So attend a Catholic Church weekly, but am struggling with much there. The only really active and engaged people there seem to be in the charismatic group - and I have ton's of issues with the Church even condoning the charismatic thing.
Some of them are going to a healing mass, and I am wondering does Orthodoxy have anything like a healing mass?
I am really starting to check Catholicism against Orthodoxy and very interested in learning more about Orthodoxy.
Thank You
I don't know what a healing mass is either.
But I recently have heard a radio show on EWTN that had me thinking I'd inadvertently changed the station. (We only get Catholic and Protestant radio in the car, so sometimes I listen.) But EWTN has at least one program that is indistinguishable in many respects (ok, all respects really, except slightly more often mentioning the Holy Trinity - maybe) compared to any Pentecostal radio show or service I've ever been to.
If a healing mass is like a Pentecostal healing service - show up and everyone gets hands laid on them and prayed for (usually by a prayer team or people paying for each other), all about speaking God's words as though that in itself obligates Him to heal (or thinking it is our speaking forth that directs the grace of God), of speaking as though He is revealing things to them, and all that - with the EXPECTATION that such will happen - then no, we don't have anything like that.
We do anoint for healing, with a special oil that is sacramental, and also we can use other kinds of oils that are special but not a sacrament so that anyone can be prayed for. You don't have to be Orthodox. The priest anoints and prays. Or any layperson can do so non-sacramentally, like for their sick child at home, if they want.
It is normally done when someone is sick, facing surgery, etc. and they go to the priest after the service and ask for it. "Is any among you sick ... let him go to the elders ... " etc for anointing and prayer.
There is a service once a year (sometimes twice - our priest has permission and wanted to do it before Christmas as well) ... when it is offered as part of and st the end of the service for all to receive. This one is not sacramental, so anyone can receive anointing and prayer. But it's not at all the same atmosphere as a Pentecostal gathering.
I actually think Catholics are somewhat opposed theologically to this. It is my understanding that they generally reserve the sacramental anointing for only times when the person might die, and they don't seem to approve of it for anything not potentially life-threatening. So my guess is that whatever happens in a Catholic healing mass is VERY different from what we do.
ALL of the charismatic gifts are actually present and practiced in Orthodoxy. But what it looks like is very, very different from Pentecostalism.
