The Ministry of Anointing the Sick
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WHEN CAN I ASK FOR THE SACRAMENT? Coughs and colds usually sort themselves out, Service Times perhaps with the help of some medicine. But Our next service that will involve The The Anglican Parish medicine bottles always carry a label saying “if Ministry of Anointing of the Sick is: symptoms persist, consult your doctor”. Even when of we have been receiving medical care an illness may drag on and get us down. This may be time to ask for Please see Parish new on our Mitcham the Sacrament. webpage for dates of Illness can be more complicated than it first seems. Healing service Anxiety and worry can make us ill. We can become depressed and feel all out of joint with life. Mitchamanglican.org.au Through the Sacrament of the Sick God may help us to become less anxious. If you would like anointing at any time, For people facing surgery, even a minor operation, Please contact the Parish priest. the Sacrament can assure us of God's love and bring confidence and trust in a testing time. People often turned to Jesus for healing. They found strength and peace in His presence and in His words and healing touch. If you are looking for the peace and healing touch Parish Contact information that comes from Jesus, the Sacrament of the Sick may be for you. If you are not sure, you can always Parish Priest: talk to a priest about it. Father David Covington-Groth Church and Office Address: 18 Church Rd Mitcham SA 5062 The Ministry Telephone: (08) 8373 3433 E-mail: [email protected] of Anointing the Sick THE HEALING CHURCH WHAT HAPPENS? WHAT DOES IT MEAN? People often turned to Jesus for Before the Sacrament of the Sick We believe our whole life is wrapped up in God’s healing sometimes for themselves is celebrated, the priest and the love. The Sacrament of the Sick shows us that God, and sometimes for others. Jesus sick person usually spend time through Christ, cares for us in our sickness as well as brought healing and peace by his together talking about what is to in our health. God looks after us and meets our needs words and by his touch. Many happen. The Sacrament can be in many ways - by feeding us at the Mass, by found healing and peace simply celebrated in Church, often blessing our marriages and by forgiving our sins. In by being with him during the Eucharist, or the priest this Sacrament, through anointing with oil, God can come to the sick person at helps us to find healing and strength. Jesus sent his disciples out with home or in hospital. the authority to heal the sick as HEALING, NOT A MAGIC CURE part of their work in spreading The service begins with an We can be sure that God will answer our prayer for the Good News. After the opportunity to call to mind our healing and strength. We may not find ourselves Resurrection they continued this sins and to ask and receive God' s cured of an illness or relieved from pain. But God’s work. As the Church grew, the forgiveness. This can make us healing may come in other ways. God may help us healing ministry came to be expressed in the laying- more receptive to his healing love. Then a Scripture reading follows. face our illness or pain with new courage. Or may on of hands with prayer, and in anointing the sick lead us gently to accept death as the natural end to with oil. Next, the priest lays hands on the sick person's head our illness and the way to a closer relationship with God in glory. We can read about the anointing of the sick in the in silence. When the priest goes on to anoint the forehead the priest says (or words similar): letter of James: CLEARING UP A MISUNDERSTANDING N, I anoint you in the name of If one of you is ill, he should send for the elders of Many believe that if God who gives you life. Receive the Church, and they must anoint him with oil in the someone is anointed in the name of the Lord and pray over him. The prayer of Christ’s forgiveness, his healing Sacrament of the Sick, it faith will save the sick man and the Lord will raise and his love. means they are about to die. him up again, and if he has committed any sins he This is a misunderstanding As the priest anoints the sick will be forgiven. (James 5: 14-15) which the new service helps person’s hands he says: to clear up. In the past it is Through the centuries the May the father of our Lord Jesus true that the full meaning of Church has celebrated the Christ grant you the riches of his the Sacrament had been part- ly lost, and people were usu- anointing of the sick with grace, his wholeness and his ally anointed only during the olive oil blessed for this peace. Amen “Last Rites” or “Extreme purpose. The sacrament has Unction”. The modern service makes it clear that the been known by different Some prayers may follow and the service ends with a Sacrament of the Sick is very much for the living. It names at various times. Blessing, or continues with a form of communion. is a celebration of God’s love and care for God’s Today we call it "The Sacrament of the Sick". people in illness of body or mind. .