| THE
SACRAMENTS
|
The
seven sacraments are rites of the Church that we take
part in during our Journey of faith. Each sacrament is
another piece of that journey, strenghtening our connection
and commitment to the teachings of Jesus Christ. With
each sacrament, we are further enriched with the grace
and wisdom of God, and we further confirm our faith in
Him. |
BAPTISM
Matthew 28:19
The first of all sacraments is the one we celebrate at birth
- baptism.
Since we can't decide to join the Catholic Church ourselves
when we are born, our parents make this choice for us. The
rite of baptism cleanses us from original sin, allowing us
to be reborn as children of God. Baptism is an outward symbol
of our rejection of sin and our new birth in the Holy Spirit.
RECONCILIATION
John 20:25
The sacrament of Reconciliation deals with the reality of
sin, and
also with God's grace and love in forgiving us.
No matter how hard we try, each and every one of us will commit
sins by turning away from the words of Jesus. The act of sin,
while a personal decision, does not just affect ourselves
- it affects our relationships with others and with the Church.
Through Reconciliation, we repent, confess our sins to a priest,
and mend our relationships with God and the community. We
are reminded of God's grace and discover His love again.
EUCHARIST
Matthew 26:26-28
The Eucharist is also know as Holy Communion, we accept the
body and blood of Christ. This sacrament is symbolic
of our internalizing the words of Jesus into our hearts and
minds. As we partake in this sacrament of Christ's real presence,
we are spiritually nourished and strengthened. Holy Communion
reminds us of Jesus and the Last Supper, when He said to His
disciples, " Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood
have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day"
(John 6:54). Through this meal Christ shares Himself with us,
and we are also united with our fellow believers as we experience
the sacrament together.
CONFIRMATION
Acts 8:14-19
At baptism, our parents choose for us to join the Church, but
when we are older, we need to make that choice ourselves.
Through the sacrament of Confirmation, we openly affirm our
own commitment to the teachings of Christ. At Confirmation,
the gifts we received from the Holy Spirit at baptism are increased;
our relationship with Jesus is strengthened; our bond with the
Church is deepened.
MARRIAGE
Matthew 19:3-9
The sacrament of Marriage is a covenant of love and faithfulness
between a man and a woman united in Christ. Marriage
reflects the relationship between Christ, the bridegroom, and
the Church, His bride. The covenant between a married couple
is a sacred one, and it includes the commitment to raise their
children in the teachings of Christ, if God blesses them with
a family. Like God, the married couple creates life when they
join, and they love their children unconditionally as God loves
all of us.
ANNOINTING
OF THE SICK
James 5:13-15
The Annointing of the Sick is a sacrament received during grave
illness or at death. When the recipient is annointed
with oil - which is a sign of the Holy Spirit - he or she receives
the blessings of the Spirit. This sacrament brings peace and
fortitude at a time of suffering, reminding the recipient that
Jesus too suffered, and just like Jesus, the sufferer will ascend
into the eternal glory of heaven.
HOLY ORDERS
2 Timothy 1:6
We are all a part of the church community, and are all baptized
into the common priesthood, but there are some who receive the
calling to the ministerial priesthood. The sacrament
of Holy Orders allows men to be ordained as bishops, priests,
or deacons. This is a holy vocation to continue Jesus' work.
The difference between each of these vocations is the kind of
work that is performed; each of these vocations deals with teaching
the Word of God, worship, and ministering to God's people, but
deacons do not lead Mass, while a priest can. Bishops are leaders
of an entire diocese, not just one church.
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