Anointing of the Sick

The whole liturgical life of the Church revolves around the Eucharistic sacrifice and the Sacraments, as Sacraments are linked to the totality of Christian Life.[1] In Summa Theologica, St. Thomas describes this theological concept as exitus; all things come from God, and reditus; the return of man and woman back to God, through virtues and the sacraments.[2]  Importantly, the sacraments re-enact the visible manifestations of that divine agape coming down from the Father of Lights in the Son, and by the Holy Spirit.”[3] Through the Incarnation, God became man and died for our sins. His Pascal sacrifice replaced the Old Law of Sinai and became the “new and everlasting covenant”, written in man’s hearts.[4] 

Our worship of Christ, as divine redeemer, gives man access to the sanctuary where “the life of the Blessed Trinity to which those who belong to Christ are called.”[5] And, just as Christ entered the heavenly sanctuary through obedience to the will of His Father, we, too are called to obedience if we are to enter the sanctuary in Heaven.[6]

The sacraments are “efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us.”[7]  St. Thomas describes sacraments as “a sign that commemorates what precedes it- Christ’s Passion; demonstrates what is accomplished in us through Christ’s Passion-grace; and prefigures what the Passion pledges to us-future Glory [with God in Heaven].”[8]

The sacraments draw their efficacy from the Passion of Christ. Importantly, the sacraments are the prolongation of Christ as he existed in the act of redeeming men through his earthly mysteries, which are the direct cause of grace. Additionally, the sacraments bring their recipients into direct contact with Christ.[9] Furthermore, the sacraments are invitations of faith that recognizes Christ’s work in us.[10]

There are seven sacraments that were instituted by Christ. This next section will focus on the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick and specifically, its efficacy, grace, and fruitfulness.

According to the Apostolic Constitution:

“The sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is given to those who are seriously ill by anointing them on the forehead and hands with duly blessed oil-pressed from olives or from other plants-saying, only once: ‘Through this holy anointing may the Lord in his love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up.”[11]

Suffering is a part of life. And suffering is not proportionate to whatever sins you may have committed against God. “We suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified with Him” (Rom 8:17). It was Adam’s sin which released the mystery of suffering and death, and Christ’s passion and Mary’s compassion revealed the mystery of atonement for sin.[12]

As the mystical body of Christ, the Church is involved in the sins of individual members. The oil placed on the sacrament’s recipient signifies the Holy Spirit’s gift of healing and comfort.[13] The priest administers the sacrament in place of Christ; in persona Christi. Importantly, the suffering of one member of the body of Christ can help another. In my own experience, a dear friend mine who suffered and ultimately died from breast cancer was a beacon of faith and hope to her family and friends. Although she did not want to die, she was grateful for the many gifts God had given her during her life and was steadfast in her faith until she was called Home. She was a beautiful witness to redemptive suffering.

Suffering and death are an integral part of Christian life. With God’s grace infused by the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, man can see suffering as redemptive in nature as it conforms man to Christ, whose suffering was a condition of his glorification. The primary purpose of this sacrament is its healing power for the interior wounds of sin. The oil is the sign-action (the sacramentum tantum); the interior healing is the effect (res). And while the Anointing of the sick can cause physical healing, it is only when God wishes it to do so.[14] What is more important is the interior healing provided.

The Council of Trent assigns to anointing a role supplementary to the sacrament of penance; as perfecting not only penance but as well the “Christian’s whole life which ought to be a continual exercise of penance.” [15]

St Thomas says that the grace received from the anointing sacrament brings a special strength of mind, which by “stiffening the patient’s Christian resolve and arousing his love for God, it makes the same punishment [suffering] seem lighter[16]  Through Christ’s grace man can more easily accept redemptive suffering.

There are many who receive the anointing sacrament who are not literally on their death bed. However, for those who are, the recipient is understandably more apprehensive about the nearness of death, especially if he is in the state of grave sin. If the anointed person shows sorrow for his grave sin, absolution can be granted. For our God is a merciful God. O’Neill ends his reflection on the Anointing of the Sick by stating, “The anointed Christian, offering himself as victim, accepting his own suffering and death in conformity with Christ, can find in them a new baptism from which he will rise up, as Christ did, to glory.[17]

O’Neill notes that the Church is where we must unite ourselves to Christ our Savior. The Holy Spirit is in intimate contact with the Church, the mystical Body of Christ, to raise men up as sons of God. Uniting ourselves to Christ through the sacraments changes everything in how we live our life. Baptism welcomes us into the Mystical Body of Christ and cleanses us from original sin. Penance provides an opportunity to receive forgiveness for our sins due to our concupiscence. The Eucharist allows us to partake in the Body of Christ, which provides nourishment on our pilgrim journey to Heaven. By active participation in the Mystical Body of Christ, we can keep Christ front and center in our lives. In this way, we can grow in piety, true devotion to Jesus. In conforming our lives to Christ, we can finish our earthly race well and march on to victory:

“I have competed well: I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which is the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day, and not just to me, but for all who have longed for his appearance.”[18]

[1] O'Malley Lecture on The Priesthood of Christ

[2] Colman O’Neill, Meeting Christ in the Sacraments, p. xiv

[3] Ibid

[4] Ibid, p. 3

[5] Ibid, p.4

[6] Ibid, p. 7

[7] CCC 1131

[8] St. Thomas Aquinas, Sth III, 60, 3

[9] Colman O’Neill, p. 64-66

[10] Ibid

[11] Apostolic Constitution, Sacram unctionem infirmorum; CCC1513

[12] Colman, p. 277

[13] CCC 1294.

[14] O’Neill  p. 284-285; ST Suppl., q. 30. a. 2

[15] O’Neill p. 287

[16] O’Neill 289; ST Suppl.,q. a 1. ad 2

[17] O’Neill p. 292

[18] 2 Tim 4:7-8