Apostles Anglican Church
Fr. John A. Roop

Healing Prayer, Lesson 2: Anglican Ministry To The Sick

The Lord be with you.
And with your spirit.
Let us pray.

Almighty God, we entrust all who are dear to us to your never-failing care and love, for this life and the life to come, knowing that you are doing for them better things than we can desire or pray for; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen (BCP 2019, p. 662).

Introduction

Let’s begin with a summary of a few essential notions from last week. If you weren’t here you can read the complete class notes online (www.firstblessings.blog) to see how these were developed and presented.

1. God’s unfailing disposition toward us and all that he has made is love: not sentimentality or indulgence, but the resolute commitment to do that which he knows to be best for us and for all.

2. God created humankind, in love, to be his image bearers and to grow into his likeness, which is the likeness of Christ. He created the earth and everything on the face of the earth to help us in attaining this end for which we were created.

3. Prior to the fall, the way to mature into Christlikeness was simple faithfulness and obedience.

4. Much changed with the fall. The world became resistant to humans: at times ambivalent, at times hostile, often dangerous. Sickness, suffering, and death became our reality. But not everything changed. God’s disposition toward us is still love, and our purpose is still to grow into Christlikeness. But the path of growth has changed from simple faithfulness and obedience to repentance.

5. The fallen world in which we now live — with all its challenges, futility, sickness, suffering, and death — is still the God-given context for promoting our maturing into Christlikeness. The ills, difficulties, and struggles we face are the very things that prompt our dependence upon God, our repentance, and our growth. They are not without meaning or purpose.

These notions undergird the Church’s classical understanding and ministry of healing.

Healing and the Gospel

There is a poignant moment in the Gospels that takes place long distance between Jesus and John the Baptist, perhaps their last interaction.

1 When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.

2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me” (Matt 11:1-6).

“Are you the one?” John asks. Jesus gives a two part answer, his bona fides for messianic ministry. What are the two things he points to? Healing and preaching: this is what Jesus was known for; it was the heart of his ministry. And, just before this inquiry from John, Jesus had commissioned the twelve for similar work:

5 These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay” (Matt 10:5-8).

It is the same ministry that Jesus exercised: healing and proclamation (preaching). What would be the purpose(s) of that two-pronged approach? What motivated the healings?

The healing ministry was itself a part of the proclamation that the kingdom of God was breaking into history in the person of Jesus, that God had come to judge the world and that his judgment consisted in putting things and people to rights. Healing was a foretaste of the redemption and restoration of all things that we see in Revelation 21, 22. Here is the way St. Mark describes Jesus’ twofold ministry from the very beginning.

21 And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. 22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. 23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” 28 And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.

29 And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31 And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

32 That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. 33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door. 34 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. 36 And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, 37 and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” 39 And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons (Mark 1:21-39).

Jesus healed many, but he didn’t heal everyone; there were still the blind and deaf and lame and lepers and possessed when he left a town and when he finished his ministry. But, the ones he did heal served as a signpost of good things to come: the partial pointing toward the complete.

This twofold ministry of healing and preaching continued with the Apostles after Pentecost. We see Peter and John and Paul proclaiming the good news of Jesus in healing and in preaching, in healing and witness: healings are performed in the name of Jesus and then the Gospel is proclaimed (e.g. Acts 3-4, the healing of the lame beggar and the proclamation of the Gospel to the crowd and to the Council). Both Peter and Paul perform healings (raising people to life) as an encouragement for the Church and as evangelism (cf Acts 9:36-43, Peter and Dorcas, and Acts 20:7-12, Paul and Eutychus).

This ministry of healing was part of the faith and practice of the Apostolic Church. Let’s consider two Scriptures.

27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts.

And I will show you a still more excellent way (1 Cor 12:27-31).

This healing ministry is what we might call charismatic healing, from the Greek χάρισμα (charisma) meaning gift or spiritual endowment. It was one of many gifts given by the Spirit to members in the Church for the good of the Church. What the practice of that healing ministry looked like is not clear in Scripture. It might have been along the lines of the Apostolic ministry: a prayer offered, a word of healing spoken. It might have included a gift of discernment: a person gifted with healing recognizes, through the Spirit, God’s intent to heal someone and so speaks God’s word of healing over that person in the name of Jesus. We are not given the details. What we are given is the clear implication that God intended to continue the healing ministry in and through the Church at least in the Apostolic era. It is an open theological debate between cessationists and continuationists whether the spiritual gifts, including healing, continued beyond that era and persist today. But, I don’t think it is reasonable to debate whether God still works through Christ’s body (the Church) — through both individuals and the sacramental ministry — to heal. I see no way or reason to deny that.

The second Scripture is the familiar one from James.

13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working (James 5:13-16).

We might call this healing ministry sacramental healing: a ministry of the Church, through its ordained ministers — elders/priests/bishops — and sacraments. This ministry, too, is charismatic in that it is a gift of the Spirit given through the laying on of hands in ordination. But, it is more characteristic of an order of ministry than of individuals. Speaking personally, when I offer healing prayer it is not because I believe I have been gifted individually with the charism of healing, but rather because the order of priests to which I belong has been commissioned and gifted to continue the healing ministry of the Church through the sacraments.

These two different modes of healing ministry are complementary, and both are to be exercised in good order, under the authority of the Church.

I mention all this so that we can hold two truths together — in tension, perhaps, but together nonetheless.

First this, from last week: God is not absent in our sickness and suffering, and they are not without meaning and purpose. We can embrace sickness and suffering as impetus toward repentance — as long as God wills — and let them do their good work in our lives and in the lives of those we love. The most important type of healing is healing from the illnesses of the heart and soul, and sickness and suffering, rightly accepted and borne, are a type of medicine for those spiritual illnesses. Any ministry of healing in the Church must be founded on this truth.

Second this, from this week: God intends the Church to exercise a ministry of healing, including healing of body, mind, and spirit. As it was in the Gospels and in the early Church, healing is a symbolic proclamation of the in-breaking presence of the Kingdom of God for the glory of God, the strengthening of the Church, and for witness to the world. Any ministry of healing must be founded on this truth.

If God choses not grant physical healing in a given circumstance, then we accept the sickness and suffering as gift, as aid toward our growth into Christlikeness. If God grants physical healing, then we accept that with thanksgiving and use it in proclamation of the Gospel. All of this is in God’s hands and our greatest desire is — at least it should be — that God’s will be done, knowing that God’s will is for our welfare and for the salvation of the world. I don’t pretend that this is easy. Perhaps nothing is more difficult than seeing the sickness or suffering of one you love. That is, in part, why we need to work through these things beforehand, so that we are not overwhelmed by them in the moment, so that we can pray as God wills.

The Healing Ministry of the Church

So, we hold these three truths in tension: that God allows sickness and suffering for the sake of our repentance and growth, that he gives us healing for the sake of our strengthening in the faith and our proclamation of the Gospel, and that both sickness and healing are gifts of God’s love toward us. If the healing ministry of the Church is pictured as a triangle, then these truths are the vertices or sides that define that triangle and give it shape. Leave one out and you no longer have a triangle. Emphasize one the expense of another, and you pull the triangle out of shape.

Now, I want us to see how these truths inform the healing ministry of the Church as Anglicans have practiced it historically and still practice it today. To do this, we will consider excerpts from two rites of healing from different versions of the Book of Common Prayer (BCP). The first is The Order for the Visitation of the Sick from the BCP 1662. Why this version of the Prayer Book? This particular version has a preeminent position in Anglicanism as is noted in the Fundamental Declarations of the Province (ACNA):

6. We receive The Book of Common Prayer as set forth by the Church of England in 1662, together with the Ordinal attached to the same, as a standard for Anglican doctrine and discipline, and with the Books which preceded it, as the standard for the Anglican tradition of Worship (BCP 2019, p. 767).

The second rite, Ministry To The Sick, is from the version of the Prayer Book that we use, the ACNA BCP 2019, which is a descendant of the BCP 1662.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

I suggest that you read the questions first and then together read the two rites of healing. Pay particular attention to the boldface passages in The Order for the Visitation of the Sick (BCP 1662). I have added the boldface emphasis to draw your attention to some ideas that may be different from our modern sensibilities and thus challenging to us.

1. Consider the following quote from the lesson (indented, below). How do the two rites reflect it? Do they do so equally? If there are differences of “tone” or emphasis, to what might they be attributed?

So, we hold these three truths in tension: (1) that God allows sickness and suffering for the sake of our repentance and growth, (2) that he gives us healing for the sake of our strengthening in the faith and our proclamation of the Gospel, and (3) that both sickness and healing are gifts of God’s love toward us. If the healing ministry of the Church is pictured as a triangle, then these truths are the vertices or sides that define it and give it shape. Leave one out and you no longer have a triangle. Emphasize one the expense of another, and you pull the triangle out of shape.

3. Are there particular lines, phrases, or concepts from any of the prayers that “catch you up short,” that surprise or challenge you? Which ones and why?

3. If you were seriously ill and a priest came to visit, which rite would you prefer he use? Why?

4. The BCP 1662 rite lacks the sacramental ministry of anointing with oil present in the BCP 2019 rite. What might account for it? Do you find its absence significant?

5. How might both rites inform your own prayer for the sick? Will either change the way you have been praying for the sick?

The Order for the Visitation of the Sick (BCP 1662)

Minister: O Lord, save thy servant,

Answer: Who putteth his trust in thee.

Minister: Send him help from thy holy place,

Answer: And evermore mightily defend him.

Minister: Let the enemy have no advantage of him,

Answer: Nor the wicked approach to hurt him.

Minister: Be unto him, O Lord, a strong tower,

Answer: From the face of his enemy.

Minister: O Lord, hear our prayers,

Answer: And let our cry come unto thee.

O Lord, look down from heaven, behold, visit, and relieve this thy servant. Look upon him with the eyes of thy mercy, give him comfort and sure confidence in thee, defend him from the danger of the enemy, and keep him in perpetual peace and safety, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Hear us, almighty and most merciful God and Saviour. Extend they accustomed goodness to this thy servant, who is grieved with sickness. Sanctify, we beseech thee, this thy fatherly correction to him, that the sense of his weakness may add strength to his faith, and seriousness to his repentance, that, if it shall be thy good pleasure to restore him to his former health, he may lead the rest of his life in thy fear and to thy glory; or else give him grace so to take thy visitation, that, after this painful life is ended, he may dwell with thee in life everlasting, through Jesus Christ our Lord (emphasis added). Amen.

Then shall the minister exhort the sick person after this form (or another like it).

Dearly beloved, know this, that almighty God is the Lord of life and death, and of all things pertaining to them, such as youth, strength, health, age, weakness, and sickness. Wherefore, whatsoever your sickness is, know you certainly that it is God’s visitation. And for whatsoever cause this sickness is sent unto you — whether it be to try your patience, for the example of others, and that your faith may be found in the day of the Lord laudable, glorious, and honourable, to the increase of glory and endless felicity; or else it be sent unto you to correct and amend in you whatsoever doth offend the eyes of your heavenly Father — know you certainly that if you truly repent you of your sins, and bear your sickness patiently, trusting in God’s mercy for his dear Son Jesus Christ’s sake, and render unto him humble thanks for his fatherly visitation, submitting yourself wholly unto his will, it shall turn to your profit, and help you forward in the right way that leadeth unto everlasting life (emphasis added).

If the person visited is very sick, then the pastor may end his exhortation in this place, or else proceed.

Take therefore in good part the chastisement of the Lord. ‘For’ (as it is written in the twelfth chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews) ‘whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons, for what son is he whom the father chaseneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons. Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh, which corrected us, and we gave them reverence. Shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us as seemed good to them, but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.’

These words, good brother, are written in holy Scripture for our comfort and instruction, that we should patiently, and with thanksgiving, bear our heavenly Father’s correction, whensoever by any manner of adversity it shall please his gracious goodness to visit us. And there should be no greater comfort to Christian persons than to be made like unto Christ, by suffering patiently adversities, troubles, and sicknesses. For he himself went not into his glory before he was crucified. So truly our way to eternal joy is to suffer here with Christ, and our door to enter into eternal life is gladly to die with Christ, that we may rise again from death and dwell with him in everlasting life.

Now therefore, taking your sickness — which is thus profitable for you — patiently, I exhort you in the name of God, to remember the profession which you made unto God in your baptism (emphasis added). And forasmuch as after this life there is an account to be given unto the righteous judge, by whom all must be judged without respect of persons, I require you to examine yourself and your estate, both toward God and man, so that, accusing and condemning yourself for your own faults, you may find mercy at our heavenly Father’s hand for Christ’s sake, and not be accused and condemned in that fearful judgement. Therefore I shall rehearse to you the article of our faith, that you may know whether you do believer as a Christian man should, or no.

Here the minister shall rehearse the articles of the faith (the Apostles’ Creed).

Here shall the sick person be moved to make a special confession of his sins, if he feel his conscience troubled with any weighty matter. After which confession, the priest shall absolve him — if he humbly and heartily desire it.

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These foregoing excerpts from The Order for the Visitation of the Sick are taken from The 1662 Book of Common Prayer International Edition, IVP Press, 2021).

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MINISTRY TO THE SICK (BCP 2019)

The Officiant begins

Savior of the world, by your cross and precious blood you have redeemed us;

Save us, and help us, we humbly beseech you, O Lord.

The Priest (or other authorized person) anoints the sick person’s forehead with Oil of the Sick by making the sign of the Cross.

N. I anoint you with oil and I lay my hands upon you in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Lord Jesus Christ, heal this your servant, sustain him with your presence, drive away all sickness of body, mind, and spirit, and give to him that victory of life and peace which will enable him to serve you both now and evermore. Amen.

A Priest may add the following prayer.

As you are outwardly anointed with this holy oil, so may our heavenly Father grant you the inward anointing of the Holy Spirit. Of his great mercy, may he forgive you your sins, release you from suffering, and restore you to wholeness and strength. May he deliver you from all evil, preserve you in all goodness, and bring you to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Additional prayers (excerpts following) or intercessions may be said.

The Lord’s Prayer is said.

The Officiant then prays.

The Almighty Lord, who is a strong tower to all who put their trust in him, to whom all things in heaven, on earth, and under the earth bow and obey: Be now and evermore your defense, and make you know and feel that the only Name under heaven given for health and salvation is the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

A Priest may conclude the above prayer with a blessing.

ADDITIONAL PRAYERS

For a Sick Person

O Father of mercies and God of all comfort, our only help in time of need: We humbly beseech you to behold, visit, and relieve your sick servant N. for whom our prayers are desired. Look upon him with the eyes of your mercy; comfort him with a sense of your goodness; preserve him from the temptations of the enemy; and give him patience under his affliction. In your good time, restore him to health, and enable him to lead the remainder of his life in your fear, and to your glory; and grant that finally he may dwell with you in life everlasting; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For Recovery From Sickness

O God, the strength of the weak and the comfort of sufferers: Mercifully accept our prayers, and grant to your servant N. the help of your power, that his sickness may be turned into health, and our sorrow into joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

or this

O God of heavenly powers, by the might of your command you drive away from our bodies all sickness and infirmity: Be present in your goodness with your servant N. that his weakness may be banished and his strength restored; and that, his health being renewed, he may bless your holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

FOR THE SANCTIFICATION OF ILLNESS

Sanctify, O Lord, the sickness of your servant N. that the sense of his weakness may add strength to his faith and seriousness to his repentance; and grant that he may live with you in everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

FOR A SICK PERSON WHEN THERE IS LITTLE HOPE OF RECOVERY

O Father of mercies and God of all comfort, our only help in time of need; We fly to you for aid on behalf of this your servant, here lying in great weakness of body. Look graciously upon him, O Lord; that as he outwardly fades way, you would strengthen him inwardly with your grace and Holy Spirit. Give him true repentance for all the errors of his life, and steadfast faith in your Son Jesus; that his sins may be done away by your mercy, and his pardon sealed in heaven; through your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

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A recent episode of the podcast Theology In the Raw featured an interview with Dr. Ellie Paley on her research into the book of Job. The episode is entitled Everything You Need to Know About the Book of Job and may be found here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/theology-in-the-raw/id1018952191?i=1000776574954 . While it does not directly address the healing ministry, it does deal with the mystery of suffering and the “responsibility” of God for the universe he has created. It intersects the topic of this class in a very helpful way.