PUBLIC SERVICE FOR MENTAL WELLNESS AND HEALING

Photo by Anuja Mary Tilj on Unsplash

This liturgy stands on the shoulders of those who do not feel as though they have a voice in the church. Regularly, services for healing are performed, but rarely are mental health issues addressed in these liturgies. Therefore, I wanted to write something that remained true to my love of Episcopal liturgy while also remaining true to who I am as a mental health advocate, especially concerning suicide prevention. My hope is that you and your community find this helpful and useful as a tool to help those who are often abandoned and shunned by the Church. Functionally, this liturgy can serve the same functions as the Public Service of Healing (which inspired this writing); it could stand alone or be followed by Holy Communion.

“Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows…” (Isaiah 53:4)

O God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth,
Have mercy upon us.
O God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy upon us.
O God the Holy Ghost, Sanctifier of the faithful,
Have mercy upon us.
O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, one God,
Have mercy upon us.

Collect For Mental Health and Healing:

Most loving God, you have blessed us with the divine image. Grant that those who are hurting with afflictions beyond our own eyes may be given the hope of your Son, Jesus Christ, through doctors, nurses, counselors, and social workers. Restore them, Lord, that the Holy Spirit may provide them with care and compassion. We ask these petitions in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and for ever. Amen.

Or

Almighty ever-living God, eternal health of believers,
hear our prayers for your servants who are sick:
grant them, we implore you, your merciful help,
so that, with their health restored,
they may give you thanks in the midst of your Church.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. (The Roman Missal: Renewed by Decree of the Most Holy Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, Promulgated by Authority of Pope Paul VI and Revised at the Direction of Pope John Paul II. (2011). (Third Typical Edition, p. 1314). Washington D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.)

One or two Lessons are read before the Gospel. 
Between the Lessons, and before the Gospel, a Psalm, hymn, or appropriate Canticle may be sung or said. 
The readings may be selected from the following list, or from the Proper of the Day.

From the Old Testament 
Exodus 16:13-15 (Manna in the wilderness) 
1 Samuel 1:12-18 (Hannah prays to God) 
1 Kings 17:17-24 (Elijah restores the widow’s son to life) 
2 Kings 5:9-14 (Healing of Naaman) 
1 Kings 20:1-5 (I have heard your prayer . . . I will heal you) 
Job 7 (Human beings have a hard service on earth)
Isaiah 11:1-3a (The gifts of the Spirit) 
Isaiah 35 (Eyes shall be opened...ears unstopped...the lame shall leap) 
Isaiah 38:1-5 (The healing of Hezekiah); see also 2 Kings 20:1-7 
Isaiah 49:14-16 (I will not forget you) 
Isaiah 42:1-7 (The suffering servant) 
Isaiah 53:3-6 (With his stripes are we healed) 
Isaiah 61:1-3 (Good tidings to the afflicted) 
Ezekiel 36:26-28 (A new heart and a new spirit) 
Ezekiel 37:12-14 (I am going to open your graves) 

Psalms 13; 20:1-6; 23; 27; 30; 71; 86:1-7; 91; 103; 126; 130; 139:1-17; 145; 146

From the New Testament 
Acts 3:1-10 (In the name of Jesus Christ…stand up and walk) 
Acts 5:12-16 (Healings in Jerusalem; Peter’s shadow) 
Acts 9:10-19a (Saul’s sight is restored) 
Acts 10:36-43 (Apostolic preaching: He went about . . . healing) 
Acts 16:16-18 (The slave girl with the spirit of divination)
Acts 16:25-31 (Paul and Silas in prison)
Romans 8:18-23 (We await the redemption of our bodies) 
Romans 8:31-39 (Nothing can separate us from the love of God) 
Romans 12:12-21 (Be patient in suffering) 
2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (God comforts us) 
2 Corinthians 6:2b-10 (Now is the day of salvation)
Colossians 1:11-20 (May you be strengthened with all power) 
Hebrews 12:1-2 (Looking to Jesus, the perfecter of our faith) 
James 5:14-16 (Is anyone among you sick?) 
1 John 5:13-15 (That you may know that you have eternal life) 
1 Peter 2:21-24 (By his wounds you have been healed) 
1 John 5:13-15 (If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us) 

The Gospel 
Matthew 5:2-10 (Beatitudes); see also Luke 6:20-23 
Matthew 6:25-34 (Do not worry) 
Matthew 7:7-8 (Ask, search, knock) 
Matthew 8:5-10, 13 (Healing centurion’s servant); see also Luke 7:1-10 
Matthew 8:14-17 (Healing Peter’s mother-in-law); see also Mark 1:29-34; Luke 4:38-41 
Matthew 8:23-27 (Jesus stills the storm) 
Matthew 9:2-8 (Your sins are forgiven); see also Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:17-26 
Matthew 11:28-30 (Come to me all who are weary) 
Mark 1:21-28 (Jesus heals the man with the unclean spirit) 
Mark 1:29-34a (Jesus heals Peter’s mother-in-law and others) 
Mark 2:1-12 (Healing of a paralyzed man) 
Mark 5:22-24 (Healing of Jairus’ daughter) 
Mark 6:7, 12-13 (The disciples anointed many who were sick) 
Mark 10:46-52 (Jesus heals blind Bartimaeus) 
Mark 14:32-36 (Not what I want, but what you want) 
Luke 4:22-28 (Do here also in your hometown the things you did at Capernaum) 
Luke 5:17-26 (Healing of a paralyzed man)
Luke 8:41-56 (Healing Jairus’ daughter and woman with a hemorrhage); see also Matthew 9:18-26; Mark 5:21-43 
Luke 11:5-10 (Perseverance in prayer) 
Luke 13:10-13 (Healing of woman crippled for eighteen years) 
Luke 17:11-19 (Your faith has made you well) 
John 5:2-9 (Take up your bed and walk) 
John 6:47-51 (I am the Bread of Life) 
John 9:1-11 (Healing of the man born blind) 
John 21:18-19 (When you are old...)

A homily or other form of response, such as song, talk, dance, instrumental music, other art forms, and/or silence may follow the Gospel.

Lord, have mercy
Christ, have mercy
Lord, have mercy

Minister and People:

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

The Apostles’ Creed

Minister and People together, all standing

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

Prayers of the People (adapted from Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers):

Let us pray to the Father of Mercies: Father, we pray for the unity and mission of the holy Church of God; that it may welcome and serve those who live with a mental illness. 
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Guide us, the citizens and leaders of this land, this state and this city, that we may unite to provide for and protect the poor, the homeless, and those who suffer in mind, body and spirit. 
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Forgive us when we knowingly or unknowingly ridicule, look in disgust, neglect or discriminate against those who are mentally ill. 
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Comfort and relieve those who are troubled in mind and spirit. Bring them hope, peace and the consolation of a loving community. 
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Grant patience and courage to the families and friends of those who are ill. Increase their perseverance as they face challenges to recovery for their loved one. 
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Protect and defend those living with mental illness from exploitation, addictions, and abuse.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Walk with the homeless and missing persons, those who are destitute and have no one to support them and offer them care. Forgive us for our indifference. Grant us the capacity and strength to help those who cannot help themselves.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We commend to your mercy and defense all who are contemplating suicide today, right now. 
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

For the families who have lost a loved one to mental illness, bring them comfort in trusting that your grace welcomes their ill loved one with pure love, regardless of the act that brought them into your loving arms. 
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Empower us to speak up for those who do not have a voice, remind us to stay silent when we need to let those who have a voice speak, and save us from making peace with the injustices in the social systems that have failed us. 
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Guide those who do research on mental health; uphold them with your compassion and diligence. 
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

For those who are in recovery and for treatments that restore them their fullest and mostrewarding lives, we give you thanks. 
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Heavenly Father, Giver of life and health, we trust that in your time and way, you will dispel all darkness with your light, all confusion with your order, all fear with your peace. Through Jesus Christ, who intercedes for us and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. 
Amen.

Let us bless the Lord of all healing and mercy.
Thanks be to God.