In “Healing: Bringing the Gift of God’s Mercy to the World,” Dr. Mary Healy provides a compelling, faith-filled examination of the role of healing within the Christian tradition, particularly as it relates to evangelization and the mercy of God. Grounded in Scripture and Church tradition, Healy frames healing as not only a gift from God but a critical aspect of living out the Gospel and bringing Christ’s presence into a broken world. Below is a summary of the book:
Chapter 1: A Tsunami of the Spirit
Dr. Healy begins by addressing the widespread secularism sweeping across the world, comparing it to a tsunami. The Church’s response, she argues, must be equally as powerful—a “tsunami of the Spirit” consisting of healings, miracles, and signs that manifest God’s active presence. The power of the Holy Spirit, visible in the early Church through these signs, is still available today and is essential for evangelization. She emphasizes that God desires to pour out His gifts, including healing, more abundantly than we often expect. The only limitations are our own faith and willingness to be used by Him. Healy cites Ephesians 3:20: “By the power at work within us [He] is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think.”
Chapter 2: The Kingdom Is at Hand
In this chapter, Healy delves into the holistic nature of Jesus’ mission. Jesus came to save not just souls but entire human beings, body and soul, emphasizing that healing is central to His ministry. Healy notes that Jesus never instructed anyone to accept their illness as God’s will, but rather treated sickness as an evil to be overcome. She reminds readers that Jesus initiated healings even on the Sabbath, symbolizing freedom and joy in communion with God. Healy challenges modern resignation to illness, asking if sometimes our acceptance of sickness is a cloak for unbelief.
Chapter 3: Healing in the Age of the Apostles
This chapter reflects on the miracles of healing performed by Peter and Paul, as recorded in Acts. These miracles, such as Peter’s shadow healing the sick (Acts 5) and Paul’s handkerchiefs (Acts 19), are examples of Jesus’ promise that believers would perform even greater works (John 14:12). Healings were integral to the apostles’ proclamation of the Gospel, demonstrating the power of the Holy Spirit and validating the message of Christ.
Chapter 4: Healing in Church History
Healy traces the continuity of healing throughout Church history, showing that the gifts of healing were not confined to the apostolic era. From the early Church Fathers to saints and mystics throughout the centuries, healing has remained a normal part of Christian life and evangelization.
Chapter 5: Are Healings Real?
In addressing skepticism, Healy points to St. Thérèse of Lisieux as an example of childlike faith in expecting miracles. Healings are manifestations of God’s mercy and His desire to surprise us with His goodness. She encourages believers to adopt an attitude of expectancy and trust in God’s ability to heal.
Chapter 6: The Role of Faith
Faith is essential to healing, as demonstrated in the numerous times Jesus says, “Your faith has made you well” in the Gospels. Healy explains that faith is more than intellectual assent—it is a dynamic relationship of trust and surrender to God. While healing sometimes takes time, Healy asserts that persistence in prayer aligns our hearts with God’s will, referencing St. Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” as an example of praying with great confidence but leaving the outcome in God’s hands (2 Corinthians 12).
Chapter 7: Overcoming Obstacles
Healy outlines the various obstacles that can block healing, including sin, guilt, inner wounds, and unforgiveness. Unforgiveness, in particular, is described as one of the greatest hindrances to healing. Quoting Mark 11:25, she emphasizes that forgiveness sets us free to receive God’s healing and mercy.
Chapter 8: The Charism of Healing
Healy explains the gift of healing as a charism of the Holy Spirit, given not for personal glory but for the building up of the Church. Drawing from 1 Corinthians 12-14, she clarifies that charisms like healing are not rewards for sanctity but freely bestowed gifts given by God because He loves His children and delights to involve them in His work of building up the body of Christ. She also distinguishes between natural talents and supernatural charisms, urging believers to seek and develop their spiritual gifts. As such, charisms are “manifestations of the Spirit” (1 Cor 12:7). So a charism is not something you possess and can use at will, but the Holy Spirit uses you according to His will and timing to display his presence and power.
How do we do this? Pray for them, learn about them, stir them up, put them into practice, grow in their exercise. The Holy Spirit works the most through open and generous hearts. Also ask for humility at the same time. You need a heart filled with simple, childlike faith in the Lord Jesus. The only way you can find out if you have the charism of healing is to pray for the charism of healing and try it out.
Chapter 9: Redemptive Suffering
While healing is important, Healy also acknowledges the redemptive value of suffering. Some suffering, especially apostolic suffering for the Gospel, has a redemptive quality and unites us to Christ. However, this does not mean we should accept sickness as God’s will. There is no contradiction between asking for healing and embracing suffering when necessary.
Suffering has inestimable value for those who are in Christ: to learn obedience (Heb 5:8), to humble us and soften our rough edges (Heb 12:6), to configure us to share in the self-giving love of Jesus (Mt 10:38, 16:24), to prepare us for glory (Rom 8:17), and to become a means of grace for others (2 Cor 1:6, 4:10-12, Col 1:24). Nevertheless, when Jesus exhorts his disciples to expect suffering and rejoice in it, he is referring to apostolic suffering: the trials associated with persecution for the sake of the gospel (cf. Lk 6:22-23) and NOT physical/emotional suffering (an evil to be overcome that Jesus heals). Although the theology of redemptive suffering covers both areas, our response should not be the same. The recognition that suffering is an objective evil is the basis for all human efforts to alleviate it. There is no contradiction between the redemptive value of suffering and asking God for healing (BOTH AND = embrace our suffering in love and pray for healing with expectant faith, cf. 1 Peter 4:13, James 5:16). Stop praying for healing only when you feel an interior sense that it is God’s will.
Chapter 10: Saints and Sacraments
Healy highlights the healing power of the sacraments, particularly the Eucharist and Anointing of the Sick. The sacraments are channels of God’s grace, providing both physical and spiritual healing. The Eucharist, described by St. Ignatius of Antioch as the “medicine of immortality,” is particularly efficacious in bringing healing and transformation.
Chapter 11: Healing of the Heart
In this chapter, Healy reflects on Jesus as the “Great Physician” who heals not only physical ailments but also the deep wounds of the heart. She emphasizes the importance of encountering Christ personally and suggests that every parish should have a healing ministry to bring people into such encounters.
Chapter 12: Three Keys for Seeing the Lord’s Power to Heal
Healy outlines three essential components for seeing God’s healing power:
- Intimacy with Jesus: the more we are united to Jesus, the more freely he is able to act through us and the more we long to give away His love to the lost and broken (cf. Mark 3:14, 6:30-31, 2 Cor 5:14). Fruitfulness comes from being with Jesus or it will not come at all (John 15:5).
- Ask, seek, knock: We must ask on Christ’s authority and in union with Christ. We have been asking for too little of the gifts of the Spirit (1 Cor 12:31; 14:1, Rom 8:32). Ask not only for the gift of healing, but all the graces needed to exercise it effectively (simplicity, purity of heart, boundless confidence in the Lord, renewed outpouring of the Spirit, boldness to proclaim the Gospel, to share Christ’s heart, to fight against indifference, to love like Christ does).
- Obedience to the Holy Spirit: Intimacy with Christ is the foundation for fruitfulness in healing ministry, and believers must be persistent in asking for spiritual gifts. Obedience to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, even when it seems risky, is key to seeing healing in action.
Chapter 13: A Model for Healing Prayer
Healy provides a step-by-step model for healing prayer, emphasizing the importance of praying with faith, keeping the focus on Jesus, listening to the Holy Spirit, and interviewing the person being prayed for to assess progress. The process includes giving glory to God for any improvement and encouraging the person to continue seeking God’s healing power.
Chapter 14: Turning the Church Inside-Out
In the final chapter, Healy challenges the Church to move beyond an inward focus and embrace the mission of evangelizing through healing. She calls for a renewed openness to the Holy Spirit, urging believers to lay aside their fears and limitations to allow God to work through them.
Conclusion
Dr. Healy’s book serves as both a theological exploration and a practical guide to the ministry of healing. She argues convincingly that healing is not an outdated or peripheral aspect of the faith, but a central part of the Church’s mission. Through Scripture, tradition, and personal witness, Healy encourages believers to embrace God’s mercy through active participation in the ministry of healing. Her reflections inspire Christians to expect great things from God and to trust fully in His providential care.
Reflection Questions
Have we too easily accepted the idea that sickness should simply be embraced?
Do we too easily assume that if a person is ill, God wants her to remain that way for her good?
Could our resignation to illness or infirmity even sometimes be a cloak for unbelief?
Do you have the charism of healing? Have you asked for it? Have you studied it? Have you tried to put it into practice?
Prodigal Catholic 
Thank you Fr Richard for this Summary of Healing which really spoke to me. Please pray for my complete healing from stage iv cancer. Thank you for your prayers. RegardsWendy
yes, will do!!
Thank you Fr Richard.
~ wendy