Oils consecrated during Chrism Mass bear much symbolism

Intermountain Catholic

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Jars of oil await consecration prior to last year's Chrism Mass at the Cathedral of the Madeleine. IC file photo

SALT LAKE CITY — When priests, deacons and their wives, and the laity gather at the Cathedral of the Madeleine April 7 for the Chrism Mass this year, Bishop Oscar A. Solis will consecrate the oils that will be used during the next year for the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Anointing of the Sick and Holy Orders. He also will ask the various groups to renew their commitment to be faithful servants.

“I truly enjoy the Chrism Mass and consider it as one of the most important annual liturgical celebrations of our Church that highlights the unity of the bishop with his brother priests of his diocese and the entire faith community as members of the Body of Christ to Jesus Christ, who is the head of the Church,” Bishop Solis said. “It is a solemn occasion for all our clergy to renew their vow of obedience, and for the people of God to renew their baptismal promises to the bishop. The blessing and consecration of the three holy oils remind all of us of our anointing and commitment to love and serve the people of God. It is inspiring to see the entire faith community come together in a spirit of unity to renew our priestly life and commitment to love and service in the one priesthood of Christ. I encourage all the faithful from all the parishes to come and attend the Chrism Mass.”

The Chrism Mass “is among the principal manifestations of the fullness of the bishop’s priesthood and is considered to be a sign of the close bond of the priests with him,” states “The Order of Blessing the Oil of Catechumens and of the Sick and of Consecrating the Chrism,” published by authority of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Divine Worship. “For it is with the sacred chrism consecrated by the bishop that the newly baptized are anointed and those to be confirmed are signed. It is with the Oil of Catechumens that catechumens are prepared and disposed for Baptism. Finally, it is with the Oil of the Sick that those who are ill are comforted in their infirmity.”

In his homily for the 2010 Chrism Mass, Pope Benedict XVI explained that the oils, consecrated in the bishop’s cathedral for the whole year, “serve as an expression of the Church’s unity, guaranteed by the episcopate, and they point to Christ, the true ‘shepherd and guardian’ of our souls, as Saint Peter calls him.”

The pope emeritus noted that “oil, in its different forms, accompanies us throughout our lives: beginning with the catechumenate and baptism, and continuing right up to the moment when we prepare to meet God, our judge and savior.”

He added that “in the early Church, the consecrated oil was considered a special sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit, who communicates himself to us as a gift from Christ. He is the oil of gladness.”

Anointing with oil is an ancient practice; Old Testament kings, priests and prophets were anointed as a sign of their office. “Oil is a sign of abundance and joy; it cleanses …; oil is a sign of healing, since it is soothing to bruises and wounds; and it makes radiant with beauty, health and strength,” the Catechism of the Catholic Church states.

“The pre-baptismal anointing with oil of catechumens signifies cleansing and strengthening; the anointing of the sick expresses healing and comfort,” the Catechism adds. “The post-baptismal anointing with sacred chrism in Confirmation and ordination is the sign of consecration. By Confirmation Christians, that is, those who are anointed, share more completely in the mission of Jesus Christ and the fullness of the Holy Spirit with which he is filled, so that their lives may give off ‘the aroma of Christ.’”

In his homily for the 2019 Chrism Mass, Pope Francis said that he likes to “smear with chrism the foreheads and the hands of those I anoint. In that generous anointing, we can sense that our own anointing is being renewed.”

Speaking to the priests, he said, “We are not distributors of bottled oil. We anoint by distributing ourselves, distributing our vocation and our heart. When we anoint others, we ourselves are anointed anew by the faith and the affection of our people. We anoint by dirtying our hands in touching the wounds, the sins and the worries of the people. We anoint by perfuming our hands in touching their faith, their hopes, their fidelity and the unconditional generosity of their self-giving. The one who learns how to anoint and to bless is thus healed of meanness, abuse and cruelty.”

Pope Benedict ended his 2010 homily with these words: “In the fruit of the olive tree, in the consecrated oil, we are touched by the goodness of the Creator, the love of the Redeemer. Let us pray that his gladness may pervade us ever more deeply and that we may be capable of bringing it anew to a world in such urgent need of the joy that has its source in truth. Amen.”