Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1885-04-27
ExTREME JUNCTION..

Rev. Father Lynch of St. Francis
Church, Fair Haven-An Eloquent
Discourse.
Who is there who has not thought of the
last dread call from earth and what will hap
pen after dissolutions Though absorbed in
the duties of this life, everyone finds himself
at times thinking of something which both
surprises and startles the thinker. Thoughts
of the future state come as messengers of
glory No mind is so occupied as not to
give them at least a passing notice, no soul
is so depraved and perverted from the con-
sideration of heavenly things as not to have
been influenced and instinctively drawn to
good thoughts by their stirring influences.
Then, too, the natural course of events PIE
sents daily suggestions. The general tenden-
cies-of nature supply with suggestions
calculated to impress with the idea of our
impending end. We are all aware of the
terrors attending the departure of man from
the earth. But God is ever mindful of his
creatures and has preserved his grace for
ever opening to us the gates which lead to
life by the sacrament of baptism. By the
sacrament of extreme JUNCTION he has facili-
tated our passage from earth to heaven.
If ever the Christian soul stands in need of
aid it is at this last decisive moment, when
the foe of human salvation uses every arti-
fee to ruin it forever. Vice Invested of its
charms appears in all its deformity and dur
ing these awful moments the grace of God
alone can support. For this end has Christ
instituted the Sc erament of extreme JUNCTION,
the nature and effects of which are worthy of
reception.
The sacred rite of the Catholic church ac-
| cording to which those who by sickness are
| in danger of death are anointed with oil is
called extreme Tor last) JUNCTION, and is SO
istered in the last stage of life,
or because it is the last of
all the sacraments or religious
ceremonies of the church This shows it to
be sacrament from these words of St.
James, eff anyone is sick among you let him
bring in the priests of the church and an
ONT him with oil in the name of Christ" 1t
was instituted by our divine Lord himself,
who sending his disciples before him, the
Evangelist informs US that going forth they
I preached that all should do penance, and
| they cast out many devils, and anointed
with oil many who were sick, and healed
them
| In every age of the church it has been con-
sidered true sacrament producing spiritual
effects and although administered with many
unctions performed each with a peculiar
prayer, and under peculiar form, it consti-
tutes but one sacrament, it derives its per-
lection from one form. It is one sign,
ROSOO
saeraments it has matter and form. When
the sacrament is worthily received sanctify-
ing grace is impaired and actual grace
ceived. 1t even washes away the guilt
of mortal sin in certain circumstances.
But not alone does it remit sin, but it
Gains the soul to resignation and inspires
holy confidence in the divine mercies. At
that dread moment what fears flash across
the mind there is need of a particular
grace to console and resign the heart when
that moment is near at hand which is to
place him before his Judge Then all secret
designs and dark plots will be revealed in all
the infamy of guilt, where nothing can
screen the guilty. Christ instituted this
powerful sacrament of grace to console the
Just man and to encourage the repentant sin
ner.
The best preparation for death is life of
virtue Trust not to the achievements of
death bed where life retreating leaves us
scarcely able to entertain sentiment of pity.
Do now what you would then have wished
you had done, serve God by faithfully obey
ing him and the laws of the church. Your
Lord will then visit you graciously in your
last moments; will refresh and invigorate
your soul in the decline of corporal strength;
the PRAYER of faith will be heard in your ia
vor, and angels will chant around your
tomb, BLESSED are they who die in the
Lord,n