Christ the Physician: A Theological Framework for Healing in Catholic Health Care

The metaphor of Christ the physician features prominently in the gospels and the preaching of the Church Fathers, emphasizing that Jesus' work of healing extends beyond bodily ills to spiritual healing as well. Given that the end of medicine is "health," which involves wholeness of body and soul, Christ is uniquely able to accomplish this in us-beginning with grace in our souls in this life, and culminating in the resurrection of the body and restoration of body and soul in glory at the end of time. Drawing on the thought of the Church Fathers and Thomas Aquinas, this paper considers how Catholic health care is distinctly positioned to continue Christ's work of bodily and spiritual healing through medical and sacramental approaches-as we await our perfect and ultimate healing upon Christ's return in glory.