Healing Ministry

Today, the Gospel of Jesus Christ tells us a wonderful story of faith and healing. A Canaanite woman, a gentile, who approached Christ, the Lord, hidden within a Jewish Rabbi, for healing for her daughter. In testing her, he said: “It is not right to take food from children and throw it to the dogs. But the woman replied with great faith and humility: “Lord, even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the master's table.” And because of her faith, her daughter was healed from that hour.

God came into the world to bring healing and peace.  Healing is not just for a selected few, but for all people, for Jews and Gentiles. But the healing ministry, as the Lord empowers us to do, cannot be done by just one person, and it cannot be done alone. It is done collaboratively.  Because as the scriptures says, there are many gifts but the same Spirit. And the Holy Spirit gives us all different spiritual gifts to help others.

There was a priest, by the name of Fr. Gary Thomas, who is an exorcist.  He used to be a funeral director.  He had on his healing team, physicians, doctors, psychiatrist, nurses, translators, teachers, and lots of prayer warriors. The healing ministry was not just about him, but it was all different types of people, working together, collaboratively, to bring about healing. Sometimes we can't speak a different language so we need people with the gift of language to help us. Sometimes, we may not know too much about the medical field, so we also need physicians and doctors, chiropractors, natural-pathologists, etc, to help us also.  Because we can be much more effective in healing ministry, working together as a team, than on our own. It's a good paradigm shift, a different perspective when it comes to healing.

When it comes to healing, it's also important to know the person's background. For instance, what it was like growing up in your home? What was your relationship like with your parents, with your siblings? What was your education like, in grade school, middle school, high school, college? What was the point that made you decide that you needed help and healing? What is your personal habit? Do you have any addictions, drugs or alcohol? Even if you use drugs one time, it's good to know that, because sometimes the side effects can be chronic hallucinations, because of the damage that it causes the brain.  Addiction to pornography is also a window for the demons to enter.  And it's also good to confess and share that in confession for healing.

But most importantly, healing begins with faith and hope, as demonstrated by the Cannanite woman, who sought healing for her daughter. Healing requires humility, seeking help from the Holy Spirit, discerning our own spiritual gifts and talents, and readily helping others in need. God bless you!