In recent weeks, like many of you, I have been thinking a lot about oil and the price of oil. I was doing a bit of research and I found, to my surprise, that petroleum was discovered in Mesopotamia as long ago as 3000 BC. The Chinese used it to light lamps centuries before the birth of Christ.
In modern times we have come to depend on oil in its various forms to lubricate and protect machinery, to fuel industry and transport, and to heat our homes and offices. Just over a hundred years ago, the world began to move from coal to oil, because oil was cleaner. Today, despite all of the benefits of oil, fossil fuels are recognised to pose major threat to the environment and we are being encouraged to reduce and eventually eliminate our use of them.
Oil has become, in the worst possible way, inextricably associated with greed and the thirst for power, and the killing of the innocent. We can of course give thanks to God for the gift of oil and for so much that it has made possible, but the abuse of God’s gift must be called out. Political leaders can dress it up with fancy language, but the fact remains that oil and the control of oil have been key factors in wars and conflicts going back to the first half of the twentieth century. In these recent weeks of war in the Middle East, the image of billowing black smoke speaks of the destruction of our environment. The peace and economic security of millions of people have been destroyed, while the international arms industry happily sells the weapons of war to whoever wants to buy.
Oil to Gladden Our Faces
This evening we come together to bless the Oil of the Sick and the Oil of Catechumens, and to consecrate the Chrism. These oils will be used in the celebration of the Sacraments during the coming year. Olive oil is not just a different kind of oil, but the use of olive oil in the Sacraments speaks to us of a mission and an attitude to life which are also very different.
Oil is described in the prayer of blessing as “Oil to gladden our faces”. Already, in Old Testament times, the anointing with Chrism was a symbolic act, by which a person was set aside by God for a mission of service. The young King David was anointed by the prophet Samuel to serve his people.
We can go back further of course, to Noah in the Book of Genesis, where a dove, sent out in search of dry land, returns with an Olive branch. The olive branch became a symbol of peace and of new beginnings, and was adopted as the insignia of the United Nations. I am conscious that, as we gather here, our peace-keepers are carrying out their mission in South Lebanon, simply by being present, without any great show of arms, as a reminder that there is another way. One of the men there, a recent past pupil of Summerhill College has been in touch with me in recent days. He is conscious of building on a tradition of care and respect for the local population that goes back almost fifty years.
The prophet Isaiah, in our first reading, speaks of mission in terms of bringing good news, setting captives free, opening the eyes of the blind, and proclaiming a year of the Lord’s favour. Jesus himself adopts those same words of Isaiah, as he sets out on his own mission as “the Christ”, the anointed one of God. His is a mission that builds up and strengthens; not a mission that destroys. We who are called to be his disciples are given a share in his mission.
The Sacraments
a. Anointing
The first of the Holy Oils that we bless this evening is the Oil of Anointing of the Sick. When we think of how oils and lotions have long been used in the treatment of injuries and for the relief of pain, it is a very natural symbol of healing. The prayer of blessing connects the ministry of the Church with the healing ministry of Jesus. That ministry continues both in the sacrament of anointing and in the care provided by doctors, nurses, carers, chaplains and so many others. The Sacrament serves as a powerful sign of the closeness of Jesus to all who are sick or frail due to old age, and of how they share in the mission of Jesus, both in their prayer and by sharing in his cross.
b. Baptism
The oil of Catechumens is used to anoint those who are preparing for Baptism. In modern times, it has been incorporated into the rite of Infant Baptism, but in its original form, which is still followed with the Baptism of Adults, it is celebrated separately. The anointing with the oil of catechumens is traditionally associated with a Prayer of Exorcism. The Church prays that the one to be Baptised will be protected from the power of evil and given wisdom and strength to walk always in the light.
c. Baptism, Confirmation
The sacred Chrism is a mixture of olive oil and sweet smelling balsam. It is first used in the Sacrament of Baptism, as a sacramental sign that every Baptised person shares, through Baptism, in the priestly and prophetic mission of Jesus. This entrusting with mission is renewed in the Sacrament of Confirmation, with the outpouring of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The mission that comes through Baptism and Confirmation is a life-long mission, which takes shape as we reflect on God’s Word, and seek to use the gifts that we have been given; powerful gifts for service.
It is worth remembering the fruits of the Holy Spirit, about which St. Paul writes in the Letter to the Galatians. It is these fruits:- Love, Joy, Peace. Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-control, that we Christians are called to bring to a broken world that is so much in need of the Holy Spirit. This evening, as we bless the Chrism, I want to encourage all of you here, and all who are listening to me online, to live fully the grace of your Baptism and to use the gifts of your Confirmation for the good of the Church and of humanity, as well as for your own salvation. We are called, as Pope Francis wrote, to be missionary disciples.
d. Holy Orders
Priests and Bishops are also anointed with Sacred Chrism at Ordination, as a sacramental sign of the mission entrusted to them in service of the people of God. Traditionally, the priests gather with the Bishop at the Mass of Chrism, for a renewal of their priestly commitment, and I am delighted that so many of your are able to be here this evening. I welcome those of you who have come to minister in our Dioceses recently and who are with us for the first time. I invite you this evening to join in Spirit also with the priests of your own Diocese or Congregation, with whom you have a special bond of fraternity.
On behalf of all the people of God gathered here, and around the whole of our two Dioceses, I want to acknowledge the generous pastoral care that you provide, sometimes in the face of ill health. The harvest is great, and it calls for generosity and faith on the part of all of us. I understand that it can be challenging when you are asked to take on new challenges or to move to another parish where your gifts are needed. I think it can also be enriching. I encourage you to have confidence in the Holy Spirit, and not to neglect your own faith as you seek to nourish the faith of others. To use the words of Saint Paul, “we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us”.