www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Healing in the Byzantine Churches

Hi,

I think part of my problem is my RC upbringing. In post Vatican II Churches the focus is on the Eucharist. For example in the MPH devotion a pray was said over you after Eucharist Devotion in the name of MPH. It was changed because the Priest's told us after Eucharist Devotion there was no need to Bless us any further.Also, the neutralizing of Church interiors so not to detract from Mass & the Eucharist. I hope you can see what I'm trying to explain. Yesterday's Gospel put me back on track. It was like ding! Jesus was present at the healing pool. Jesus is present at the healing.Now for the story of my friend's healing.

She was a 55yr old diabetic who had come close to death more then once. She had a scar on her throat from a trach tube to prove it. I was finally able to take her to lunch. We had to postpone cuz' she was having hyper-baric (sp?) treatments. The day I took her to lunch I felt bad for her. She was in a wheel chair, She could no longer walk and had so many sores all over, her legs were wrapped up. She looked pitful.People were staring at her. She was in a lot physical & emotional pain.Her Mom had just died & she was going to have one of her legs removed. She was really suffering.So I had asked her if she would like to go to the local Greek Monastery to be blest with a Relic of the True Cross. Fr. Stavros brings it from Rythemon, Crete every year and it has miraculous healings attached to it. People from all over the US and Canada come every year. She said "Oh would you please". So I took her to be blest. The next day I when to her house, she was coming out of the bathroom. The sores were still there but she had a radiance about her and peaceful look on her face.The anguish was gone. She told me I will call you when I get back from the hospital. Two weeks later her kidneys failed and she past away. Many people wouldn't see this as a healing. She had fought death off a few times before but this time she embraced it. I think the healing for her was letting go and completely trusting in God to take her home to be with him.


Nicky's Baba

[ 04-22-2002: Message edited by: Nicky's Baba ]

DEar Nicky's Baba,

A beautiful account!

I recently received a similar answer to my prayers.

I was praying and praying for something to happen in my life.

Until one day I realized that I didn't really need it and that I was complete and whole without it.

And that really was a miracle.

Alex

THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!

What an inspiring thread this has been to read!! I have been wondering about this very thing myself and reading your posts has challenged me to pray and ask God for a deeper faith, especially in the saints and their icons given to us as sacramentals of the Faith.

I hope that some day I can have as deep and rich a faith, especially in the veneration of icons and the saints who are present in them (did I say that correctly?) as well as our loving Mother, the Blessed Theotokos, ever virgin Mary.

Let me ask a question. I was at the hospital today for my wife to have an X-Ray. While she was in the X-Ray room, I was watching a young mother with her obviously sick little boy (sounded like he had a nasty croup). I really wanted to go over and pray for the little guy, but I wasn't sure exactly how to go about it. What I mean is this: would I have been out of line (assuming the mother said "Yes, I would like you to pray for my son") to make the sign of the Cross over him in the same way a priest does? I ask this because of our Lord's statement through the Scriptures that we are all priests, and although only a validly ordained priest can consecrate the elements of the Eucharist, aren't we all, as priests, ones who bring the heavenly and the earthly together? I remember seeing my godfather in the faith bless the Paschal meal last year in that fashion and when I asked him about it, he said that all men are priests of their "household church" and should bless their children and meals, etc. in that way.

Made perfect sense to me. Would the same apply in such a non-familial situation in public?

Okay. Correct me gently please. Remember: dumb Protestant convert [that's what I kid Fr. Mike with when I mess up at the altar ]

Cordially in Christ, our Eucharistic Lord,

Brother Ed

PS Another quick question. If we all really realized just Who lives in us, and how we are to be living icons of Christ, then if we were spiritually mature enough to handle it, why wouldn't God give us the gift of healing so that we more perfectly icon the Christ within us?

Dear Altar Boy,

I was an altar boy for seven years - but that's as far as I got on the clerical ladder .

Certainly, the gift of miracles is open to us all, depending on God's Will for us.

We are all called to lead lives of prayer, to consecrate our entire lives to it.

After a while, when we are really "into" God through prayer, we may find that God answers our prayers for other people and for ourselves.

Sometimes God takes a long time to do so - but we must wait patiently for Him to glorify Himself in us, His servants.

And we must pray not for His Gifts, but for Himself, the Gift of Himself to us.

As we acquire the Spirit of Peace, as St Seraphim of Sarov said, a thousand souls will be converted around us.

May we always ask for the Gift of Prayer from the Holy Spirit and may we always be occupied with the work of prayer.

Alex

Oldy but goody!