Page 8 - The Sacraments

THE SACRAMENT OF ANOINTING OF THE SICK
Helpful Resources
■ USCCB document: “Anointing of the Sick: Joined to Christ, Witnesses of Hope and Healing” Bit.ly/3DO6n3F
■ The Boston Pilot: “Eligibility for the Sacrament of the Sick”
CATmag.us/2oMSqPk
So, you see, this sacrament is about healing the body and soul, and one does not have to be near death to receive it. I’ll explain more about the im- portance of when to call a priest later, but if someone is facing these situations, do call for a priest. You are not bothering us with such a request! (Learn more in the Helpful Resources box.)
My story
Of the seven sacraments, I have received six. (Obviously, as a priest I will not receive Holy Matrimony.) However, I have received the Anointing of the Sick a few times in my life. And while I’ve nev- er felt a true physical healing miracle, I have felt the spiritual healing this sacrament brings.
I have recently recovered from a long medi- cal leave of absence. I have spent
more time in hospitals, rehab cen-
ters, and doctors’ offices in the last
two years than I care to remember. Sparing you the details, let us just say I was very ill, and I almost lost my right leg. During the worst of it, my spirits were down, and I was in, as the saying goes today, a bad head space.
During one of my hospitalizations in Boston, a priest I did not know — and have not seen since he visited me — was filling in for the chaplain at the hospital. This visiting priest came in my room and asked how I was doing. I summoned my en- ergy to be polite and said, “As good as I can be,”
and he laughed. I laughed a little, too, and intro- duced myself. When I told him that I was a priest his eyes seemed to open wider, and he sat down in my visitor’s chair. All of a sudden, this sick call had become more interesting, and he began asking me questions about my current assignment and where I had served in the past, as well as asking
where I grew up and which sem- inary I had attended. We got to know each other a little bit. Or, I should say, he got to know me — because I was so involved with my situation, I honestly could not tell you this priest’s name!
After a while he asked me if I wanted to receive the Anointing of the Sick and I said, “Absolutely.” He got busy with his preparations. He unrolled his little purple stole and kissed it gently before placing it on his shoulders. Next he unscrewed the cap on his oil stock that con- tains the Oil of the Sick. Lastly, he got his ritual book ready, placing the ribbons in their proper places. He
was ready for business, and so was I.
He began with the Sign of the Cross, and even be-
fore he laid his hands on my head, I began to feel more relaxed. And it is hard to explain in words, but I felt ... relieved, as if a huge burden had been lifted off me.
I had been on the other side of this sacrament so many times, and here I was receiving it — and final- ly feeling the sense of peace and serenity it gives to the Catholics who desire the grace that is offered. However, I am certain that each person who receives this sacrament has a reaction, or response, that is unique to them. It is deeply personal to receive the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.
The effects of Anointing
As a priest on the dispensing side of the Anointing, I have seen the sacrament’s dramatic effects. No, I haven’t seen any miraculous healings, but I hold out
We will always come in an emergency.
Catechist.com
65
SAMPLE
Pflaum Publishing Group
PHOTO: PIKSELSTOCK/ADOBE