The Sacrament of Anointing

Suffering is one of the most difficult things in life. However, in the Beatitudes Jesus said, “Happy are those who suffer for the sake of Righteousness.”

How could suffering make us happy?

A.      Suffering can be good for us because it can empty us of our pride, our self-reliance and our disordered loves, making room in our soul to be filled by God. And suffering can increase our Faith, Hope and Love which increases our capacity to receive even more of God.

B.      Our Suffering can help others. Jesus is inviting us to help him save souls by our suffering. All we need to do is accept what you did not choose, do not like and cannot change and offer it up to Jesus.

Still, suffering is really hard. At times it seems impossible to bear.

That is why Jesus gives us a special sacrament to strengthen those being tried by illness, suffering and death. This sacrament is called the anointing of the sick.

CCC 1532 teaches us the special grace of the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick has as its effects:

·        the strengthening, peace, and courage to endure in a Christian manner the sufferings of illness or old age;

·        the uniting of the sick person to the suffering of Christ, for his own good and that of the whole Church;

·        the restoration of health, if it is conducive to the salvation of his soul;

·        the forgiveness of sins, if the sick person was not able to obtain it through the sacrament of Penance;
the preparation for passing over to eternal life.

Don’t waste your suffering. Accept it and offer it up. And when it overwhelms you – go to Jesus in the sacrament of anointing.