Vatican City, 26 February 2014 (VIS) –
Pope Francis continued his catechesis on the Sacraments by speaking
today about the anointing of the sick, “which allows us to touch
with our hands God's compassion for mankind”. He explained that in
the past it was referred to as “extreme unction” as it was
intended as spiritual consolation when death was imminent. “Speaking
of the anointing of the sick helps us to broaden our view of the
experience of illness and suffering, in the horizon of God's mercy”.
The parable of the Good Samaritan
clearly expresses the mystery that is celebrated by this Sacrament.
“The Samaritan consoles the man who suffers at the side of the
road, tending to his wounds with oil and wine. The oil recalls that
which is blessed by the Bishop every year, in the Chrism Mass on Holy
Thursday, precisely for the anointing of the sick. The wine, instead,
is a sign of Christ's love and grace, which flow from His gift of His
life for us. The Pope explained that the sick person is finally
entrusted to “the Church, the Christian community”, to whom
“every day the Lord Jesus entrusts those who are afflicted, in body
and spirit, so that we may continue to lavish upon them, without
measure, all His love and His salvation”.
“This mandate is confirmed explicitly
and precisely in the Epistle of St. James, in which he says, 'Is any
among you sick? Let him call upon the elders of the Church, and let
them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord'”,
continued the Holy Father. “It is therefore a practice that was
already in evidence at the time of the Apostles. Indeed, Jesus had
taught his disciples to have His same predilection for the sick and
the suffering, and transmitted to them the capacity and the task of
continuing to give consolation and peace in His name … through the
special grace of this Sacrament. However, this must not lead us to
search obsessively for miracles or allow us the presumption of always
being able to be healed; it gives us the assurance of Jesus'
closeness to the sick and the elderly – as all those above the age
of 65 are able to receive this Sacrament – as it is Jesus Himself
Who comes towards them”.
“But when someone is sick and we say,
'Let's call the priest to come', it makes us think that it may bring
bad luck, or perhaps the patient will be afraid”, he continued,
speaking off the cuff. “There is perhaps the idea that when one is
sick and the priest arrives, he will be followed by the undertaker.
But this is not true! The priest comes to help the sick or the
elderly, which is why the visit is so important. It is necessary to
call the priest to the home of the sick and to say: 'come, anoint
him, bless him'. It is Jesus Himself Who arrives to console the sick,
to give him strength, to give him hope, to help him; also to forgive
his sins. And this is beautiful! And we must not think of this as a
taboo, because it is always good to know that in moments of pain or
sickness we are not alone; the priest and those who are present
during the anointing of the sick represent, indeed, the entire
Christian community who, as a single body, gathers around those who
suffer and their relatives, encouraging their faith and hope, and
supporting them with prayer and brotherly warmth. But the greatest
comfort derives from the fact that it is the Lord Jesus Himself who
is made present in the Sacrament; He takes us by the hand and reminds
us that we now belong to Him and that nothing – not even sickness
or death – can ever separate us from Him”.
“Are we afraid of the habit of
calling the priest to give this Sacrament to the sick – I don't
mean in the case of influenza that lasts three or four days, but
rather a serious illness – and to the elderly, so that they can
find the strength from Jesus to go on?” asked the Pope, and
concluded by urging those present: “Let's do this”.