The Church of Divine Mercy, Penang (CDM) celebrated healing mass on 9th September 2022, Friday, at 8 pm. Approximately 200 people turned up. This mass was animated by CDM Charismatic Renewal Group in collaboration with Parish Liturgical Team and Seeds Ministry. The theme of the mass Your faith has healed you (Mark 5:34), showed that the mass was to cater not only to the physically sick but those with other challenges socially, emotionally and psychologically.

Special spiritual preparations were made by members of the animating core team to ensure the success of this mass. This included seven weekly intercessions, praying the Novena to the Holy Spirit, reciting the Memorare to the Mother Mary and St Joseph, going to confession and fasting from a meal for three days prior to the day of the mass. Before the mass began, all members involved in serving and helping out in the mass were gathered together in St Faustina Hall and were prayed over by the parish priest, Fr Michael Raymond OFM cap.

The mass began with a praise and worship session conducted by Adeline Sum. In his homily on the Gospel reading (Mark 5:21-43) regarding the healing of the daughter of Jairus and the woman with a haemorrhage who touched the cloak of Jesus, Fr Michael proclaimed that God is so great and His spirit is alive. In his meditation before the mass, Fr Michael felt the Spirit inspired him to ask those who needed healing to let go and see the great work of God. He said that all we need to do is just to let go and we will receive the grace and healing power of God.

Fr Michael elaborated that we all seek control of our lives but in actual essence, we are powerless and have no control. Whenever we are in trouble, we run with pain from one healer to another, from one prayer meet to another trying to gain control over our situation.

Jairus in the gospel was a man of status, an official of the synagogue who had standing in society, yet he pleaded with Jesus to lay His hands and heal His dying daughter. He let go to let Jesus take control. He continued to believe even when he was told his daughter had died. The Jewish woman with the haemorrhage was unclean and so could not come up directly to Jesus. So even though she felt unworthy, perhaps even bitter and angry with her situation, she let go and reached out to God just to be able to touch his cloak. Fr Michael emphasized that if we are willing to let go and be brave enough to boldly ask, we will be touched with faith in action when we step into the presence of God. He then invited the congregation to listen to the lyrics of song Way Maker. At the end of his homily, Father said he can’t offer anything except the Eucharist, but we can get the mercy of God if we let go and recognize that God is the Way maker, Miracle worker and Promise keeper Who never stops working.

Towards the end of Mass, Fr Michael exposed the Blessed Sacrament and invited all those who need healing to come forward for ministering. For his part, he knelt at the altar interceding for those who were suffering pain. He was inspired to called to those who were in bad family relationships, suffering from incurable diseases, those who came as proxies for their loved ones in pain, those who were under stress and with issues in their lives. About 80 people came forward and many were slain by the Holy Spirit.

Here are some of the testimonies received from those who participated in the healing mass.
Bintin, a cancer patient, testified that exhortation by Fr Michael enabled her to fully surrender herself to Jesus and placing all her trust in Him, thus giving her the strength and courage to face whatever that may come her way. Anthonysamy, Ashley and her father felt the awesome powerful presence of God during praying in tongues. Halina shared that she felt extraordinarily light as she was falling backwards during ministering time and was very much at peace when she rested in the Spirit. Anne, who was suffering from depression was strengthened emotionally and had better clarity of mind.

All in all, it was truly a beautiful mass celebration. Some people experienced touch of God and shed tears while some others experienced God’s overwhelming love and mercy, tremendous joy and peace. All praise and glory to God!

Written by
Ivan Filmer
15th September, 2022.