The Sacraments Explained

In my last post, I mentioned that I would discuss the sacraments in some of my future posts. Well, there’s no better time than the present. And, since we will soon be in the season of Advent, I thought it would be the right time to discuss them.
Before I do discuss them, I think it best to give a general overview of what the sacraments of the Catholic Church are. There are seven sacraments (Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Penance/Reconciliation, Matrimony, Holy Orders, and Sacrament of the Sick. All Catholics receive some of the sacraments but not every Catholic receives all of them.

For those of us who remember the old Baltimore Catechism, we’ve learned that the sacraments are, “Outward signs instituted by Christ to give grace.” Great! But what does that mean? Well, it means that the sacraments are perceptible to the senses, touch, sound, sight, smell, taste (water, oil, rituals (words), bread, wine, candles, etc.) and actually produce and give the graces that it signifies. The sacraments are like the tools in the hand of Christ, so to speak, that do what they are meant to do in order to give the grace appropriate for each sacrament.

Christ Himself instituted the seven sacraments. He determined the essence of each sacrament, the ritual and the content. He determined and empowered who could confer the sacraments and who could receive them, as well as the materials to be used and how each sacrament is to be an effective sign of grace. Since Christ instituted the Church, Sacraments are necessary for salvation.

Why did Christ give us the sacraments? Because God created us with bodies, (we are not just spirit as the angels are), He knew we would need external tangible and visible signs to sustain our faith in His promises. In addition, the sacraments are a continuation of Christ’s redemptive work. They are a link between Christ’s passion on Calvary and our needs now on earth. The sacraments are the way Christ’s saving work are brought (given) to a sinful world.

The sacraments also provide a visible bond among the members of the church. They set us apart from others. When we receive a sacrament, and thereafter, we publicly profess our faith to others who are witnesses to what we say and believe.
Lastly, sacraments remind us who we are, creatures of God, dependent on God and His graces. The help to keep us humble before God for we need His graces to live a life worthy of our calling.

It is my hope and plan to discuss each of the sacraments in future posts. Please stay tuned…;-)