October 22, 2023 - Pastor Message
04/30/2024THE YEAR OF MISSION
THE ANOINTING OF THE SICK
“Are there people sick among you? Let them send for the priests of the Church, and let the priests pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick persons, and the Lord will raise them up. If they have committed any sins, their sins will be forgiven them” (James 5:14-15).
Continuing our reflection on the canonical basics of the sacraments and how they work, that is, give grace, we look this weekend at the anointing of the sick. The matter of the anointing of the sick is the oil of the infirm, which is olive oil blessed by the bishop each year at the diocesan Chrism Mass. The form of the sacrament is the laying on of hands and the anointing of the person with the prayer of anointing: “Through this holy anointing, may the Lord, in his love and mercy, help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord, who frees you from sin, save you and raise you up.” The minister normally anoints the recipient on the forehead and the palms of the hands, but, when these parts of the body cannot be reached, he may anoint any part of the person’s body. This may be necessary, for example, when anointing someone in an emergency room while the healthcare professionals are caring for him or her.
Who can receive the sacrament? Any baptized Catholic suffering from serious illness or health issues. What constitutes “serious” health issues? For many years, the common idea was that the person had to be in danger of death, but, more recently, the original intent of the sacrament as revealed in Scripture and Tradition has been recovered. The sacrament is no longer called “extreme unction”, reserved just for those who are dying, but is more accurately called “the anointing of the sick.” Many factors go into the determination of whether a person should be anointed, but it primarily depends on how the illness or health issue affects that person’s relationship with God. If anointing the person would strengthen his or her faith in this time of physical, mental, and spiritual struggle, then it is appropriate to anoint.
The minister of the sacrament is a priest or bishop, which is due to the effects of the sacrament. The first effect of the sacrament is spiritual healing and strength to withstand the temptations that often come with serious health issues. Due to the unity of our mind, body, and spirit, this spiritual healing and strength can also contribute to physical and mental healing and strength. The second effect of the sacrament is the forgiveness of sins. This is not a get-out-of-confession-free card. For those who are able, making a good confession before being anointed is encouraged. But for those who cannot make a good confession, such as those who are unconscious or unable to speak, the anointing of the sick provides a vital way to ensure their sins are forgiven regardless of their incapacity.
Fr. Marc Stockton
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