20. For the Sick

Collect:
Heavenly Father, giver of life and health: Comfort and relieve thy sick servants, and give thy power of healing to those who minister to their needs, that those (or N., or NN.) for whom our prayers are offered may be strengthened in theirweakness and have confidence in thy loving care; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

First Lesson: 2 Kings 20:1-5
In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, "This is what the LORD says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover."

Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, "Remember, O LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes." And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him: "Go back and tell Hezekiah, the leader of my people, 'This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the LORD."

Second Lesson: James 5:13-16
Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

Psalm: 13

  1. How long, O LORD?
    will you forget me for ever? *
    how long will you hide your face from me?
  2. How long shall I have perplexity in my mind,
    and grief in my heart, day after day? *
    how long shall my enemy triumph over me?
  3. Look upon me and answer me, O LORD my God; *
    give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death;
  4. Lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed over him," *
    and my foes rejoice that I have fallen.
  5. But I put my trust in your mercy; *
    my heart is joyful because of your saving help.
  6. I will sing to the LORD, for he has dealt with me richly; *
    I will praise the Name of the Lord Most High.

or 86:1-7

  1. Bow down your ear, O LORD, and answer me, *
    for I am poor and in misery.
  2. Keep watch over my life, for I am faithful; *
    save your servant who puts his trust in you.
  3. Be merciful to me, O LORD, for you are my God; *
    I call upon you all the day long.
  4. Gladden the soul of your servant, *
    for to you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
  5. For you, O LORD, are good and forgiving, *
    and great is your love toward all who call upon you.
  6. Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer, *
    and attend to the voice of my supplications.
  7. In the time of my trouble I will call upon you, *
    for you will answer me.

Mark 2:1-12
A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. 4Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."

Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, "Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, "Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins..." He said to the paralytic, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"

Any of the Psalms and Lessons appointed at the Ministration to the Sick may be used instead.

Collect & Psalm from the Book of Common Prayer
Other excerpts from the New International Bible

Various Occasions