Homily, Little Anointed Ones
The Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist, 2025
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church
Plant City, FL
The Rev. Derek M Larson, TSSF
Today’s Lectionary Readings:
In the name of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
A few weeks ago on our anniversary weekend LauraAnn and I were window shopping in downtown Mt Dora, and as I looked across the street I saw through the window what appeared to be a wine store with bottles and bottles of different kinds beautifully arranged just for the enthusiast and the connoisseur. But as we crossed the street and got closer I realized it wasn’t wine it all. It was olive oil. Have you seen stores like this? Hundreds of different kinds of olive oil beautifully bottled with suggestions for pairings and everything. I had never heard of such a thing, but evidently it’s all the rage. I learned that folks are even going on olive oil tasting tours across Greece. I had no idea. It’s fascinating to me that this ancient thing is finding a resurgence in popularity. Though in the Church we’ve always had a special place for oil.
We can’t rival Mt Dora Olive Oil Company in flavor and number, but did you know that in Church tradition we offer three kinds of oil for the faithful? In fact, I have them handy right here in this container with a compartment for each.
The first is the oleum infirfmorum, or the Oil of the Sick. It is pure olive oil consecrated for the purpose of anointing those who are ill for healing, a practice that goes back to Jesus’ disciples who “anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them” (Mk 6:13) and the early church when James wrote “Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord” (James 5:14). Today we will bless olive oil for this purpose at the altar and use it to anoint those looking for healing during communion.
The second is the oleum catechumenorum or the Oil of the Catechumens. This oil is used by the bishop for exorcisms and to prepare people for baptism, though it is very rarely used today in the Anglican tradition.
And the third is the sacrum chrisma, or the Holy Chrism. This oil is consecrated each year by the bishop at the Chrism Mass near Holy Week primarily for the purpose of anointing with oil those who are baptized, and thus, for me, this is the most important of all the church’s oils. Every person baptized in our tradition is anointed with this oil at their baptism with the words, “You are sealed by the Holy Spirit in baptism and marked as Christ’s own forever.” It is the waters of baptism through which we are born again into the Church, the family of God, and it is the oil of the Holy Chrism, that anoints us as ministers of this Church.
We love oil in the Church.
In our gospel reading for today, the Feast of St. Luke, Jesus takes up the scroll of Isaiah in the synagogue and begins to read, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.” That word “anointed” is an important word here with a long history in the Hebrew tradition. It is a word that literally means to smear with oil.
In Exodus 30, God gives Moses a recipe and instructions for a sacred anointing oil—to mark certain things as holy before the Lord. That fragrant oil was used on the vessels of the tabernacle and upon the priests to dedicate them for sacred service. Later, the same oil was used to set apart the kings of Israel—Saul, then David, then Solomon, and those who followed. Over time these kings were known not only as rulers but as the anointed ones—in Hebrew Messiah, in Greek Christ.
When Israel lost its kingdom and went into exile, the prophets began to speak of a future Anointed One who would come to set things right again. So when Jesus stands in that synagogue and reads from Isaiah about being anointed, he is identifying himself with that long-awaited hope. Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed One—the one upon whom the Spirit of the Lord rests—to bring good news to the poor, freedom to the captives, sight to the blind, release to the oppressed.
The one anointed to bring healing to the world.
When we are anointed with the sacred chrism at baptism, we are being drawn into this same tradition. We are being set apart for holy service to God. Like the priests of ancient Israel, the kings who were anointed to lead, and Jesus the Messiah himself, we too are given a sacred purpose: to work for the healing of this world.
The very word Christian means “little anointed ones.” It means those who have been smeared with oil—those who follow the Anointed One and carry on his mission of healing. And that makes each one of us a minister.
Each one of us has been given the holy task of sharing in God’s work of healing. The healing of relationships. The healing of broken hearts. The healing of injustice and suffering. The healing of the earth. For some, that calling takes the form of quiet compassion—listening to a grieving friend, or forgiving someone who has caused hurt. For others, it looks like the work of justice—feeding the hungry, advocating for the vulnerable, standing up for peace. Some bring healing through beauty and creativity, through their daily work as teachers, nurses, parents, volunteers, and neighbors.
This is your vocation. It was given to you at baptism, when the priest marked your forehead with oil and said, You are sealed by the Holy Spirit in baptism and marked as Christ’s own forever.
One expression of that sacred calling is the anointing of those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit—a ministry I will share today with the oil blessed. But that one ancient act stands for all our shared work. You may never stand at the altar with oil on your thumb, yet the healing power of Christ is in your hands all the same. Every act of love, every work of mercy, every step toward reconciliation carries the same anointing—the same Spirit—that Jesus bore into the world.
St. Peter’s may have a handful of clergy, but our pews are full of ministers. You are the little anointed ones of St. Peter’s—a community set apart for the healing of the world. What a privilege, and what a responsibility, to share this sacred work together.
Our stewardship campaign this year is called Our Shared Parish. And it truly is our shared parish, because through the gift of baptism we have all been anointed for ministry. We are not merely recipients of this church’s care—we are its ministers. To share in the life of this parish through our prayers, our participation, and our financial provision is to live out our baptismal calling: to join God’s work of healing in our community and in the world.
As we come to November 9th, when we will place our pledges before this altar, remember that you do so not simply as beneficiaries of this church’s ministry, but as ministers of it—as those anointed to bring good news, release, and healing to the world.
This is Our Shared Parish.
This is Our Shared Ministry.
This is Our Shared Mission.
We are the little anointed ones—smeared with oil and sent out for the healing of this world. Amen.
Questions for REflection
- How do I see myself as anointed for ministry as a Christian?
- Reflecting on the different expressions of healing mentioned in the homily, which resonate most with my personal skills or passions? How can I utilize them in service to others?
- What steps can I take to deepen my commitment to my parish and its mission as a minister, rather than just a recipient of care?
- As I prepare my pledge for the stewardship campaign, how am I willing to contribute my time, talents, and resources to support our shared ministry and mission?
Thoughts on Faith 