How does the sacrament of the sick comfort us in sickness? The church's use of oil in this sacrament is used to soothe and comfort the sick; to restore the weak and the sick.

Is anyone among you suffering: Jesus and Christ respond to questions about suffering by uniting suffering to Christ's Passion and Death and by caring for the needs of others. When we face illness and suffering, we often turn inward to self-absorption, anguish, and sometimes even despair, and revolt against God.

Christ the physician: Jesus embraced the sick and the disabled, and allowed them to touch him. Christ used human and natural signs to heal and through these acts of human kindness, people experienced God's healing.

The Church heels the sick: During his public ministry, Jesus told his disciples to "cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons". They were to continue to heal the sick while preaching the saving words of the good news. To this day, the church continues to respond to this command of Christ. The Church took up the practice of having presbyters lay hands and anoint with oil, in imitation of Jesus and the Apostles, realizing that it was sacramental. This is a sign of healing in which God was truly present.

History: During Jesus' life and after the ascension, the disciples anointed and laid hands on people who were seriously ill. The Rite of the Anointing comes from a document called the Apostolic Tradition. Praying that the oil would heal people, this oil was blessed by a bishop at mass. As time passed, the churched viewed this sacrament not as healing, but as a preparation for death. It became known as the extreme unction, the final anointing.

Changes after the Second Vatican Council: The fathers of the second Vatican council found it difficult to update the sacrament. It was better referred as "Anointing of the Sick" and is not a sacrament only for those in the point of death. A continuous rite must be prepared in which sick people are anointed after they confess but before they receive the Viaticum.

Celebrating: Who can celebrate? A sick person before a major surgery, old people when they are weak, sick children, and sick people who have lost consciousness but have asked for it when they were well enough.

Rite of Anointing: Family and friends are encouraged to surround the sick person in his or her moment of need and during the sacrament. If the sacrament is to take place outside of the church, the recipients are encouraged to celebrate the sacrament of penance first.

What happens: In the introductory rites, the priest/bishop explains what is going to happen. A penitentiary rite will happen then for the recipient to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance. The literary of the word consists of a first reading, a Responsorial Palm, a second reading, a Gospel acclamation and reading and a homily. The laying of the hands is the physical touching or laying of hands on the head of the recipient. The oil of the sick along with others is blessed at mass on Holy Thursday. With this oil, the priest does the prayer of thanksgiving. The priest anoints the person's forehead by saying “Through this holy anointing, may the Lord in his love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit.” Then he anoints the hands of the sick person, saying: “May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up".

Viaticum: This is a separate liturgical rite for those who are dying. The word viaticum means "food for the journey".

It helps transform the lives of those who receive it by helping them look at their suffering as participation in the saving works of Christ. The sacrament allows those who are ill and suffering to move from self-centeredness to God-centeredness.

Biblical people such as Job, became self-absorbed with a “poor me” complex. His life was consumed with wonder as to why pain and sickness was happening to him. Instead of making the worst of his situation he took on the challenge of putting himself in God’s perspective.

Sickness should not be looked at as a punishment. We should see illness and suffering as an opportunity to grow in our faith formation. St. Ignatius of Loyola was seriously wounded in battle and during his his healing process, Ignatius came to know the Blessed Trinity. After he healed, he founded the Society of Jesus.

We are all called to continue the healing ministry of Jesus. We do this whenever we actively promote life, faith, hope, and love. Jesus taught that in order to heal one another we can simply be present to others.

The title Christ means “God’s anointed one.” When we are anointed with the Oil of the Sick in the Sacrament of Anointing, we are challenged to unite ourselves with Christ so that we become “the anointed one. Transformation into “God’s anointed one” means we willingly sacrifice ourselves for the good of others. We can heal others because we know what it is like to suffer and to be healed by God’s saving grace.

Define: One of the Seven Sacraments. It is administered by a bishop or priest to someone who suffers from illness or old age. It includes prayers and anointing of the hands and forehead with the oil of the sick. it is usually administered together with Penance and the Eucharist

Form: Anointing with oil.

Matter: "Through this holy anointing may the Lord in his love and mercy help you with the grace of tht Holy Spirit. Amen May the Lord, who frees your spirit from sin, save you and raise you up. Amen."