The Unction of the Sick

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The Unction of the Sick
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What do you do when your sick?

• What is the first thing you do when you get sick?
• Mom usually takes you to go see a doctor and he
  takes your temperature and gives you medication.
• What is another thing you SHOULD do when you get
  sick?
• Tell your father of confession about your
  sickness.
• God uses doctors and priests in the healing
  process.

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The Sacrament

• The Unction of the Sick is a sacrament in which
  the priest prays seven prayers on the sick people
  and then anoints them with the Holy Oil.
• It is referred to in Arabic as Kandeel because
  the priest used to use an oil lamp Kandeel with
  7 oil-lamps each of which is lit at the
  beginning of each prayer.
• Now the priest just uses a dish with oil in it
  and 7 pieces of cotton, arranged in the shape of
  a cross, which are lit at the beginning of each
  prayer.

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So why do we have 7 prayers?

• St. James said Is anyone among you sick? Let
  him call for the elders 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
  save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.
  And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven
  Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray
  for one another, that you may be healed. The
  effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man
  avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like
  ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not
  rain and it did not rain on the land for three
  years and six months. And he prayed again, and
  the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its
  fruit. (James 514 -18)
• Elijah the prophet prayed 7 times before the rain
  came!
• (1kings 1844).

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When was this Sacrament established ?

• We do not know the exact time or occasion when
  our Lord instituted this Sacrament, which is no
  surprise for there are many things that the Lord
  did that were not written one by one (Jn 2125),
  but we know that the Lord said
• Heal the sick, cleanse the leper. (Mt 108)
• Whatever city you enter, and they received you
  heal the sick who are there. (Lk 108-9)

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The apostles carried out the Sacrament

• The Apostles ministered this sacrament So they
  went out and preached that people should repent.
  And they cast out many demons, and anointed with
  oil many who were sick, and healed them (Mark
  612-13).
• St. James stressed on the importance of this
  sacrament Is anyone among you sick? Let him
  call for the elders 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 save
  the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if
  he has committed sins, he will be forgiven
  (James 514-15).

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Confession before the Sacrament

• The purpose of this sacrament is to heal the
  spirit. If the spirit heals, they body may also
  heal. How do we heal our spirits?? St. James
  answers
• Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the
  elders 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 save the sick, and
  the Lord will raise him up. And if he has
  committed sins, he will be forgiven Confess your
  trespasses to one another, and pray for one
  another, that you may be healed.

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The importance of a Priests visit

• There is no objection to seeking medicine and the
  doctors, but equally important (or even more
  important) is seeking the priest (church).
• A sick person should ask the priest to come and
  officiate the Sacrament of the Unction of the
  Sick, so that he may be granted healing from God.
  But he MUST have faith that God is able to heal
  him And the prayer of faith will save the sick.
• A person cannot however rely completely on
  medicine and deny the power of God.

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• The Priests visit to the sick person to minister
  the Unction freely (Matthew 108), is a living
  proof of the living Body of Christ.
• The best time for administering the Sacrament is
  early morning when the sick can be able to take
  communion.

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The rite of the Anointing

• On the forehead this is the region of thoughts
  and senses.
• On the chest where the heart is Keep your
  heart with all diligence, for out of it spring
  the issues of life (Proverbs 423).
• On the hands they are the tools of labor.
• God is blessing the persons thoughts, senses,
  heart, and labor. He is anointed in the Name of
  the Holy Trinity, who sanctifies everything.
• Anyone not baptized cannot be anointed. Whatever
  city you enter, and they received you heal the
  sick who are there. (Lk 108-9)
• The sick person is to continue anointing
  himself/herself for seven days in the same
  manner,and with faith that he will be granted
  healing.

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How should the sick person prepare and do
before, during, and after thesacrament?

• Have faith in Gods healing power.
• Have faith and trust in the priest who will
  minister the Sacrament as he has faith in the
  physician that will administer his treatment.
• Confess before the Unction, and take Communion
  afterwards.
• He/ she (as well as all who will attend) must be
  fasting, as much as he/ she can 9 hours if
  possible, or less with absolution of the father
  of confession.
• Be physically clean.
• Live with God and serve Him as did Peters
  mother-in-law (Matthew 815) and Mary Magdalene
  (Mark 154) when they were healed.
• Thank God regardless of the outcome.

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Why do people sometimes receive this Sacrament
and yet are not healed?

• Sometimes the person may not have enough faith or
  the sickness may be for death, which is the
  greatest healing of all bodily diseases.
• The sickness may be for discipline, which God
  will remove when He sees that it has performed
  its function, as an example Jobs sickness for
  seven years and Miriam, Moses sisters leprosy
  for seven days (after Moses prayed for her)
  (Numbers 12).
• The sickness may be for edification Lazarus the
  poor who had skin sores. Also, St. Paul who
  prayed three times to be healed but God said to
  him, My strength is made perfect in weakness (2
  Cor 129).
• We need to understand that in this Sacrament we
  do not dictate to God what to do but rather ask
  for his mercies.

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Why does the Church perform this Sacrament to the
whole congregation on the last Friday of the Lent?

• During the Holy Week of Pascha, the Church does
  not perform this Sacrament and therefore performs
  it and anoints the entire congregation on the
  last Friday of the Lent. Moreover, many are weak
  from fasting and this anointing helps them to
  continue with the scheduled prayers and food
  abstinence of the Pascha.

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Conclusion

• The Lord is the True Physician of our souls. He
  heals all our illnesses through His Holy
  Sacrament of Unction of the Sick. We must prepare
  ourselves with repentance and a strong faith and
  we will be healed.

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Memory Verse

• Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the
  elders 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 save the sick, and
  the Lord will raise him up. And if he has
  committed sins, he will be forgiven
• (James
  514 -15)