The Sacraments

When we think of Easter, we think of renewal – we think of our “chance” that makes everything good for us.

This Easter I thought it would be good to talk about the Sacraments, after all these form an integral part of our faith.

One could even argue that they are essentially our Faith.

So for the next T minus five weeks (well four weeks) and beyond we will be discussing the sacraments.

So just like we learned the Ten Commandments we will walk through and try to discuss the Seven Sacraments:

Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders and Matrimony.

The Sacraments can be broken down into three groups; Christian initiation, Sacraments of healing and the sacraments of service.

But what are sacraments? Well the Church defines sacraments as an “outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace”.

Now that sounds very confusing but in essence when we look carefully at this definition it makes complete sense.

Let’s just think for one minute – we’re all human, so as humans we have senses.

We are not gods and as such cannot see, feel, hear or do anything that God can.

We need signs.

A doctor cannot recommend medication for a patient without knowing, seeing, hearing the “signs and symptoms” of the patient.

So it is with all of us.

We all need “signs” to understand the world.

So in order to “grasp” the sacraments that Christ Himself instituted, God knew that we will need signs.

Some of these signs Jesus actually detailed for us, like water in Baptism; bread and wine in the Eucharist, and others that the Church has chosen as appropriate signs.

Throughout the Gospel we can find the references to each of the seven sacraments instituted by Christ in order that we may be able to receive grace and to continue to INCREASE in grace.

I know what you’re about to ask – why seven and why do we need so many to receive grace?

Are sacraments the only way to receive grace?

These are some of the questions that many Catholics are faced with from friends, family and others and I hope that during Easter,

the time of the beginning of our Church, we can learn, share and begin again in learning and sharing our Faith and the meaning of the Sacraments with others.

Hilary De Freitas

Catholic Blogger and  Author (among other things.)

Subscribe to my blog and purchase a copy my book today

About Hilary De Freitas

Hilary De Freitas is a wife, mother, engineer and marketer. She is dedicated to helping people build better businesses using the information available to them. Apart from helping people build businesses she runs her own Knights Consulting business as well as being a network marketer. Hilary has been on a faith journey that guided her along her professional life. She shares what she had learned in her faith and how she uses it in her everyday life.

• Mail
|
• Web
|
• More Posts(62)