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| Picture borrowed from http://greenbeltchapel.org/wp-content/uploads/ChrismMass1.jpg |
Yesterday, Holy Thursday, the Church consecrated the Holy Oils to be used in the celebration of the Sacraments. Traditionally there are three vats of oils consecrated. One is consecrated to become the Sacred Chrism (SC - Sacrum Chrisma), the other the Oil of Catechumens (OC - Oleum Catechumenorum, OS - Oleum Sanctum), and the Oil of the Infirm/Sick (OI - Oleum Infirmorum, but sometimes some use the sigla OS for Oil of the Sick which is confusing). Each have particular ingredients that make one different from the other. And a different consecratory prayer is said in each of them to signify what they are to be used for.
Oil of the Sick (OI)
Lord God, loving Father, you bring healing to the sick through your Son Jesus Christ. Hear us as we pray to you in faith, and send the Holy Spirit, man’s Helper and Friend, upon this oil, which nature has provided to serve the needs of men.
May your blessing + come upon all who are anointed with this oil, that they may be freed from pain and illness and made well again in body, mind, and soul. Father, may this oil be blessed for our use in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (who lives and reigns with you forever and ever. Amen.)
Oil of the Catechumens (OC or OS)
Lord God, protector of all who believe in you, bless + this oil at and give wisdom and strength to all who are anointed with it in preparation for their baptism. Bring them to a deeper understanding of the gospel, help them to accept the challenge of Christian living, and lead them to the joy of new birth in the family of your Church. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Sacred Chrism (SC)
Let us pray that God our almighty Father so that all who are anointed with it may be inwardly transformed and come to share in eternal salvation.
God our maker, source of all growth in holiness, accept the joyful thanks and praise we offer in the name of your Church. In the beginning, at your command, the earth produced fruit-bearing trees.
From the fruit of the olive tree you have provided us with oil for holy chrism. The prophet David sang of the life and joy that the oil would bring us in the sacraments of your love.
After the avenging flood, the dove returning to Noah with an olive branch announced your gift of peace. This was a sign of a greater gift to come. Now the waters of baptism wash away the sins of men, and by the anointing with olive oil you make us radiant with your joy.
At your command, Aaron was washed with water, and your servant Moses, his brother, anointed him priest. This too foreshadowed greater things to come. After your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, asked John for baptism in the waters of Jordan, you sent the Spirit upon him in the form of a dove and by the witness of your own voice you declared him to be your only, well-beloved Son. In this you clearly fulfilled the prophecy of David, that Christ would be anointed with the oil of gladness beyond his fellow men.
And so, Father, we ask you to bless + this oil you have created. Fill it with the power of your Holy Spirit through Christ your Son. It is from him that chrism takes its name and with chrism you have anointed for yourself priests and kings, prophets and martyrs.
Or
Make this chrism a sign of life and salvation for those who are to be born again in the waters of baptism. Wash away the evil they have inherited from sinful Adam, and when they are anointed with this holy oil make them temples of your glory, radiant with the goodness of life that has its source in you.The use of these oils are governed in the celebration of the sacraments themselves.
Through this sign of chrism grant them royal, priestly, and prophetic honor, and clothe them with incorruption. Let this be indeed the chrism of salvation for those who will be born again of water and the Holy Spirit. May they come to share eternal life in the glory of your kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Father, we thank you for the gifts you have given us in your love: we thank you for the life itself and for the sacraments that strengthen it and give it fuller meaning.
In the Old Covenant you gave your people a glimpse of the power of this holy oil and when the fullness of time had come you brought that mystery to perfection in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son.
By his suffering, dying, and rising to life he saved the human race. He sent your Spirit to fill the Church with every gift needed to complete your saving work.
From that time forward, through the sign of holy chrism, you dispense your life and love to men. By anointing them with the Spirit, you strengthen all who have been reborn in baptism. Through that anointing you transform them into the likeness of Christ your Son and give them a share in his royal, priestly, and prophetic work.
And so, Father, by the power of your love, make this mixture of oil and perfume a sign and source + of your blessing. Pour out the gifts of your Holy Spirit on our brothers and sisters who will be anointed with it. Let the splendor of holiness shine on the world from every place and thing signed with this oil.
Above all, Father, we pray that through this sign of your anointing you will grant increase to your Church until it reaches the eternal glory where you, Father, will be the all in all, together with Christ your Son, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.
The Oil of the Infirm or Oil of the Sick is used for the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. Although I have observed that some priest use the oil also in special prayer of healing services.
The Sacred Chrism is used in the post-baptismal anointing, as well as in Confirmation (Chrismation) and Ordination to the Priesthood and Episcopate.
The Oil of Catechumens is used in pre-baptismal anointings particularly in the scrutinies of Catechumens preparing for Baptism. Considering that the Rite of the Catechumenate has fallen into disuse in many dioceses, this holy oil is not consecrated anymore in large amounts or is not consecrated at all. But there are still dioceses which do consecrate them.
However, unknown to many Catholics, there is also another holy oil that can be used by them in their person and homes. This oil is particularly useful in the Ministry of Spiritual Liberation. For lack of term we call it Exorcised-Blessed Oil, the Eastern Catholics and Orthodox call it generically Anointing Oil. And there is a specific blessing for this oil found in the old roman ritual of blessings.
This oil made from olives can be blessed by any Catholic Priest using the appropriate blessing.
Exorcised-Blessed Oil
Exorcism of Oil
Creature of God, oil, I exorcise you by God the Father + almighty, who made heaven and earth and sea, and all that they contain. Let the adversary's power, the devil's legions, and all of Satan's attacks and machinations be dispelled and driven far from this creature, oil. Let it bring health in body and mind to all who use it, in the name of God + the Father almighty, and of our Lord Jesus + Christ, His Son, and of the Holy + Spirit, as well as in the love of the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who is coming to judge both the living and the dead and the world by fire. Amen.
Blessing of Oil
The use of the Holy Oils in the Ministry of Spiritual Liberation and Exorcisms
Lord God almighty, before whom the hosts of angels stand in awe, and whose heavenly service we acknowledge; may it please you to regard favorably and to bless + and hallow + this creature, oil, which by your power has been pressed from the *juice of olives. You have ordained it for anointing the sick, so that, when they are made well, they may give thanks to you, the living and true God. Grant we pray, that those who will use this oil, which we are blessing + in your name, may be protected from every attack of the unclean spirit, and be delivered from all suffering, all infirmity, and all wiles of the enemy. Let it be a means of averting any kind of adversity from man, redeemed by the precious blood of your Son, so that he may never again suffer the sting of the ancient serpent. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
At AMOE we find the generous use of the holy oils to be very helpful.
The OC/OS we use for Minor Exorcisms of the Spiritually Afflicted. We find that the oil of catechumens is very powerful in drawing out the unclean spirits to manifest themselves early on.
The Exorcised-Blessed Oil (Anointing Oil) we use in the Closing of the Occult Third Eye, and in the Closing of the "Chakra" Entry-points, in the Major exorcisms that require the signing of the cross on the brow (in fronte) and the chest (in pectore) of the afflicted.
The SC is used especially to those who were spiritually liberated from the evil one. In cases where the person was able to make their consecration to the Lord and Our Lady, the person is anointed in his brow, ears, eyes, nostrils, lips, chest, shoulders, hands, and feet, as as a sign of the total consecration to God. We find the action appropriate to symbolically manifest the persons conversion from that of being a slave to the evil one, to being a servant of the Lord. Moreover, in many cases this final anointing tells us clearly if an unclean spirit is still present in the person or not. If a violent reaction is elicited then there is still an unclean spirit. If no reaction comes then liberation has been achieved.
How wonderful indeed, how the Almighty, blesses and sanctifies, these oils to be soothing instruments for the weary soul of us human beings. May His name be praised forever!
