COMPARING ANOINTING OF THE SICK

SURGERY PREPARATION

• Part of the importance of Anointing of the Sick is that it is preparing the afflicted for life after death
• The sick are told what will happen, allowed to give penance and prepared for the laying of the hands and the blessing of the oil
• Before surgery, a patient is told what is going to happen, then they can ask questions.
• The cleansing of the person and the tools before a surgery are like the laying on of the hands and the blessing of the oil because they are preparing the person for the final step
• Also, during surgery, people are healed and during anointing of the sick, people are healed as well

CCMT AND FORM AND MATTER

• Before surgery, the affected are is cleansed, like the oil used to anoint
• The explanation from the doctor is like the blessing from the priest
• Surgery celebrates healing like anointing of the sick
• It brings a family around the patient like anointing of the sick
• It helps the afflicted to heal most of the time

RECOVERING FROM AN ADDICTION

• Anointing of the Sick is a sacrament in part because God knows that no one can answer the call alone
• They need the support of their faith, God, the Holy Spirit and others
• When someone is recovering from an addiction, they need people to support them so they don't relapse and fall back into their old patterns
• In order to fully come clean, they rely on the people around them; friends, family, doctors, therapists, God, etc to get through it
• Both, kind of symbolize that there is "light at the end of the tunnel" and that they can be relieved from their suffering

CCMT AND FORM AND MATTER

• The form and matter of the two are not really similar
• It is a celebration because it's allowing the addict to free themselves from their old habits
• It's a communion because it brings a whole team of people around the person to help them heal, like the anointing of the sick
• It helps the addict to remember the times in their past when they weren't addicted
• It transforms them into a new person and happier person , similar to anointing of the sick

WHY ANOINTING OF THE SICK IS UNIQUE

• Anointing of the sick is unique because it allows the recipient to grow closer to God
• Additionally, it is a form of theological healing
• It is preparing the afflicted for reaching God
• Also, it is preparing for the outcome of death, which in both surgery and recovery is not the expected outcome
• No other religion really has anything like it