Times of sickness are unavoidable in this fallen world.
Some illnesses are fairly minor. Viruses and infections, colds and flu, chicken pox and pink eye.
Others are much more serious, threatening our well-being and in the worst cases, our very lives.
I’m writing this post with great care, because I’ve been there, and in many ways I’m still there, walking with loved ones through various illnesses.
My husband had a brush with cancer. I have loved ones with chronic illnesses like Lyme’s and lupus and others with mystery illnesses that are yet undiagnosed.
But I’ve never been in your shoes.
So I don’t want to offer you empty clichés. I don’t want to take your pain lightly. I don’t want to write as though I completely understand what you’re going through, because I don’t. I’ve walked the path of pain, but I haven’t walked your path.
I’m convinced that the very best thing I can do for you is to commit you to the One who knows all things, and to remind you of His complete and utter goodness.
Even if it doesn’t always look the way we expect it to. And even if it doesn’t look the way we want it to. And especially when it doesn’t look the way we think it should.
Today I want to encourage you, my fellow believer, to pray for healing, even as I remind you with great gentleness that the healing of your soul has already been accomplished, and the complete healing of your body will only ever come in heaven.
I urge you to ask for your sickness to be removed even as I whisper assurances in your ear that times of trial bring growth and refinement and strength and the sweetness of His presence like you’ve never experienced it before.
To that end, it’s my earnest desire that praying the Scriptures below would be an encouragement to your heart as you press on.
Prayers for Strength in Times of Sickness
Give the LORD praise for being the God of all flesh, and the One who asks, “Is anything too difficult for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27) Agree with Him that the answer is a resounding NO! Nothing is too difficult for Him, and even the things that are humanly impossible are possible with Him (Mark 10:27).
Thank God for knowing you intimately, for seeing you in your mother’s womb and for knowing every facet of your body and your life (Psalm 139:13-16). Praise Him that no aspect of your body or your health is a secret to Him, and that nothing takes Him by surprise.
Claim God’s promise that because the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal body through His Spirit who dwells in you (Romans 8:11).
Acknowledge to God that decay is part of this sin-inflicted world. Ask God to help you not lose heart as your body is decaying, because your spirit is being renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16). Thank God for this continual restoration of your spirit.
Revel in these precious promises from your God: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). Claim each promise for your every own.
Remind God of His promised grace that is sufficient, and of His power that is made perfect in weakness. Ask that He would enable you to embrace your weaknesses, knowing that they open the door for the power of God to rest upon you (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Praise your Savior for His invitation that all who labor and are heavy laden should come to Him. Claim His promised rest (Matthew 11:28).
Ask God to grant you spiritual eyes that see the blessing that accompanies suffering. Pray that He would help you rejoice in your sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put you to shame, because God’s love has been poured into your heart through the Holy Spirit who has been given to you (Romans 5:3-5).
Pray that God would give you power when you are faint, and strength when you are weak. Remind God of His promise that those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:29-31). Ask Him to help you wait on Him.
Rejoice that one day, the Lord will will wipe away every tear from your eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away (Revelation 21:3-4). Ask that God would keep this hope fresh in your heart.
Take some time in stillness before the Lord, casting all your anxieties on Him, resting in the truth that He cares for you (I Peter 5:7).
Thank your Savior for being wounded for your transgressions and crushed for your iniquities; ponder the wonder of your peace with God being secured through the punishment He endured, and that your healing was made possible by His stripes (Isaiah 53:5). Share with Him all your pain; He understands.
Dear Heavenly Father, You are the LORD, the God of all flesh, and nothing is too difficult for You. Sometimes You show Your goodness through healing, and other times You show Your goodness by strengthening us to endure suffering. I pray that You would increase our faith and open our eyes to see Your purpose for our lives. In closing, my heart echoes the psalmist’s:
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever
Amen.
adivineencounter.com
Prayer Against Sickness And Disease
PRAYER POINTS AGAINST STRANGE SICKNESS AND DISEASE
James 5:15, ”And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.”
Exodus 15:26 “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.”
Deuteronomy 7:1 5,”The Lord will keep you free from every disease. He will not inflict on you the horrible diseases you knew in Egypt.”
Psalm 107:20 “He sent out His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction.”
1 Peter 2:24 “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”
Isaiah 53:5, “But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.”
The arrow of strange sickness and disease are very destructive. It is a problem for a person to be nursing a long term sickness, infection in the body. Good health is a breeding ground for peace. The devil has nothing good to offer to the children of God. But to destroy lives with all kinds of sickness, disease and infirmity. Whatever the devil gives is usually taken back with terrible interests.
Some Christians are in the sickbed, while millions of them are in their various houses crying to the Great Physician for speedy recovery of their health.
To receive divine healing is to set yourself free from satanic affliction. Strange sickness,and disease may come upon a person from God, devil and from man. Being a Christian does not make a person free from strange sickness.
Psalm 34:19, Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. No matter how stubborn or demonic is the sickness, the counsel of the Lord is that he will deliver you.
However, God deliver those who are His friends. Job was God’s friend; that was why God delivered him. You can receive your healing through that stranger in your body if you can make God your friend and ask him to take over your health.
A healthy person is a happy person. No matter how small the sickness or disease is in the body, it will affect the productivity of the person. A sick person cannot be happy. One of the ways the devil steals the financial glory of a person is through the attack of strange sickness and disease.
Whenever financial blessings is about to manifest, that’s when there will be strange sickness in the body. As a Christian, God has the power to make us better and comfortable . He giveth blessings without adding no sorrow.
The Bible explain to us clearly to always call for a spirit filled person to pray for our health (James 5:14-16). When a person is sick, he cannot be comfortable.
When a person is afflicted with strange sickness, there will be no peace and joy. Not only that, strange sickness or disease in the body can change the destiny of a person. Instead of the person to be strong, he will be weak.
Many people have been programmed to be spending their money on drugs. They can spend huge money to obtain healing and stay healthy while they go hungry. This is because the devil is using a particular sickness or infirmity to fight against their health.
If the doctors have qualified your situation as being hopeless, impossible, it shall experience the raw power of God today. Your health that the enemy has stolen shall be recovered in Jesus name.
The devil can hide strange sickness or disease in the body of their victims and no devises can actually detect the root cause of that problem. To use medicine to heal your sickness is a gift from God.
Disregard those that says using medicine is a reflection of lack of faith. When King Hezekiah was ill, Isaiah offered a medical prescription and said, “apply it to the boil, and he will recover” (Isaiah 38:21). The power to heal the sick and cure diseases are in the word of God.
People living with strange infirmities in their body are dying untimely. Some people are taking drugs under doctors prescription, but their illness are not responding to drugs.
That’s why we have the high number of people dying because of strange attack. There are some patients that do not have money to treat their sickness and once they could not pay the medical bill, such patient begin to die slowly. Not all sickness unto death are actually programmed by God, largely it is lack of money and faith. The Bible says, be strong!
Take the prayer assignment here
- Declaration on water for healing
- Prayers when on the Hospital Bed
- Prayers against Kidney Problems
- Prayers against High Blood Pressure
- Prayers to destroy the root of Diabetes
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SICK ?
- To cause pains
- To remain stagnant
- To cause paralysis
- To waste your destiny
- To put you in bondage
- To fight against your health
- To bring anxiety and depression
INSTRUCTION: Bring out the bottle of water and use it to pray the following prayers in sections. Section A is morning. Section B is afternoon and Section C is night and Section D to be taken at Midnight. If you you wish to stand in gap for someone, kindly go on 7 days fasting between 6am – 6pm.
SECTION A: PRAYER POINTS AGAINST STRANGE SICKNESS AND DISEASE
Psalm 6:2: “Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am pining away; Heal me, O LORD, for my bones are dismayed.”
1. Powers that wants to terminate my life through sickness or disease,I am not your candidate, go back to the sender, in the name of Jesus.
2. I nullify every long term sickness and infirmity in my body, in the name of Jesus
3.Any power on assignment to steal my health, receive frustration, in the name of Jesus.
4. By fire, by force, I am healed, in the name of Jesus.
5. I fire back every arrow of sickness flowing in my blood stream, in the name of Jesus.
6. I reject sickness and its manipulation in my life, in Jesus name.
7, Any sickness or disease that want to bring separation between me and God, I cast you out, in the name of Jesus.
8. You sickness, disease………(Call the names), you have no power over me, so therefore, be destroyed in the name of Jesus.
9. Any power that says no drugs or medication shall restore my health, dry up by fire, in the name of Jesus.
10. Lord, deliver me from any kinds of strange disease or infection, in the name of Jesus.
11. My health, hear the word of the Lord, be restored back in the name of Jesus.
12. I challenge my body with the healing fire of God, in the name of Jesus
13. Ancestral powers, appearing in my dream to arrest my health, your time is up, die, in the name of Jesus.
14. I challenge anything moving around my body. I drink the blood of Jesus to stop the operation of the enemy concerning my health, in the name of Jesus.
15.Any power swallowing my health, vomit them in the name of Jesus.
16.Thou power of spiritual sickness, receive termination, in the name of Jesus.
17. Every wicked device against my health, receive fire, in the name of Jesus.
18.Every habitation of the wicked around me, come out and die, in the name of Jesus.
19. My body, reject any strange sickness or disease, in the name of Jesus.
20. Whatever my Father has not planted in my body, be rooted out by the blood of Jesus.
21. O Lord, I retrieve my healing which the enemy is using to purnish me, in the name of Jesus.
22. Any evil hand that wants to put sickness in my body, dry up and wither, in the name of Jesus.
23. I shall not be a candidate of sickler, in the name of Jesus.
24. You sickness, infirmity in my body, I command you to leave my life alone, in the name of Jesus.
25. Power of God, uproot generation sickness from my life, in the name of Jesus.
26. Arrows of sickness originating from idolatry, loose your hold, in the name of Jesus.
27. Thou dark power of my father’s house repeating sickness and affliction in my life, die, in the name of Jesus.
28 Every cycle of sickness and affliction of the evil powers of my father’s house, break, in the name of Jesus.
29. Any power assigned to be troubling my health, destroyed yourself, in the name of Jesus.
30. I shall not used my mouth to speak sickness into my life. I speak life unto myself, and I speak destruction unto all my enemies and all their weapons against me, in the name of Jesus.
SECTION B: PRAYER POINTS TO FIGHT INFIRMITIES
Romans 8:11: “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you.”
- This sickness………(mention it) shall not kill me, or hinder me from fulfilling my destiny, in the name of Jesus.
- LORD I thank you for your promise to take away sickness and disease from me (please spend time and do this passionately).
- I reject sickness and disease; I come against them by the Word of the Lord in Jesus’ name.
- Every root of infirmity in my life, be uprooted, be consumed by fire in the name of Jesus.
- Any power or spirit that has transferred infirmity into my life, collect your property back now in the name of Jesus.
- You the spirit of death and hell, carry your evil load from my life by fire in the name of Jesus.
- Every owner of sickness in my life, carry it now in the name of Jesus.
- I bind and paralyze every agent of infirmity in my life in the name of Jesus.
- Every sickness transferred into my life in the dream, come out now and burn to ashes in Jesus’ name.
- Every arrow of infirmity backfire now in the name of Jesus.
- Every power projecting diseases into my body, fall down and perish in Jesus’ name.
- Witchcraft affliction in my life, catch fire and burn to ashes in Jesus’ name.
- Every generational sickness that afflicts members of my family line, I cut you off by the power in the blood of Jesus.
- Let the stripes of Jesus heal my body from every infirmity of the body and soul in Jesus’ name.
- I refuse to bow at the altar of infirmity; every sickness in my body MUST bow in the name of Jesus.
- Sickness carriers and disease agents, my life and family are not your candidate in Jesus’ name.
- I reject every arrow that flies by day to hunt me, in Jesus’ name.
- I stand against every pestilence that walks in darkness in Jesus’ name.
- Every destruction that wastes at noon day shall not locate my address in Jesus’ name.
- Thou terror of the night, carry your affliction back to sender in Jesus’ name.
- Every serpent of infirmity circulating in my body, be evacuated by fire in the name of Jesus.
- O Lord my God, let my tears of pain trigger your vengeance against every infirmity and their sponsors, in the name of Jesus.
- Every siege and invasion of diseases and infirmity on my life and family; I CRY AGAINST YOU! TURN BACK by the blood of Jesus! TURN BACK By FIRE!!! in the name of Jesus!
- Let the Voice of Resurrection ARISE AND SPEAK to every dead area of my life now!!! in the name of Jesus.
- Let the blood of Jesus speak healing unto every organ of my body
- No spirit, power or personality shall be able. to put any sickness on me because I am redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.
- Every power projecting diseases into my body, fall down and perish in Jesus’ name.
- Witchcraft affliction in my life, catch fire and burn to ashesin Jesus’ name.
- My head refuse to accept strange sickness into your body, in Jesus name.
- Every ancestral power using sickness to torment my life, run mad and die, in Jesus name.
- .Every dream of sickness, depart from my body, in Jesus name.
- I am healed to the glory of God.
SECTION C: PRAYER POINTS AGAINST LONG TERM SICKNESS
- I release myself from every long term infection eating up my destiny, in Jesus name.
- Any power, any spirit or any personality using charm against my divine health, I decree now, run mad and go into the forest in Jesus name.
- I kick out every stubborn sickness from my life, in the name of Jesus.
- Whatever drug that is enlarging my sickness, be purged out by the blood of Jesus.
- Witchcraft drugs, expired drugs hiding in my intestine, I am not your candidate, out by fire, in Jesus name.
- You spirit that has vowed to waste my blood or my manhood, what are you waiting for, fall down and die in Jesus name.
- Evil spirit from my village, at the T-junction that is following me to the health centres to work against my medication, by the fire of the God of Elijah consume them to ashes in Jesus name.
- O Lord put an end to sorrow in my marriage in the name of Jesus.
- You my body hear the word of the living God, you must not cooperate with my enemies in the Jesus name
- Every strange sickness planted in my body through sex in the dream and in the physical, be uprooted, be evacuated by fire in the name of Jesus.
- Every sickness and disease planted in my body through eating in the dream, be uprooted and be flushed out by the blood of Jesus.
- Father, let every germ of infirmity in my body, clear away, in Jesus name.
- I command death upon any sickness in any areas of my body, in Jesus name.
- Every spiritual arrow to die in the sickbed, backfire, in Jesus name.
- The power that has vowed to waste my manhood/womb without issue through sickness and infection, die now in the Jesus name.
- Every satanic instrument in my body, fashioned to cause long term disease, burn to ashes in the name of Jesus.
- Oh Lord, wash my system thoroughly with the blood of Jesus from all satanic attack, in Jesus name
- Any wicked hand that has been tormenting and oppressing me with sickness at the edge of breakthroughs, wither and die, in the name of Jesus.
- O God my father, appear and scatter every witchcraft meeting in my father’s house to desolation, in the name of Jesus.
- O earth, vomit my healing virtues, in the name of Jesus.
- Let the foundation of my life programmed with sickness be shaken out by the divine visitation of God, in the name of Jesus.
- I am like a tree planted by the rivers of water, God’s seed in me shall not die and my leaves shall not wither, in the name of Jesus.
- I shake out long time affliction in my system now in the name of Jesus. (Demonstrate it by shaking your hands and legs)
- Demonic utterances working against my health backfire in Jesus name.
- Any sickness and diseases in my life destroying my finances your time is up die. In the name of Jesus.
- Any affliction attached to my life at birth die now in Jesus name.
- Stubborn infirmity following me about come out now, in Jesus name.
- Powers from my foundation cooking my flesh in any pot of darkness scatter now in Jesus name.
- Any affliction that gained access into my life because of my sins or that of my parents; blood of Jesus wash me clean and heal me.
- Any sickness in my life programmed to send me to grave, expire now, in Jesus name.
- Evil agenda to make sure I remain on this bed of affliction, enough is enough expire by fire, in Jesus name.
- Any bacteria of affliction in my life, die now, in Jesus name.
SECTION D: PRAYERS AGAINST FAMILY SICKNESS
- Any sickness inherited from my family background, out of my life, in Jesus name.
- Good health, walk into my life now, in Jesus name.
- Every power burning incense to afflict me with long term sickness, somersault and die now, in Jesus name.
- Every agenda of darkness for my life, scatter by thunder, in Jesus name.
- Any evil power that wants to renew negative covenant in my family, fail woefully, in Jesus name.
- Anything that has gone wrong in my life as a result of family evil pattern, be corrected by fire, in Jesus name.
- Holy Ghost fire, separate me from family sickness and attach me to healing, in Jesus name.
- Spirit of generational sickness from my family line operating in my life, be cancelled in Jesus name.
- I refuse to allow any evil pattern programmed by any of my ancestor to trouble me, in Jesus name.
- I release my body from every curse of weekly, monthly and yearly sickness in my family, in Jesus name.
- Masquerade of darkness pursuing me with sickness in my dreams, die, in Jesus name.
- Satanic heat in my womb and waist die by the blood of Jesus.
- Any family demon assigned to be frustrating my health at the edge of breakthroughs; depart by fire in the name of Jesus.
- Affliction shall not arise a second time in my life, in the name of Jesus.
- Any curse upon my life that has brought me to this condition, be destroyed, in Jesus name.
www.evangelistjoshuaorekhie.com
Going into Peter’s house Jesus found Peter’s mother-in-law in bed with fever. He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him.
That evening they brought him many who were possessed by devils. He cast out the spirits with a word and cured all who were sick. This was to fulfil the prophecy of Isaiah:
He took our sicknesses away
and carried our diseases for us.
Matthew 8:14-17
The concern that Christ showed for the bodily and spiritual welfare of those who are ill is continued by the Church in its ministry to the sick. This ministry is the common responsibility of all Christians, who should visit the sick, remember them in prayer, and celebrate the sacraments with them. The family and friends of the sick, doctors and others who care for them, and priests with pastoral responsibilities have a particular share in this ministry of comfort. Through words of encouragement and faith they can help the sick unite themselves with the sufferings of Christ for the good of God’s people.
Remembrance of the sick is especially appropriate at common worship on the Lord’s Day, during the general intercessions at Mass and in the intercessions at Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer. Family members and those who are dedicated to the care of the sick should be remembered on these occasions as well.
Pastoral Care for the Sick General Introduction 43
Father,
your Son accepted our sufferings
to teach us the virtue of patience in human illness.
Hear the prayers we offer for our sick brothers and sisters.
May all who suffer pain, illness or disease
realise that they are chosen to be saints,
and know they are joined to Christ
in his suffering for the salvation of the world,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
All-powerful and ever-living God,
the lasting health of all who believe in you,
hear us as we ask your loving help for the sick;
restore their health,
that they may again offer joyful thanks in your Church.
Grant this through Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Roman Missal: For the Sick
If any one of you is in trouble, he should pray; if anyone is feeling happy, he should sing a psalm. If one of you is ill, he should send for the elders of the church, and they must anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord and pray over him. The prayer of faith will save the sick man and the Lord will raise him up again; and if he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven. So confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, and this will cure you; the heartfelt prayer of a good man works very powerfully.
James 5:13–16
Hope in the Lord, hold firm and take heart.
The Lord is my light and my help;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
before whom shall I shrink?
There is one thing I ask of the Lord,
for this I long,
to live in the house of the Lord,
all the days of my life,
to savour the sweetness of the Lord,
to behold his temple.
For there he keeps me safe in his tent
in the day of evil.
He hides me in the shelter of his tent,
on a rock he sets me safe.
O Lord, hear my voice when I call;
have mercy and answer.
Of you my heart has spoken:
“Seek his face”.
It is your face, O Lord that I seek;
hide not your face.
Dismiss not your servant in anger;
you have been my help.
Do not abandon or forsake me,
O God my help!
Though father and mother forsake me,
the Lord will receive me.
Psalm 26:1. 4-5. 7-10 r. 14
All-powerful Father,
God of mercy,
look kindly on us in our suffering.
ease our burden and make our faith strong
that we may always have confidence and trust
in your fatherly care.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Roman Missal: For any need
There is no weakening on our part, and instead, though this outer man of ours may be falling into decay, the inner man is renewed day by day. Yes, the troubles which are soon over, though they weigh little, train us for the carrying of a weight of eternal glory which is out of all proportion to them. And so we have no eyes for things that are visible, but only for things that invisible; for visible things last only for a time, and the invisible things are eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:16–18
Everyone moved by the Spirit is a son of God, The spirit you received is not the spirit of slaves bringing fear into your lives again; it is the spirit of sons, and it makes us cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’ The Spirit himself and our spirit bear united witness that we are children of God. And if we children we are heirs as well: heirs of God and coheirs with Christ, sharing his sufferings so as to share his glory.
Romans 8:14–17
Wondrous God, author of life,
you fashioned us in your likeness
and breathed into us
the life which is your own.
Be with those whose special care
is the health of mind and body.
Fill their hearts with awe
for the life which is your gift
and sustain them daily in your service,
that their hands may bring to others
the comfort of your healing touch.
We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.
Amen.
For health care workers
Father,
by the power of your Spirit
you have filled the hearts of your faithful people
with gifts of love for one another.
Hear the prayers we offer for our relatives and friends.
Give them health of mind and body
that they may do your will with perfect love.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Roman Missal: For relatives and friends
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church
1500 Illness and suffering have always been among the gravest problems confronted in human life. In illness, man experiences his powerlessness, his limitations, and his finitude. Every illness can make us glimpse death.
1501 Illness can lead to anguish, self-absorption, sometimes even despair and revolt against God. It can also make a person more mature, helping him discern in his life what is not essential so that he can turn toward that which is. Very often illness provokes a search for God and a return to him.
1505 Moved by so much suffering Christ not only allows himself to be touched by the sick, but he makes their miseries his own: “He took our infirmities and bore our diseases.” But he did not heal all the sick. His healings were signs of the coming of the Kingdom of God. They announced a more radical healing: the victory over sin and death through his Passover. On the cross Christ took upon himself the whole weight of evil and took away the “sin of the world,” of which illness is only a consequence. By his passion and death on the cross Christ has given a new meaning to suffering: it can henceforth configure us to him and unite us with his redemptive Passion.
1509 “Heal the sick!” The Church has received this charge from the Lord and strives to carry it out by taking care of the sick as well as by accompanying them with her prayer of intercession. She believes in the life-giving presence of Christ, the physician of souls and bodies. This presence is particularly active through the sacraments, and in an altogether special way through the Eucharist, the bread that gives eternal life and that St. Paul suggests is connected with bodily health.
1510 However, the apostolic Church has its own rite for the sick, attested to by St. James: “Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders 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 has committed sins, he will be forgiven.” Tradition has recognized in this rite one of the seven sacraments.
2288 Life and physical health are precious gifts entrusted to us by God. We must take reasonable care of them, taking into account the needs of others and the common good. Concern for the health of its citizens requires that society help in the attainment of living-conditions that allow them to grow and reach maturity: food and clothing, housing, health care, basic education, employment, and social assistance.
www.liturgyoffice.org.uk
