Say the Word and I Shall Be Healed

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Photo Art: (c) 2019 Rev. Linda M. Rhinehart Neas

In the Catholic church there is a prayer said before Communion - "Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but say the word and I shall be healed." I don't think I ever really thought about what was being said - what the words meant - until I watched a new series from Britain called, Broken. 

The main character in the series is a priest who is struggling with flashbacks from his abusive childhood. He is a good man, dedicated to serving the people of his parish. He is compassionate, thoughtful, respectful, gentle and understanding with them, yet he struggles to be this way with himself. 

Not until his mother dies, after he has forgiven her for her part in his painful and traumatic childhood, does he finally understand the words he speaks each time he celebrates the Mass. 

The realization for me was that we say words, rote prayers and often do not connect with the words. Like a record that skips, we keep repeating but there is no meaning. However, when we really say these same prayers mindfully, weighing the words and recognizing the context in which we say them, something happens.  The synthesis within our brains takes us to an awareness, not there previously. When this happens, we are able to understand and envision the hope of what we are praying for in that moment. 

The Word of the Divine heals. Many people believe this to be true - but for other people, not for themselves. The truth is, Divine Healing is for us all. We simply need to ask, then believe it to be true. The "believing it to be true" is the key to making it so. Without belief, the words are simply words said in a string of other words without power. 

May we all believe we are worthy of Love, Forgiveness and Healing. Blessings to all! 

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