James 5:14-15

"Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven" (James 5:14-15 RSV).

Question:

It was given to me in a dream, and I don't fully understand its meaning.

Comment:

The Letter of James is actually a sermon, written by an unknown author late in the first Christian century. It addresses the question of how to live in Christ Consciousness in the midst of the distractions and temptations of mortal existence. Although it is brief, it contains nearly 60 specific directions in terms of making spiritual choices—with a particular emphasis on the power and importance of coming together in spiritual community. This passage reminds me of the adage commonly heard in 12-step meetings that 'we are as sick as our secrets.' We will all make mistakes, and give way to negative energy, from time to time in the course of our human lives. When we freely acknowledge our errors, their negative energy is dissolved in the prayer energy of shared spiritual support. We learn lessons, make better choices, and move forward in spiritual awareness. The problems occur when we either shamefully or defiantly refuse to acknowledge our mistakes; the secrecy magnifies the negative consequences of the original choices. Spiritual communities, therefore, are meant to be safe places—families, churches, support groups—where we can dissolve any negative energies we may have accumulated in the prayerful energy of love and support we feel.

Blessings!

Rev. Ed