Paradigma relației dintre suferință și vindecare în Trupul lui Hristos
Paradigm of the relationship between suffering and healing in the Body of Christ

Author(s): Gelu CĂLINA
Subject(s): Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion
Published by: Editura Doxologia
Keywords: illness; suffering; faith; prayer; forgiveness; Holy Olive; Church;
Summary/Abstract: Disease is a reality of the world we live in that cannot be denied. By becoming aware of the illness of the soul, man discovers the illness of the body. As a psycho-physical creature, both bodily and spiritual sufferings are included in man. Through the body man relates to the matter of nature, to the cosmos, and through the soul he articulates to God. For these reasons, the Church treats people's sufferings through the Sacrament of Holy Olives. By means of it, the believer who has fallen ill is anointed with holy oil together with the prayers of the priests, through which the healing grace descends and the body and soul are freed from sins. Through the Mystery of the Oil God's love works, which gives health to the sick. The ministering priests ask the Lord through the Sacrament of the Oil that the sick person find the strength to work for his salvation from the disease. Performing the Sacrament of Holy Olives does not produce the immediate healing of the sick either because of sins or because God has a different plan for the sufferer. However, the Grace shared at the Sacrament of Holy Olives immediately offers comfort, peace and strengthens the sufferer to bear his pain and pray for release and forgiveness of sins. A Syrian holy father from the 4th century, Aphraates, considered that the anointing of the sick is a divine mystery that completely pours life on the Christian believers, because, just as priests, kings and prophets are anointed who enlighten the peoples, so is the anointing of the sick give them health and repentance. So, as priests, kings and prophets were once anointed with oil in the Old Law, today, through the anointing with oil consecrated at the Holy Olive, the divine power descends on the sick who gives them, in addition to physical healings and the forgiveness of sins, that is, soul healings.

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