IV. The Effects of the Celebration
of This Sacrament
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A particular gift of the Holy Spirit. the first grace of this sacrament is one
of strengthening, peace and courage to overcome the difficulties that go with
the condition of serious illness or the frailty of old age. This grace is a
gift of the Holy Spirit, who renews trust and faith in God and strengthens
against the temptations of the evil one, the temptation to discouragement and
anguish in the face of death.134 This assistance from the Lord by the power
of his Spirit is meant to lead the sick person to healing of the soul, but also
of the body if such is God's will.135 Furthermore, "if he has
committed sins, he will be forgiven."136
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Union with the passion of Christ. By the grace of this sacrament the sick
person receives the strength and the gift of uniting himself more closely to
Christ's Passion: in a certain way he is consecrated to bear fruit by
configuration to the Savior's redemptive Passion. Suffering, a consequence of
original sin, acquires a new meaning; it becomes a participation in the saving
work of Jesus.
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An ecclesial grace. the sick who receive this sacrament, "by freely
uniting themselves to the passion and death of Christ," "contribute
to the good of the People of God."137 By celebrating this
sacrament the Church, in the communion of saints, intercedes for the benefit of
the sick person, and he, for his part, though the grace of this sacrament,
contributes to the sanctification of the Church and to the good of all men for
whom the Church suffers and offers herself through Christ to God the Father.
1523
A preparation for the final journey. If the sacrament of anointing of the sick
is given to all who suffer from serious illness and infirmity, even more
rightly is it given to those at the point of departing this life; so it is also
called sacramentum exeuntium (the sacrament of those departing).138 The
Anointing of the Sick completes our conformity to the death and Resurrection of
Christ, just as Baptism began it. It completes the holy anointings that mark
the whole Christian life: that of Baptism which sealed the new life in us, and
that of Confirmation which strengthened us for the combat of this life. This
last anointing fortifies the end of our earthly life like a solid rampart for
the final struggles before entering the Father's house.139
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