Anointing of the Sick
- Image by Fergal OP via Flickr
Anointing of the sick is a sacrament. Administered to many by the anointing of oil, it is a long held tradition found in the Bible. We see in Mark 6:12-13 that many who were ailing and impaired were cured by the anointing of oil. But much more was given than temporal treatment.
In James 5:14-15, we see Presbyters praying over the sick, anointing them with oil, and forgiving them of their sins. The oil and healing of their flesh was a manifested sign of the healing of the soul by the forgiveness of sins. This is why the anointing of the sick is considered a sacrament. Anointing represented the spiritual. As a person’s flesh was restored to health by the removal of imperfections or abnormalities, so was the person’s soul restored to health by the removal of sins.
Your’s,
Drew Castel
