We are created in the image and likeness of God. We were gifted by God the ability to experience the world through our bodies. But this also makes us realize that we are finite and that we also can get sick. Sickness and other bodily ailments tell us that we should rely on God’s healing power and the gifts of science and medicine.
The Scriptures portray God as the healer of the body and the spirit. In Him, we can find rest, solace, and cures. But He also shares this power of healing with people who are endowed with intelligence, prudence, and medicinal skills – our surgeons.
Surgeons serve as God’s extension and instruments to provide healing to patients. Surgery, be it minor or serious, can be a frightening experience. It can cause unnecessary anxiety and stress. This is not only for the patients who will undergo surgery, but it can also be stressful for the surgeons themselves.
This prayer for successful surgery can be said by surgeons as they perform their duties. As they pray for their patients, they also pray for themselves and their fellow doctors. Yes, they are surgeons, but true and holistic healing can only come through the guidance and power of God.
A surgeon’s prayer
Almighty and eternal God, You are the source of all healing and recovery. Everything finds its beginning and fulfillment in You. Thank You for the wonders of knowledge, wisdom, and talent that You have graciously given us.
In a very special way, I thank You for sharing with me Your healing and saving act. Thank You for entrusting me to this vocation as a surgeon. I am very grateful for this gift and privilege to be Your instrument of bringing healing and well-being to my patients.
I ask You, dear God, to protect my colleagues and me as we continue to fulfill our daily duties. As I enter the surgical theatre, lead and guide me as I work on my patient’s body. Always remind me that my patient’s welfare and healing are my utmost concern.
Please be my guide as I perform the task that is set before me. Grant me Your wisdom in every decision that I make. Help me to rely always on Your providential power.
Be with me, God, and stay with me as I perform this surgery. Do not let me depend on my own skills or strength. I am just the extension of Your healing hand, and this I want to be for the rest of my life.
I also pray for my patient. May he/she be consoled with Your presence. Be with him/her before, during, and after this surgery. Keep him/her in the palm of Your hand. May this surgery be performed without any complications or difficulties. May this patient’s healing process be restful, quick, and free from any pain.
Father, surgery can, at times, be a terrifying endeavor because I cannot predict all outcomes that could possibly happen. But whatever happens, I rely on You. You are with me and my patient through it all. I call out to You, and I am confident that You will accompany me.
Through Jesus Christ, our Lord and healer. Amen.
Short prayer for surgeons hands
God, our healer and strength thank You for being with me today. Surround me with Your presence and grace as I perform this surgery. May I do this with complete competence and compassion. Help me to rely on Your strength and not just my own. May Your healing hands be my constant guide. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
The Word of God
do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God; I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.
Isaiah 41:10 NRSVUE
A surgeon’s prayer to Saint Luke
Holy Saint Luke, the “beloved physician” and faithful follower of Christ, God inspired you to write the Gospel of His love and the healing power of Jesus Christ, our Lord, and Redeemer. Your masterful stories detailing the humanity of Jesus have also revealed His divinity and most profound love and compassion for all human beings.
Inspire me, dear Saint Luke, with your professionalism. Ignite in my heart the burning zeal of compassion for my patients. Enable me to be a means of bringing the healing power of God to all who are sick. May I be of help in their recovery from illness of the body and spirit.
Pray for my fellow medical practitioners and for me. Grant us the fortitude to perform these procedures with prudence, courage, and composure.
Beloved physician, Saint Luke, God is the only one who truly knows my patients. He alone is aware of the physical issues they have and the necessary surgery to address them. Please pray to God to make this procedure a success. Intercede for my patients that God will provide them with power and strength.
May God’s serenity, which is beyond all understanding, keep our patients’ hearts and minds safe. May grace, mercy, and peace be with them before, during, and after this surgery. Assure them that they are safe under the care and compassion that God provides and that He will be with them as they recover.
Saint Luke, the beloved physician, patron saint of surgery, pray for us. Amen.
Further reflection
Sickness and ailments are part of our nature as human beings. But these can also lead us to an ever-deeper trust in God. With all His might and power, God shares His healing act with the people He specifically chose. That is why we should also be thankful to God for our surgeons who selflessly render their service and expertise for our welfare.
As a surgeon, we have been entrusted by God to ensure the health, well-being, and life of many patients. Not a lot of people have been given this privilege! As such, we are reminded of this sublime mission to be God’s instrument of bringing healing and recovery to all.
Always pray to God that in whatever task or endeavor we undertake may He guide and strengthen us. Much is demanded from us because God has given much to us – intelligence, wisdom, skills, and capabilities. It is truly a wonderful gift and a sublime mission to be entrusted by God to be a surgeon.
Be comforted with the truth that God guides our hands and minds as we perform medical procedures. As a father does whatever he can for his children, so does God do whatever He can for His children through us. Be thankful for this opportunity to become God’s healing presence to all of His beloved children.
