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Holy Sacrament of The Unction of The Sick

“But to you who fear My Name, the Sun of Righteousness shall rise with healing in His wings.”

(Malachi 4:2)
Jesus healing the blind man

Overview of the Sacrament

The unction of the sick is a gift of the Holy Spirit ministered by the Church and performed by the priest. The chief biblical text for anointing of the sick is

"Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. And their prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make them well. And anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven."

(James 5:14-15)

When Christians are experiencing illness, they receive the necessary particular gifts of the Holy Spirit such as strength, peace and courage to overcome such difficulties. Through this anointing, the sins are forgiven. By the power of the Holy Spirit, the sick person’s soul will be healed; and if it’s God’s will, he also may be healed physically. The sick person receives the strength and gift of uniting his sufferings with our Lord’s Passion.

Prayer Offered In Faith

In the gospel according to St. Mark, we read that a man with leprosy came to Jesus and kneeling before Him says,

“If you are willing, you can make me clean.” Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed.” As soon as He had spoken immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed."

(Mark 1:40-42)

St. John Chrysostom says,

The leper did not say, “Cleanse me”, but left everything in His Hands, and subjected his healing to the will of Christ the Lord, attesting to His authority.

The leper taught us how prayer should be, “If You are willing, You can." He announces that he totally believes in Christ’s ability, for He is able to do all things. At the same time, he is kneeling down at the feet of Christ, announcing his submission to His will. O how wise this simple leper is! He left us a simple and deep system for prayer.

Institution of the Sacrament

Our Lord Jesus Christ instituted the sacrament:

“Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers.”

(Matthew 10:8)

“Whatever city you enter, and they receive you ... heal the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The Kingdom of God has come near to you’”

(Luke 10: 8-9).

Our fathers the Apostles practiced it according to the orders of their Master, as the Bible says,

"So they went out and preached that people should repent. And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them."

(Mark 6:12-13)

The priest is the one who prays, and it is God who heals, for the sacrament is not a person’s work but the work of God.

"I am the Lord who heals you."

(Ex 15: 26)

The Lord Christ the Healer of Our Souls and Bodies

In the Old Testament, Jeremiah the prophet prayed,

"Heal me O Lord, and I shall be healed.”

(Jer 17:14)

And in the New Testament, St. John the Beloved records what Jesus said,

"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."

(John 10:10)

Jesus healed the sick, raised the invalid, opened the eyes of the blind, purified the lepers and the lame, after having saved them and forgiven their sins.

Jesus' healings were both physical and spiritual. Jesus Christ healed:
  • the lepers to show us that He came to heal human nature which became corrupt due to sin.
  • the deaf to open our ears to His voice which has been muffled by worldly noise.
  • the blind to restore our spiritual sight.
  • the lame to free us from the shackles of sin.
  • the hemorrhaging woman to stop the hemorrhaging of sin that has exhausted humanity.
  • Christ raised the dead to show us that we will be raised to life everlasting.

The First Prayer of The Unction

In the first prayer of the Unction of the Sick, we pray:

"Master, Lord Jesus Christ, Who came of His own will and his great mercy according to the economy to save us from the death of sin and the victories of the adversary ... remember O Lord Your mercies ... give ear to our prayer and to the poor supplication of us, Your sinful servants, and give healing to your servant who has fled under the shadow of your wings, for You are a Lover of Mankind, and forgive him those things which are against him, which he has committed during all his life; and forgive him his transgressions which he has committed willingly or unwillingly, whether of his own motion or that of any other; whether in thought or in deed against Your good pleasure."

The prophet Malachi wrote,

“But to you who fear My name, the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings; and you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves.”

(Malachi 4:2)

“You shall go out” - Enjoying the Sun of Righteousness, the sick who are healed will go out to work for the kingdom of heaven. They will testify in the name of our Lord and Savior.

Praise and Thanksgiving

David the Psalmist gave thanks to God for His great mercy and healing, saying:

"Bless the Lord, O my soul ...Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases.”

(Psalm 103: 1, 3).

“O Lord my God, I cried out to You and You have healed me."

(Psalm 30:2)

The Seventh Prayer of The Unction

In the seventh prayer, the priest prays, "O Lord, the Merciful and manifold in mercy, who desires not the death of the sinner, but rather that he should be converted and live."

References

Coptic Reader App

Commentary on the Book of Malachi- Fr. Tadros Malaty

Understanding Miracles - Bishop Raphael - Book 15

The Complete Early Church Fathers Collection - Philip Schaff

The Holy Spirit in the Mysteries of the Church- Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the LA, SC, HI

Kenonia App