Blog #7 SOC 490: Can we cure disease through the power of prayer?

            Located in the Pyrenees Mountain of France, Lourdes is home to an incredibly important shrine of the Catholic faith. Thousands upon thousands of pilgrims travel to Lourdes either for a physical cure, for spiritual enlightenment, or to be of service to those who are in need of help. Lourdes is also incredibly significant because Bernadette Soubirous, a 14-year-old peasant girl at the time, experienced 18 separate apparitions of the Virgin Mary. On the 9^th apparition an underground spring sprung forth and has been attributed to 67 miracles. The occurrence of all of these miracles begs the following question: can we cure disease through the power of prayer? Let me extrapolate upon this question.

            Let me start from a purely biological perspective. All forms of prayer evoke a relaxation response that quells stress, calms the body, and promotes healing. In multiple religions throughout the world such as Buddhism their form of prayer is “meditation,” for Catholics it is the rosary, and for Protestants it’s centering prayer. Essentially, the mind-body connection completely dissolves. As an individual goes deeper into prayer, substantial activity is seen in the parietal lobes through the utilization of an MRI machine. The parietal lobe is responsible for controlling distinctions between oneself and the surrounding environment. Consequently, a form of “silence” seems to pervade throughout the body and mind. Other sections of the brain such as the frontal and temporal lobes simply show less activity. A spiritual component seems to enter into the brain. Furthermore, the limbic system (which is considered widely as the emotional brain) lights up and helps with the relaxation component. It seems that today people attribute all religious happenings as simply a biological phenomenon. This simply cannot be the case. While understanding the biological and physiological responses are quite important, not everything can be explained through science. Scientific exploration and thought is not the end all be all. In opposition to my assertion, President Barack Obama states in his Washington address of 2007 that, “it is not in our character to sit idly by as victims of fate or circumstance, for we are a people of action and innovation, forever pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.” While this quote does not necessarily apply to the given discussion for he is discussing Universal Healthcare, it still brings into question of how we continually further scientific exploration. Scientific discoveries might be constantly evolving, but again, not everything in this world can be certified by systematic observation. If it could how does one explain the significance of miracles? Or, say the saints and incorruptibles of the church? One cannot, it is simply because of the power of faith.

            A few weeks ago I had the great opportunity to travel to Nettuno, Italy. It is a pleasant, quiet, small town that lies along the sea. My fellow classmates and I were able to enter into the church of Santa Maria Goretti. The story of Santa Maria Goretti is a sad but loving one. She was a lovely little girl who had profound, undeniable faith in God. Her friends and family loved her. Unfortunately, being a beautiful young woman she caught the attention of a man  (Alessandro) who wished to wed her. She always politely refused and continued to dedicate her life to God. As a consequence of this, Alessandro tried to force himself upon her. She fought and did not succumb to his wishes. He eventually stabbed her due to his frustration. He was sentenced to jail, and Maria’s family was grief stricken. There were several miracles that were observed in this story. First off, Maria appeared to Alessandro when he was in jail and told him that she forgave him for his heinous act. He was immediately converted to the Catholic faith. Moreover, she also appeared to her brothers, specifically Mariano where he heard her voice telling him to not charge the Germans, when he was fighting in World War I. His whole unit died except for him. I am very fortunate to have visited such a church because it has continued to solidify for me the power of prayer.

            As I am discussing this, a particular quote from Gaudium et Spes draws my attention. It states in Chapter 1 part 15 that, “Still he has always searched for more penetrating truths, and finds them. For his intelligence is not confined to observable data alone, but can with genuine certitude attain to reality itself as knowable, though in consequence of sin that certitude is partly obscured and weakened.” This quote brings into question man’s inherent sin. For as human beings we search for the ultimate truth. The ultimate truth cannot be discovered in this world for it is fallen. It can only be discovered in the kingdom of heaven. In addition, man’s intelligence is not confined to empirical data and calculations. Our knowledge can also come from the divine word of God in the bible. Too often today does our world get wrapped up in what we can actively measure and extrapolate. It’s almost seen as heresy in the world of today to even mention the possibility that disease can be prevented through the power of prayer. Here is a suggested answer to this interesting debacle. Many will not like it due to the ambiguity. The answer is that God works in mysterious ways. We do not know everything for certain and some things have to be attributed to faith. We are fallen creatures and are on a constant journey to reach the ultimate reward, which is salvation in heaven. God might permit the healing of someone who by all standards of social acceptance might not actively deserve healing. A family might pray for the healing of their beloved child that has terminal cancer, but in the end does not receive the blessed healing. We will never know the intricacies of our world completely and indisputably. All we can do is take a step back, have a little faith, and put everything in God’s divine hands.