The Catechism of the Catholic Church clearly states the priority with which Jesus held the care of the sick and dying as a component of his ministry and life: “Christ’s compassion toward the sick and his many healings of every kind of infirmity are a resplendent sign that ‘God has visited his people’(Luke 7:16) and the Kingdom of God is close at hand.”[Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) #1503] Jesus sought healing for the entire person -- spirit, soul, and body. His compassion for the sick and dying was such that he even identified with them in both word and deed. And the Catechism states: “His preferential love for the sick has not ceased through the centuries to draw the very special attention of Christians toward all those who suffer in body and soul. It is the source of tireless efforts to comfort them.”[CCC #1503]
Jesus spoke with the sick, touched them, was an instrument of healing for them. Jesus used signs in his ministry of healing, signs such as mud and washing, the laying on of hands, even spittle. Through his Body, the Church, Jesus continues to minister to the sick, visiting them, touching them, and using signs, both sacraments and sacramentals.
The Church has been given the charge to continue Christ’s ministry of compassion for the sick and dying. “Heal the sick!”(Matthew 10:8) Christ desired to be present to the sick, the suffering, the dying through his Church. “This presence is particularly active through the sacraments, and in an altogether special way through the Eucharist, the bread that gives eternal life and that St. Paul suggests is connected with bodily health.”[CCC #1509]
Suffering, illness, the possibility of death are devastating problems to human beings as we face our powerlessness, our limitations, our mortality. Illness can leave the sufferer feeling anguished, self-absorbed, maybe even despairing and in revolt against God. On the other hand, illness can be cause for maturing, discerning the true direction of one’s life, and sharpening the focus on what should truly be priorities in life. Frequently illness leads persons into an ultimate search for God and can be the occasion for life-shaping conversion.
This occasion for conversion is truly a grace-filled moment and opportunity. Often it is God’s forgiveness that initiates healing. Suffering caused by illness can also be salutary on behalf of others, as we offer our sufferings for the sins of others. The Hebrew Scriptures provide us with examples of sickness being lived in the presence of God (e.g. Psalm 6:3,8;32:3-5;38,4-5;39:8-14;107:20; Isaiah 33,24;38;53:11 Exodus 15:26).