What about Anointing of the Sick and physical healing?

[cdmathias14]

My brother said to me last night that he lost his belief because our mother was not healed of cancer after she was anointed three times before she finally succumbed to the cancer. I want to lead him in the right direction and let him know that she was healed spiritually through this holy Sacrament. He also has other issues ruling his life, but I, at least, want to start here, so any help is appreciated!

 

[Fr.Charles_Grondin]

You are correct that the anointing of the sick brings primarily spiritual healing rather than physical healing. The sacrament does not claim to physically heal anyone. First, let’s start with the Scriptural basis for the sacrament (James 5:14-15):

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, and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.

Physical healing is not the primary purpose of the sacrament. As we can see from James, the sacrament is meant to forgive sins and facilitate the saving of their soul. Most people understand this as we can see through the common description of the sacrament: Last Rites. Clearly anyone calling for Last Rites is not anticipating physical healing.

Furthermore, the Church has never claimed that anyone other than spiritual healing is guaranteed in the sacrament, as the Council of Trent taught:

This reality is in fact the grace of the Holy Spirit, whose anointing takes away sins, if any still remain to be taken away, and the remnants of sin; it also relieves and strengthens the soul of the sick person, arousing in him a great confidence in the divine mercy, whereby being thus sustained he more easily bears the trials and labors of his sickness, more easily resists the temptations of the devil ‘lying in wait’ (Gen. 3:15), and sometimes regains bodily health, if this is expedient for the health of the soul.

Note that physical healing is only “sometimes” and is almost an afterthought in the theology of the sacrament. The sacrament is not considered for general illness but only for illness that endanger our lives:

The anointing of the sick is not a sacrament for those only who are at the point of death. Hence, as soon as anyone of the faithful begins to be in danger of death from sickness or old age, the fitting time for him to receive this sacrament has certainly already arrived. (CCC 1514)

Healing may take place in the sacrament because the individual is spiritually healed and comforted. Patients who are at peace and not in distress are much more likely to recover, if it is possible to recover. However, it is not the primary purpose of the sacrament and is not the primary intention of the sacrament.

The death of a loved one is never easy and affects everyone differently. Be patient with your brother, he may still be grieving and not thinking clearly.

For further reading:

USCCB’s Information on the Anointing of the Sick

Pope Paul VI’s Apostolic Constitution Sacra Unctione Infirmorum