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The Sacraments of Healing
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November 30, 2021Sacraments Of Healing
Penance / Reconciliation
What do you do when you’ve make a mistake or have done something wrong? When you’ve hurt someone? When you break a promise or just neglect to do the right thing?
Do you ignore it and try to put it out of your mind and hope to forget it? Do you keep it a secret and wish that no one finds out about it? Do you pretend that it doesn’t matter or that no one got hurt? How do you feel?
I know that when I’ve found, and still do find, myself in such situations, I am very uneasy and uncomfortable, especially around whomever I’ve offended/hurt, (even if they don’t know my role in it), until I “come clean”…until I admit that I’ve done wrong, apologize and ask for forgiveness. And boy do I feel relieved, refreshed, and renewed when forgiven! Hopefully we remember that experience, how we felt, and try not to offend, hurt or do wrong again.
The same is true when we sin…whether it’s a sin against others, against God or against ourselves. The effects of sin depend on whether the sin is a serious (mortal) sin or a minor (venial) sin. When we sin, we are called to change—to conversion, through the Sacrament of Penance (Reconciliation)—we admit it and ask for forgiveness.
The Catholic Church teaches that she has the power to forgive sins. Jesus gave the Church the power to forgive sins—on Easter Sunday when Jesus appeared to the apostles in the upper room, “He came and stood in their midst and said to them ‘Peace be with you’ as the Father has sent me, I also send you…He breathed on them and said, ‘Whose sins you forgive shall be forgiven, whose sins you retain shall be retained’.”
John 20:19-23)
Jesus knew that many of us would forget our baptismal promises and would commit sins, even grave (serious) sins after baptism. He knew that many of us would lose the Grace which was given to us at baptism.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a wonderfully unique aspect of the Catholic Faith. It is one of the sacraments of healing …healing our souls and spirit. Jesus established this sacrament so that we can obtain forgiveness of our sins and be reconciled with God, with the church and with each other. Confession “washes us clean” again, as we were in baptism.
Yes, I know…many, if not most of us, have found confession to be burdensome. We’ve probably said, “I wish I didn’t have to go to confession” or “I don’t like to go to confession”, or “I don’t want to go to confession” Therefore we may have stayed away from it for a long time! But…think about this:- If a person cuts himself off from God by grave sin, confession reunites your soul to God—Sanctifying Grace is restored by God to the soul.
- Sin is forgiven—like a shadow or darkness lifted off or a light goes on in a room…so sin disappears from the soul.
- If the soul without mortal receives the sacrament, it receives an increase of Sanctifying Grace, which strengthens the soul to resist temptation.
Sins are forgiven only by absolution which can only be given by an authorized priest. It is a real judicial pardon!
When a Catholic comes from confession he steps out into his own new beginning. Resolve to do the right thing. Millions of people, for over 2,000 years, have braved it and were glad they did! Priests have heard it all, and nothing you say can ever be repeated to anyone—not to the police, not to another priest, not to anyone—not even to you! (A priest is automatically excommunicated if he were to violate the seal of confession)!
It’s OK if you’re new at this. It’s OK to be nervous , it’s OK to be afraid because it’s new and different—and it’s OK to tell the priest how you feel! He will help you through it and put you at ease. And he’ll be glad that you’ve come to receive the graces the Lord wants to give you!
“If you haven’t been to confession in a while, the Catholic Church wants to welcome you back and invites you to participate in this sacrament of healing. Take a step in faith. You’ll be surprised about how free you feel after taking part in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. So many Catholics describe incredible feelings of peace, joy, relief and love that they never expected. Jesus is calling you to experience His mercy in this way too.” (Catholics. Come Home)
Anointing of the Sick:
Just as the Sacraments of Baptism and Penance are complementary in cleansing the soul from sin, so are the Sacraments of Penance and Anointing of the Sick complementary in healing —Penance for healing the soul and Anointing for healing the soul and sometimes the body!
Anointing of the Sick is an exceptional sign of God’s great love for us! Jesus gave us the Sacrament of Baptism which cleanses us of original sin and all pre-baptismal sin. He gave us the Sacrament of Reconciliation which cleanses us of post-baptismal sin (assuming our proper disposition and contrition for our sins), and gives us the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick to help us when in serious illness or near death.
“The Anointing of the Sick is a special sacrament for the sick and suffering. It is the conferral of a special Grace on the Christian who is experiencing the difficulties of grave illness or old age.”(CCC 1527) The anointing of the sick, also known as Extreme Unction, is a true sacrament instituted by Christ …it is administered by anointing with blessed oil accompanied by prayer and administered by a priest. As saint James tells us, “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call the prebysters (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 will heal the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven.” (James 5:14-15)
This sacrament is for all who face a serious illness or surgery or who are impaired by old age. Although Confession is the Sacrament which God intends to forgive mortal sins, the Anointing of the Sick could forgive mortal sin if the critically ill person is unable to receive the Sacrament of Penance.
As with other sacraments, the Anointing of the Sick gives grace. Additionally, it strengthens and comforts the soul of the sick person with :- Grace that quiets anxiety and dissipates fear.
- Grace that enables the sick to embrace God’s will and to face the possibility of death.
- Grace that gives the soul the strength to overcome whatever temptations to doubt, loss of hope or even despair may come, against Satan’s last effort to steal the soul from God.