The Spirit’s healing: prayer and anoiting in the journey of faith

Cláudio Farjado

Is anyone 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. (James 5:14).

To better understand this verse, it is necessary to define certain expressions within the context of first-century Judaism and Christianity. In our modern dictionaries, the term presbyter is often synonymous with priest, clergyman, or church overseer. However, this may not accurately reflect the original meaning of the title at the beginning of the Christian era. Etymologically, the word means elder. In older translations of this verse, such as the 1848 Almeida version, which is more free from alterations, we find it as “elders of the church”.

It was an ancient custom in Israel, as well as in the early Christian communities, for religious leadership to be exercised by a body of elders. The Jewish Supreme Council, the Sanhedrin, was composed of several elders.

Paul, in his letter to Titus, talks about the desired profile for Christian leadership:

If a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.

In summary, the title presbyter does not refer to a formal position, but rather to a state of dignity.

Another important concept is that of the church. The term comes from the Greek word ekklesia, which literally means a gathering or assembly of people. Interestingly, this word appears 115 times in the New Testament, but only three times in the Gospels, all in the book of Matthew. This suggests that the idea of a religious community only emerged after Jesus’ disincarnation.

This is not to undermine the authority of churches or religious groups — they are important and necessary. However, it is essential to understand ekklesia in the New Testament as a gathering or community devoted to the study of Jesus’ teachings from a re-educational perspective.

Having said that, let us now return more directly to the text we are studying. “Is anyone among you sick?” It is interesting to observe the focus given by the evangelist in this verse: Is anyone among you sick? — that is, the focus is on the person who is ill, not the illness itself.

We say this because materialist medicine, which is widely practiced today, has shifted this focus and it has been more concerned with the disease than with the patient. This change has hindered this divine science from achieving greater success, despite its remarkable advancements. The patient often exchanges one illness for another but does not truly heal.

There is, however, progress in today’s spiritual medicine, which recognizes that, beyond the temporary body, the Being is immortal. The origin of illness lies in the Spirit, the soul, or whichever terminology best suits each one’s understanding.

Jesus, the Divine Therapist, aimed to treat the Spirit, which is why he went straight to the true cause:

Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.[2]

Explaining further:

Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.[3]

In other words, our focus must be on what tarnishes and sickens the soul. For this reason, the follower of the Master must ultimately be committed in assisting in the educational process of the being. At this point, we invite the leadership of our Spiritist Movement to reflect on the importance of expanding the regular study of the Gospel within our study groups.

Our motto will always remain: outside charity there is no salvation, understanding, therefore, that if it is the Spirit that must be saved, then those who educate the immortal Being must show even more practical charity toward that true reality.

Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him. We have previously discussed the importance of prayer in facing our challenges. Once again, the Evangelist deepens this theme, talking about the role of prayer in the therapeutic process.

Today, this is no longer new to us. Research conducted at various universities has investigated the effects of prayer on the treatment of illness and such studies have confirmed the truth expressed in the Gospel.

It is not that prayer itself cures, but it plays a significant role in the healing process, acting on levels not yet understood by those who see only the physical. It also helps prepare the sick one to align more effectively with life’s purpose, correcting the mistakes that gave rise to the illness.

Although we have already addressed the topic of presbyters, it is important to emphasize that every prayer is important. However, if we truly wish to serve as true collaborators with the Father in the redemption of His children, it is essential that we cultivate the moral values that empower us to serve more effectively and to acquire that state of dignity which grants us the spiritual authority to intercede on behalf of our suffering brothers and sisters.

“…anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.”

Anointing with oil for healing was a Jewish custom. Olive oil was believed to possess medicinal properties. Nevertheless, even in cases where illnesses required more than its medical benefits, oil was still used. At the time, oil also served as fuel for generating light and lamps were filled with oil that, when lit, illuminated the surroundings.

It is possible to draw a profound lesson from this. Illnesses, in general, are the result of thoughtless actions contrary to God’s Law, carried over from past experiences. Thus, healing can only occur through the Spirit’s realignment with that same law. This alignment takes place by burning away our imperfections, the so-called “baptism by fire.” In this light, anointing with oil represents the Spirit’s re-educational process, aimed at eliminating the spiritual infections that caused the illness.

Oil burns. Likewise, the Spirit must “burn away” its ego and selfish interests. Only then do we become luminous and, as a consequence, bearers of light and holistic health. Let us not forget, however, that this process must always be carried out in the name of the Lord.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

[1] Titus, 1: 6 to 9
[2] Matthew, 15: 11
[3] Matthew, 15: 17 to 20