ANOINTING OF THE SICK

In the Holy Week and especially on Holy Thursday, the whole Church celebrated Chrism Mass. In this Mass, Chrism was consecrated, and oils of catechumen and of the sick were blessed, the oils that the Church will use throughout this year until Holy Wednesday of next year.

In our Parish, during Easter Vigil the two new oils; the oil of catechumen and Sacred Chrism were immediately used during Baptism and Confirmation. Additionally, the oil of the sick was administered on Good Friday to certain unwell individuals in a private ceremony. These oils are very special and important in the life of the Church and of every person who comes into the Church.

Here, however, I wish that we reflect about the importance of the Sacrament of Anointing the Sick and invite you to reflect on it with faith and hope, with love and without fear.

The importance of this Sacrament is presented in different texts in the ritual for the Anointing of the Sick. The prayer:

“Lord God, loving Father, you bring healing to the sick through your son Jesus Christ. Hear us as we pray to you in faith, and send the Holy Spirit, man’s Helper, and Friend, upon this oil, which nature has provided to serve the needs of men. May your blessing + come upon all who are anointed with this oil, that they may be freed from pain and illness and made well again in body, mind, and soul. . .”.

This prayer presents effects of this Sacrament principally to be healing by freeing from pain and illness and making well again in body, mind, and soul those who are sick and impaired by advanced age. The same effects are also emphasized in the prayer after anointing, the Sacrament is for easing the sufferings of the sick, making them well again in mind and body, and forgiveness of sins and granting full health. The effects are the work of the Trinity, where the Father brings them about, through the Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Anointing of the Sick as we know can be celebrated privately with a minister and the sick person or with the participation of one or two more persons, but also it can be celebrated with the participation of the members of the community in the church of Holy Cross and St. Hedwig. Our Pastor plans to celebrate this Sacrament as a community with our brothers and sisters who are sick and weak due to advanced age on Tuesday, May 21st at 10am at St. Hedwig and on Wednesday, May 22nd at 6pm at Holy Cross.

I therefore invite you to prepare yourselves spiritually and to prepare family members, neighbors, friends who will benefit from this Sacrament. Invite and encourage them, teach and inform them of the effects and fruits of this Sacrament because it is not the Sacrament of the dying. It is the Sacrament of faith, hope and love. This Sacrament provides the sick person with the grace of the Holy Spirit by which the whole person is brought to physical and spiritual healing, trust in God is encouraged, and strength is given to resist the temptations of the Evil One and anxiety about death.

Mother of God, Health of the Sick, St. Joseph hope of the sick and patron of the dying, pray for us. Amen.

Fr. Justus, Parochial Vicar