During a Sunday school class, a teacher asked the children if anybody knew the surname of Jesus. A little shy girl put up her hand and said, Jesus’ surname is Christ. And immediately, all the children clapped for her. But was she right? Certainly not!
One word that reflects the deepest identity of the person and the mission of Jesus is “Christ”. But Christ is not his name nor his surname, but his title. The Greek word Christos translates the Hebrew word messiah, which means “the Anointed One” or simply “the Oiled One”.
The concept of the oiled one is derived from the ancient practice of wrestling, where wrestlers smeared themselves with oil or grease such that when gripped by the enemy, they could easily slip from their hands. The psalmist (Ps 124:7) paints this imagery so beautifully when he says, “We escaped like a bird from a hunter’s trap. The trap is broken, and we are free!” So, if Jesus is the Christ, then yes, he is the anointed, the oiled one, the one who has escaped from the snares of the evil one, and so he teaches us also to do the same that we may intend to help the faithful (Luke 22:31).
We know from the Scriptures (Matt 3:13-17) that Jesus’ anointing with the Holy Spirit took place during his baptism when the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descended upon Him and the Father’s voice was heard setting Him apart. And then he was led by the Holy Spirit into the desert for 40 days and 40 nights. Soon after that, he appeared in the synagogue and then he declared as in today’s gospel: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”
The events of scripture, as has just been narrated, set the stage for our liturgical celebration today, which we call Chrism Mass, that is, the Mass of the Blessing of Oils. Again, during today’s liturgy, all concelebrating clergy present will renew our ordination promises. We will renew our promise to respect and obey our Archbishop and to live the chaste life that is proper to clerics (Wis. 4:1; Ps. 36:18; Prov. 15:26; Eccl. 26:20; Jud. 15:11). Let any priest here who has not spoken ill of your bishop be the first to lift your hand…. I repeat, if there is any one of us who has never shown disobedience or disrespect to the Archbishop, let him be the first to lift up his hand. Clearly, “for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23).
It is with such sober admission of guilt and unfaithfulness to our vows of chastity and poverty, as well as obedience to our Archbishop, that we renew our ordination promises today. In many respects, we have been like Judas, who was among the 12 but had his agenda. Sometimes, like Judas:
- We have made use of clerical privileges only to promote our personal agenda, like Spy Wednesday today, when others are busy preparing for the Passover, we are busy plotting our own spiritual “demise”.
- We stand so close to the Archbishop, or work as ministers in the archdiocese, and yet our actions, not only in private but also in public, are just short of the Kiss of Judas’ betrayal.
- We are oblivious of betraying the priesthood because we are too hurt or too steeped in our dark and selfish ways, such that we don’t consult or seek help from anybody. Just imagine, why didn’t any of the apostles know about the diabolic plans of Judas? Was it because Judas was that secretive a person, or were the brothers just too busy with themselves that they failed to see Judas sinking before their eyes?
- We have allowed money and power to blind us such that a mere 30 pieces of silver is what it takes to buy or bribe our consciences, such that we can turn to hate so much certain authority figures or the system itself.
- We allow Satan to fill our hearts (Luke 22:3; John 13:27), then we are in a hurry to finish or celebrate the sacraments like Judas and then run off to our heart’s desires. Only God knows what that desire is!
- We can’t forgive ourselves after falling so low and failing to keep our ordination promises, so all that consumes us daily is, “How much can I hurt the fraternity or just leave it for good?”
O Judas, come back home! My dear brothers, ours is a unique calling from the anointed one himself to become the oil of gladness to our world. Of our kind and calling, Solomon says, “How pleasing is your fragrance; your name is like the spreading fragrance of scented oils. No wonder all the young women love you!” (Song of Solomon 1:3). The Catholic priesthood is the only priestly institution in history that is distinct by the unbroken line of succession of the powers of ordination up to the calling of the Apostles by Christ Himself. Therefore, let us jealously guard it and be like Christ, whose anointing or oiling we share. Today, three oils will be blessed and dispensed. The question is:
- How did we receive last year’s oils?
- Did we announce to our congregations in solemn procession the arrival of the oils in our churches on Holy Thursday?
- How many churches have a special ambry to keep the oils throughout the year?
- How did we dispose of the old oils before coming for the new ones today?
- Were we mere dispensers of the oils, or were we spiritually disposed to each one of them before dispensing them as ministers? As St. Paul says, “No, I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27).
- How many of us keep a parish register of those to whom, especially, the oil of the sick is administered?
- Were there occasions that you could have requested more oils from the Archbishop, but you didn’t? And were there occasions that we should have dispensed the oils, but we were negligent or absent?
- Were there occasions that prompted you to bless oil of the sick for your pastoral use? Did you follow the mind of the Church?
- Finally, and a very tricky one, did you bless oils for lay individuals or groups for their private use? With what knowledge and intention did you address such a pastoral situation?
Scripture says, “To him who more has been given, more is expected.” Therefore, my dear brothers, we who are about to receive the oils today, more is expected of and from us. We cannot play nescience or ignorance about the theological, liturgical, canonical, and pastoral significance of the oil of the sick, the oil of catechumen, and the Holy Chrism. Paraphrasing the words of ordination, let me reiterate the ancient truth, “Receive the oils of Christ, whose herald you now are. Believe what you receive, give what you receive, and practise what you give.”
Now, let us take a look at each of the oils and how they apply to us as clerics.
First, we are called to be like Christ, the Oil of the Infirm, such that our presence and ministry should bring healing and hope to a world that is so broken and divided. Gone are the days when raging hearts and tongues would subside just at the mere sight of a Catholic priest. We have lost our first love, but it is not too late to refill our lamps. There were 10 virgins who carried their lamps, but only five carried along with them extra oil. May the celebrations of today challenge us to strive to carry or be the extra oil of the infirm to the world that needs healing, beginning from ourselves. May we become truly the balm and antidote to fight hopelessness and corruption by our neutrality and aptness.
Secondly, we are called to be like the Oil of Salvation, also called Oil of Catechumen, whereby our messages come across to all and sundry without any ambiguity or partiality. Our yes must be our yes, and we must not dabble in ambivalence of moral standards. God has chosen weak vessels like us for such angelic works so that none of us would be proud (1 Cor 1:26-29). But that is not a licence for any one of us to wallow in our mess and tests of life. Dear brothers, be encouraged by these words: “There’s No Message Without a Mess and No Testimony Without a Test.” And since the downfall of a man is not the end of his life, we are called to be symbols of the oil of salvation to the world. We must give hope to our world rather than be the source of scandals and scorn. Thus, Jesus cautions us, “Woe to the world because of offences, for it is necessary that offences will come, but woe to the man by whom the offences will come” (Matt 18:7).
Thirdly, we are called to be like the Oil of Chrism where people can say or testify, by our way of life, that these bunch of men are comparable to the Oil of Chrism, which makes things and people stand out from the ordinary, such as in baptism, confirmation, ordination and consecration of altars. Chrism is what distinguishes the sacred from the mundane. The priesthood of the Roman Catholic Church is therefore a calling not to be a minimal Christian or Catholic (Acts 11:26) but one who is synonymous with the very holiness of the Church. “As the priest is, so is the Church”, as the saying goes. We are called to be little Christs among the faithful. Thus, by our actions, and not by our mere teachings or garments, people must come to appreciate the sacramental reality of in persona Christi. Our world today needs not just more preachers but more pastors. As sacred chrism has a distinctive aroma from the balsam that is added to it, so also, we pastors of today must bear the distinct smell of the sheep in our care.
To get the oil of the infirm, we need the blessing of the Bishop. To get the Oil of Salvation, we need the blessing of the Bishop. But to get the Oil of Chrism, we need the consecration of the Bishop. Hence, if we are to “anoint the world” because we are the dispensers of the oils and chrism, then we need to make an act of faith and request from the Archbishop today:
- Most Holy Father, bless me that I may become like the oil of infirmity as I dispense it during the year.
- Most Holy Father, bless me that I may become like the oil of salvation that I dispense during the year.
- Most Holy Father, renew my consecration to Christ Jesus that I may become like the oil of Chrism that I dispense during the year.
Now, I turn to you, Most Holy Father, our Archbishop. Please, pray to the Father for the good of all your brothers and for all the Catholic faithful of the Archdiocese, some of whom are present here. With the anointing of the Lord upon you, just as it was upon Jesus, proclaim to us the poor the good news of salvation. The Lord has sent you to proclaim freedom to some of us who feel cast into prison by our actions or inactions. Pray for us who are blind that we may perceive your vision for the Archdiocese, just as Elisha prayed for his faithless servant (2 Kings 6:16-17). At last, pray to the Father that all who are oppressed may be set free, so that as Pilgrims of Hope called to be disciples, we can all gather at he end of this jubilee year of 2025 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.
Finally, brethren, as the Archbishop blesses and gives out the oils to the priests today, he symbolically renews his connection with every priest, church and congregation under his care. Through these oils, he will be there with us as the priest visits parishioners in their homes and on their sick beds. He will be there whenever there is a baptism. He will be there to welcome adult converts who are confirmed on Easter Vigil through the RCIA. In all these sacraments, we, the clergy, will apply the oils. Therefore, pray with us, brothers and sisters, that what we receive today for your sake may truly become the symbol and bond by which we share in the Archbishop’s powers for the good of all the Church.
Arise, Catholic Faithful, Rejoice and Renew! Amen!
