(Here in Jubilee Hospital, Trivandrum,Fr.Joseph Periera, our hospital Chaplain pray over a patient after surgery, at his request.)
Yes indeed, prayer directly or thru intersession by another person help in healing process. When one pray, it helps to improve his immune response and produce more antibodies to fight infection, researchers say.
The positive effect of faith and prayer on the sick and the way these accelerate healing is studied by many by research. A positive attitude of the patient is very important, negative thinking bring negatives only. The negative effects of stress hormones, and the positive effects of “feel well” hormones, are all well known. Calmness and hope favors the body’s production of helpful chemical substances.
Prayer, Pujas, Mantras all help a patient in restoring his or her health. Anointing the sick is a Christian healing service in the pastoral care of the healing ministry.
God is sovereign. He can heal and often does through prayer, sometimes in conjunction with medical help. God can use the doctors to heal people. God can work wonders through other people. Miracles aren’t always unexplained occurrences, yet they can occur together with the efforts of man. A miracle is finally accomplished by God, possibly using man as an instrument. When one prays, don\’t expect the impossible, like to get back the amputated leg, or rising from the dead, however it can only happen as “miracle”. Miracles and healing are different.
God wants us to pray persistently for the sick. “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16). Often we reserve prayer for the last resort .We say like this; all we can do now is to pray as if there is no hope except pray. God wants prayer that is energetic, working, and persistent—like the widow who wouldn\’t go away (Luke 18:1-5).
We can trust God to heal, to guide, to comfort, and to answer our prayers in a way that accomplishes His purposes. When we pray we must pray in full faith and in full trust in Him.
We all fall ill, we all die, and that\’s the fact of life. Every one fall ill at some time or other. Illness is one of those instances when a person feels this dependence most and draws closer to God.
Prayer alone may not work. In addition to praying out loud, it is also important for a person to make every effort to pray through his or her deeds. Prayer by action means doing everything possible to attain a certain wish. For example, in addition to praying, a sick person may also have to visit an expert doctor, use medicines that will be of benefit, and receive hospital treatment if necessary, or some other form of special care.
Research has also concluded that prayer reduces patients’ symptoms and accelerates the recovery process.
(If some patients ask me to pray, I do intercede, although I am not a righteous person like “Elijah” ….)
Yes : Doctors can only treat, God heals….