SACRAMENT OF THE SICK

Sacrament Of The Sick

It is clear from reading the gospels that much of Jesus' ministry was taken up with those who suffered sickness and disease. Time after time the evangelists recount stories of how people were brought to him so that he could cure them. These included disabilities which would normally be lifelong, like blindness or leprosy, as well as those ailments which afflict us temporarily but leave us debilitated and sometimes downhearted.Whenever Jesus cured a person, it was always as a sign of something else. The visible cure was a testimony that he had restored the person to a wholeness which often could not be seen. He cured a paralysed man almost as an afterthought to forgiving his sins, and frequently he restored a person's health because they had shown great faith in him.Jesus also charged his apostles with the task of spreading the good news and healing the sick:"So they set off to preach repentance; and they cast out many devils and anointed many sick people with oil and cured them," (Mk 6:12-13) This pattern continued after Jesus' death and resurrection. The early Church community saw forgiveness and healing as an important part of being faithful to Jesus' mission. Healing was one of Jesus' promises to us.

What do we do today?

Today the Church celebrates this promise in the sacrament of the anointing of the sick. The important elements of this sacrament are the prayer of faith (by the priest, the sick person and the community), the laying on of hands which invokes the Holy Spirit, and the anointing with oil.The proper place for celebrating this sacrament is the home, the parish or community of the sick person, the place where they have to address their sickness and where they are supported by other Christians in the local Church. Of course, in emergencies, it can also be celebrated in hospitals.

Who is this sacrament for?

Anointing of the sick is not reserved for those who are about to die. The old terms of Extreme Unction and Last Rites are rather outdated today and rarely apply. It is a sacrament to help us to live. It is about bringing our faith in God to bear on those situations, caused by sickness, which require the help of grace - grace for us to continue living fully the life we are called to as sons and daughters of God. It is about being saved and raised up.At the same time, it is not a sacrament for those minor inconveniences which can easily be dealt with by a dose of medicine or a heart to heart session of spiritual counselling. The mind of the Church is that this sacrament is for those whose health is seriously impaired by sickness or old age, and those who are about to undergo an important surgical operation. A sensible unscrupulous decision is called for, and when someone is unable to ask for the sacrament themselves the family and friends should consider what the sick person might request.

The Formula

When a priest anoints a sick person (usually on their forehead and the palms of their hands) he uses a formula which expresses the Church's desire for God to strengthen this person in their sickness, so that with their sins forgiven they may be restored to wholeness:Through this holy anointing may the Lord in his mercy and love help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit. Amen. May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up. Amen.

Our care for the sick

We take it for granted that when someone is sick we should look after them. We are good at seeing to their physical needs. Yet the Christian Church has a responsibility to ensure that its members do not feel cut off or isolated from the community as a result of their sickness. This includes providing for their spiritual needs:"If any one of you is in trouble, they should pray; if anyone is feeling happy, they should sing a psalm. If one of you is ill, they should send for the elders of the Church who must anoint the person with oil in the name of the Lord and pray over them. The prayer of faith will save the sick person and the Lord will raise them up again; and if they have committed any sins, they will be forgiven. So confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, and this will cure you. The heartfelt prayer of a good person works very powerfully." (James 5:13-16)

Sharing Christ's Ministry

The family and friends of the sick and those who take care of them in any way have a special share in the ministry of comfort. In particular, it is their task to strengthen the sick with words of faith and by praying with them, to commend them to the suffering and glorified Lord, and to encourage them to contribute to the well-being of the people of God by associating themselves willingly with Christ's passion and death. If the sickness grows worse, the family and friends of the sick and those who take care of them have the responsibility of informing the parish priest and by their kind words of prudently disposing the sick for the reception of the sacraments at the proper time. (No.34 General Introduction to Pastoral Care of Sick)

A Prayer

The following prayer may be found helpful for saying when visiting a person who is sick:May the God of all consolation comfort you in every way and grant you hope all the days of your life. May God restore you to health and grant you salvation. May God fill your heart with peace and lead you to eternal life. And may almighty God hold us all in the power of his love, the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

St. Blaise

Many people remember February 3rd, Saint Blaise's feast, because of the Blessing of the Throats that took place on this day. Two candles were blessed, held slightly open, and pressed against the throat as the blessing was said. Saint Blaise's protection of those with throat troubles apparently comes from a legend that a boy was brought to him who had a fishbone stuck in his throat. The boy was about to die when Saint Blaise healed him.

The traditional blessing used for this day is:

Through the intercession of Saint Blaise, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from ailments of the throat and from every other evil. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

11TH February: Our Lady of Lourdes

While we remember the great miracles of Lourdes this is also a time to remember to assist and pray for those who are sick. A prayer may be very helpful but a visit will be even more tangible.

Visiting the sick is also one of the Corporal Works of Mercy. The others are: Give food to the hungry; Drink to the thirsty; clothe the needy; shelter the homeless; visit those in prison; bury the dead.