Healing - Reflection by Canon Mike

One of the many things I love about the cathedral is its beautiful chapels, sculptures and memorials. So painstakingly thought through and designed; and such an inspiration when, often in conversation with visitors, you encounter someone who actually had a hand in making them or one of their relatives did! The lunchtime eucharist is often taken in the Lady Chapel; a wonderful place in itself and such an honour to celebrate there at the altar…..the best seat in the house! 

Yesterday should have been a Sunday when we offer the ministry of healing. A small team of us offer such ministry in pairs, with prayers and anointing for those coming forward asking for healing.  Healing in all its senses of the word, no restriction is put on what situation a person brings forward for prayer – for themselves or for others.  A very important ministry at the present time – and so disappointing that it and the ultimate of healing ministry, the Eucharist, can’t take place right now in our cathedral.  But when it does, the members of the healing ministry team gather in the Lady Chapel for prayers before hand – and that aspect of the ministry did take place yesterday, albeit online using videoconferencing facilities, as suggested by one of our members. 

Brilliant idea; strange sensation; comforting and reassuring – certainly a new way of doing things, but nonetheless still the same precious time together, to pray in confidence for individuals who ask for prayers, for those who are ill at present and especially for those friends and families grieving the loss of loved ones by this terrible situation.  Healing is needed in all of its senses at present, for such situations.  Many of us were gathered together using the technology, some prayed ‘alongside’ at the same time in their own space – all of us, full in the knowledge that the voice of prayer is never silent whether we pray individually or are gathered together physically or virtually.
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And when the cathedral does reopen again, and we can gather once more in the Lady Chapel, what a blessing it will be.  Praying in the wonderful space, alongside memorials like the one shown in my (poor!) photo above, taken nearly six months ago when I was preparing for the honour of preaching at our Remembrance Day service.  It is the memorial to the Nurses of Liverpool.  Designed by Giles Gilbert Scott himself and dedicated in May 1929 during the annual Nurses’ service to the 20 nurses who gave their lives in WWI.  Sculpted by David Evans in Nebrasina Marble, it shows a nurse tending to a wounded soldier.  Who would have thought that within six months or so, we would go from remembering the nurses who gave their lives in the world wars….to praying for and supporting those now fighting on the frontline itself? We pray for them and all caring for others now.

With my love and prayers for you all; stay safe….

​Canon Mike 

While you're here:
Why not prepare for next Sunday's worship? Our preparation sheet for adults and for children can be accessed by clicking on the Resources tab of this website: https://www.prayerforliverpool.org/prayer-resources.html.
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