The Healing Power of the Sacrament of the Sick
“We are gathered here in the name of our Lord Jesus, and as the Gospel relates, the sick came to Jesus for healing. Moreover, he loves us so much that he died for our sake, and through the Apostle James, he has commanded, ‘Are there any who are sick or weak among you? Let them send for the priests of the Church, and let the priest pray over them, anointing them with the oil in the name of our Lord Jesus. If they have committed any sins, their sins will be forgiven them.’ Therefore, we commend [name] to the grace and power of Christ that He may save him and raise him up.”
These are the opening words of the sacrament of the sick, which can also be the last sacrament a loved one receives on their deathbed. As these words are calmly proclaimed, I hold the hand of our loved one to let them know that the Church is present, as they will soon be passing from this life into the next. These words are powerful in this sacrament, which allows our loved one to know that it is Christ who is holding their hand to assist with the journey soon to come. I have proclaimed these words many times during my years as a priest to calm any fears or anxiety of our loved ones. So very often, during the celebration of the sacrament, a noticeable sense of peace will come over them, and the person, as well as any family members present, can truly see the power of this sacrament actualized.
The Sacramental Power of Anointing
I first encountered the true power of this sacrament as I ministered my very first anointing. I was called to anoint a lady dying of a brain tumor. As I entered her home, I encountered a woman sitting in a chair, slumped a bit and in a nonstop mumble. I knelt beside her, took her trembling hand in mine and began the sacrament. To my amazement, the hand stopped trembling. I continued with the full sacrament, anointing her slumped head and hands. As I brought out viaticum (the Eucharist, food for the journey) and said, “Behold the Lamb of God,” all of a sudden, her head went erect and she proclaimed, “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you but only say the word and my soul will be healed.” (This was prior to the new translation.) After she received Communion, her head returned to its slumped position, and she began to mumble once again. She passed a few days later. This poor woman hadn’t spoken in weeks, and yet, as she experienced this sacrament, she was well aware of the saving power of Christ that encompassed her.
Unforgettable Encounters with God’s Grace
Another anointing I will never forget was at my third assignment with my “little Jeannie.”
Jeannie was an extremely faith-filled and faithful Catholic who had suffered from crippling arthritis for well over 50 years. She never forgot to get me a card or a small gift for my birthday, anniversary, Christmas, etc. I was always amazed at what she was able to do with those crippled hands of hers. On her deathbed, I was called in to anoint my little friend. As I took her crippled hand in mine, I started the sacrament. When it came time to anoint, my thumb with the oil upon it slid into her palm. To my amazement, as well as to her daughters who were standing there, Jeannie’s crippled fingers straightened. It also happened as I anointed the opposite hand. The hands that were so crippled in life were no longer crippled in death. They were beautifully laid out with a rosary between the straight fingers in the casket as a symbol of one who had lived such a faith-filled life, of one who walked hand in hand with Jesus.
Treasury of Mercy
The beautiful Apostolic Pardon, which is another exercise of the keys given to St. Peter, is another comforting moment. With the words, “By the authority which the Apostolic See has given to me, I grant you a full pardon and the remission of all your sins.” The Church’s treasury of mercy is opened wide at the last moments of a person’s life here on earth, offering an abundance of mercy to prepare a soul for paradise. This proclamation provides comfort and certainty to both the person who is dying and their family members, who stand nearby and pray hopefully.
When Jesus stated whatever the Church would loose on earth will be loosed in heaven, the Apostolic Pardon is that final loosening of all to give freedom to the soul to soar on its way to heaven. For me, this moment evokes Jesus hanging on the cross, looking at St. Dismas, and listening to him as he begs, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus, with love beaming from his eyes through all the pain and suffering, replies, “Today you will be with me in paradise.”
The final stanza of St. Francis of Assisi’s Canticle of the Creatures praises God for Sister Death: “Praise be you, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death from whom no living being can escape. How dreadful are those who die in mortal sin! How blessed are those she finds in your most holy will, for the second death can do them no harm.” This canticle was sung in its entirety (all seven verses) for the first time on the deathbed of St. Francis in 1226. St. Francis praises God for death because it is through death that we are given the glorious union with God forever in the heavenly kingdom.
Jesus promised that he would be with us until the end of the ages. The final anointing is in keeping with that promise. For it is God’s mercy, God’s strength and God’s peace that accompanies our loved ones as they journey from this life to the next. How joyful and reassuring it is for us to know our loved ones are anointed into the loving presence of God.
Story by Monsignor Steve Kachel, Pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Onalaska
Published in the November/December 2024 issue of Catholic Life Magazine