The Gospel for this day is taken
from John 12:1-11.
The family of Lazarus prepared a
SUPPER for Jesus. Martha served. Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made
from genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with
her hair; the HOUSE was filled with the fragrance of the oil. Judas reacted
against this action of Mary. Jesus said (to Judas), “Leave her alone. Let
her keep this for the day of my BURIAL.”
“Oil” here makes us think of the
oil of the sick which is blessed by the bishop on Holy Thursday in the Chrism
Mass. Anointing of the sick is administered to bring comfort and healing either
physically or spiritual or both to people who are seriously ill or/and in
danger of death. The elderly Catholics are also encouraged to receive this
sacrament as they deal with the health challenges of aging. There is nothing
wrong for one to ask for this sacrament to prepare oneself in facing death particularly
when he/she has “near death awareness.” Even Jesus allowed such anointing as He
Himself said this, “Leave her alone. Let her keep this for the day of my
BURIAL.”
Today, as it becomes difficult
for anybody to call for a priest to visit or administer this anointing of the
sick, every family in their home may pray for the SICK, DYING and ELDERLY. If
there is any sick member in the family or elderly in the home, this is the day
that the family should make the patient feel he/she has a spiritual support,
showing family solidarity in the time of sickness. If nobody in the house is
sick, the family members may write the names of those who need their prayers on
a piece of paper and place it at their home altar and pray for them. They can
pray the rosary or the Divine Mercy Chaplet for the Sick and the Dying, or they
can have an hour of silence and meditation before their home altar. If they
have an outdoor standalone altar or assembled simple altar outside their gate,
they may light some candles and offer some prayers for the SICK, DYING and
ELDERLY.
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