Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick
Image: Anointing of the Sick. Los Angeles Archbishop Jose H. Gomez prays over a child during the Anointing of the Sick Feb. 13 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles. | (CNS photo/Victor Aleman, Vida-Vueva.com)
“They drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them” (Mk 6:13).
In what way is this a healing sacrament?
We see Jesus and the Apostles performing many acts of healing in the Gospels and in the Acts of the Apostles. We may be tempted to believe that God no longer heals since physical healings are less frequent these days, but healings still take place in remarkable numbers. Today, they are often done through the mediation of the medical professions.
In the Anointing of the Sick, the focus is on the possibility of both a spiritual and/or a physical healing. The prayers address the sick person as a whole, which includes all aspects of our human life. So while a physical or psychological ailment may be the most obvious cause of the person’s suffering, other aspects of the person’s health are also taken into consideration. Many times, the spiritual healing is far more dramatic than the physical. And sometimes this takes the form of an increased ability to accept the physical illness and its suffering.
Death is a reality of our human life, and we need not try to deny that fact when it becomes obvious or inevitable. In such cases, the Sacrament of Anointing prepares a person for death, which includes spiritual healing and the forgiveness of sins. If death is imminent, the Eucharist is offered as Viaticum (food for the journey).
As always, the grace of the sacrament and the wisdom and abilities of human nature work together when we face serious illness. We don’t want to highlight one over the other. God works just as effectively through the medical professionals as he does through the sacraments.
We want to include the sacraments, however, as a clear statement of faith in God’s presence and care for the suffering. To ignore it would be tantamount to ignoring the doctor.
Does one have to be dying to receive it?
Canon Law states that anyone who is in some danger of death from an illness or from old age can receive the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. Likewise, should the person’s condition worsen, the sacrament may be repeated (cf. CIC, 1004). The Code then immediately offers this caveat: If there is any doubt as to the seriousness of the illness or condition, the sacrament is to be received (cf. CIC, 1005). The Catechism of the Catholic Church adds that it is also appropriate to receive the sacrament prior to surgery (cf. CCC, 1515).
It must also be remembered that the sacrament is a sacrament of the living. It cannot be offered to one who has already breathed their last breath. But it is appropriate for those near death as it completes our life on earth just as baptism began it (cf. CCC, 1523).
As might be expected, this issue requires a great deal of pastoral sensitivity. Age, cultural differences, or differing understandings of the sacraments must all play a part in any decision as to the appropriateness of the administration of this sacrament.
What actually happens during this sacrament?
If circumstances allow, the Sacrament of Reconciliation should be celebrated with the sick person prior to the Sacrament of Anointing. If not, there is a brief penitential rite within the introductory prayers.
The sacrament consists of readings from the Scriptures, the laying on of hands, the blessing of the oil and the anointing on the forehead and hands, the communal recitation of the Lord’s Prayer, and the dismissal. If the sick person is able to receive Communion, the Eucharist may be administered just after the Lord’s Prayer.
It is ideal if the family of the sick person can gather for this ritual. If done in a hospital, the staff also may be invited to participate. The presence of others assures us that the Church is present in prayer. If such presence is not possible, the sacrament can be administered with just the sick person and the priest present.
Do you have a question for Fr. Don? Email him at: Letters@FranciscanMedia.org
