Last Saturday 18 persons attended the Advent retreat we held. The retreat was intended to help people center themselves in God during these times of change and, often, stress. God works to bring about our healing and wholeness, and we can be partners with God in the process of healing.
Often people are surprised that we have healing services in the Episcopal Church. So many have been turned off to the idea of healing as an activity of the Divine because of the messages coming from the fundamentalists. Sometimes people have actually been told that if they had more faith they would be healed. Do you see how a theology like that is about guilt and actually gives all the control to the person rather than to God? God does not give out healing as a reward for faith! God wants everyone to experience healing. I believe strongly that healing occurs when I lay my hands on a person and pray for him or her, asking Jesus to fill the person with grace that he or she may know the healing power of Christ's love. The healing may not be physical, most often it is not, but healing of a person's spirit often occurs. God supports each of us--to be with people who affirm that truth and live accordingly is a great joy.
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