At any day or hour, if someone needs God’s healing presence, we offer the sacrament of the anointing of the sick. This anointing is not “the last rite” or the “extreme unction.” This sacrament is not only for those in danger of death. Anointing is for all those faithful whose health is in danger by sickness, age, or anything in between. This anointing is for a person before a serious surgery; it is for elderly people; it is for those who are mentally ill; it is for sick children. It is given whenever it is necessary, and it can be repeated any time.
I am very grateful to our homebound Eucharistic ministers who are taking Communion to those who are ill and homebound. I would love to visit our ill whenever is necessary. It is my goal to visit our sick at least once a month, or as requested. If desired, I will also offer confessions or/and the Anointing of the Sick, if the person desires. If our loved ones cannot come to the church, the church will come to them! Just give us a call.

Fr. Emil
Pastor

Anointed in Christ with the Oil of Hope

For us as Christian Catholics, Christ is our Physician. The Catholic Church believes and confesses that among the seven sacraments there is one especially intended to strengthen those who are being tried by illness, the anointing of the sick. Moved by so much suffering Christ not only allows himself to be touched by the sick, but he makes their miseries his own: “He took our infirmities and bore our diseases.” (Mt 8:17; Isa. 53:4). Jesus invites his disciples to share in his ministry of compassion and healing: “So they went out, preached repentance and cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them.” (Mk 6:12-13; CCC 1506)

It does not matter if we live in the northern or southern hemisphere, third world country or one in the most beautiful area of this earth like Cambria, we cannot hide from physical, psychological or any other dimension of pain or suffering. Suffering is something that cannot be avoided; rich or poor, native or stranger; we are all touched by it. And when we experience pain and suffering we realize that it is something which cannot be explained easily or it cannot be explained at all.
Why do we suffer if we are the beloved children of God, the loving Father?
I do not have an answer for this question – in fact, I would be afraid if you will find someone who will give you a “straight” answer. Why did Jesus suffer? Why did He decide to die on the cross for you and for me when He could redeem the world in a different way? Suffering is a mystery, in this beautiful but, many times, painful world. At times we pray that God may restore things as they were. This is the prayer of all people who feel lost, excluded from a certain good, desperate. We wait for a miracle… 

When we hit those hard times we must remember that as Christians we are not a lost people, even if at times we do feel that way. We believe that God stands by our side, by our beds, it does not matter if we suffer liver cancer or the cancer of separation from one another or from God. This is the miracle: to know that God stands by or walks with us on our journey, just as he did when he walked with the disciples on the way to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35) 

Yes, God stands by for us, and in the Church we experience that especially through the sacraments. Even if many miracles do happen throughout the world, the miracle that God is close to us, ready to touch our hearts and bodies with his healing touch. We feel His touch through the sacrament of anointing of the sick. We realize that it is much harder to heal a broken heart than a broken leg. We all are in need of the healing touch of Jesus, the Healer. 

Sacraments are channels of healing, forgiveness and constant love. No wonder why in our Catholic Church they are the main focus of our liturgy. In the sacraments we offer our worship in union with our Lord, Jesus Christ, the Healer that God the Father gave us. As Christians, we believe that through the Church, by the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ pours out His redemptive love upon everyone who is God’s child.

The sacrament of anointing of the sick is not an exception from this case. This sacrament implies an anointing with oil (on forehead and hands and, if necessary on the sick place of the body), while praying. First, the priest anoints the forehead, saying: Through this holy anointing may the Lord in his love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Then, he anoints the hands, saying: May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up. Amen.

Often, as a priest I found people who said, “What is that? Is that “body oil?” For some a religious rite may seem unhelpful and futile: how banal and simple this “anointing” is, some would be tempted to say. However, beyond these simple and humble appearances, a believer can see and feel God’s love, His power of spiritual and even physical healing.

There is a rich history behind the sacrament of anointing of the sick, which makes us understand better what this sacrament is all about. The way we understand this sacrament today is based on how the Church tried to understand and explain it throughout centuries. Some people may understand this sacrament as an ‘action’ or ‘something’ which should be accomplished only before death. No wonder why in the past it was said about this sacrament as, “the last rites.” Even today we can hear, unfortunately pretty often, the same, old expression. Others will see in the anointing something magic and mysterious which, occasionally, can “even” heal. Nothing is more wrong than these opinions.

The scriptural references of this sacrament teach us a lesson: the anointing should not be seen as “the last sacrament.” “And the disciples cast out many demons and anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them.” (Mk 6:13) “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. ... Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man and the Lord will raise him up...” (James 5:14-15) 

As everyone can see, there is nothing magic or mysterious in these words, in the minister, or in the oil. The sacrament of anointing has its roots in Scripture, and reflects an ancient practice of anointing with oil; now it is accomplished in Christ. We anoint asking the Lord to strengthen our body, to heal our soul through the forgiveness of sins, to bring us comfort, peace, and certitude that He is by our side in our suffering. Above all, we anoint expecting a spiritual healing.

As specified before, the anointing of the sick is not only for those in danger of death. Anointing is for all those faithful whose health is in danger by sickness or old age; it is for a person before a serious surgery; it is for elderly people; it is for those with mentally illness; it is for sick children. It is given whenever is necessary and it can be repeated any time.

Anointing of the sick is about forgiveness, spiritual and possible physical healing. If somebody loves someone, should not wait in calling the priest for anointing, or should not delay coming to anointing Masses. Calling the priest for anointing and praying together for the beloved person who needs our prayer is nothing but an act of love, welcomed by God. In praying is not only the priest but the family and the entire community of faith is interceding to God. 

Because this sacrament is not an “extreme unction” or “the last rite,” we, at Santa Rosa Catholic Church, include in our liturgy the so called healing-Masses, announced previously in the bulletins. The family, friends, relatives of all those mentioned above, are welcome and should come together with the one to be anointed. It is their task as well to strengthen the sick with their presence, with their words of faith and prayer, to encourage them to embrace whatever is given by God. “If one suffers in the Body of Christ, everybody suffers” (1Cor 12:16).

We have to remember always that such ill people have the power to remind us of the suffering of Jesus Christ. Sickness reminds us that life, here on earth, is incomplete – only in heaven we will be indeed free from every illness, suffering, tears or death. Christ transformed the sorrow and the pain of the cross into a sign of victory. Thus, in the anointing of the sick, in this humble and simple sacrament, we can see the proclamation of God’s kingdom, His presence among us, His healing touch, a sign of the world to come. With the eyes of faith we see in the oil, hope and strength, needed to pass through the valley of sorrows.