Over the years when the Lourdes apparitions have been discussed the inevitable question arises, why did The Father not do more to assist Bernadette resolve her health issues? I have no answer, other than recognising that Our Father receives His children into His loving embrace at the end of our day.
Lourdes, and Fatima register in some detail the healing of the sick, beyond rational understanding. Some forty years I visited the shrine of Our Lady of Altotting, Bavaria (1) noting the health benefits provided for those in need of practical assistance not available through orthodox medical science.
The cynic will postulate that auto-suggestion is a plausible causation for the recovery of seriously ill, even terminally ill patients seeking a miracle. The well recorded healing interventions (notary publics throughout Italy store testimonies of Padre Pio's interventions) of Padre Pio perhaps best illustrate that even those seeking assistance with little, or no faith in God were healed.
Holy Scripture illustrates the laying of hands by Jesus, and His apostles curing the sick, and challenging the cynic to open their eyes.
The laying of hands can be traced back to ancient times with The Old Testament also referencing this gift.
My awareness of the laying of hands took place when I was cleaning an office in London, on a daily basis to cover my expenses as a student. I have mentioned here some time ago, Archie MacKenzie who served in The Royal Marines during WW11, a survivor of a successful raid to sink German capital warships in a North French port, transferred to the India/Tibet frontier as a liaison officer.
Archie MacKenzie befriended a community of Buddhist monks, whose monastery lay just over the border in Tibet. They introduced him to the healing benefits of the laying of hands. Archie used his gifts to help company employees with their health challenges. The New Age community refer to this gift as Reiki.
The Lourdes healings best illustrate the divine mystery's willingness to assist the sick, who in their turn reciprocate by becoming Our Father's outreach to those needing practical help returning in kind all the love that they have received.
The entire crowd was trying to touch him, because power was coming out from him and healing all of them. ~ Luke 6:19
(1)
https://www.shrines-of-europe.com/altoetting/
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