St Luke's Day

Luke Ch 10 1 – 9

‘Heal the sick who are there’, and tell them ‘The kingdom of God is near’.

One of the films I remember most was a documentary, not the later film, on the life of Helen Keller. I can still remember the amazement I felt. The agony of watching her learn to respond, and the amazement at what she achieved. If you don’t know Helen Keller was born in USA in the 1880’s. When she was eighteen months old she was struck down by a very serious illness which resulted in her losing both her sight and hearing.

It was very hard, nearly impossible for her to cope, but when she was 7 her parents got her a tutor, who was determined to help and within a short time she was teaching Helen to spell words using her hands. The trouble was Helen didn’t know what the words meant, until one day the tutor held one of her hands under water and spelt water on the other one. That was the moment which changed her life, for Helen then bent down and touched the ground and her tutor spelt ground on her hand too.

It was a truly remarkable change for Helen and she continued to learn words, and later by feeling her tutor’s mouth as she spoke - she also learned to talk.

She learned other languages, went to Uni, and became an author. She was never cured of her affliction but she was able to live life to the full, she achieved far more than many people with no disability.

Today we celebrate St Luke, the patron saint of physicians; Paul called Luke ‘the beloved physician’. Almost certainly a Gentile Luke had great faith in Jesus and particularly in Christ’s ministry to all kinds of people with all kinds of need. Believed to be a doctor Luke fully knew how important it was to offer healing to the sick, healing in the name of the risen Lord.

Luke carried on his theme for the need for healing in Acts where the early church moves among the Gentiles preaching and healing. For healing was always a part of their witness to the Risen Christ, they witnessed to our Lord, they preached and they healed.

In the 2^nd century Justin Martyr wrote that Jesus became man so that he could share in our sufferings and bring us healing. Indeed this view was shared by the early church in this country. The Celtic church always combined a pastoral healing ministry with worship. They believed strongly in the healing power of God’s grace; in his healing mercy.

But what do we mean today when we talk about a healing, service or to be more correct about wholeness and healing. It is worth recalling that the words healing, wholeness and holiness are all derived from the same root.

Firstly the healing ministry is not an alternative to seeking the help of the medical profession. nor are we talking of miracle cures, of course some people are healed of their earthly ailment, but for many wholeness, healing is that strengthening of faith, that greater closeness to God, which is the preparation for true wholeness and healing which we only attain when we meet our Lord in heaven, but it also gives us the strength to cope day by day. Like Helen Keller learned to cope. In our earthly life none of us are whole but we are all on that journey to true wholeness.

Christian healing is done in the name of the Risen Lord. It is Christ who heals, when we lay on hands we are just a channel of that healing love, we are not healers, we have no personal power, it is Christ alone who heals, through his sacrifice for us on the Cross.

One of the problems facing the Healing Ministry is that there are people who claim to be healers, who claim to have power over people, or claim that people suffer because they have sinned, that God no longer loves them. God loves each of us dearly regardless of our state of health, being ill is not God paying us back for something, and certainly it is not a sign of sinning.

A Healing Service is for anyone. It is not to deny the healing power of the Eucharist, of prayer; it certainly doesn’t mean we should not pray for the sick in the intercessions. But it offers the opportunity for personal prayer for oneself or someone else through words and the laying on of hands, which if you don’t quite understand, is hands being laid gently on the head and shoulders while prayers are being said. You may ask for special prayer or not, but it doesn’t make any difference for God knows us better than we know ourselves, he knows our illnesses, our worries better than we do. It is also possible to receive anointing with holy oil.

So a Healing service is encouraging all to hand over their worries, fears, whatever, to God, to trust in his healing grace, it is that trust in God which enables us to cope when life gets hard, when the way ahead seems more like struggling through the jungle than a peaceful walk through a wood. However this healing may take place slowly over a period of time, it doesn’t mean that our prayers haven’t been heard. God always hears but his answer isn’t always the expected one, and perhaps it is only when we look back that we can see where God was in a particular situation, but he is always there, his healing grace always surrounds and strengthens us.

But as with all Christ’s messages, we are called not only to receive but to give, to reach out to others. To reach out to those who are in despair showing them God’s love. Our mission as Christians is to love in such a way that people become receptive to Christ. We are today’s 72. Wherever there is brokenness or sickness, Jesus wants us to take the healing word of the Gospels. We need to break down that view that church goers are aloof, self-righteous, too quick to condemn, for we are called to truly show God’s love through our own compassion and love.

In the reading Jesus says ‘Carry no purse, no bag, and no sandals.’ Yes we need to give food to those who are needy but more than that we are called to see everyone as our brothers and sisters and invite them to join us in the breaking of the Bread, the sharing of Christ’s body, to join us at the Table.

 ‘Lord Jesus Christ, lover of all,

 Bring healing, bring peace.’ Amen.