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Giving
and Receiving the Touch of Christ
May
21, 2006 Homily
John
15:9-17
Fr.
George Smiga
There
are two sides to human touch: the one that reaches out to
touch another and the one that allows that touch to take place.
Both of these dimensions are necessary if an appropriate touch
is to happen. Both of these dimensions of human touch form
the sign of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. This
weekend we are celebrating the Sacrament of the Anointing
of the Sick at all of our parish liturgies. Initially it might
seem strange to celebrate this Sacrament during the Easter
Season, because the Easter Season is certainly focused on
the Initiation Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist.
But the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick has its own
particular connection to Easter—a connection which is founded
on the reality of human touch.
In
many of the Resurrection accounts, Jesus invites his disciples
to touch the wounds of his passion, which are present in his
risen body. By this invitation, Jesus shows his willingness
to be touched and invites the disciples to respond. Touching
of the wounds of Christ is a proclamation of Easter. Jesus,
though risen, humbles himself to show the marks of his passion.
In inviting his disciples to touch them, he assures them that
he will forgive them for their failure to stand with him in
his passion. His invitation to touch then is an invitation
to reconciliation. The disciples, as they do indeed touch
the wounds of Christ, show their willingness to accept that
reconciliation and at the same time profess their belief in
their risen Lord. Therefore, this touching of the wounds of
Christ is a mutual exchange of love: Jesus loving his sinful
disciples, the disciples loving the risen Lord. In this exchange
of love, the power of the resurrection is released.
Now
in a few moments I will invite those who are physically or
emotionally sick to come forward and to be touched in the
Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. This Sacrament is
also an exchange of love. It takes humility and faith for
those who are sick to come forward and to be touched. For
all of us there is the temptation to deny the needs in our
life, the temptation to think that we can do it on our own
without the help of others. I encourage those who are thinking
about receiving the Sacrament to resist that temptation. It
is only as you come forward and allow yourself to be touched
that this Sacrament can happen. Moreover, it is a sign of
your faith in the love of Christ, present in this community,
to come forward.
All
of us here are to be the love of Christ to those who receive
the sacrament. It is not just the priest who touches the sick
as he anoints them with the holy oil. All of us are meant
to be the presence of Christ in this Sacrament for our brothers
and sisters who come forward. We are all meant to touch them
through our prayers, through our compassion, through our love.
This
Sacrament then of the Anointing of the Sick is in its own
way an exchange of love. Those coming forward do so in their
love of Christ. All of us reaching out to touch those who
are sick do so as part of the Body of Christ. When we touch
in this way, we release the power of the resurrection, the
power of life, the power to heal, the power of hope. Let us
then assume our roles in this celebration. For when we touch
one another in this holy sacrament, we are following the command
that Christ gave us in the gospel: that we love one another
as he has loved us.
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