The sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick brings the compassionate presence of Christ into the midst of the sufferings of those who are ill. The sacrament is administered to bring spiritual and even physical strength during illness and to convey God’s grace to the recipient, especially to those individuals near death.
The Catechism says, “The Anointing of the Sick is not a sacrament only for those who are at the point of death.”
James refers to the sacrament by saying, “Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven” (Jas. 5:14-15).