Each year our parish celebrates a Mass with the Anointing of the Sick and today is the day. \u00a0As I prepare my homily here are some thoughts I would like to share with you.<\/p>\n
Sacraments are a powerful thing and a gift from God. \u00a0In Baptism we receive new life and the Holy Spirit and sealed with the same Spirit in Confirmation. \u00a0The Sacrament of Reconciliation where we confess our sins is rooted in the forgiveness Jesus reveals to us in His Crucifixion. \u00a0Marriage and Holy Orders strengthen us in our service to God.<\/p>\n
In celebrating the Anointing of the Sick within Mass, we receive two sacraments today. \u00a0We begin our Mass with the reading of God’s Word. \u00a0We need to hear it over and over. \u00a0In the Eucharist we celebrate the sacrifice that Jesus made for us on the Cross and are strengthened for the ordinary daily events of our lives in receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus.<\/p>\n
The Anointing of the Sick is a Sacrament of Healing. \u00a0To more deeply understand this sacrament let’s take a look at the readings we are\u00a0using today.<\/p>\n
Our first reading today is 1 Kings 19:1-8. \u00a0To set the stage, this reading comes right after the defeat of the prophets of Baal through Elijah. \u00a0Jezebel the Queen makes plans to have Elijah killed for this. \u00a0In fear Elijah flees for his life. \u00a0Would we be any different? \u00a0When we suffer, isn’t trying to find\u00a0a way out of the suffering one of the first things we do? \u00a0Elijah just wishes he could die to escape. \u00a0That is not God’s plan. \u00a0Instead of getting rid of Elijah’s enemies, God sends an angel to Elijah with food to strengthen him. \u00a0Nourished by this food, Elijah walked for forty days and forty nights to Horeb.<\/p>\n
If we become seriously ill, among the first things we do is to pray to God for deliverance from the illness. \u00a0We know He has the power to heal. \u00a0We hear numerous stories in the gospels of Jesus healing people. \u00a0Today it is the Centurion’s servant (Matthew 8:5-13). \u00a0In the reading from Acts 4:8-12 we hear how Peter heals the crippled man.<\/p>\n
What does it mean to be healed? \u00a0We should note that in both of these stories, there is more said about the nature of the healing than the healing itself. \u00a0Following a healing, Peter gives a speech to explain that the source of the healing is faith in Jesus Christ. \u00a0In Jesus’ conversation with the Centurion we are never even told what illness the servant has. \u00a0The story is more about the faith the Centurion has in Jesus than anything physical.<\/p>\n
When we come for the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, it is because we face a serious illness. \u00a0It might be a disease like cancer or an upcoming surgery that causes us to reflect on what might happen. \u00a0Sometimes we come simply because of the effects aging has on us. \u00a0It is all rooted in some physical illness that affects us in some physical way.<\/p>\n
It be great if as a person is anointed they would be healed of all physical illness but that isn’t likely to happen in an instantaneous flash. \u00a0It isn’t that God doesn’t work to heal us physically. \u00a0It is God who has given the doctors, nurses, aides, technicians, etc. the gifts they need to treat us. \u00a0That treatment can take time and doesn’t always mean a cure.<\/p>\n
Think back to the story of Elijah. \u00a0God did not wipe away Elijah’s enemies but God did send the angel to strengthen Elijah through it. \u00a0As you receive the anointing you may not be healed physically but God reaches into your soul to heal you spiritually and to strengthen you against anything you face. \u00a0It is a moment to know that God walks with us.<\/p>\n
The Anointing of the Sick has its origins in the Bible. \u00a0We hear of the many healings done by Jesus and His disciples. \u00a0In James 5:14 we hear “Is anyone among you sick? \u00a0He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint him with the oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will have sick person, and the Lord will raise him up.<\/em>”<\/p>\n God loves you and offer you His Grace. \u00a0So we\u00a0celebrate the Grace of the Anointing so you may know that God walks with you, even carrying us when we cannot go it alone.<\/p>\n Peace,<\/p>\n Fr. Jeff<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Each year our parish celebrates a Mass with the Anointing of the Sick and today is the day. \u00a0As I prepare my homily here are some thoughts I would like to share with you. Sacraments are a powerful thing and a gift from God. \u00a0In Baptism we receive new life and the Holy Spirit and …<\/p>\n