Q. Recently our parish priest came to my grandmother’s home to celebrate the “last rites” for her. While she is seriously ill, we do not think she is near death. Why did my grandmother call it the Last Rites?
A. Excellent question. I am grateful you asked it. Toward the end of the 1100s until the mid 1900s, this sacrament of healing was referred to as “Extreme Unction,” Latin for “last anointing.” For many centuries, the sacrament was reserved to a gravely ill person at the end of his or her life, thus the use of the word “extreme.” Interestingly, the words “Last Rites” are still used frequently in referring to the Sacrament of the Sick. Whenever I can, I use the words “Anointing of the Sick” since it is the proper term for the sacrament and indicates the broader understanding and application of the sacrament in a person’s life.
The sacraments, in general, are essential to man’s relationship with God. Given man’s ongoing need for many types of healing and strength in suffering, the understanding and use of this sacrament, in particular, has expanded corresponding more to the ancient practices of the early Church.
It is important to emphasize, then, that one need not be “in danger of death” to receive the Anointing of the Sick. In fact, the code of canon law highlights that a person can receive this sacrament when he or she “begins to be in danger due to sickness or old age.” Very frequently, I invite those anticipating surgery or dealing with a major health issue to receive Anointing of the Sick for healing and for Christ’s strength in the midst of suffering. We human beings, created in God’s image and likeness, are complex; many dimensions of our existence—physical, mental, relational, emotional, and spiritual—may need healing.
Experiencing major issues in our life could be times for the celebration of the Anointing of the Sick. Much of the ritual of this sacrament comes from the letter of Saint James in the New Testament (5: 14-15). James says, “Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord….”
The sacrament is best celebrated in times of great need; that is, we would not be anointed for a common cold but, rather, when our very person cries out for the healing touch of God. These serious situations deem us candidates for the Anointing of the Sick.
In a pastoral sense, I very much like to celebrate the Sacrament of the Sick in family settings. If surgery is planned or death imminent, I ask the person to be anointed to gather family, and I will come to the home to celebrate the sacrament. The liturgical rite of the sacrament reassures those who have fear or difficulties facing the realities of grave illness. It also allows for “show and tell,” especially for children, of the elements used in the sacrament, like the oil of the the infirmed and the laying on of hands.
Again very good question. Thank you for asking it.
This question was answered by a priest of the Diocese of Lincoln. Write to Ask the Register using our online form, or write to 3700 Sheridan Blvd., Suite 10, Lincoln NE 68506-6100. All questions are subject to editing. Editors decide which questions to publish. Personal questions cannot be answered. People with such questions are urged to take them to their nearest Catholic priest.
