In the Church’s Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, through the ministry of the priest, it is Jesus who touches the sick to heal them from sin – and sometimes even from physical ailment.
When this Sacrament is given, the hoped-for effect is that, if it be God’s will, the person be physically healed of illness. But even if there is no physical healing, the primary effect of the Sacrament is a spiritual healing by which the sick person receives the Holy Spirit’s gift of peace and courage to deal with the difficulties that accompany serious illness or the frailty of old age.
The sacrament itself has three distinct parts: the prayer of faith, the laying-on of hands, and the anointing with oil.
In the prayer of faith, it is the whole community, the People of God, who pray for God’s help for the sick person. And if one member suffers, all share in those sufferings. This community aspect is why parishes now often hold communal celebrations of the sacrament. Sometimes it is combined with a Mass for healing. (There are also prayer services for healing that do not involve the sacrament.)
The laying-on of hands recalls Jesus’ manner of healing: “They brought the sick with various diseases to him; and he laid hands on every one of them and healed them” (Luke 4:40). The gesture indicates that this particular person is the object of the Church’s prayer of faith. It is a sign of blessing and an invocation for the coming of the Spirit.
Anointing with oil signifies healing, strengthening and the presence of the Holy Spirit.
In the Rites of the Anointing of the Sick, the priest anoints the sick person on 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.” He also anoints the sick person on the hands, saying, “May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up. Amen.” The “raising” refers to spiritual healing, as well as any physical healing that may take place.
At one time, what we practice now as the “Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick” was offered only when a person was near death. This is why it was called, “Extreme Unction” (anointing in extreme circumstances) and commonly referred to as “last rites.” Today, any seriously ill or infirmed person can be anointed at any time; death need not be imminent. Persons scheduled for surgery likewise should be anointed before entering the hospital. Also, the hospital’s chaplain will anoint persons admitted to the hospital, particularly in an emergency.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), the anointing of the sick conveys several graces and imparts gifts of strengthening in the Holy Spirit against anxiety, discouragement, and temptation, and conveys peace and fortitude (CCC 1520). These graces flow from the atoning death of Jesus Christ, for “this was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, ‘He took our infirmities and bore our diseases’” (Matt. 8:17).
“The special grace of the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick has as its effects: the uniting of the sick person to the passion of Christ, for his own good and that of the whole Church; the strengthening, peace, and courage to endure in a Christian manner the sufferings of illness or old age; the forgiveness of sins, if the sick person was not able to obtain it through the sacrament of penance; the restoration of health, if it is conducive to the salvation of his soul; the preparation for passing over to eternal life” (CCC 1532).
So, does a person have to be dying to receive this sacrament? No. The Catechism says, “The anointing of the sick is not a sacrament for those only who are at the point of death. Hence, as soon as anyone of the faithful begins to be in danger of death from sickness or old age, the fitting time for him to receive this sacrament has certainly already arrived” (CCC 1514).
But when death becomes imminent, summon a priest immediately if you know the dying person has not been anointed (the chaplain if the person is in a hospital; a parish priest if they are at home or a care facility within the parish boundaries). If they have been anointed, however, there is no need for “last rites.” The dear one has already been graced with the sacrament and is spiritually disposed to enter the presence of God.
In his steadfast love for us, the Lord gives us the sacraments involved in the last rites to comfort us in our final days and prepare us for the journey ahead. “These include penance (or confession), confirmation (when lacking), anointing of the sick . . . and Viaticum (which is meant to be the last reception of Communion for the journey from this life to eternity).
The most important part of the last rites is the reception of the Lord in one’s final Holy Communion, also called “Viaticum” (Latin: that which you take on the road) This special Communion prepares us to travel with the Lord on the final part of our journey.
