Use Automator to send files via Messages App

Hi everyone, I've seen some posts about this issue but no real fixes. I"m on macOS 13.1 and I would like to use Automator to send my clients iMessage or SMS texts that include images. I am able to send actual "text" just fine but when I try to send a file, Messages time-out and says it can't be delivered.

set image to POSIX file "</path/to/file>"

	tell application "Messages"
		activate
		set iMessageService to 1st account whose service type = iMessage
		set client to participant "5551234" of iMessageService
		send image to client
	end tell

Again, I see the file trying to be sent via the Messages app but it goes undelivered. Does not work any better if I do it over SMS.

Does anyone else have something like this working in 13.1