Message from the Pastor
Rev. John B. Bateman
A Few Words from the Pastor
Weekly Reflection: When you are sick who do you visit to help you get better? You go to your doctor. Where to you meet your doctor? At his office. When? At the time of your appointment. But there is another doctor: Jesus. He will also help you to get better. How and where do you go to meet him? You can meet him anytime you turn to him in prayer; but His special “appointment” times are the Sacraments, especially the Mass and the Anointing of the Sick.
In today’s Gospel we hear of Jesus curing Peter’s mother-in-law in Capernaum, and curing many others who were sick. (Mark 1:29-39) Jesus, who healed so many one evening in Capernaum, is willing to heal you too! The greatest moment for healing is when you receive Christ in Holy Communion. During those precious minutes when you and the Lord are united very specially, ask Him in faith for the healing you need, and adore and praise Him for all he has done for you.
The Church officially teaches: Every effect which bodily food and drink produce in our corporeal life, by preserving, increasing, healing and satisfying this life – is also produced by the Eucharist. (Council of Florence, November 22, 1439). So, we understand that when we receive Holy Communion:
• We are able to preserve the supernatural life of the soul – giving us the supernatural strength to resist temptation. It reinforces our free will to resist the assaults of the devil.
• The life of grace is increased by strengthening the virtues and gifts of the Holy Spirit we already possess.
• The spiritual diseases of the soul are cleansed through the remission of venial sins (remembering that mortal sins must be confessed before receiving Holy Communion).
• We are filled with spiritual joy in the service of Christ, in defending His cause, in performing the duties of our state in life, and in making the sacrifices required of us in order to imitate the life of our Savior.
On Christ’s own promise, Holy Communion is a pledge of heavenly glory and of our bodily resurrection from the dead (John 6:55).
Another source of healing is the Anointing of the Sick. This special Sacrament always brings about a healing – sometimes it is physical – always it is spiritual. I remember working as a seminarian in a Methodist hospital – the chaplain, looking at me with great skepticism, asked, “When you anoint someone are they really healed?” ABSOLUTELY! Without a doubt a person is healed when they are anointed in this Sacrament – we just don’t sometimes see it.
The Anointing of the Sick has as its effects: the uniting of the sick person to the passion of Christ, for his own good and that of the whole Church; the strengthening, peace, and courage to endure in a Christian manner the sufferings of illness or old age; the forgiveness of sins, if the sick person was not able to obtain it through the sacrament of penance; the restoration of health, if it is conducive to the salvation of his soul; the preparation for passing over to eternal life" (CCC 1532).
Does a person have to be dying to receive this sacrament? No. The Catechism says, "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).
A Few Words from the Pastor
Weekly Reflection: When you are sick who do you visit to help you get better? You go to your doctor. Where to you meet your doctor? At his office. When? At the time of your appointment. But there is another doctor: Jesus. He will also help you to get better. How and where do you go to meet him? You can meet him anytime you turn to him in prayer; but His special “appointment” times are the Sacraments, especially the Mass and the Anointing of the Sick.
In today’s Gospel we hear of Jesus curing Peter’s mother-in-law in Capernaum, and curing many others who were sick. (Mark 1:29-39) Jesus, who healed so many one evening in Capernaum, is willing to heal you too! The greatest moment for healing is when you receive Christ in Holy Communion. During those precious minutes when you and the Lord are united very specially, ask Him in faith for the healing you need, and adore and praise Him for all he has done for you.
The Church officially teaches: Every effect which bodily food and drink produce in our corporeal life, by preserving, increasing, healing and satisfying this life – is also produced by the Eucharist. (Council of Florence, November 22, 1439). So, we understand that when we receive Holy Communion:
• We are able to preserve the supernatural life of the soul – giving us the supernatural strength to resist temptation. It reinforces our free will to resist the assaults of the devil.
• The life of grace is increased by strengthening the virtues and gifts of the Holy Spirit we already possess.
• The spiritual diseases of the soul are cleansed through the remission of venial sins (remembering that mortal sins must be confessed before receiving Holy Communion).
• We are filled with spiritual joy in the service of Christ, in defending His cause, in performing the duties of our state in life, and in making the sacrifices required of us in order to imitate the life of our Savior.
On Christ’s own promise, Holy Communion is a pledge of heavenly glory and of our bodily resurrection from the dead (John 6:55).
Another source of healing is the Anointing of the Sick. This special Sacrament always brings about a healing – sometimes it is physical – always it is spiritual. I remember working as a seminarian in a Methodist hospital – the chaplain, looking at me with great skepticism, asked, “When you anoint someone are they really healed?” ABSOLUTELY! Without a doubt a person is healed when they are anointed in this Sacrament – we just don’t sometimes see it.
The Anointing of the Sick has as its effects: the uniting of the sick person to the passion of Christ, for his own good and that of the whole Church; the strengthening, peace, and courage to endure in a Christian manner the sufferings of illness or old age; the forgiveness of sins, if the sick person was not able to obtain it through the sacrament of penance; the restoration of health, if it is conducive to the salvation of his soul; the preparation for passing over to eternal life" (CCC 1532).
Does a person have to be dying to receive this sacrament? No. The Catechism says, "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).