Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick

May 23, 2021

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Prayer

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I ANOINT thee with oil ( or I lay my hand upon thee), In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; beseeching the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all thy pain and sickness of body being put to flight, the blessing of health may be restored unto thee. Amen. (BCP 320)

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Introduction

1. Last week

   1. Confession

2. Today

   1. The second sacrament of healing

3. Next week

   1. Marriage

Illustration- Roman Catholic Priest coming into the room while I worked as a Chaplain.

1. Names for the Sacrament although they do not mean the same thing.

   1. Extreme Unction- refers to the oil itself

   2. Viaticum- combined with Holy Communion at the moment of death

   3. The laying on of hands- general way of praying for healing

   4. Anointing with Oil- more general term for the whole thing

2. History of the Sacrament

   1. Originally was a means of healing the sick in the community.

   2. Later developments envisioned to be given at death as a final sacrament as the soul leaves this world.

   3. So we can see the sacramental life so far, baptism, confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Confession, Anointing. This completes our sacraments of the life of the Christian.

   4. This is our 3rd and final repeatable Sacrament.

   5. As Confession heals the soul and strengthen it against future sin so to does anointing of the sick heal the body and mind. Strengthening faith.

   6. An important point is that this sacrament is not magic in that it heals 100 percent of the time, the grace received is 100 percent but the healing that accompanies it is still subject to God’s Will.

   7. Is not the angel of death coming into the Room.

3. Form and matter

   1. Matter: Putting Oil on the forehead.

   2. Form: N., I anoint you with oil and I lay my hands upon you in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

1. History

   1. James 5:14 Is anyone 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.

   2. A sacrament for the end of life.

2. Grace conferred

   1. Consolation

   2. Peace

   3. Strength

   4. Courage to endure

   5. Unites your suffering with the suffering of Christ

   6. Physical healing

   7. Mental healing

   8. Spiritual healing

3. Who can administer?

   1. Priest or Bishop

4. Who can receive?

   1. Any baptized Christian

   2. As many times as they require.

5. Common Questions about the Sacrament

   1. Can the priest heal me?

      1. No, God heals, the priest is the vessel through which God works.

   2. Will this completely heal me?

      1. Depends, do you believe it will? The faith of the person determines the outcome of the sacrament, though the outcome is still subject to God’s will.

   3. Should the only prayers for the sick be said by a priest?

      1. Absolutely not, please pray for the sick and know that God hears your prayers. This sacrament is a promise from God so it carries weights that none of us can normally achieve on our own but that does not mean that God can not work through your prayers.

6. Next Week

   1. We have covered our life sacraments and now move into our vocation sacraments

   2. Some people are called to one, both, or none of these sacraments and that is completely fine.

   3. God calls someone to these and not our own choosing. Unlike the other sacraments which God calls all people too.

   4. Marriage and Holy Orders are our final two sacraments to discuss. Next week we will look at Marriage.