Page 13 - The Sacraments

Teaching about the Sacrament of the Sick | Jeanne Hunt
Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders, as well as in Anointing of the Sick. This is a special blessing from God administered through the hands of the priest.
(With young children, you might need to explain what a blessing is. A blessing is the word of God that speaks well of us. A blessing communicates God’s love. Start with showing how we bless ourselves with the Sign of the Cross. Or maybe students have ex- perienced a blessing within their family by a parent with a goodbye hug and a prayer for a good day at school. The laying on of hands in a sacrament brings a unique blessing from God.)
Blessings are accompanied by words of prayer. Show students that they, too, can offer prayers as a blessing to others, and make prayer a part of this lesson.
Invite the students to share a short time of in- tercession seeking healing for themselves or some- one else. Respond to each
prayer with “Lord, hear our
prayer” or “Heal us, O Lord” or a similar response. If your students are hesitant to par- ticipate, ask them to write their prayers on paper, and the leader can read them. Model this time of prayer on the Prayers of the Faithful from Mass.
Do what you teach
One way to get your lesson across is to model the con- tent. In this case, we connect with the different learning models of sight, sound, and movement to show our stu- dents what this sacrament is all about.
Nothing is quite so memorable as watching the real thing. If it is possible for the class to attend a par- ish event when the Anointing of the Sick is offered, it will really help them understand the meaning of the healing rite. Perhaps you can look ahead and coor- dinate your curriculum with the parish service. Just being there as suffering souls come forward and are anointed shows much more than we can explain. If this is not possible, invite the parish priest to come to your class and demonstrate the sacrament.
Reinforce the signs of this rite with simple prayers that include a blessing, such as the Sign of the Cross. (Remember, the power of Jesus’ Cross to raise us up is the source of this sacrament’s pow- er.) Some classes might hold hands during prayer. Or you might have a basket in which students can place petitions for healing prayers. In every way that you can, create an atmosphere of compassion and healing.
Finally, a favorite craft project for this lesson is to create a card for someone with a “Fringe of His Garment.” A few years ago, as I was recovering from surgery, a young girl brought me a piece of fringe at- tached to a card that held these Gospel verses:
Behold, a woman ... came up behind Jesus and touched the fringe of his garment, for she said to her- self, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” (Matthew 9:20-21, English Standard Version)
I loved that card and touched the fringe often during those painful days. I then created my own card and purchased fringe at the fabric store. My class made their cards and gave them away to a suffering friend or family member, along with their own prayers and love inside.
Teach with joy
All the sacraments should be taught with joy and ex- citement. Sacraments are the touchstones of God’s movement in our lives. The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick needs to be present- ed and taught as the light
of hope and the touch of God’s healing presence. Students will find our joy and excitement contagious if we take what we know and transform it into some- thing alive in our midst.
JEANNE HUNT is a nationally recognized speaker and author in catechesis and evangelization offering parish missions, retreats, days of reflection, and workshops. Her latest books include Raising a Moral Child (Paulist Press) and Choir Prayers III (Oregon Catholic Press). Jeanne is on
staff at Our Lady of the Visitation Parish in Cincinnati, Ohio.
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