49). On p 52. we read about the Deuteronomic retribution , a theme that repeatedly recurs in the Hebrew Scriptures,as the ancients attempted to find reasons and meaning for evil and suffering. Illness was considered a result of sin that could be attributed to the person or his/her ancestors. Disease and misfortune was a test of faithfulness to God. Today, we have scientific explanations for sickness, maladies and death. Unfortunately, not all people are so enlightened. Some hold to the Deuteronomic retribution and offer it as rational and justification for medical problems. The Catholic Church does not teach that illness is a result of sin, yet it does recognize that “healing” involves the entire person (body, mind, and soul). As a result, one of the seven official sacraments of the Church, The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, is a sacrament of holistic healing. This link will take you to the steps involved in the ritual : Ritual for the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. 1. For assignment, provide an example of a contemporary illness that has been attributed to some wrongdoing by the person with the illness. Research the actual cause of this illness and present the leading theory (or theories) of how this illness is caused. Explain how some could claim the illness is a punishment from God. (If you can find such statements on the internet, include those. But this is not necessarily required.) Conclude by describing two ways in which elements of the ritual of the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick seek to minister to the sick in a spiritual manner. Don’t forget your in-text citations and a Works Cited. 250-350 words.