|
|
During Jesus' life on earth Jesus loved people into total health. He fought pain and suffering in himself and others. And then on the cross, Jesus transformed suffering, as he was raised to new life. Jesus offers the same life to all who accept him in faith. Throughout our lives he loves us into total health, helping us to triumph over our sickness. For at the heart of being a Christian are the healing sacraments in which Jesus comes to us as a constant source of strength and restoration.
The anointing of the sick is the great healing sacrament, available whenever our health is seriously impaired by sickness or old age. God is always in our illness, loving us into health of body, mind and soul.
There had been a time in the churches life when this sacrament had been distorted from about the 9th Century onwards. So that it was called Extreme Unction, meaning that it was used only for spiritual healing of the person after they died.
This distortion allowed the Anglican church for years to go without this very Biblical rite and sacrament. While it was mentioned in article 25 in the 39 Articles there was no service for it in BCP, because it had been corrupted. It was not until the 1930 Lambeth conference of Bishops that they gave their sanction to a form of words. The development of which we find in our 1978 and now 1995 Prayer Books.
This power to continue the healing work of Jesus was given to the disciples at the twelves' commission, in Mark 6.7-13, Matthew 10.5-15, and Luke 9.1-6, yet it is only Mark that tells us that they came back having "anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them." Mark 6.13. They were given the commission to proclaim the Gospel and that included calling people to repentance, casting out demons and healing the sick. All this is part of the ministry of the church, the Gospel is wholeness centred this is not just on the side but very much in the centre of what Jesus is giving to us.
So in the Letter of James 5.14-16 we read. "Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective." The word elder is the Greek word presbyter from which we get the English word priest. So the priest continues this ministry, but it is done as an extension of the priest's work. So we are to prepare for this sacrament to make sure we are ready to receive the healing of Christ.
What is the relation between sickness and sin? Clearly the Bible tells us that there is a relation in Rom 5.12. Death is a consequence of sickness and sin is behind all pain. But let us also be clear that no one act of sin by one person has the effect for the same person of their sickness. So we can not say 'You are really sick because you really sinned.' John 9.2-3.
So the sacrament triumphs in its twofold nature, from the same sacramental grace; salvation and a release from sin's consequences as a person recovers bodily health to continue a Christian life; and/or it may be a strengthening for the last struggle and the last supreme experience of life, and dying in our Lord.
In our Prayer Book we see the order of service on page 679, this may be conducted in full as printed or shortened for differing situations of illness, at home or at hospital.
Please, please do call the clergy to come and bring Christ's healing to any who are sick!
