I suppose this passage should inspire me to praise God for his gift to us that we might heal each other. I think that to look at it plainly, it is beautiful. However, I find that I am looking at it with a skeptics eye and it just seems like it could be a cheap trick -- perhaps this is in light of the 'cult of personality' hucksters who use religion as a vehicle for power. I imagine there were plenty of those back in Biblical times, as well.
Why would I begrudge the performance of God's miracles through man? With God all things are possible, and this is simply evidence to support that. Perhaps this miracle is simply too flashy for my personal taste.
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Hi Marjorie. It's good to "see" you :-)
I had the same reaction as you, but I'm not sure why. I can see Jesus performing miracles, but I have trouble seeing others doing the same, although, in the Catholic church (in Protestant too?) there is the sacrament of annointing or unction ...
As described by Saint Mark, the apostles “anointed with oil, many sick people, and healed them” (Mk 6:13). More specifically, the apostle James asks, “Is anyone among you sick?” Then he prescribes, “Let him bring in the priests of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him” (James 5:15-16).
unction is healing, right? There is a service [we Protestants only have 2 sacraments, easy to remember, the ones Jesus himself had -- baptism and communion] for unction, but healing is generally soft-pedaled is most Protestant churchs, I think, except for the more Pentecostal type. Larry could probably speak more to this...
I'm glad to be back. I've been missing orthodoxy a bit ;-)
Unction is actually anointing with oil. It is done at Baptism (in some traditions - including Episcopal) at consecrations (becoming a priest or bishop) and during healing services the sick are anointed. Unction isn't a sacrament but baptism and consecration to ministry might be.
Marriage is a sacrament too I believe. But I don't think there's any anointing.
Interesting. According to the Book of Common Prayer (Episcopal Church) "the two great sacraments given by Christ" are baptism and eucharist. The others you've mentioned are sacramental rites that evolved in the church -- means of grace, but not necessary.
Anyway, kwake, you did a stint in an Anglican seminary, so you probably know more what you're talking about than I do.
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