Anointing of the Sick and Catholic Funeral Rite

There are more stories in the Gospels about Jesus healing the sick who came to him than there are stories of his forgiving sinners. Jesus healed for a good many reasons: compassion, love, and as a sign of the coming of the Kingdom of God when sickness would no longer exist.

Jesus extended his healing ministry by sending his disciples to “cast out demons, and anoint with oil the many who were sick and they cured them” (Mark 6:13). At the end of Mark’s Gospel, in the Commissioning of the Eleven, Jesus declares, “These signs will accompany those who believe: they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover” (Mark 16:17-18).

In the early church, as recorded in the Letter of James, we see that there was a healing ministry: “Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up” (5:14-15).

It is vague as to how the sacrament was practiced in the intervening years up to about the 800’s, when the focus shifted from one of healing to one of preparing the faithful for death. During that time it was referred to as extreme unction, meaning “last anointing.” Extreme Unction provided for anointing, confession and Holy Eucharist so that a person met death fully prepared.

Vatican II (1963-65) restored the original intent of the sacrament. It received a new name, Anointing of the Sick, and new emphasis as a source of spiritual and physical healing, which gives God’s special grace to those who were suffering from serious illness, injury or old age.

Like all the sacraments, the grace given in Anointing of the Sick has a number of effects:

• It unites our suffering to the Passion, or suffering, of Christ
• Our suffering, as small and insignificant as it is compared to Christ’s, becomes a participation in Jesus’ redemptive (saving) suffering, for ourselves and for the whole Church.
• It leads to forgiveness of sin if the person is unable to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation
• It strengthens its recipients and provides peace to endure the inevitable suffering that comes with sickness and old age
• It assists a person in regaining health of mind or body, if this is God’s will; it does not force God to perform a miraculous healing
• It leads to the health of the soul
• It provides strength to him or her for final good-byes; the opportunity to let go of this life peacefully; and faith in the promise of eternal life with God

A priest should be contacted when someone is in danger of death; but one need not wait until the person is on his or her deathbed. Another appropriate time is when there is the presence of serious illness, when an illness worsens, advanced years (especially if one is becoming weak though not seriously ill), before surgery, before receiving treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy and in the case of emotional or psychological trauma. There are no limits as to the number of times an individual may receive the Anointing of the Sick.

The sacrament may be received in any location - at home, in a medical setting, at the scene of an accident. It may also be celebrated in a church during a healing Mass. (At St. Theresa a healing Mass is offered twice each year. The fall 2007 healing Mass is October 24.) Only a priest or bishop can administer the sacrament. He anoints with oil that has been blessed for use in healing called Oil of the Sick. The priest, acting in the person of Jesus, anoints the forehead and hands of the sick person while saying the words, "Through this holy anointing may the Lord in his love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up." This prayer asks for healing, strength and grace.

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Anointing of the Sick must not be viewed as the Last Sacrament, which is how many people thought of Extreme Unction. There are three “last” sacraments, also called last rites: Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, and Eucharist, and they are received in that order. Eucharist has a special name under this circumstance and that is Viaticum, meaning food for the journey. It is ideally the final sacrament one receives before death. Viaticum is the ultimate “Passover” food.

Like Anointing of the Sick, the emphasis of Catholic Funeral Rites has also seen a shift in the past few decades. Previously, the occasion of a funeral of a Catholic was observed in a very solemn fashion – black, somber, sorrowful. According to the Order of Christian Funerals (OCF), the purposes of our funeral rites are more celebratory, hopeful, and joyous and are intended:

• To offer worship, praise and thanksgiving to God for the gift of a life which has now been returned to God (OCF #5)
• To affirm the Church’s belief in the sacredness of the human body and the resurrection of the dead [Reflections on the Body, Cremation, and Catholic Funeral Rites by the Committee on the Liturgy, National Conference of Catholic Bishops (RBCCF)]
• To bring hope and consolation to the living (OCF #7)
• To renew our awareness of God’s mercy and judgment and to meet the human need to turn always to God in times of crisis (OCF #7)
• To support the Church’s emphasis on the indispensable role of the wider community in the dying and death of a Christian (RBCCF)
• To affirm and express the union of the Church on earth with the Church in Heaven in the one great communion of saints (OCF #6). The celebration of the Catholic funeral rites promotes a healthy grieving process that can lead to deep levels of personal conversion and spiritual growth. In contrast, the avoidance of these funeral rites may short-circuit grief and healing.

These purposes are made vividly evident in the symbolic elements of the funeral liturgy as the community of believers gathers with the loved ones of the deceased to take seek comfort in Scripture, offer thanksgiving for Christ’ triumph over sin and death, and celebrate Eucharist. Symbolism is apparent in the following:

• Welcoming the body into the Church - in remembrance of Baptism, the first welcoming into the Church.
• The sprinkling of holy water - reminding of Baptism's redemptive waters.
• Easter candle - Christ's conquering of sin and death.
• Funeral pall - The white cloth draped over the casket represents the white garment received at Baptism. Christian symbols can be placed on top of the pall, most often the cross and Bible.
• Christian community - give witness to our hope in the resurrection. As the preface to the Eucharistic Prayer states: “Lord, for your faithful people life has changed, not ended.”
• Word of God - brings to our consciousness the presence of our loving God.
• Eucharistic sacrifice - the thanking for, the offering of and the sharing in the Body and Blood of Christ is a foretaste of Heaven's everlasting banquet.
• Words of Remembrance - different from a eulogy, this is an optional time for loved ones to give witness to the Christian life lived by the deceased.
• Final commendation - the farewell affirms that, though separated for now, we share the same destiny of resurrection on the last day.
• Blessing with incense - a symbol of respect. The rising smoke is a sign of the community's prayers for the deceased rising to God.

Discussion Questions:

1. What has been your perception of the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick? Has that perception changed over time?

2. In your experiences of attending funerals, how does a Catholic funeral compare to funerals in other faiths?