Luke 10: 1 – 9 St Luke’s Day 2009.

‘We need to be healed’

‘Heal the sick’. This was the message Christ gave to the first disciples - it is the message he is giving us today - but just what did Christ mean?

We don’t know if Luke was one of the unnamed seventy, in fact we don’t know that much about him. We are told he was a physician, St Paul called him the beloved physician, and he is the Saint on whose festival we give thanks for the ministry of wholeness and healing.

For Luke knew how important it was, and still is, to offer healing in the name of the Risen Lord, and Luke, more than the other Gospel writers perhaps seemed to understand human need. His is the only Gospel which tells the story of Jesus’ birth in detail, mentions his childhood. For Luke understood our need to feel we know Jesus as a person, not just as the Son of God, Luke fully understood human frailty.

Luke carried on his theme for the need for healing in Acts where the early church moved among the Gentiles preaching healing. For the early disciples healing was always a part of their witness, they preached and they healed. And if we look at the early church here in our own country the Celtic Church always combined a pastoral healing ministry with worship, they believed very strongly in the healing power of God’s grace.

But what do we mean when we say heal? In this service today Fr Andrew and I are not claiming to be healers, we are not claiming to have power over the sick, the distressed. We certainly would never claim that people suffer because they have sinned, that God no longer loves them, that God is somehow paying them back. God offers his healing grace because he doesn’t want to see us suffering, to see us in pain, God wants us to be whole to feel at peace, to know of his love for us all, at all times – the good times and the bad times.

Christ came to heal, to heal sickness, to heal anger, to bring reconciliation and peace, but two thousand years later it still seems to be beyond us to achieve that. Christ’s commandment was that we should love God with all our heart and our neighbour as ourselves, Christ gave his life to show that; he gave his life for our salvation. But today people are still being asked to give their lives that we might live in peace and safety and last week, as we all know, James gave his life trying to combat terrorism and violence. One of over two hundred and twenty young people to give their lives in Afghanistan – and doesn’t it bring home the whole horror and sadness when it’s someone we know. In a way we always think it won’t be someone we know, it couldn’t be that somewhat cheeky looking, blond haired, small boy who grew to be an incredibly brave young man willing to give his all for us.

However, I am positive, that one thing we can be sure of is that in the midst of the families suffering God is there. Jesus wept when Lazarus died; I believe he still weeps with us when bad things happen.

But I am sure some will say why did God let it happen, where is his healing love. It’s not that God’s love ever left James, or his family, but that men of evil totally reject God just as those who crucified Jesus did, they do not obey those two commandments to love. But God’s love never leaves those who serve him, who listen to his voice and follow his commands, all who die in the knowledge of the love of Christ are safe, and they have been made whole.

For we cannot achieve the wholeness we pray for until we are dead, our life is a journey to reach that goal.

This is why the church puts such emphasis on the healing ministry, teaching us to accept that none of us are whole, teaching us to accept God’s healing grace. The Healing Ministry is not an alternative to seeking the help of the medical profession – for the gifts of medicine and nursing are God given and if people have been given those gifts God calls on them to use them, and us to accept them. The Healing Ministry is not talking of miracle cures, although of course people are healed of their earthly ailments. The emphasis is on healing and wholeness which brings that inner strength; that peace; which enables us to live each day as fully as is possible within our earthly frame.

A Healing Service is for everyone. It is not denying the healing power of the Eucharist, or intercessory prayer. It isn’t necessary if you come to receive the laying on of hands to request personal prayer, but it does offer that opportunity of requesting personal prayer for oneself or a dear one through words and the laying on of hands. The laying on of hands is the priest and one lay person gently placing their hands on the head and shoulder while prayers are being said. You may also be anointed with the holy oil.

Remember that in the gospel, Jesus sends out 70 people to heal, to preach, to say, the kingdom of God is near to you. Jesus sent out these 70 because everyone has the responsibility to witness to him. He knew he would be leaving this earth and the only way people would know and hear about his love for them, his sacrifice for them, his grace for them would be for his disciples to tell others - so he sent them out so they could begin to understand what he was calling them to do when He was gone.

And notice also that Jesus doesn’t say it is going to be easy witnessing for him. He tells them that they will be like lambs in the midst of the wolves. He tells them what to say when people accept them, and what to

say and do when people reject them for he knew not everyone was going to accept the good news. But the important point is he wanted the disciples, to try, to go out among the people and tell them about himself, about his Father.

He still wants us all to preach the Gospel, to reach out through our actions to show the love of God. To ask ourselves how we lead our lives, do we ignore situations because it makes us uncomfortable, do we stand back because we don’t know what to say. We don’t need to feel able to speak, remember the words of St Francis ‘preach the Gospel where ever you go. Use words if you must’.

Far more than with words we preach the Gospel by our actions, by the way we respond, by the way we lead our lives, by the way we turn to God seeking his healing grace, listening to his voice and responding to all and every situation with love. And we can be sure that God’s healing grace is always with us. Amen.