PHYSICIANS, MEDICATIONS and THE BIBLE

PHYSICIANS, MEDICATIONS AND THE BIBLE
~Fr. N.W.D. Mumford+
My friend, If you have an issue with your physician, medication or medical protocols perhaps this will help you. Personally I believe in “Prayer and Prozac!”
I believe God has given us gifts that are directly from him! We NEVER tell people to go against the protocols of your physician or pharmacist. It’s “both and.” “Medicine and Miracles.
If you say grace over your food, try saying grace over your medications. That they will “hit the target” and “have no side effects.”
Biblical foundation:
The wisdom of Ben Sirach
From the apocrypha readings of Sirach in the bible.
(The term apocrypha is used with various meanings, including “hidden”, “esoteric”, “spurious”, “of questionable authenticity” and “Christian texts that are not canonical”. Wikipedia.)
Pay particular attention to verses 1, 8, 13 and 14. Verse 15 confirms the words of Jesus to go and sin no more. The correlation of sin and “some” sicknesses.
SIRACH 38:1-15
[1] Honor the physician with the honor due him,
according to your need of
him, for the Lord created him;
[2] for healing comes from the Most High,
and he will receive a gift from the king.
[3] The skill of the physician lifts up his head,
and in the presence of great men he is admired.
[4] The Lord created medicines from the earth,
and a sensible man will not despise them.
[5] Was not water made sweet with a tree
in order that his power might be known?
[6] And he gave skill to men
that he might be glorified in his marvelous works.
[7] By them he heals and takes away pain;
[8] the pharmacist makes of them a compound.
His works will never be finished;
and from him health is upon the face of the earth.
[9] My son, when you are sick do not be negligent,
but pray to the Lord, and he will heal you.
[10] Give up your faults and direct your hands aright,
and cleanse your heart from all sin.
[11] Offer a sweet-smelling sacrifice, and a memorial
portion of fine flour,
and pour oil on your offering, as much as you can afford.
[12] And give the physician his place, for the Lord created him;
let him not leave you, for there is need of him.
[13] There is a time when success lies in the hands of physicians,
[14] for they too will pray to the Lord
that he should grant them success in diagnosis
and in healing, for the sake of preserving life.
[15] He who sins before his Maker,
may he fall into the care of a physician.
Submitted by
~Fr. Nigel Mumford+