ON HEALING ACCORDING TO THE ORTHODOX CHURCH

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.

ON HEALING ACCORDING TO THE
ORTHODOX CHURCH.

"Is anyone among you sick> Let him call the elders (presbyters) of the
Church and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of
the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise
him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven" (James 5:14).

The sick person is to "call for the elders" (presbyters) for prayer. Salvation deals with the WHOLE PERSON, for each human being is A UNITY, BODY AND SOUL. Therefore, this Mysterio/Mystery (Sacrament) has a double purpose: not only for healing but for forgiveness also. The presbyter (shortened form: priest) is given certain gifts of the ministry of ordination by the laying of hands (1 Timothy 4:14). Prayer is combined with olive "oil"–not only the primary medicine of ancient times, but also a symbol of the Holy Spirit in the Church–in a single sacrament which effects a healing FOR THE WHOLE PERSON. Thus, the elements of the sacrament of healing include (1) the presbyter or priest (2) "the prayer of" (the) "faith" which "will save" (3) the work of Christ "Himself," for "the Lord will raise up"; (4) the work of the Holy Spirit, MANIFESTED IN THE OIL; and (5) confession of sin just prior to the anointing with oil, which explains why Saint James the Apostle writes that the sick person "will be forgiven." In the Holy Orthodox Church, this Mystery is granted to anyone who is sick, whether in danger of dying or not.

One of the great prophetic themes of the Old Testament concerning the promised Messiah is that the Father would send His Son "TO HEAL THE BROKENHEARTED and to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind." (Luke 4:18; Isaiah 61:1). The Diakonia (Ministry) of Christ was one of numerous occurrences of healings of "ALL KINDS OF SICKNESS AND ALL KINDS OF DISEASE" (Matthew 4:23). In addition, Jesus healed ALL DARKENED HEARTS AND MINDS AS HE RELEASED PEOPLE FROM DEMONIC OPPRESSION.

Like their Master before them, the early Holy Apostles participated in God’s work of healing as well, attributing their miracles to the Risen and Ascended Christ. "Jesus the Christ heals you," the Holy Apostle Peter told a newly restored man, who has been bedridden for eight years (Acts 9:34). Saint Paul identified HEALING AS A GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (1 Corinthians 12:9). Thus the New Testament foundation was established FOR THE HEALING DIAKONIA (MINISTRY) to be part of the Mysteriake (Sacramental) life of the Church (James 5:14, 15).

The Holy Orthodox Church has never believed or behaved as though the gifts of the Holy Spirit or the healing miracles of Christ have somehow passed away. Did not our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ promise, "HE WHO BELIEVES IN ME, THE WORKS THAT I DO HE WILL DO ALSO; AND GREATER WORKS THAN THESE HE WILL DO, BECAUSE I GO TO MY FATHER" (John 14:12).

The Church Father Saint Irenaeus, writing at the end of the 2th Century, speaks of miracles in his day: "Some drive out devils…some have foreknowledge of the future…others raised up the sick through the laying on of hands…and even the dead have been raised up before now and have remained with us for many years." The writings of other Church Holy Fathers speak often of miracles within the Church.

Quite widely known are the supernatural healings which our Lord Christ performed through Saint Seraphim of Sarov, a 19th century Russian monk. He was blessed with the gift of healing during his lifetime, and even after his death people would be restored to wholeness at his graveside.

To this day, the Orthodox Christian practice of prayer for the sick follows the New Testament instruction of the Holy Apostle Iacovos (James). The Orthodox Church has a special divine service of healing, (Holy Oil) which may be performed at any time. The priest prays for the ill person, anointing him/her with holy oil and saying:

"O Lord Almighty, Healer of our souls and bodies, who puts down and
raise up, who chastises and heals also, visit now in Your mercy our
brother/sister, (Name), who is ill. Stretch forth Your arm that is full of
healing and health, and raise (him, her) up from this bed and cure this
illness. Put away the spirit of disease and every malady and pain and
fever. And if (he, she) has committed sins and transgressions, grant
remission and forgiveness, because You love mankind.

As Orthodox Christians we pray, neither commanding God to heal, nor doubting His ability to heal, but pleading for His promised mercy upon all who are ill. [Resources: The Orthodox Study Bible\

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

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