL HOSPITAL and our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ is the Great Physician of our souls and bodies. It is a concept rooted in Holy Scripture (like Jesus calling Himself a Doctor for the sick, not the healthy). Saint John Chrysostom who writes, “The Church is a hospital, and not a courtroom, for souls. She does not condemn on behalf of sins, but grants remission of sins… The Lord is calling you to the Church for a rich banquet. He transfers you from struggles to rest, and from tortures to relief. He relieves you from the burden of sins. He heals worries with thanksgiving, and sadness with joy. No one is truly free or joyful besides he who lives for Christ. Such a person overcomes all evil and does not fear anything!”

The Holy Orthodox Church uses the God given and sacred Mysteries (Sacraments) of the Church to bring healing, forgiveness of sins, restorations, renewal, regeneration, wholeness, to all the faithful. The Church provides the opportunity for the spiritually infirmed (sinners) to receive the grace of the Holy Spirit, forgiveness, and healing. The Church is mainly for those needing to see and be touched by the Great Physician to overcome their spiritual illness and physical condition. Healing is not simply curing or treating, but involves a restoration of personal well being.

The Orthodox Christian understands when entering the Church he/she does not enter an ordinary building but a consecrated ground, a holy place. He or she is there not to observe an ancient ritual but to truly be in the presence of the Lord. This is verified when they hear the priest say: “Look down, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, from Thy Holy dwelling place, and from the Throne of Glory of Thy Kingdom, and come to sanctify us, Thou Who sittest on high with the Father, and ART HERE INVISIBLY PRESENT WITH US. And do Thou deign by Thy Mighty hand to give us of Thy Immaculate Body and of Thy Precious Blood, and through us to all the people.” [Divine Liturgy).

What does the Orthodox Christian receive at the Divine Liturgy? The gifts which the Orthodox faithful receive are mentioned in an inaudible prayer offered by the officiating priest: “To Thee, O Merciful Master, we confide our whole life and hope, and Thee we beseech and pray and supplicate: render us worthy to receive Thy Heavenly and fearful Mysteries of this holy and spiritual Table with a pure conscience, FOR REMISSION OF SINS, FOR FORGIVENESS OF TRANSGRESSIONS, FOR COMMUNION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, FOR THE INHERITANCE OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, FOR BOLDNESS TO APPROACH THEE, neither unto judgment nor condemnation.” (St. John Chrysostom) Do you see now why it is absolutely necessary for the faithful to attend the Divine Liturgy whether on Sunday or weekday.

At the blessing of the Holy Oil (Unction) the priest offers the following prayer: “We thank Thee, O Lord our God, Who art good and lovest mankind, the Physician of our souls and bodies, Who painlessly hast borne our infirmities, by Whose stripes we have all been healed; Thou Good Shepherd, Who didst come to seek the wandering sheep; Who givest consolation to the faint hearted, and life unto those who are broken of heart; Who didst heal the flow of the woman who has an issue of blood twelve years; Who didst free the daughter of the Canaanite woman from the cruel demons; Who forgavest the debt unto the two debtors and didst grant remission of sins unto the woman that was a sinner; Who didst vouchsafe healing unto the Paralytic, with the remission of his sins; Who didst justify the Publican by Thy word, and didst accept the Thief at his last confession; Who takes away the sins of the world, and wast nailed to the Cross: We beseech Thee, and entreat Thee; in Thy goodness; loose, remit, forgive, O God, the sins of Thy servants and their iniquities whether voluntary or involuntary, whether of knowledge or ignorance…” (6th Prayer).

For all Orthodox Christians who have prepared to partake of the greatest of all gifts is the Holy Eucharist/ Holy Communion they hear the words: “Take, eat; this is My Body, which is broken for you, for the remission of sins.” Likewise after the Supper, He took the cup, saying: “Drink of it all of you, this is My Blood of the New Covenant, Which is shed for you and for many, for the remission of sins.” The priest continuing the Prayer in a low voice, INVOKES THE HOLY SPIRIT TO COME UPON HIM AND UPON THE PRECIOUS GIFTS: “Again we offer unto Thee this reasonable and bloodless worship, and beseech Thee and pray Thee and supplicate Thee: send down Thy Holy Spirit upon us and upon these Gifts here presented: And make this bread, the Precious Body of Thy Christ. Amen. (Blessing the Chalice): And that which is in this Chalice, the Precious Blood of Thy Christ. Amen. (Blessing both of them): Changing them BY THY HOLY SPIRIT. AMEN, AMEN, AMEN.”
The priest kneels and continues in a low voice the Prayer, in which it is mentioned now THE PURPOSE OF THE PERFORMANCE OF HOLY EUCHARIST: “That to those who partake thereof, They may be UNTO CLEANSING OF SOUL, UNTO THE REMISSION OF SINS, UNTO THE COMMUNION OF THY HOLY SPIRIT, UNTO THE FULFILLMENT OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, UNTO BOLDNESS TOWARD THEE, AND NOT UNTO JUDGMENT OR UNTO CONDEMNATION…”

For Orthodox Christians Holy Communion is not “symbolic” but the very Body and Blood of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ through which we become one with Him and with one another.

As it is indicated that by the grace of the Holy Spirit the faithful are forgiven, healed, restored, and saved. We enter the Church sinful, injured spiritually and physically by our shameful actions, tormented by our conscience, and we exit the Church liberated, forgiven, healed, and restored. Truly our Holy Church is a spiritual clinic for our spiritual renewal and the salvation of our soul and body.

_________
“Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!
+Saint John Chrysostomos

+ + +

With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George