3101 Waters Avenue Savannah, Georgia 31404
Phone: (912) 354-7230
email: smangels@bellsouth.net

Why healing?

We live in a world in which we rely on physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, any one in the medical field to bring about healing. We look for these people in this given area to provide answers, come up with solutions, and even bring to attention future questions pertaining to this condition—this process— we call healing.
I have been absolutely amazed on the discoveries made in medicine and in understanding the workings of the mind to try to help achieve fullness of life for an individual. Look at where we were even 20 years ago. We need to applaud all those who dedicate their very lives in the pursuit of this phenomena we call healing.

As we celebrate the physical and emotional accomplishments made in health, so often we shun away, ignore and disregard another avenue for health, the Church. Our physical and emotional well-being is crucial to living a full live. Our spiritual well-being is just as important.

The Hebrew word for healing as found in Holy Scripture basically means relief. The Greek word in the New Testament is the root word for therapy. So, the biblical understanding for healing involves relief and therapy. The biblical understanding knows that in order to heal involves journey and process. It involves what it means to have God as a part of our coming to terms with becoming healthy.

The laying on of hands in prayer is the tangible way by which we are touched by God and we receive the blessing, the authority, God desiring us to be made whole. The anointing of oil goes back to our biblical roots where oil was used in dressing wounds, as a means of hospitality to provide refreshment, and as a way to set apart like in the anointing of a king.

In essence, to really grasp the reality of the healing God wants us to have, we need to incorporate all aspects of this healing; physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It has become our tradition and practice to offer prayers of healing, laying on of hands and anointing with oil the Sunday near the Feast of St. Luke. It is not the means to replace other aspects of healing. Rather it is the means to supplement our need for healing. So why healing? Because God through Christ wants us to be healed

Yours in Christ,
Father Scotty+