The Way Retreat
Fourth Talk

FOURTH TALK: Healing

Opening Song: Reach Out For The Healing Hand by Elton John

While Jesus healed many with physical illnesses, He also healed many with spiritual illnesses – the lonely, the poor, the lost, the confused, and the sinner. After Jesus had entered Jerusalem, He was approached by a woman who, following the custom of the time, anointed Jesus with very expensive oil. One of the disciples, Judas, complained about this.

CRAIG V: “Why is she wasting this expensive oil? We could have sold it and given the money to the poor.”

Jesus responded:

MIKE BRUNO: “Let her alone. Why do you criticize her? She has done this out of kindness. You will always have the poor with you and you can be generous to them whenever you wish, but you will not always have me. She anointed me in preparation for my burial, and throughout the world people will always speak about what she has done.”

Judas had been one of Jesus’ closest friends. Although he had heard Jesus teach day after day, he failed to respond to Jesus’ love. He was greedy and loved money, and all that He had experienced with Jesus failed to heal him. The woman, on the other hand, was a tremendous sinner. Jesus once saved her from a crowd who wished to kill her for committing adultery. He healed her by showing her God’s love. Her attitude changed, and, knowing that He would soon be killed, she thanked Jesus by preparing Him to suffer death. By anointing Jesus, she healed His fears and strengthened Him.

Love has the power to heal. Jesus healed the sinful woman by His simple, loving words: “Go in peace; sin no more.” There are many times when our relationships seem to be falling apart, when we fight and argue and disagree with others over things which really aren’t important. Love can heal our relationships by healing our bruised attitudes and feelings.

Give an example of how the love of others has helped you to accept suffering.

I cannot be healed unless I want to be healed. A doctor cannot force a patient to get better. No one can force us to heal those things in our lives which need to be healed. We must want to be healed if the love and kindness of others is to have any affect on us.

Give an example of a friendship which was broken which could not be healed because one party refused to respond to your love and kindness. Give a second example of how love and kindness brought you back together with another person.

Every one of us on this retreat is in need of some form of healing. Maybe you’ve recently lost a friend over some silly, petty disagreement or misunderstanding. Perhaps you’re experiencing difficulties at home, with parents or other family members. Maybe you’re dealing with a lot of self-doubt or insecurity or a lack of self esteem. Perhaps you also have a physical illness for which you need the love and kindness of others to overcome. God’s love can heal all of these afflictions, if only we accept the healing hand of those around us.

Closing Song

Faith Celebration:

Oil contains healing properties. Sunburn, for example, is treated with oil, as are more serious burns. Common medications, such as Vaseline, calamine lotion, and even blistex are primarily made of oil. Even in ancient times oil’s healing properties were recognized. And since ancient times the Church has used oil to signify the healing which takes place when we respond to the love of God and others. As we prepare to suffer with Jesus, let us recommit ourselves to continuing Jesus’ healing love and kindness with others.

Father will bless wine and oil, distribute it, and invite the candidates to anoint one another with the oil.

Small Group Discussion 4

Share your reactions to the speaker’s talk, especially to the way he relies on others for healing. Ask for the reactions of each candidate.

Share a relationship or friend in your life which/who needs healing. What might you do to heal the relationship/friend? Ask each candidate to do likewise and to write down a plan to heal the relationship/friend.

Finally, ask for a candidate to share his or her thoughts during “Reactions.”

Reactions

		Department of Youth, Young Adult, and Campus Ministry Orthodox Church in America PO Box 675 Syosset, NY 11791 http://yya.oca.org yyacm@oca.org The Hub | Back to top