10. Prayer for the sick

Figure 1: Jesus holding a chalice. At the bottom is a helping hand.

Figure 2: Mother Mary holding a spoon and a bottle of medicine. At the bottom is a basin of water and a face towel (for a sponge bath).

Figure 3: In front is a hospital bed with the words: Anoint the sick.

Meaning: “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”
(James 5:124-15)

If you or your loved ones are gravely ill, call for a priest and request for the anointing of the sick. The common misconception is that the anointing of the sick is done when the person is dying. The anointing of the sick is a prayer of healing.

The oil that priests use to anoint the sick: The following prayer is what is said when the oil used to anoint the sick is blessed:

Lord God almighty, before whom the hosts of angels stand in awe, and whose heavenly service we acknowledge; may it please you to regard favorably and to bless + and hallow + this creature, oil, which by your power has been pressed from the juice of olives.

You have ordained it for anointing the sick, so that, when they are made well, they may give thanks to you, the living and true God. Grant, we pray, that those who will use this oil, which we are blessing + in your name, may be delivered from all suffering, all infirmity, and all wiles of the enemy. Let it be a means of averting any kind of adversity from man, made in your image and redeemed by the precious blood of your Son, so that he may never again suffer the sting of the ancient serpent; through Christ our Lord, Amen.⁴