Today I was pretty busy running around to visit different sick people in our parish. Some were in their homes and others in hospitals. I visited one parishioner with the retired priest who lives here which was great because Father could anoint this person. This particular parishioner was a daily mass attendant and frequent volunteer until their cancer got worse which is why Father wanted to go with me on my visit. I’ve witnessed many anointing’s before but today something struck me while participating in the Sacrament. I saw a very simple and subtle beauty in what we were doing. I’m not just talking about administering the Sacrament, which Father did, but the whole visit: sitting and talking with the person, learning about their life and illness, seeing their family sacrifice to take care of them, and then Father anointing them and receiving communion. In fact, I was so moved by the experience that I wanted to write a blog on the Sacrament. We don’t discuss this Sacrament enough and it’s very powerful, beautiful, and, unfortunately, underused.

First, it’s important to know that the Sacrament, as with all of our Sacraments, are for the LIVING! Many good Catholics believe that this Sacrament is for those who are dying…that couldn’t be farther from the truth. The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is very much for the living and those who are sick in mind, body, or spirit. We no longer refer to the seventh Sacrament as “last rites” for this very reason. More often then not priests would be called so late in the persons fatal health journey that they would pass before the priest got to them. If you were to read the ritual’s introduction you would see that is says: “Those who are seriously ill need the special help of God’s grace in this time of anxiety, lest the pressure of temptation, perhaps weakened in their faith.” (#5) The bottom line is, whenever you are sick in either your body, mind, or spirit, that is the time to call up your priest and ask him to come to your house, hospital room, or health institution to be anointed. NOT when you are, God forbid, in a coma about to have the plug pulled or actively dying from a disease.

This is important to remember because the Sacrament is not some sort of magic trick but it’s God’s grace! While a return to physical health MAY follow from the reception of this Sacrament it is not the goal. A return to physical health will only occur if it will be beneficial to the sick person’s salvation. Salvation is always the goal when we celebrate the Sacraments. Salvation should be the goal our whole life and influence all decisions we make! The sick person is saved by their personal faith and the faith of the Church, which looks back to the death and resurrection of Christ, the source of the Sacraments power (James 5:15), and looks ahead to the future kingdom that is pledged in the Sacraments.

That being said it is equally important to not look for healing in other things and people. I am aware of the many different “healers” that are out in the world. People who claim to have healing powers, salts, rituals, incense, etc. There are even Christians who claim to have the power of healing. Please watch out for these people and rituals. If they, or their ritual, is not grounded in Jesus Christ and not approved by the Bishop then it is not a power which comes from the light of Christ but from another power of darkness. It is true that Christ uses people as instruments of healing but these people work closely with their Bishop and they know that it is not their power but Christ’s power working through them. And the healing they offer is NOT the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick for only a priest can administer that Sacrament. So please beware of who you seek healing from and know that true healing and salvation come from Jesus Christ alone.

Jesus Christ calls all of us to care and pray for the sick. “If one member suffers in the Body of Christ, which is the Church, all the members suffer with that member.” (1 Corinthians 12:26) Jesus made visiting the sick one of the corporal works of mercy for a reason. The ritual for the Sacrament says: “By their witness the sick show that our mortal life must be redeemed through the mystery Christ’s death and resurrection.” (#6) When we visit, pray for, care for, and when priests anoint the sick there is a healing power which comes from Christ through all of us and brings salvation to the whole world.