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Objection 1: It would seem that this sacrament ought not to be
repeated during the same sickness. For one disease demands one
remedy. Now this sacrament is a spiritual remedy. Therefore it ought
not to be repeated for one sickness.
Objection 2: Further, if a sick man could be anointed more than
once during one disease, this might be done for a whole day: which is
absurd.
On the contrary, Sometimes a disease lasts long after the sacrament
has been received, so that the remnants of sin, against which chiefly
this sacrament is given, would be contracted. Therefore it ought to
be given again.
I answer that, This sacrament regards not only the sickness, but
also the state of the sick man, because it ought not to be given except
to those sick people who seem, in man's estimation, to be nigh to
death. Now some diseases do not last long; so that if this sacrament
is given at the time that the sick man is in a state of danger of
death, he does not leave that state except the disease be cured, and
thus he needs not to be anointed again. But if he has a relapse, it
will be a second sickness, and he can be anointed again. on the other
hand some diseases are of long duration, as hectic fever, dropsy and
the like, and those who lie sick of them should not be anointed until
they seem to be in danger of death. And if the sick man escape that
danger while the disease continues, and be brought again thereby to the
same state of danger, he can be anointed again, because it is, as it
were, another state of sickness, although strictly speaking, it is
not another sickness. This suffices for the Replies to the
Objections.
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