Jesus the Healer

Jesus offers Freedom and Life

O Jesus, a faithful Jew, went to services on the Sabbath

O At one such service, he announced that he was the promised fulfillment of God’s Word

O Jesus’ followers, or disciples, shared his message with others

O Right before he returned to heaven, Jesus asked His apostles to go out and spread the Good News

Apostles TodayO The successors of the apostles are

today’s bishopsO Saint Peter was given the job of

leading Jesus’ disciplesO The Pope is Saint Peter’s successor

who leads all of the followers of Christ today

Catholic Church Organization

Pope Benedict XVI

Cardinals Generals of Orders

Archbishops Abbots

Bishops Priests, Nuns, Sisters, Monks

Monsignors and Priests

Deacons and Laity

The PopeO Successor of Saint PeterO Elected by the College of CardinalsO There have been 265 popes since

the beginning of the Catholic Church

CardinalsO In ancient times, the Cardinals were

the priests of Rome, but eventually became appointed by the Pope so that there would be cardinals from all the areas of the world were the Church existed

O They sometimes run dioceses or they work for the Pope in Rome

O The elect the Pope when there is need of a new one

Bishops and Archbishops

O A bishop or archbishop runs a diocese or geographical division of the Church.

O Are priestsO Archbishops run archdiocese, it is a

honorary title with no additional duties or powers

O The priests of the archdiocese or diocese report directly to their bishop or archbishop

PriestsO Are ordained by bishops or

cardinals(or in special cases, the Pope himself)

O Before ordination, they attend 6 or more years of Seminary (after college) training

O Can run or work in a parish or work for the archdiocese/diocese in some capacity

O Monsignor is a title of honor for great service by a priest

DeaconsO Can be single or married Laymen who decide

to serve the church in a ministerial capacityO They cannot say mass or hear confessions or

anoint the sick, they can witness marriages (outside of mass) or baptize and may read the Gospel and say the homily at mass

O They can assist at massO They must take several years of classes to

prepare(not as much as a priest, though)O They promise to remain celibate if their

spouse should die

Directors or General Directors

O Sometimes God calls people to serve the church outside of the parish system, so they ask the Pope to start a new order or they join one that is already established

O These religious priests and nuns are members of specific orders like: Sisters of Mercy or of Saint Joseph, Trinitarians, Jesuits and Franciscans

O The leaders of these orders are called General Directors

O They are under the direction of the Pope

Religious PriestsO These members of orders can have

many jobs:O Running schoolsO Running hospitalsO Running parishes

Religious Sisters and Nuns

O They also work in hospitals, schools and parishes.

O They have a specific charism or mission, such as working with a specific ethnic group, working with the poor, aiding the sick or education.

O Nuns are cloistered and spend a life in seclusion and prayer.

O Sisters are those who live and work in the world at large as part of their ministry.

MonksO They can be priests or deacons (who

have taken the sacrament of holy orders) or brothers(who haven’t ) who have a specific mission and live in a monastery.

O They can be cloistered like some nuns are

Jesus Heals and Forgives

O By coming into the world and dying on the Cross, Jesus healed our broken relationship with God

O He also gave the apostles(his priests) the power to forgive sins

O As Catholics we experience this forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation

ReconciliationO You should go as often as possible;

but you must go at least once during Lent and once during Advent

O You should not receive the Eucharist if you have mortal sin on your soul and haven’t been to confession

Mortal and Venial SinO Mortal sins are grave sins that break

one of the ten commandments and completely rid your soul of grace. One must willingly choose it and understand that it is a sin.

O Venial sins are less grave than mortal and reduce the amount of grace in your soul, but don’t completely empty it of grace.

Examples:Mortal Venial

O MurderO TheftO Perjury, slanderO AdulteryO Receiving

Eucharist when you’ve committed a mortal sin

O Fights, argumentsO Ruining

belongingsO Minor lies, gossipO Cheating at a

game; test

Making a good confession

O You must confess all your sins. (Confession)O Really take time to examine your conscienceO The more often you go, the easier it will be to

confessO You must be sorry for them. (Contrition)

O Know your Act of ContritionO Keep your prayer life going to know your soul

betterO You must complete your penance.

(Satisfaction)O Do it as soon as possible, so you don’t forget.

Jesus Calls Us to FaithO While on earth, Christ drew all sorts

of people to ChristO The stories of healing (physical and

spiritual) are found throughout the New Testament

Jesus’ HealingsO The miracle stories of the New Testament can be

separated into several different categories, each of which is significantly different from the others. Within each category, however, most of the stories have certain formal similarities:

O Individual Narratives of Specific Miracles (and associated controversies): O Exorcisms (casting out demons and unclean

spirits) O Healing Miracles (healing physical illnesses &

impairments) O Restoration Miracles (raising the dead;

restoring to life) O Nature Miracles (feeding multitudes, calming

storms, etc.)

ExorcismsO Jesus drives out an evil spirit from a man who was in the synagogue in

Capernaum; the evil spirit recognizes Jesus and cries out, "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God." Before departing with a shriek, the evil spirit shakes the man violently. The witnesses to this event respond in amazement that Jesus has authority over evil spirits.

O Jesus heals the Gerasene demoniac. Jesus' exorcism begins before he actually meets the demonized man: because he has sensed its presence, Jesus has been commanding the demon to come out of the man. In response, when Jesus does come face to face with the demoniac, the demon within him is agitated and cries out in alarm "What do you want with me, Jesus, son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won't torture me." It is then revealed that the demon is actually many demons, called legion (a unit of the Roman army consisting of up to 6,000 men). Jesus allows the demons to enter into a herd of pigs, which then rushes into the Sea of Galilee.

O Jesus heals a Syrian Phoenician woman's daughter who is possessed by an unclean spirit. He does so reluctantly because he explains to her that he has come to bring deliverance to the Jews, insofar as the benefits of the Kingdom of God belong to them.

O Jesus exorcizes a boy after his disciples tried unsuccessfully to do so. The evil spirit causes the boy to be deaf and dumb and sometimes tries to harm him by throwing him into fire or water. Before it departs, the spirit throws the boy to the ground, and witnesses think that he is dead. Jesus explains that this type of demon only comes out with prayer.

O Mary Magdalene is described as one out of whom Jesus cast seven demons. O Jesus heals or exorcizes a crippled woman on the Sabbath in a synagogue. The

spirit has caused her not to be able to stand erect for eighteen years. O Jesus heals dumb man who was demonized; some Pharisees accuse him of

driving out demons by the prince of demons.

Healings/PhysicalHealing Simon Peter's Mother-in-law

Cleansing a Leper

Healing a Centurion's Servant

Healing a Paralytic

Restoring a Man's Withered Hand

Healing a Woman's Hemorrhage

Restoring Sight to Two Blind Men

Healing a Syro-Phoenician Girl

Healing a Deaf Mute

Giving Sight to a Blind Man at Bethsaida

Restoring a Woman Crippled for Eighteen Years

Healing a Man with Dropsy

Cleansing Ten Men of Leprosy

Giving Sight to a Blind Man (or 2 Men) at Jericho

Healing a Royal Official's Son at Cana

Healing a Man at the Pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem

Giving Sight to a Man Blind since Birth

Healing a Slave's Severed Ear

Restorations

Raising from the Dead a Widow's Son at Nain

Raising from the Dead the Daughter of Jairus

Raising Lazarus of Bethany from the Dead

Nature MiraclesCatching Unusually Many Fish in the Sea of Galilee

Stilling a Storm on the Sea of Galilee

Feeding Five Thousand People

Walking on the Water

Feeding Four Thousand People

Finding a Coin in the Mouth of a Fish

Cursing a Fig Tree near Bethany

Turning Water into Wine at a Wedding in Cana

Catching Numerous Fish at the Sea of Tiberias

Jesus Shows God’s Power and Love

O In addition to the Sacrament of Penance, Christ also instituted the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick

O Anointing of the Sick can only be administered by a priest

O It is used to commends those who are ill to the suffering and glorified Lord, that he may raise them up and save them and to contribute to the good of the People of God by freely uniting themselves to the Passion and death of Christ.

How the Sacrament is Administered…

O It is given to those who are about to have serious operations, the sick and the dying.

O It can take place along with Reconciliation and Viaticum(Eucharist).

O It can take place anywhere (home, hospital, at the scene of an accident, etc.)

O It can be given many timesO Anytime a person is in danger for their

lives; it should be requested