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ANOINTING
OF THE SICK
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"Is any one among you sick? He should call the elders of the
church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the
Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person
well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be
forgiven." Jas 5: 14-15 |
Illness and
suffering have always been among the gravest problems confronted in human
life. In illness, we experience powerlessness, limitation, and our own
mortality. Every illness has the potential to make us glimpse our own
death. Illness can lead to anguish, self-absorption, and sometimes even
despair and revolt against God. It can also make a person more mature,
helping to discern in life what is essential and what is not. Very often
illness provokes a search for God and a return to Him.
Anointing of
the Sick is not a sacrament only for those who are at the point of death.
Hence, it would be fitting to receive the Sacrament of the Anointing of
the Sick as soon as anyone begins to be in danger of death from sickness
or old age. If a sick person who received this anointing recovers his
health, he can in the case of another grave illness receive this sacrament
again. If during the same illness the person's condition becomes more
serious, the sacrament may be repeated. It would be fitting, also, to
receive the Anointing of the Sick just prior to a serious operation. The
same holds true for the elderly whose frailty becomes more pronounced.
The special
grace of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick has as its effects:
-
uniting
the sick person to the passion of Christ, for his own good and that
of the whole Church;
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the
strengthening, peace, and courage to endure in a Christian manner
the sufferings of illness or old age;
-
forgiveness
of sins, if the sick person was not able to obtain it through the
Sacrament of Penance;
-
restoration
of health, if it is conducive to the salvation of his soul;
-
preparation
for passing over to eternal life.
The Sacrament
of the Anointing of the Sick is available at any time by calling the
Pastoral Center (410-255-3677) and requesting the sacrament from the
Pastor.
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