Question:
Answer:
The sacraments of healing are the Sacrament of Reconciliation/Confession and the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.
Fundamental to receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation is having contrition for one’s sins, to be sorrowful and repentant for one’s wrongdoing (CCC 1450-54). Recognizing our wrongdoing, that we have offended God and others, leads us to want to reconcile with both God and those whom we have offended. And so we repent to those whom we’ve offended, which begins the restoration-of-relationship process, and then we receive God’s merciful absolution in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which also gives us grace to avoid these and other sins (CCC 1459-60; 1468-70). This sacrament also calls us to make a firm purposes of amendment to avoid this and other sins (CCC 1490). CCC 1496 summarizes the benefits of Confession.
Similarly, Anointing of the Sick draws one closer to God and thereby aids a sick person to be better inclined to reconcile with whomever they need to reconcile. If one has been going to Confession regularly, they don’t need to go in advance of receiving this sacrament, and their sins will nevertheless be forgiven by receiving the Anointing of the Sick (CCC 1510; 1520; 1526). In addition, they will receive strength, peace and courage from the Holy Spirit to deal with their sickness and also the grace to unite themselves more closely to Christ’s Passion. In receiving God’s merciful healing and strength, the person who receives this sacrament is more inclined to extend God’s mercy to others and their thereby fix their relationships.
CCC summarizes the benefits of Anointing of the Sick (CCC 1532).