Even when I walk through a dark valley, I fear no harm for you are at my side.. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows
Psalm23:4-5
ANOINTING OF THE SICK seeks to bring Christ's healing touch to people who are separated from the community.
Sickness, in whatever form it takes - disease, psychological and emotional distress, addictions - have the effect of driving people into themselves. They are isolated from their families, friends, and coworkers, not only physically but in their spirits also.
They often are angry, depressed, fearful, and full of questions about God, life, and the sincerity of others. In a word, they are cut off within and without.
Just as Christ reached out to all who were sick when he walked this earth, he still reaches out to the sick right now. The anointing of the sick reveals his reach.
His primary desire, it seems, is to heal the suffering of his brothers and sisters by restoring them to their center in him. By being re-centered in his presence, those who are sick find themselves no longer alone and no longer cut off.
This can sometimes be a source of peace in God's presence, of courage and hope in the face of their sufferings, of gratitude for the goodness of those around them, and of strength to fight their illness.
