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Jesus as Messiah

The term Messiah is Hebrew and means ‘anointed one’.

This is a title given to the person believed to be the saviour, who has been chosen to bring salvation to humankind

The term ‘anointed one’ is used in both and Judaism. Christians believe that the Messiah was sent by God to save humanity.

Throughout the New Testament there is evidence of Jesus as the chosen one through his resurrection from the dead and the miracles he performed. The Messiah was sent to save humanity, and this salvation came about through his death and resurrection.

In Matthew’s Gospel (16:13-17), Peter declares Jesus as the Messiah:

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God”. Matthew 16:13-17

Through this statement Jesus is confirmed as the Messiah. In other words, he is confirmed as the chosen one who was sent to do God’s will.

Although Jesus never explicitly claimed to be the Messiah, the writers of the Gospels suggested he was.

Anointed ones In the Old Testament kings, rulers and were anointed with blessed as a sign of their holiness. Many Christians are still anointed with oil by priests and at different times in their lives.

This is the hanging Chrismatory in Norwich Cathedral. There are three containers of in it that were blessed by the of Norwich on Maundy (Holy) Thursday, in a special service of Holy Communion called Chrism or in , before Good Friday.

The blessing of jugs of oil at the Chrism Eucharist The and Roman use three holy : the oil of the sick, the oil of the catechumens and the holy chrism oil. The first two are blessed, and the bishop consecrates the third, ordinarily during the annual on Holy (Maundy) Thursday. Each has a distinctive purpose in the Church.

Oil of the Sick

The oil of the sick, which is pure olive oil, is used for the of the Sick. Whilst ideally celebrated with the community during the Eucharist for the , this may be given at any time and in any place. The lays hands on the sick or elderly person, says special prayers and anoints the person by placing oil in the form of a cross on the forehead and hands. He/she prays for healing through the .

Through this, Christians believe God gives the sick person grace and strength to bear the illness or infirmity. In addition, many Christians have witnessed the power of this anointing to bring spiritual, emotional and even physical healing.

Oil of the Catechumens

In Roman Catholic churches before being baptised with water, adults and babies are anointed with the oil of the catechumens, which is also pure olive oil. This anointing is to help the child ward off evil, avoid temptation and possess the faith necessary to carry the cross of throughout life.

Holy Chrism Oil

The third oil, holy chrism oil, is olive oil mixed with balsam. The oil symbolises strength, and the fragrant balsam represents the “aroma of Christ” (2 Cor 2:15). Anointing with chrism oil signifies the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is used to consecrate someone or something to God’s service.

Chrism oil may also be used when young people are confirmed, and at the Easter Vigil (Holy Saturday evening|) when adults might be confirmed after . The bishop traces the with chrism oil on the forehead of the one being confirmed and says, “[Name], be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Chrism oil is also part of the baptismal rite. Following an infant’s baptism with water some churches will mark the cross with chrism oil is on the crown of the child’s head, marking him as a Christian. Anointing on the head may also be administered at the baptism of an adult.

Holy chrism oil is used as well during the ordination of a priest (the of ) and the of a bishop. It is also the anointing oil used in the consecration of a church and the blessing of .

The Chrism Mass, Holy ()

Each year every Diocesan bishop blesses enough new oils for every parish during the Chrism Mass/Eucharist. The holy oils are then taken to individual parishes by their priests, where they are available for use during that year. Though the bishop cannot be physically present at every baptism or in his diocese, he can be symbolically present through the holy oils he blesses. After the Liturgy of the Word, the blessing of the oils takes place. In a formal procession, olive oil is brought forward in special urns; the oil of the sick is presented first, next the oil of the catechumens, and finally oil for the holy chrism. The bishop prays over and blesses each oil individually.

The ritual for creating and consecrating the holy chrism is different from the others. To make it, the bishop mixes oil from the balsam plant with the olive oil, breathes on the mixed oil to signify the presence of the Holy Spirit, and then says a prayer to consecrate it.

Once blessed in this way, for Christians, the chrism and the other oils are no longer ordinary ointments. Instead, they are a holy, precious gift from God to the Church, signifying cleansing and strengthening, healing and comfort, and the life-giving grace of the Holy Spirit.

For you to think about…

• What do you think about what Christians believe regarding the oil as set out in the paragraph in red above?

• Do you think that having a visible symbol e.g. the oil being put onto the body is powerful for a believer?

• Why do you think that Christians who belong to churches outside these traditions might not like this ritual?

Write down here a list of the key facts about Jesus as Messiah and anointing today in the Catholic tradition of the church. (more tasks to do on next page)

Research the Baptism of Jesusin the New Testament story. Why was Jesus baptised by his cousin John? What was it a sign of?

What symbolic bird descended on Jesus at his baptism?

Research symbols of the Holy Spirit in Christianity. Refresh yourself on the meaning of the Trinity. Write notes about it here:

Can you find the symbols of the Trinity in examples of Christian art or in church decorations/ windows? Do an internet search.

Design your own representation of the Trinity below, using your own uniquely designed symbols.