did not come from within, but from without, he could not be anointed.  A soldier in battle, persons being shipwrecked, firemen working at a great fire, etc., could not be anointed, although they are in very great danger of death; because the danger is not from within themselves, but from without.  If, however, these persons were so frightened that there was danger of their dying from the fright, they could then be anointed.

271 Q. What is the Sacrament of Extreme Unction?  A. Extreme Unction is the Sacrament which, through the anointing and prayer of the priest, gives health and strength to the soul, and sometimes to the body, when we are in danger of death from sickness.

“Anointing.”  In this Sacrament the priest anoints all our senses—­the eyes, the ears, the nose, the mouth, the hands, and the feet—­and at the same time prays God to forgive the poor sick person all the sins he has committed by any of these.  The eyes, by looking at bad objects or pictures; the ears, by listening to bad conversation; the nose, by indulging too much in sensual pleasures; the mouth, by cursing, lying, bad conversation, backbiting, etc.; the hands, by stealing, fighting, or doing sinful things; the feet, by carrying us to do wrong or to bad places.  I told you already most of our sins are committed for our body, and the senses are the chief instruments.  “Strength to the body,” if it is for our spiritual welfare.  If God foresees, as He foresees all things, that after our sickness we shall lead better lives and do penance for our sins, then He may be pleased to restore us to health, and give us an opportunity of making up for our past faults.  But if He foresees that after our sickness we would again lead bad lives, and fall perhaps into greater sins, then He will likely take us when we are prepared, and will not restore us again to health.  As He always knows and does what is best for His children, we must in sickness always be resigned to His holy will, and be satisfied with what He sees fit to do with us.

272 Q. When should we receive Extreme Unction?  A. We should receive Extreme Unction when we are in danger of death from sickness, or from a wound or accident.

273 Q. Should we wait until we are in extreme danger before we receive Extreme Unction?  A. We should not wait until we are in extreme danger before we receive Extreme Unction, but if possible we should receive it whilst we have the use of our senses.

We should always be glad to receive the grace of the Sacraments.  When, therefore, we are sufficiently ill to be anointed—­when there is any danger of death—­we should send for the priest at once.  If the sick person has any chance of recovering, the Sacrament will help him and hasten the recovery; but if the priest is sent for just when the person is in the last agony of death, the person could not recover except by a miracle, and God does not perform miracles for ordinary reasons.  If you are in