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                                               Once Jesus was preaching to the people in a house.Then some people carried a paralysed man on a cot and brought him to Jesus.They were not able to reach Jesus because of the thick crowd.Hence they got on to the top of the house,removed the roof above Him and took him down to Jesus.Seeing  their faith,Jesus said to the paralysed man: “Son,your sins are foregiven.” “Stand up,take your mat and go to your home.”Immediately the paralysed man took up his cot and went home while everyone  was looking at him.Everybody was greatly taken up with it and praised the Lord,our God(Mark2: 1-12).

    During his public life,Jesus healed many people.He had the power to heal the sick.The lepers,the deaf and the blind rushed to him to receive healing.Jesus touched,blessed and healed them.He also cast out many demons and set them free.

     

    “Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirit,to cast them out,and to cure every disease and every sickness”(Matthew 10:1).The apostles who went out according to the command of Jesus preached repentance to the people.They cast out many demons and anointed the sick and healed them”(Mark 6:12-13).

    The apostle who received the mission to heal the sick continued the anointing of the sick and prayed for them.St.James,in his epistle,says:”Are any among you sick? They should call for the elder of the Church and have them pray over them,anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord.The prayer of faith will save the sick,and the Lord will raise them up;and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven”(James 5:14-15).This is the earliest from of the anointing of sick.The sacrament of Anointing the sick is administered by the power that Jesus gave to the Church through the apostles.

     

    Anointing of the sick the sacrament that gives us the health in body and soul through the foregiveness of sins and healing of sickness.

    Like Jesus who said ‘it is not the healthy but the sick who needs a doctor,the Church is always compassionate towards the sick.She prays and works for the sick.’

     

    When the sacrament of Anointing of the sick is administered,the Church prays over the sick for the sanctification of body and soul,forgiveness of sins and healing of sickness and anoints the person with holy oil.The celebrant anoints the forehead,eyes,ears,lips,hands and legs of the sick with holy oil and prays for him invoking God’s mercy.Along with this,he also prays that the patient may be strengthened to accept the sickness and its sufferings in union with the passion of Jesus Christ.Thus,this sacrament of Anointing of the sick gives the patient the power to accept and suffer the sickness and its pain and be healed ,if it is God’s will.

     

    It is part of our Christian mission to visit the sick,console them,pray for them and nurse them.When we visit the sick,we must definitely pray for them.Our visit,love,concern,service and prayers,will surely console and strengthen them.When we are sick we also must pray to Jesus,the Healer.

     

    Let us pray

     

    Jesus,the mightly healer,bless us to be merciful  to the sick

    And the suffering and pray for them.

     

    Word Of God to remember

     

    “When Jesus saw their faith,he said to the

    Paralytic,son,your sins are forgiven”

    (Mark 2:5).

     

    Let  us read the word o

    f God with devotion

    Mark  2 : 1-12

     

    My decision

     

    I will nurse the sick and the old with concern

    and pray for them

     

    Activity

     

    Read  the biographies of Fr.Damian,

    Mother Theresa etc.who nursed with love the sick

    and the orphans.

     

    Find out Answers

    Let us Enlighten our Hearts