Anointing is not the sacrament of farewell

Many people associate the Anointing of the Sick with imminent death, something summoned at the eleventh hour, almost in fear. But it is not "the sacrament of those who are departing." It is for whoever faces a grave illness or the fragility of old age. What it grants is no mere formality: it is grace not to despair, peace in the face of fear, strength to bear suffering united to Christ, and sometimes also relief of the body. It accompanies; it does not dismiss. That is why it is better not to leave it for the very last second, when the person is no longer conscious. Asking for it in time, for oneself or for a loved one, is a gesture of faith and love, not of defeat.