1. Is God Healing His people today?

Dearest brothers and sisters, we would like to share with you about the “Healing in the Eucharist”. But before we talk about the healing in the eucharist, we need to ask a rather silly but important question, “Is God still healing His people today?”. We might easily say “Yes, Of course”. But let us pause for a while and ask ourselves,”Do I believe that God is still healing people today? Do I believe in the healing power of God? Do I even believe in God?”

2. Need to be healed?

Another important question that we need to ask ourselves is that, “Do I need to be healed?” Well we might say we feel that our lives are just fine, there is no need for me to look for healing and such things. But what is healing is all about?

It will be difficult for us to experience healing if we always feel that we do not need one. It will be difficult for us to experience healing if we refuse to believe there is such healing.

It’s just the same thing like a doctor who is trying to heal someone who is sick. It is difficult for the doctor to heal the sick if the person says that he does not need one. It is difficult to heal the person, if the person does not believe that he can be healed. It is difficult to heal someone when that person does not believe and hope to be healed.

I say difficult, because it is not impossible, not for God.

But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matt 19:26 )

3. What is healing in the eye of Jesus? Why Jesus heals?

So what is healing in the eye of Jesus? What is healing is all about? Do we need to be healed?

One day I attended a healing rally in Risen Christ Church and there was this priest from India talked about healing. And he told us a verse from scripture that for him describes what is healing is all about. It is from the Gospel of John.

But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; (John 1:12)

Wow, how does that relate to healing? Healing is simply a restoration. What restoration is it?

Healing means we are being restored to God, as His beloved children.

Well, I know that you might think that it is not a big deal. What is so special about that?

But what does it mean to be restored as God’s children? It is simply to be restored in the image and likeness of God. For in the beginning we were created in the image and likeness of God. And God said, “It was very Good”.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Gen 1:27) 

And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day. (Gen 1:31)

Being healed is simply to be restored in the image and likeness of God. Created in His image means that we are created Beautiful, created as someone who is Love-able, created as someone who is able-to-love, and we are also created Good, as God Himself is Good.

And now let us ask ourselves again, “Do we need healing? Do we see ourselves beautiful? Do we see that we are love-able? Are we able to Love? Do we see ourselves as good?” If we answer no to any of these, we might need to ask the Lord to heal us.

And this is the only reason that Jesus heals. To restore us into the image of His Father, to tell us how much God loves us, to tell us that we are able to love others as God has loved us, to see within ourselves the goodness of God, for we are His children.

And this is why when Jesus told His disciple to proclaim the Kingdom of God , Jesus told them “to Heal”.

And preach as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying, give without pay. (Matt 10:7-8)

And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal. (Luk 9:1-2) 

The kingdom of God is coming, and God is restoring His children. And God is not only healing the physical, but more important is the spiritual. God is healing the spiritual death of His children, God is healing the sin of His people.

if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2Ch 7:14 )

And the psalmist says As for me, I said, "O LORD, be gracious to me; heal me, for I have sinned against thee!" (Psa 41:4)

God wants to heal us because He wants to set us free from death. St. Paul said, For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom 6:23 )

When we sin, we separate ourselves from God. But how can we live without God. For God is Love, and how can we live without Love? God is Life, how can we survive outside Life?

But God is coming to heal us and He offers us the gift of new Life as His children.

You might then think that God is only interested to set us free from our sins, but this is not right. God wants us to be His Children, and God will do anything to remove any blocks that hinder us from becoming His children.

And that is the reason why He will surely heal our emotional and physical as well. God is going to heal every inner wound or physical wounds that block us from becoming “Beautiful, Love-able, Able-to-Love, and Good”.

And so now the question is, “Do you want to be healed?”.

4. How did Jesus heal 2000 years ago? How does Jesus heal today?

If you do, then the only way is to come to Jesus. For Jesus is the Healer. Only God heals. Even doctors are only God’s instruments.

So how does Jesus heal us? We have heard in the Gospel many stories of Jesus healing people, but that was 2000 years ago. How about Now? How does Jesus heal today?

Jesus remains the same, yesterday, today, and forever. He healed 2000 years ago and He is healing today.

"For I the LORD do not change;… (Mal 3:6)

And so how does Jesus heal? Let us read the Gospel.

Luke 8:40:56. The woman with a haemorrhage and Jairus’ daughter

Touching Jesus

There was this woman who suffered from a haemorrhage, and Matthew (and Mark) wrote

for she said to herself, "If I only touch his garment, I shall be made well." (Matt 9:21 )

And Jesus could feel that healing power came out from Him.

But Jesus said, "Some one touched me; for I perceive that power has gone forth from me." (Luk 8:46)

And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace." (Luk 8:48)

And the woman was healed; she was healed simply by touching His “garment”, just His garment. And it was written in other parts that people just trying to touch Jesus, and they were all healed.

And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent round to all that region and brought to him all that were sick, and besought him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment; and as many as touched it were made well. (Mat 14:34-36)

And in Mark:

for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed upon him to touch him. (Mar 3:10 )

And in Luke as well

And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came forth from him and healed them all. (Luk 6:17-19)

Jesus’ presence truly heals. How amazing it is.

Once there was a woman who told Sr. Bridge McKenna that she would tremendously happy if she could live in the time of Jesus and if she could just touch Jesus. I guess, we all have this thought, we wonder how it feels to touch Jesus, and be HEALED.

But Sr. Bridge told the woman, and us, that we are even luckier today than those people. Why? Because they could only touch Jesus, but we are RECEIVING Jesus. We are in UNION with GOD Himself every time we receive common-UNION (read communion).

And this is how Jesus heals today. He does not change. Healing still comes out from Him. But what might change is our faith. We might no longer believe. What might change is our attitude. We do no longer seek healing.

But Jesus will surely heal us, if only we come to Him, touch Him in our communion, and have faith.

The Word of God

 But is that the only way that Jesus heals us today? Of course it is not. Let us read again the story after Jesus healed the woman with a haemorrhage.

Jesus came to Jairus’ house to heal his daughter. And how did Jesus heal? 

But taking her by the hand he called, saying, "Child, arise." (Luk 8:54)

And her spirit returned, and she got up at once; and he directed that something should be given her to eat. (Luk 8:55)

Jesus took her hand and SAID, “Child, arise”. What does this mean? Jesus spoke and the child was healed. God does not only heal us through His real presence, but He also heals us by His Word. This is the Word of God who created the universe.

And God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. (Gen 1:3)

When God says, something happens. God’s Word is creative. The Word of God creates Light and the whole world; and this same Word of God also heals and restores.

"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and return not thither but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it. (Isa 55:10-11)

When God speaks, something happens.

And so in the Eucharist, we are not only healed when receive the communion of the Lord’s Body. But we are also healed when we listen the Word of God. The word of God is proclaimed when the scripture is read. St. Paul said

All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, (2Ti 3:16 )

All scripture is inspired by God. The word “inspired” in Greek means “God breathed”. It is truly comes from God, it is the Word of God that we hear during the Eucharistic celebration.

The problem with us today is that we consider the proclamation of the Word of God during the Eucharistic celebration as simply as a “message” or even worse a “reading”. We do not hear the person, who is the Word, who is Jesus. We do not receive the Word as we receive and welcome a person. We direct the voices that we hear to our intellect and our intellect analyze which part that we understand and which part that we do not. Which part that is OK for us and which part that is not. And we take out the parts that we do not want to hear.

But the Word of God heals us. He transforms us and changes us. When it speaks about forgiveness of others, it does not only “tell” us to forgive, but the Word gives us power and helps us to forgive. When it speaks about God who healed the people, the Word of God is truly healing His people. When it speaks about God who loves and forgives, the Word of God is entering our heart to Love and to forgive. When the Word of God speaks, something happens. But again the question is, “Do we believe? Do we allow the Word of God to transform us?” For if we open our heart to the Word the Word will surely change us.

And this Word of God is no less or no different than the Holy Eucharist. For this is what we pray before we receive communion:

“Lord I am not worthy to receive You, but only say the Word and I shall be healed”.

This is taken from the words of Centurion in the Gospel

But the centurion answered him, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. (Mat 8:8)

Did you notice that the centurion did not say “the words” (in plural) but the Word (in singular). The Greek word that was used for the “Word” is LOGOS. And this same Greek word was used by St. John in the beginning of His Gospel.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (Joh 1:1)

The Word of God heals people. The Word of God is Jesus.

And this is why in the Eucharistic Celebration we have two major liturgies: Liturgy of the Word and liturgy of the Eucharist. God is truly present in both. And in both, God heals.

5. What should I do to be healed

 All that has been said is simply to convince you that God is able to heal through the Eucharist and the Word of God. But then we need to go back to ourselves and ask whether we want to be healed or not? And if we do, what we need to do to be healed?

Ask Jesus to heal us

Story of the two blind men: Mat 20:29-34

There were these two men shouting to Jesus, “Son of David, have mercy on us”. And even when the disciple rebuked them, they shouted even louder, “Son of David, have mercy on us”. And Jesus asked them, “What do you want me to do for you?”

Why did Jesus ask the question? If you were Jesus and you saw two blind men were shouting to you, wouldn’t you know what they were asking? But Jesus asked them anyway. Why?

Jesus wanted the blind men to seek and to ask. Jesus wanted them to say to themselves, “This is what I want, I want to be healed!!”. This is what is different today. Today people do not ask Jesus to heal them. Two thousands years ago, people came and pleaded to Jesus to heal them. Today, people seldom seek Jesus. Today we seldom seek healing from Jesus.

And today we hear again the voice of the Lord crying as in Jeremiah.

"Return, O faithless sons, I will heal your faithlessness." "Behold, we come to thee; for thou art the LORD our God. (Jer 3:22)

God wants us to look for Him, He wants us to seek Him, and Jesus wants each and every one of us to return to Him. We need to be like the prodigal son to be healed,

But when he came to himself he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants."' (Luk 15:17-19)

We need to come to our senses, and we need to arise from our feet, we need to come to our Father, our God, and we need to give ourselves to Him, and say, “Heal me, O Lord, heal me”.

We need to come to Jesus and ask Him to heal us. Have you ever read in the Gospel when Jesus rejected people asking for healing? Never! On the other hand Jesus him self said,

And I tell you, Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. (Luk 11:9-10)

And when we ask, Jesus will surely heal us; He will surely restore us to be His children. He will restore us into His own image; He will heal our wounds and brick us back to where we belong, Our God who loves us. We might not be healed in the way we wanted, but we will surely be healed, we will surely be restored into the image of God.

Faith

The other thing that we need to have is simply Faith.

But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; (Joh 1:12)

Do we believe that Jesus is able to bring us back, that He is willing to forgive our sins, that He is able to make us beautiful, able to heal our painful memories, that He is able to make us as the beloved children of God?

Everywhere in the Gospel, when Jesus healed, there was always Faith. Let us go back to our stories of the woman with a haemorrhage and Jairus’ daughter.

This is what Jesus said to the woman

And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace."

(Luk 8:48)

Your faith has made you well. It is not our feeling, not sensation, not anything, but our faith. And therefore, when Jesus heals us, we might not feel anything, but Faith tells us that Jesus is able to heal us and His love to us assures us that He is truly healing us.

And for the story of Jairus’ it was written

While he was still speaking, a man from the ruler's house came and said, "Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more." But Jesus on hearing this answered him, "Do not fear; only believe, and she shall be well." (Luk 8:49-50)

Do not fear; Only Believe. Have faith. Believe that Jesus loves us and is able to heal us.

And the story of the Centurion also shows us that Faith enables us to be healed by Jesus.

For I am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard this he marveled at him, and turned and said to the multitude that followed him, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith." (Luk 7:8-9)

The centurion believed that Jesus is God and God’s command can heal. If only Jesus gave His Word, the centurion’s servant would be healed. This is his faith. Do we have this faith? We say his words over and over every Sunday before receiving communion. But do we have the faith that this gentile had?

… But say the word, and let my servant be healed. (Luk 7:7)

We could quote verses after verses to show that faith is important. But that does not help us if we in the first place do not even believe and if we do not seek the Healer.

These are what Jesus wants us to do: ask Him, cry to Him, and have faith. As the two blind men cried to Jesus, “Son of David, have mercy on us”, let us also cry to Jesus

“Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, have mercy on us”

“Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, have mercy on us”

“Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, grant us your peace”

And as we approach Jesus in communion, believe as the centurion believed.

“Lord, I am not worthy to receive you; but only say the Word, and I shall be healed.”

7. Sacrifice of the Lord

I would like to close with a children story of a little boy and his little bird. Don’t think too complicated :p.

There was this little boy who had a beautiful little bird. His name was Thomas but people loved to call him Tommy. Tommy loved his bird very much, and he named her, “Sheila”. Everyday, Tommy always looked after his bird, talked to his bird, and fed his bird with love and care. Even though the bird seldom responded to Tommy, Tommy loved the bird still.

One day, however, the bird fell sick. Sheila refused to eat, and she started to get weaker and weaker. Tommy was so worried and so he brought Sheila to a vet. The vet diagnosed Sheila for a while but he could not find anything wrong. So the vet did further analysis.

After a while the vet came to Tommy and said, “I am sorry but I don’t think I can help your little bird”. “Why? I thought you are a vet”, cried Tommy. But the vet tried to explain to him that Sheila’s organs were failing and there is no way to help her unless if he did surgery. But that too would need a donor to replace Sheila’s organ and he had none.

So Tommy went back to his home with Sheila. And at night he cried aloud on his bed. He was so sad and he just couldn’t let Sheila go. While Tommy was crying, suddenly his room became bright. And Tommy was so surprised, he couldn’t see very clear because of the tears in his eyes.

But then, Tommy realized that there was someone, a beautiful lady in blue, she was a fairy. “It must be a dream”, said Tommy to himself. Either it was dream or not, the fairy said to Tommy, “Tommy, I have heard your cry, and I want to grant your wishes with certain conditions”. Tommy was still a bit confused but he knew what he wanted, so he said to the fairy, ”Good Fairy…I want Sheila to be healed”. But the fairy said said, “I am sorry Tommy, but I cannot do anything to Sheila. My power is only limited to you, so I can only do things concerning you.”

And so Tommy thought for a while and then he said to the Fairy, “O Good fairy, I want to be a healthy bird, and I want to replace Sheila’s organ”. The fairy was surprised, “Do you know what you are asking?”. Tommy nodded.

Brothers and sisters, you might want to continue the story by yourselves. But we might think that this story is such nonsense. It is for children. How is it that a person would want to be bird and sacrifice himself for a bird? This is not real.

But I would like to tell you that what I am sharing with you is actually the story of our God, who became man, and took our sickness, so that we may live. God of the universe, the creator of everything, He became man, and died for us, so that we may live.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed. (Isa 53:5)

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. (1Pe 2:24 )

With His stripes and by His wound, we are healed. We are healed and are brought back to Life, a Life of righteousness as God’s own children.

And in every Eucharist, the sacrifice of Calvary is made present again. In Every Eucharist, Our Lord gave His Body and His blood, for us. He sacrificed himself so that we may be healed, so that we may be whole. So that we may realize that there is a God who loves us, so that we might see how beautiful we are, so that we realized that we are actually love-able, and we are able-to-love, so that we see ourselves as God see us always, good and beautiful.

And he took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." (Luk 22:19)

And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. (Mat 26:27-28)

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