The need for a correction to the Inner-Healing Process

Fr. Conrad Saldanha                                                        Part II

When teachers give homework for the child to work on they generally know that the child is capable enough to do it. Now, if the parent does the homework and leaves nothing for the child then the child will never grow in being independent and know and realize the intricacies of life.

Likewise, a parent will not always carry a child and make them walk. The real joy is in seeing a child walk and even seeing the child walk for the first time.

Similarly, any healing process that seeks diligently to remove the obstacles that apparently seem to hinder can lead to dangerous pitfalls.

If the crosses and the obstacles of daily life are taken out of the way, the most vicious spirit of pride could reign in our hearts.“The beginning of man's pride is to depart from the Lord; his heart has forsaken his Maker.” Ecclus. 10:12

Speaking of the dangers of pride, St. Paul reveals;  “And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me; but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Cor 12:8-10

The debate to know this messenger of Satan we leave it to the experts for the moment. But what is strongly brought across in the above is the direct revelation in vs9 which assures every human with weaknesses, the power of God’s grace released on the cross to attain perfection. Not in achieving perfection based on human priorities but a perfection that is based on God’s priority. This should be the goal of all healing. A healing that makes us forget God and enables us to leave him behind is detrimental to our call of true discipleship.

Another point of contention is this: Does healing have a higher value than the faith we profess? There are many who have deviated from the faith by even proclaiming healing through every kind of New age methodologies such as Yoga, Vipassana, Pranic healing, Cosmic energy, and other such therapies which are contrary to the faith. When challenged the fruit of such practices, especially the healing they have received thereof, is provided as a justification for continuation in such philosophies and therapies.

The Psycho-analytical methods used in inner healing can be fraught with such danger. Its rash application and a heavy usage in prayer groups can be compared to the pre-matured handling of the cocoon which results in the death of the worm.

In the Bible we do not have explicit teachings on the aspect of inner healing.  But like some doctrines of the Church which finds implicit mention in some statements of Scripture so also the concept of inner healing could be routed in forgiveness and seeking the Lordship of Jesus in every area of our life, which includes the past, the present and the future; for he is a God who was and is and is the one to come.  He is God who has created all things and so the old is gone and the new is ushered in by his power. Many a times the emphasis is predominantly on the inner core or the subconscious making it comfortable to the long standing scare, pain or anxiety. There is a certain sense of well being and a feeling of wholeness which may ultimately lead to healing.

Hence any inner healing which follows an abstract methodology, detached from God (though God is mentioned yet in the process what comes across is that we can do it without him) by way of pure therapeutic techniques needs to be banned from the Church and needs to be condemned.  It is unfortunate that some seem to apparently have Christianized the process but yet it is in many ways no different from the New age methodologies in the whole process and approach. Hence practitioners of this type of inner healing go about freely testifying to other new age spiritualities and practices too. What is practiced can be termed as value based spiritualities, without a need for divine intervention.  

The extent to which the Lord is put into the whole process is important and necessary. You cannot separate him and at the same time he needs to be given the legitimate place. The Lord as being primary and not our healing; this will communicate the major difference between therapeutic approach and divine approach to it. So also the human priority should not be a hindrance to the responsibility which Jesus has placed on his followers to carry the crosses of daily life, which in turn is a participation in the Cross of Christ.

It is our many weaknesses which make us humble enough to trust him more than ourselves and this trust is necessary for our salvation.

One of the sound bases to discourage these psycho-analytical processes of inner healing is in the dynamics of the Christian calling; God in Christ Jesus has called us not because we were perfect but in spite of our sinfulness. Scripture in Romans 5:6 reminds us that “While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.”

Therefore of prime importance is that change of heart and sinful attitude of hostility towards God which prevents us from recognizing him and following Christ.  Hence the sinful tendencies (concupiscence as understood by St. Augustine) and the lack of clarity on sin and wrongdoing may remain for a time and perhaps for a long time to come. But the call to stay on course in following the Master should grow in intensity. The stronger the current that seeks to lead us away from loving God and following him, the stronger should be our efforts and perseverance to stay on course in the journey of life with Jesus.

The over emphasis on inner healing can be an obstacle on this journey and can take our focus away from the Master who has accepted us and called us to follow him. This primary act of repentance requires a mere change of heart and attitude towards God; from that of hostility to one of willing obedience and love.

In this journey, we know that humans have a capacity to exceed themselves beyond their limits and this is further enhanced with a helping hand from Jesus our Savior and the Church which like a huge ship is on course in the same direction.  The food for this journey is the Word and Sacrament. 

We even see beauty and meaning in life when we see humans in spite of their many handicaps winning the battles of life’s journey, though many times they do so for a worldly crown which is perishing. How much we need to do this for Christ who assures us of a surer crown, for those who strive.  St. Ignatius of Loyola calls it Magis: what more can I do for you God, and I would like to add, in return for all that you have done and continue to do for me?

I know of situation and cases where people have been possessed and going through all sorts of oppression in their struggle over sin and right action. They easily stand condemned in the sight of men for sinful action and wrongdoings. Those who have been given the power to heal and set the captives free from their bondages have instead opted for the path of judging them as criminal and bad witnesses of the Lord. Perhaps, if they had looked at the log in their own eye then they would never have stooped to condemn the chosen ones of God. The visible sins of men are more irksome to him then the invisible weaknesses. What the world and people have to say are the new criteria for judging the grievousness of sin.

But God who knows the inner reality of each one of us, the one who looks at the heart of a man and judges unlike man who looks at the outside, also knows whom to show mercy and why. (Rom.9:15; Ex.33:19) Hence his judgment is never unjust or predestined.

As a result, a person who has not experienced inner healing, should never brood over his or her poor fate, nor should the one who has never been for one or failed to receive healing at the inner healing session itself; instead it should increase their resolve to follow him with their many faltering.

It is the Lord that matters and how we love him. Our weaknesses are never a impediment but can be a boost to seek his face more. They become opportunities to offer up to the Lord our bodies as a living sacrifice as we fight and struggle against the many cravings of the flesh.

Prayer: Lord I thank you for accepting me into your family. May I strive in my daily struggles against my many sinful tendencies to live a life worthy of your calling.