Dear Brothers and Sisters,

On this occasion I would like to reflect on the sacrament of the anointing of the sick. The sacraments were instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ to continue His life and saving presence on earth in the midst of us the redeemed. As the catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us, “the sacraments are powers that come forth from the body of Christ, which is ever living and life-giving. They are actions of the Holy Spirit at work in His body, the Church. They are the masterwork of God in the new and everlasting covenant.” (CCC-1116).

In a particular way, in the anointing of the sick, our Lord Jesus comes near to those who suffer. In the Apostolic Constitution Sacram Unctionem Infirmorum, Pope Paul VI recalls the scriptural foundation of this sacrament in James 5, 14-15, “Is any man sick among you? Let him bring in the priests of the Church and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick man, and the Lord shall raise him up: and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him.” These words reveal the essentials of the sacrament: the sick person, the priests of the Church, the prayer of faith, the anointing with oil in the name of the Lord, the saving action of God, and the forgiveness of sins.

Pope Paul VI emphasizes that this sacrament is not only for those at the point of death, but for any of the faithful who are in serious danger due to sickness or old age. Far from being only a last rite, the anointing of the sick is a sacrament of healing and hope. Through it, Christ encounters the sick with strength, peace, and courage, with forgiveness of sins, if the person is unable to confess, and with the grace to unite their sufferings to His saving passion.

The Catechism teaches us, that “By the sacred anointing of the sick and the prayer of the priests the whole Church commends those who are ill to the suffering and glorified Lord, that he may raise them up and save them. And indeed, she exhorts them to contribute to the good of the People of God by freely uniting themselves to the Passion and death of Christ”. (CCC-1499). Thus, in this sacrament the sick are freely united to Christ’s passion and their suffering becomes redemptive suffering for the good of all. Suffering is not meaningless or separated from the body of Christ. It becomes a participation in Christ’s redemptive love, a place where grace is at work. When received near the end of life, the anointing of the sick is a final strengthening for the journey, a seal of hope and a final touch of grace preparing the soul to enter eternal life.

Dear brothers and sisters, the anointing of the sick is one of the greatest gifts we can offer to those we love when illness comes because it is a real encounter with the risen Lord. So, I encourage you to treasure the beauty and power of this sacrament. When someone is ill or frail by age or undergoing surgery do not hesitate to ask for a priest. This sacrament is Christ’s gift to His Church, not a last resort, but a source of healing, strength, peace, and hope. Let us welcome it with faith and confidence. As your priest, it is my joy and duty to bring the sacraments to you. I am here for you!

With Blessings,

+Fr. Gabriel Barrera.