ST. JOHN’S DUMFRIES
15th MARCH 2009
Just for this morning I am quite intentionally departing from our usual practice of commenting on one or all of the Sunday readings. Instead, I want to begin simply by reading you three sentences from the Introduction to the Church of England’s ‘Common Worship Pastoral Services 2000’:
“Healing, reconciliation and restoration are integral to the good news of Jesus Christ. For this reason prayer for individuals focused through laying on of hands or anointing with oil has a proper place within the public prayer of the Church. God’s gracious activity in healing is to be seen both as part of the proclaiming of the good news and as an outworking of the presence of the Spirit in the life of the Church.” In other words (reduced to one sentence) that quite clearly states that the healing ministry has a proper place within the public prayer of the Church.
Yet, how many regular churchgoing Christians are even vaguely aware of this ministry at all – despite the fact that Jesus clearly directed his followers both to heal and to preach? Preaching ministry has long been in plentiful supply, but what of healing ministry?
Actually, the Church’s Ministry of Healing revived greatly during the twentieth century, but [for the most part] this has been a purely private ministry, and perhaps that is why so few have been aware of it. Quite understandably, some people, in their commendable wish to get this ministry back on to the agenda, have gone overboard about it. They have treated Jesus’ command to heal as if it were ‘the be-all and end-all’ of the Christian faith, whilst certain others have even seen fit to turn it into television entertainment – accompanied by all the razzamatazz usually associated with show business! Small wonder, then, that healing – if thought about at all – has sometimes come to be regarded as a lunatic fringe activity for those who like that sort of thing!
I believe it is our bounden duty to present Jesus’ command to fulfil this particular ministry as a normal part of Christian commitment – to be an activity quite as normal as ministering the sacraments or preaching. Jesus himself certainly never saw healing as some optional extra.
In January, an evening Healing Service was held in this church within the context of a Eucharist. A non-eucharistic healing service is now planned for the evening of Sunday 29th March. But if we are to fall in with Jesus’ instructions to heal, ought such services to be merely occasional extras?
Of course, I know perfectly well that every Eucharist is the ultimate sacrament in which we meet Our Lord most intimately. After all, it is above all things a sacrament of Wholeness and Healing! [Personally, I have always valued the old Prayer Book words of administration at Communion, which powerfully stated “The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was given for thee, preserve thy BODY AND SOUL unto everlasting life”] Yet, even so, I also know that some people feel that prayer for individuals “focused through the laying on of hands,” as a preliminary to receiving Holy Communion can also possess deep personal healing value.
Now, I think I can almost hear somebody saying “Oh no! Paul wants to make the Sunday morning service longer!” Not at all! This morning, at the same time as the distribution of Holy Communion takes place, there will also be an opportunity for any who wish to do so to come first to the Lady Chapel altar to receive this focused prayer ministry with laying on of hands before going on to the main altar to make their communion.
You will appreciate that this is not an opportunity for extended prayer ministry, though if you have a need for which you particularly want prayer, do mention it briefly. Always remember that Christ’s Healing Touch does not depend on delivering your case history – God knows our needs! (However, should you wish to speak with one of us at greater length after the service, we shall of course be available.)
One other point: occasionally some people are embarrassed to come forward for this ministry because they imagine that others who see them may be speculating about what their possible trouble might be! Just bear in mind that it is perfectly normal to receive this ministry on behalf of other people who are not there, and that the person you see going forward is quite possibly representing somebody else altogether. I already know of one person here who feels a need to receive special prayer for those who have suffered terrible loss this week in Northern Ireland, and in the school in Germany. You may recollect how Jesus healed a Roman centurion’s servant at someone else’s request.
I began with one quotation: I would like to close with another, written by my good friend and mentor, Bishop Morris Maddocks, who entered the fuller life just over a year ago. This is what he wrote:
“The state of affairs that we long for is one in which the healing ministry is once again a normal part of the Church’s liturgy and practice; when it will be quite usual to witness a healing blessing given, through anointing or laying on of hands or both, during the main celebration on a Sunday morning when the Body of Christ is gathered together and ready and eager to play its part as the praying Church.”
I pray that what we are doing this morning may be a fruitful beginning to creating just such normality.
J. Paul Burbridge