Wednesday Twenty-Second Week of Ordinary Time

[Scripture Readings: 1 Cor 3:1-9; Lk 4:38-44 ]

The Anointing of the Sick is one of the most powerful ways in which Jesus expresses his love for us. It was foreshadowed in his healing of Simon’s mother-in-law. The news of that miracle sent a shock wave of excitement throughout the countryside so that all who were sick came at sunset to be healed. But for everyone who was healed that evening there were thousands elsewhere who were not healed. And even those who were cured that day eventually died. We all need a much deeper healing, one that heals our souls and endures for eternity. For that kind of healing Jesus comes to us in the Anointing of the Sick.

In this Sacrament all our sins, mortal and venial, for which we are sorry are forgiven, including whatever penance we owe for having sinned.  This great sacrament prepares us to go straight to heaven.  What if no pries is available? We can still receive these graces as a sacrament of desire before we die.  Knowing this sends a shock wave of excitement through me because I really want to be completely healed and ready for heaven before I die.