The sacrament is administered by a bishop or priest, who uses the oleum infirmorum ('oil of the sick'), an olive oil or another pure plant oil blessed by a bishop, to anoint the patient's forehead and perhaps other parts of the body while reciting certain prayers. The Catechism of the Catholic Churchâs section on the Anointing of the Sick defines the purpose of the sacrament as âthe conferral of a special grace on the Christian experiencing the difficulties inherent in the condition of grave illness or old age.â (Catechism, 1527), In his Gospel St. Mark (6:12-13) gives us an indication of this sacrament of the sick when he tells us that the apostles, going forth, âpreached that men should repent, and they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many sick people, and healed them.â. This is the grace that quiets anxiety and dissipates fear. Traditionally, olive oil is used for anointing. (Isaiah 61:1) see Luke 4:18 In the New Testament Jesus of Nazareth is shown to be the Messiah, or Christ or Anointed, of the Old Testament, (John 1:41; Acts 9:22; 17:2,3; 18:4,28) and the historical fact of his being anointed with the Holy Ghost is asserted and recorded. Later, prophets and kings were anointed with olive oil, which became a symbol for the power of the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 61:1). The traditional practice would be to anoint those who are sick and pray an anointing appeal for healing. The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is often simply referred to as the Sacrament of the Sick. R. Amen. Lead a training session with your deacons through which you can introduce their responsibility to pray for the sick and to anoint them with oil. Although Dr. Warrington points out a number of different things the oil could be symbolizing from other Scriptures, from which he accepts all of them as mutually true symbolic options, most convincing by far is that the anointing is symbolically applied as a sign of God’s consecration of the sick believer for His healing (Moo 240, Warrington 353-7). The condition under which this secondary effect can be expected to operate is stated by the Council of Trent: âWhen it is expedient for the soulâs salvation.â. He has done so precisely in order to assure that we take due care of our physical well-being and do not expose ourselves to unnecessary danger to our life. The main element of the Sacrament itself is the anointing of the sick person by the priest on the head and hands with the Oil of the Sick, which has been blessed by the Bishop at the Chrism Mass. While ideally celebrated with the community during the Mass for the anointing of the sick, this sacrament can be administered any time and in any place. Anointing oil has varied uses in the Bible. Anointing with Oil in African Christianity: An Evaluation of Contemporary Practices By Sampson M. Nwaomah One New Testament practice that seems to have appealed to many contemporary African Christians in their quest to appropriate the providences of God in their lives, endeavors, and in order to protect their possessions is the practice of anointing with oil. Anointing is a common practice found in the Bible and modern Christianity. Anointing the body or head with oil was a common practice with the Jews, as with other Oriental nations. FREE ebook: Getting Through the Storms of Life, How and Why Are People Anointed? Anointing oil is a symbol of your faith in God and of God's ability to cleanse and make things holy. The oil is believed to have the healing purpose for it is blessed. Imprimatur: Leo A. Pursley, D.D., Bishop of Fort Wayne, Indiana. The anointing of the sick is most commonly associated with the Roman Catholic Church. Prophets were occasionally anointed to their office, (1 Kings 19:16) and were called messiahs, or anointed. The soul has been cleansed from all that might hold it back from God, from venial sins and from the temporal punishment due to sin. Places his hands lightly on the person’s head and calls the person by his or her full name. This is the preparation of the soul for entrance into heaven by the forgiveness of venial sins and the cleansing of the soul from the remains of sin. 1 John 2:27 ESV / 121 helpful votes. In the Old Testament, a Deliverer is promised under the title of Messiah, or Anointed, (Psalms 2:2; Daniel 9:25,26) and the nature of his anointing is described to be spiritual, with the Holy Ghost. It is the grace which gives the soul the strength to face and conquer whatever temptations to doubt, despondency, or even despair may mark Satanâs last effort to seize this soul for himself. The Uses of Anointing Oils. Before we begin, let’s think about what we mean by a symbol and We are promised that the prayer of the righteous will be heard. As with all other spiritual tools, the real power comes from God. Since Penance (Confession) is the sacrament by which God intends our mortal sins to be forgiven, a sick person who has mortal sins to confess must receive the sacrament of Penance before he receives the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick. It is an increase in sanctifying grace that Anointing of the Sick gives, since it presupposes that the recipient already is free from mortal sin. Doubtless some who read this have already received Anointing of the Sick, perhaps even several times. Yet we should have a high degree of confidence, once we have received Anointing of the Sick, that we shall look upon the face of God moments after our soul leaves our body. Then he anoints the hands, saying: May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up. Spiritual--with the Holy Ghost. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed” (Luke 4:18), - But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. Thus Jacob anointed a pillar at Bethel. We hope that our friends still will continue to pray for us after death, since we never can be sure of the adequacy of our own dispositions in receiving this sacrament; and if we do not need the prayers, someone else will profit by them. (1 John 2:20), - The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound (Isaiah 61:1), - And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The primary purpose of the special grace of Anointing of the Sick is to comfort and to strengthen the soul of the sick person. 5:14, 15). We need not feel ashamed, therefore, nor convicted of lack of faith if we find ourselves apprehensive when the shadow of death looms over us. Spirit of the living God, take control and breathe in this oil so that your resurrection … During this anointing, the priest says: âThrough this holy anointing may the Lord in his love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit. The book of James instructs the ailing believer to call for the elders of the church for prayer and anointing with oil in the name of the Lord. However, it is a comfort to know that Anointing of the Sick does forgive mortal sin also if the critically ill person is unable to receive the sacrament of Penance. Answer: Anointing oil, mentioned 20 times in Scripture, was used in the Old Testament for pouring on the head of the high priest and his descendants and sprinkling the tabernacle and its furnishings to mark them as holy and set apart to the Lord (Exodus 25:6; Leviticus 8:30; Numbers 4:16). It is evident that we have no right to expect this physical result from Anointing of the Sick if the priest is not called until the body is hopelessly ravaged by disease. It is plain that the principal purpose of the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is a spiritual one: to prepare the soul for death, if death is to eventuate. Anointing of the sick, known also by other names, is a form of religious anointing or "unction" (an older term with the same meaning) for the benefit of a sick person. Thus there is intensified in the soul that supernatural life, that oneness with God, which is the source of all spiritual strength as it is also the measure of our capacity for the happiness of heaven. a. Symbol- The Oil of the Sick is the most important physical part of the sacrament. It is one of the three Holy oils blessed by the bishop of the diocese at his cathedral on Holy Thursday morning, the other two Holy Oils being Holy Chrism and the Oil of Catechumens, which is used in Baptism.Oil of the Sick is pure olive oil—nothing being added except the blessing of the bishop.