Anointing of the SickAnointing of the Sick

Victor Alfaro

Jorge BojorkezDiego Alulema

Erick BravoEfrain Mercado

Mrs. Beck’s Story

Mrs. Beck has spent the last 40 years caring for her family. She attended dailymass whenever she could and was veryinvolved in the church community.

Unfortunately five months ago sicknesschanged things radically. Now she must spendher time at home being taken care of by her children.

Little things taken for granted are now major concerns for her. Her prayers were “Thank you, Lord, for my family and friends, and all the things were blessed with.” Now there “Jesus, into your hands I commend my spirit.”

She needs more than pills and shots, she needs the touch of loving concern. It changes her view on her illness. Although she is

physically impaired , she feels healed, somehow more

whole. Therefore, the sacrament reaffirms her belief in Jesus, who once suffered for us, and in his

healing touch.

What Does Anointing Celebrate?To many people, times of illness and

suffering seem senseless and devoid of meaning, permeated by an overwhelming emptiness. The sacrament of Anointing offers a spiritual antidote to the damaging effects of illness.

Anointing by a priest or a bishop is a statement by the whole Christian community that God’s gracious concern does not leave us in times of suffering, illness, and even death.

God’s Loving Concern

God’s loving concern for sick,suffering, or dying people is the

firstand foremost truth celebrated in thesacrament of Anointing.

Knowing that God cares about us when we are hurting can have a powerful healing effect on us.

Healing the Whole Person

If you or someone close to you has ever beenseriously injured or been sick, you know thatbeing sick affects all of you – your body, mind,and soul. Physical illnesses do not just affect

ourbody. Likewise, emotional difficulties usually havesome sort of negative impact on your physicalhealth. Such as depression.

Modern medicine acknowledges the relationship between emotional and physical health, and many health-care professionals are giving increasing regard to the emotional and spiritual needs of their patients.

Often people do experience physical

healing after

receiving this sacrament, but that is

not its

primary purpose.

How Do We Know God Really Cares?

Jesus cast out demons to actually restore

people to life.

Jesus himself experienced suffering, death, and Resurrection.

&

My SonA woman’s only son died. In her grief, she went to

a holy man for help. He told her to fetch a

mustard seed from a house that has not ever

known sorrow. She went off. She came first to a

splendid mansion, and asked “I am looking for a

home that has never known sorrow. Is this such a

place?” They told her that she had certainly came

to the wrong place and began to describe all the

tragic things that recently had befallen them.

The woman said to herself, “Who is better able to help these poor, unfortunate people than I, who have had misfortune of my own?” She stayed to comfort them and then went on to other homes to find the magical seed. She went house to house hearing their tragic stories. Eventually she became so involved in ministering to other people’s grief that ultimately she forgot about her quest. She never realized that her compassion had, in fact, driven the sorrow out of her life.

Life, Not Death, Has the Final Word

The Gospels tell us thatJesus himself sufferedsuch mental and physicalpain and was finally put

todeath by the terriblemethod of crucifixion.

The powerful hopeful message of the paschal mystery: The God of Jesus Is the God of life. And life, not death, will always have the last word.

Different Rites for Different

CircumstancesOffered with the wider

faithcommunity present.Anointing can be

celebratedwith a whole faithcommunity, eitheras part of a mass or in aseparate healing service.

Offered to nonterminally ill

persons. It can also be celebrated by Individuals

who are seriously, but not terminally ill.

Offered to dying persons. It is also available to bring A

special comfort and peace to those persons who suffer

from a terminal illness or are close to death. In

which the person receives his or her last communion.

Anointing of the Sick