God’s compassion and comfort touches us today in the sacraments of the Catholic Church, and in a particular way in the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. In this sacrament, Christ embraces us with his forgiving and healing love. He joins our pains to his suffering on the Cross and in so doing gives meaning to our distresses and gives us hope because of his resurrection.
Christ’s healing is felt today, through the power of the Holy Spirit, by those who receive the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. In one of the letters to the early Christians, James prescribed the ancient practice of anointing the sick when he wrote, “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” (Jas 5:14).
The sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is given to those who are seriously ill—for example, those who are preparing for surgery or a dangerous medical procedure, or the elderly who are frail. The anointing can be received multiple times. Only a priest can administer this sacrament. He does so by first laying his hands on the sick person and then anointing his or her forehead and hands with blessed oil, saying, “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.”1 Through this anointing, the person’s sins are forgiven, and he or she is given God’s grace to find the strength and the courage to endure the suffering.
Jesus said, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Lk 6:36). The comfort that Christ gives his Church through the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is the comfort we are to give each other as husband and wife in moments of pain and stress. Because the love of husband and wife is a sacrament, the spouses experience God’s mercy and compassion in supporting and caring for each other. The following are some of the similarities that exist between the healing graces received in the Anointing of the Sick and the benefits of married love.
- The sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, through a special grace, strengthens the person who receives it and helps him or her resist the temptation to become discouraged (CCC, 1520). In marriage, the spouse’s presence, attention, and support in moments of difficulty encourage the person who faces adversities to keep a positive outlook.
- Through the reception of the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, the person who is ill is not suffering alone. He or she is united to the suffering of Christ, the intercession of the saints, and the prayers of the whole Church (CCC, 1522). In marriage, Christian spouses find strength when they face together the difficulties they encounter and turn to God in prayer. The emotional support of a caring spouse is a source of reassurance and helps the person who is ill recover.
- This sacrament is administered through a laying on of hands and anointing with oil, which are vehicles of Christ’s forgiveness and healing. In marriage, the spouses develop their own rituals for comforting, soothing, and forgiving each other. These can include a comforting touch, soothing words, and praying together and for each other’s needs.
Married love brings healing to the relationship and comfort to the spouse who is in pain, just as Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit forgives us and heals us in the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.
This excerpt from The Joined by Grace Couple’s Book is reprinted with permission of Ave Maria Press.
John Bosio is a former marriage and family therapist, director of religious education, and diocesan family life coordinator. He and his wife, Teri, wrote Joined by Grace, a marriage preparation program from Ave Maria Press.
