Farmacia din Casa Domnului sau despre efectul taumaturgic al cuvântului cultic
The Pharmacy in the House of the Lord, or on the Thaumaturgical Effect of the Liturgical Word

Author(s): Dan SANDU
Subject(s): Christian Theology and Religion, Theology and Religion
Published by: Editura Doxologia
Keywords: healing; cure; suffering; disease; health; Scriptures; Liturgy; salvation; aid; prayer; spirituality; spiritual life; help;
Summary/Abstract: The Church, which St. John Chrysostom described as a “spiritual hospital” (or “spiritual infirmary”), is concerned with individual health, viewed holistically, while also focusing on the spiritual health of the person called to live in relationship, which is communitarian, as ordained by Christ through the apostolic mandate. For example, a person who has a physical deficiency will be able, if spiritually healthy, to experience even bodily suffering as a state of theological health, depending on how they approach suffering and vice versa. This observation enables us to deduce the paradox that through the experience of biological suffering man “connects” to God, i.e. to the source of health, whereas, when enjoying physiological health, man (if spiritually unhealthy) may distance himself from God. Without exploring the criteria by which God works together with man towards his holistic health, we will highlight in particular that God not only does not bring on disease to guide humans to Himself, but rather He removes or allows it, leaving it up to man to interpret the message. Christ was and remains the healer par excellence, Who shows that God’s power is above suffering, that He wants to heal everybody, by forgiving sins and eliminating helplessness, both through direct intervention, at times miraculous, and at other times through the elements that He puts at our disposal in His creation.

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