Question on healing and stuff

[Reformed_Rob]

Hey, I just ask this because I don’t know much about how Catholic thought “thinks” on things like this.

Here’s the deal, and I’ll use this guy over at www.yourhealinghands.com as an example. We understand the power of healing to be a ministry of the Church, not only to benefit people physically, but also to attest to the power of God and to the Catholic Church being the one true Church. Ok, that’s a given.

But, what about these other “healing” type people? I’m not talking about Benny Hinns and that stuff. I’m talking about people who don’t make a claim to any church type affiliation.

For instance, the healing hands dude, listening to morning radio a couple months ago, they had him on, and he was apparently able to “heal” people over the phone. **He’d link his aura with theirs or something like that, and he said it’s something that anybody can learn to do! He even has DVDs and classes to instruct people. **

Now, I’m not nieve, I know there’s plenty of hoax type things out there, but lets assume for a moment that maybe the healing hands guy, or if not him, than at least somebody out there is legitimate.

For instance, Alex Ray, Pentecostal convert to Catholicism. He’s got plenty of Pentecostal healing stories to tell. We tend to trust him, because he’s a Catholic apologist now, right?

If their non-Catholic Christians, do we say it’s manifestations of the Spirit outside the Catholic Church? But if their manifestly non-Christians, do we say that it’s manifestations of demons healing people and deceiving them? Or is it all good as long as people are being healed?

I just ask, I don’t know…

 

[AlanFromWichita]

Reformed Rob:

For instance, the healing hands dude, listening to morning radio a couple months ago, they had him on, and he was apparently able to “heal” people over the phone. **He’d link his aura with theirs or something like that, and he said it’s something that anybody can learn to do! He even has DVDs and classes to instruct people. **

Now, I’m not nieve, I know there’s plenty of hoax type things out there, but lets assume for a moment that maybe theo healing hands guy, or if not him, than at least somebody out there is legitimate.

I certainly don’t claim to speak for the Church on these things, but I believe these things are certainly possible. I have personally been involved in a couple of “healings” where I was actually used as a catalyst, and it appeared miraculous to some but to me it seemed like a very straightforward process because of certain very subtle clues that apparently I was able to pick up that others – even professionals – had missed.

Whether this “psychic healing” is based on action of a third party – the Holy Spirit – or is simply based on the faith and experience of the healed and healing, respectively, I don’t know.

When the woman touched Christ’s robe, He felt power go out of Him. He was clearly very sensitive to psychic energy to have recognized a touch of faith from the other bumping in the crowd. She was healed, and notice He did not claim credit for it directly, as He said, “your faith has saved you.” I’m surprised that more people do not receive these kinds of healing from the Eucharist, unless they do and we just don’t ever hear about it.

If their non-Catholic Christians, do we say it’s manifestations of the Spirit outside the Catholic Church? But if their manifestly non-Christians, do we say that it’s manifestations of demons healing people and deceiving them? Or is it all good as long as people are being healed?

I just ask, I don’t know…

I certainly hope the Spirit works outside the Church as well as within it. I figure it’s all good as people are being healed, as long as it isn’t some wacko that’s putting them into some bizarre trance and they have some feeling of healing that turns out to be false or something.

Christ didn’t seem to mind having others outside the official Church using their powers to heal against demons:
Luke 9:

49 Then John said in reply, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow in our company.” 50 Jesus said to him, “Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”

Alan

 

[wcknight]

There are so many con artist and fakes out there that it’s hard to find any real miracle workers, but there have been a few and there probably are still a few around.
The scams that some so called evangelists pull are just laughable and really gives religion a bad name. If they’re asking for a buck then hold onto your wallet, because the next trick they pull will be to make your money disappear.

On the other hand, faith can accomplish some wonderful things. God promises us that a little bit of faith can perform miracles, and I really do believe that it often does. I just don’t believe any of the fly by night charlatans out there, that are “healing” to make a buck, have faith on their minds.

The best advice I ever heard was that IF you believe you can (accomplich something), or if you believe you can’t (accomplish something), then you will always prove your self right.

Every sports coaches know that if their team does not believe it can win, then they will be defeated even before they step out to play.

Jesus tells us to have the confidence to ask, and God will grant us our request. Most people don’t have the confidence to ask. And Jesus also tells us to believe as if God has already granted us the request and it will come to pass as we request. Very few people are willing to risk having such faith for fear of being disappointed or denied or embarassed.

A few of the saints had enough faith to risk being wrong or let down. And some of these folks had true healing powers. St Anthony and Padre Pio are two of the more recent ones.

 

[Talitha]

You mean if we ask in faith? But don’t we always do that? And always, “If it be Thy will…”
Always, if we ask in Jesus’Name, is then His power and love flowing through us. And if we are channels?

There have been healings through my prayers and through these hands; rarely of my “demand”. Some I have no explanation for. Simply folk knowing far off I was prayong for them about something else not knowing of a sudden new need for healing. As if that prayer opened a door.

On Holy Thursday two years ago; I helped a farmer here lamb a ewe. Sometimes if the head emerges without the front legs, the contractions strangle the lamb; the legs protect against that. This had happened in this case. The lamb was pulled out, lifeless. Without thinking of the men there, I started praying" Jesus, Jesus, Jesus" aloud; in my heart" Not on Holy Thursday; please not today; life for this lamb" It was so symbolic. The farmer wanted to leave it, but I made them stay. I think about ten minutes passed. Then it was as if an electric shock hit the lamb and it convulsed. The farmer stood up. “That’s it; it’s gone”
But the lamb started breathing. Fine healthy lamb
“That lamb was dead,” he said .

I would never pray for anyone for money. Or for fame. Simply let the love flow through
Always in Jesus’ Name

 

[wcknight]

I think most people pray half heartedly, full of doubt and not really committing to their request, and almost always expecting a negative answer.

The few times, I really wanted something to happen, I asked with the assurance that God would not let me down, believing as much as I could that the request was already answered affirmatively. Each time even though the chances were not good, I was not disappointed.

The last time was when my older sister was going to have a critical operation for hemorraging in the brain, she had already had 3 surgeries in two days, and this was her very last chance for survival. The surgeon basically told us that IF this surgery was not successul, most likely she would die on the operating table.

It’s tough to be positive when you are given an ultimatum like that. You’re told that death is knocking at the door, but you have to trust in the Lord that He will keep His promises, that IF we ask in His Name, and believe that our request is already granted then our request will come to pass.

There are times when the things that we pray for may not be helpful for our spiritual well being. God, being the good Father that He is, of course will not grant those requests. But for me, when I’ve really prayed and wanted something I considered vitally important, I have not been disappointed.

That is not to say that I’ve gotten everything that I’ve ever wanted in the time frame that I wanted, but for the really important things, I would say God is batting a 1000. And I might add that often, God even surprises me in some spectacular way in which my request is granted.

 

[AlanFromWichita]

wcknight:

I think most people pray half heartedly, full of doubt and not really committing to their request, and almost always expecting a negative answer.

Amen! I even question what good the prayer does at all when done like this. It’s almost as if we are ready to “excuse” God for not answering the prayer before we even ask, thus our fear gets in the way of faith.

Plus, I think it helps when one asks for things such as those which would help us exemplify fruits of the spirit – not so much to ask God to intervene physically in the world but spiritually in our hearts so that we may have the strength and courage to face the world we have to live in.

That is not to say that I’ve gotten everything that I’ve ever wanted in the time frame that I wanted, but for the really important things, I would say God is batting a 1000. And I might add that often, God even surprises me in some spectacular way in which my request is granted.

Alan

 

[Reformed_Rob]

Hey everyone,

I’m keeping up with the discussion, unfortunately don’t have much to add to it. But thanks for sharing the stories about God working great works when we ask by faith.