Healing Prayer

(The following article first appeared in the St. James Episcopal Church newsletter, The Epistle.)

With friends at St. James Episcopal Church, Hendersonville, North Carolina

If you attend the 9 o'clock service at St. James, you have seen me come to front of the sanctuary at the end of the Eucharist. I do not like drawing attention to myself in that way, but it is a sacred trip with a holy purpose. I come for healing prayer.

My helper drives my power chair into the chapel. There I am met by 4 or 5 people. Others join them and they gather around me. It feels good to be surrounded by people who love me. They put their hands on my shoulders and head and hold my hands. Then they pray for my healing from ALS. They tell me that they love me. They show me that I do not fight my illness alone.

These people are the St. James Intercessory Prayer Team. They pray with gentleness. They asked me first if they could touch me and how. They talked to me in advance how I would like them to pray. Two or more people who pray together in that way form an intimate relationship. Aware of this, they make sure that I am comfortable with what they are doing.

Although gentle, they are also bold. They accepted my request to pray for my physical healing. Each Sunday they pray that some part of my body will show returning strength or that my breathing will improve. A sign of improvement will encourage me and encourage them.

Jesus was a healer. He healed the blind, the sick, and the lame. He healed people who were possessed by demons and those who had seizures. He even raised the dead. His followers continued his healing ministry with great power as recorded in the book of The Acts of the Apostles. The healing ministry of the Church was frequent and widespread over the next three or four centuries. Although less reported since then, the Church has always exercised the gift of healing.

Jesus said about prayer, "Is there anyone among you, if a child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" He told his disciples "to pray always and not lose heart" and "Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it."

Prayer is a mystery in many ways and even more so is healing. We have nevertheless decided to take Jesus at his word about prayer and healing. It is a bold experiment of faith. I will let you know what happens.