G R E E T I N G
THE WORD OF GOD
A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Saint John.
Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty… Those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
OR
A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew.
Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
OR
A Reading from the Book of Revelation.
John writes: I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.”
The Word of the Lord.
R E C O N C I L I A T I O N
___, you are a beloved child of God. Take a moment, now, to examine yourself. If there is anything that is keeping you from full communion with God – fear, uncertainty, sin… whatever it may be – I invite you to confess it now in your heart (and with your lips).
If the penitent is able, they may briefly confess their sins.
The priest shall offer the comfort of the Gospel.
Should the penitent be unconscious, the priest should give practical and catechetical instruction concerning the ability of individuals to hear even when consciousness is lost, and the assurance that even if an individual’s confession is not made auricularly, God remains ready and willing to forgive.
The priest extends his hands over the penitent’s head (or at least extends his right hand) and says:
Our Lord Jesus Christ gave his apostles the authority of binding and loosing sin, and mercifully accepts all who approach him with humble and contrite hearts. Therefore, I announce to you, being truly repentant, the pardon and absolution of all your sins: + in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
If death is anticipated or possible, the Apostolic Pardon is offered.
A priest says:
A bishop says:
May the suffering and punishment due for your sins transform into a healing medicine through the working of the Holy Spirit, that your baptismal innocence may be restored, and that you may be presented pure and without spot before the Father to inherit the perfect joy that is our eternal hope. Amen.
S I G N O F P E A C E
The priest and the others present may then give the sick person the sign of peace.
If the sick person is in isolation, the sign of peace may be given through a bow or other means of non-contact to reduce the risk of contagion.
V I A T I C U M
The priest goes to the sick person and, showing the Eucharist, says:
[our food for the journey from life to life].
The priest first communes the dying individual,
followed by others who wish to receive Communion together with them.
A N O I N T I N G O F T H E S I C K
The priest anoints the sick person with blessed oil.
___, I anoint you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
He then lays his right hand upon the individual, offering one of the following prayers.
The first three prayers are particularly appropriate in situations were death is not necessarily anticipated.
As you are outwardly anointed with this holy oil, so may our heavenly Father grant to you an inner anointing with the Holy Spirit. In his great mercy, may he forgive all your sins, release you from suffering, and restore you to wholeness and strength. May he deliver you from all evil, preserve you in all goodness, and bring you to everlasting life through the merits and mercies of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
OR
May the Spirit fall upon you _____, driving away all sickness of body, mind, and spirit; restoring what is broken, delivering you from evil, preserving you in the true faith, and comforting you with the resurrection power of Jesus, through whom we are promised eternal life and light. Amen.
OR
May the comfort of the Spirit fall upon you through this holy anointing, even as you struggle through this time of illness. When you are afraid, take courage; when you are afflicted, embrace patience; when you are dejected, abide in hope; and when you feel most alone, may you be comforted by the support of the saints in light, the Church here on earth, and the overwhelming mercy and grace that flows forth to us through the dying and rising of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The following three prayers are particularly appropriate in end-of-life situations.
OR
OR
The priest may pray extemporaneously.
T H E L O R D ’ S P R A Y E R
Jesus taught us to call God our Father, and so we have the courage to say:
B L E S S I N G O R F I N A L C O M M E N D A T I O N
The priest blesses the sick person:
Or the priest offers the Final Commendation: