Let Us Return to the Sacraments

 

Let me preface this post by admitting that although I was raised in the Catholic faith and attended Catholic school from grades K -8, I knew very little about the benefits of receiving the sacraments until I began studying about them at the graduate level at the age of 52. Therefore, I would be extremely overjoyed if this post sheds some light for those much younger on just how fortunate we are as Catholics to have the sacraments at our disposal.

We are privileged because Jesus instituted the sacraments for us during his earthly ministry intending them to be conduits of sanctifying grace. Sanctifying grace is what helps us to be holy. It is that marvelous, supernatural sharing-in-God’s-own-life.

It is disturbing to see friends and family members who have wandered from the practice of their Catholic Faith, who no longer baptize their children, reconcile their relationships with God by seeking His mercy, forgiveness, and peace through the Sacrament of Reconciliation/Confession,  or get married in the Church and receive the grace conferred through the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, which when cooperated with helps married couples live in accordance with God’s will.

Similar to my own past experience, I believe many Catholics, including fallen away Catholics, no longer practice their Faith, including attendance and participation at Mass and the reception of the sacraments, because they no little about the richness of these awesome gifts given to us by Christ. Perhaps they were never properly taught about the Faith during the formative years, or later in life never bothered to invest the time and effort to learn more about our Catholic Faith. 

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the grace conferred through the reception of the sacraments have not come to us without an enormous price. These gifts were earned by the merits of our Savior, Jesus Christ, through his life, passion, death, and resurrection, which is the reason why they must never be taken for granted. Think about the period during which we could not attend Mass during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is important  also to remember that we must be properly disposed to receive the sacraments and willing to cooperate with the grace conferred. Taking time to learn about the sacraments and the ways in which we can cooperate with the grace they confer is a great way to start.

Believe me, we have God’s riches at our disposal within the Sacraments of the Catholic Church. In these turbulent times, the sacraments are gifts we should receive and cherish often.

Learn a little more about the sacraments by following the two links below:

USCCB / Sacraments

EWTN / The Seven Sacraments

Why Infant Baptism?

Catholic Church doctrine concerning infant baptism often comes under attack from those who believe that a person should be of the age of reason and make a well informed choice to be baptized. In the following article from his weekly article found in The Quiet Corner section of The Rhode Island Catholic, Father John Kiley brilliantly sheds much light on the most important reason for infant baptism. Father John Kiley writes the following:

National Public Radio featured a discussion of religion among millennials, young adults born just before the turn of this century. One speaker decided to wait before introducing her own children to any specific religious tradition, allowing them to be exposed to diverse spiritual experiences and then arriving at their own religious conclusions as they approached adulthood. The Catholic practice of infant baptism seemed presumptuous to the speaker, coopting a believer’s opportunity to make an informed and mature choice regarding one’s eternal destiny. Millennials are certainly not alone in this thinking.

Some dedicated American Baptists have long postponed baptism into a believer’s grown-up years in the hope that a mature, adult decision will be spiritually more fruitful than a ceremony conducted long before a believer has even reached the age of reason.

William John Hammann was recently welcomed into this world by his parents Joshua and Shannon and brought to St. Francis Xavier Church in Brooklyn, New York, for baptism. Ritually welcoming the child into the Christian community was my honor as the infant’s second cousin twice removed. Friends and family gathered from Brooklyn, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Virginia, Indiana, Connecticut and Rhode Island, including the baby’s great-grandfather. Young Will was happily sedate during the celebration, especially enraptured by the flame of the baptismal candle. Admittedly, the new born had no notion of what was taking place amid the marble and stained-glass of this splendid parish church. Whether his grandfather retired NBA coach Jim O’Brien presented him with a basketball or his grandmother my cousin Gail offered him a new winter outfit from L.L. Bean to mark this occasion would not have registered at all with baby Will. Confirming the radio remarks of the millennial, William John Hammann was clueless that he was being cleansed of original sin, becoming a son of God, a temple of the Holy Spirit, a Christian, and a member of the universal Church.

But young Will’s ignorance is precisely the glory of Catholic infant baptism. A small community had gathered in that Brooklyn baptistery not to celebrate William John Hammann’s love of God but rather to celebrate God’s love of William John Hammann. From all eternity God’s Providence determined that William John Hammann would enter into this world and be welcomed by a believing family. When God created Adam and Eve he knew that eventually history would evolve into this happy ritual in Brooklyn. When God announced himself to the early Jewish community he knew that eventually William John would benefit from this ancient revelation. When Jesus Christ became man and established his Church, God knew that Christ’s spiritual legacy was destined for William John Hammann. From eternity and through the centuries, God’s love worked its way into the life of William John. And through the pouring of the Church’s baptismal waters, this love of God was made actual and tangible and perceptible to the Church community gathered one Sunday afternoon on Sixth Avenue in Brooklyn. Baptism is first and foremost a celebration of God’s love for the young believer. God must always be primary. Now the Christian community, both Church and family, must bring the young believer’s love for God to fruition.

An older generation knew that children learned their religion at their mother’s knee. Nowadays that saying might be politically corrected by observing that children learn their religion at their mother and father’s knees. And not only mother and father, but a child’s whole environment – family, friends, neighbors, parish, school, even toys and entertainment – must speak of the love of God to the child. When prayers are part of the home, when Mass is part of the week, when Advent and Christmas, Lent and Easter, are family observances, when Bible stories are told and saints are invoked, when parish life is part of family life, when the poor are assisted and justice is a concern, when evil is repented and temptations are resisted, then the love of God celebrated sacramentally at Baptism and First Communion and Confirmation is nurtured practically in everyday life. Parents, family, friends, parish and the universal Church can give the new baptized a daily experience of the inexpressible love that God has for his chosen soul. Through an active Christian lifestyle, God will transform the clueless infant into an alert believer.The above article can be found at http://www.thericatholic.com/detail.html?sub_id=6210

Mass: Is It Appreciated and Understood As It Should Be?

Relative to the vastness of the universe we are nothing, but to Him we are everything!

First, let me start off by counting myself guilty during my lifetime of both misunderstanding the Mass, and being unappreciative of this most precious gift. In fact, I remained pretty distant from my Catholic Faith for about twenty-two years, between the ages of eighteen and forty. I am now 57. Twenty two years is a long time to be away from home. Prior to the age of eighteen, I attended Catholic school, grades K-8, and served as an "altar boy" for several years during that time. Looking back, even during those times when I was privileged to be serving at Mass, I did not fully appreciate the miraculous gift Christ has prepared for us. 

I am writing this post with great humility and charity, aware that my present knowledge and appreciation for what takes place at Mass is possible only through God's grace. I felt compelled to write this after observing how my own children approach the Mass. My children are 11 and 12 years of age and have attended Catholic school from kindergarten. They have also been altar servers for the past two years, and are raised in a home where our Faith is practiced.

One would think after attending Catholic school since kindergarten, and serving at the altar during Mass, children would remember, and have enough knowledge and reverence for Christ's presence in the Eucharist, to genuflect before entering the pew without being reminded to do so. Sometimes I have to remind my ten year old son, to prayerfully prepare to "participate" in the Mass and receive our Lord in the Eucharist while waiting for Mass to begin. And during Mass, I cannot help but notice that my son is sometimes only present in body, his mind and heart are somewhere far from the liturgy. I am not judging his disposition during Mass, but am only pointing out the need for a different approach to catechesis concerning the importance of Mass, the very summit of our Christian Faith. 

As a CCD teacher, parent, and lover of evangelization and apologetics, I see this as a most serious problem concerning the practice of our Faith. I feel more emphasis should be given to education concerning the precious gift Christ has given us in the Mass. Appreciating Mass begins with the infusion of God's precious grace at baptism, but as we grow we must cooperate with that grace by combining our God given ability to reason with the gifts of faith, hope and charity.

The Mass must be presented in a thought provoking manner appropriate for the audience, from toddler to 100. Growing up and being educated in the Catholic Faith by Sisters of the Felician Order, I recall being told that Mass was an obligation, and that Hell awaited those who chose not to attend. Notice the word "attend," as opposed to "participate." I don't say this to denigrate the great work these wonderful Sisters accomplished in their vocations as teachers and servants of God. My point is that the magnitude of this most wonderful gift needs to be presented and taught differently, and from a very early age.

Reflecting on Who it is who longs to give himself to us at Mass, how privileged we are to be in His presence, and the importance of participating in God's greatest Gift to us, are things our minds must become focused upon and deeply contemplate. These things will help lead us to a new appreciation and zeal for Mass! Instilling these thoughts should begin at the earliest of ages and continue throughout our lives. Even toddlers, made in the image and likeness of God, have been created with the ability to understand God's awesome majesty!

The following are the things I would like to see emphasized in catechesis, and which we must all continually remind ourselves of, contemplate, and meditate upon concerning the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass:

1) Although Mass "attendance" is an obligation, it should never be looked upon as merely an obligation. The Church makes it an obligation because she knows it is for our greatest good! Once we understand what Mass truly is, we will long to be there, and eagerly await each time we will participate in future Masses.

2) The Mass is God's greatest gift to us because it is where He gives Himself to us, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. It is the closest, personal relationship we can ever attain with Jesus, if, and only if we approach the Mass with the proper disposition!

3) Most importantly, prayerfully consider this: Christ, who longs to give himself to us at Mass, who longs for the most personal relationship with us, is the One who created the entire, vast, universe. Remember how small we are relative to the created universe, the ends of which have not been determined by science. To put things in perspective, we live on tiny planet Earth, situated in our solar system within the Milky Way galaxy. Our galaxy is just one of approximately 300 billion galaxies beyond our galaxy. Each of these galaxies contain billions and billions of stars and other celestial bodies. As BIG as the universe is, it is with each of us, that the Creator of it all longs, that's right LONGS, with perfect love to give His entire self to us at each Mass. How could anyone reject such an offer from such a GREAT and LOVING God? Relative to the vastness of the universe we are nothing, but to Him we are everything!

4) Our awesome Creator humbles Himself by making Himself substantially present in the forms of bread and wine so that we can be nourished and strengthened on our journeys back to Him. Let us begin to contemplate the magnitude of this gift and give it the respect and priority it deserves! 


 

Divine Treasure!

The earth is a mere pinpoint in this immense universe, the ends of which remain unknown to man! It never ceases to amaze me that its Creator longs for a close relationship with its human inhabitants, so much so that He humbles Himself and makes Himself available veiled under the appearance of bread and wine to those who will receive Him! Always be mindful of Christ’s Real Presence in the Eucharist! Thank you Lord for the wonderful gift of your Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, the Nourishment that sustains us on this journey!

Power of the Eucharist

To be the men and women God intended us to be in our roles as priests, religious, fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, husbands, wives and friends; children of God made in His image; to love with the love of Christ; to offer ourselves as holy and living sacrifices; to have faith and hope, and to increase in every other virtue; is possible only through the grace that comes through frequent reception of the sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist.

It is impossible to fulfill our purpose in this life without the Eucharist! Amen!

Go to confession and attend Mass often, daily if possible! It will change your life!

Our Best Defense!

We proceed on this journey stalked constantly by a vicious and cruel enemy, an enemy who hates us simply because we are created and loved by God! This enemy is cunning, calculating, and constantly scheming to launch attacks against us, which if successful, can result not only in the death of our body, but the eternal death of our soul! The enemy is Satan and his minions.

The good news is that God has provided the ammunition necessary to defend ourselves against these attacks! Without it we are as weak and defenseless as newborn babes! That ammunition is God’s grace!

Now most Christians, including myself will agree that one way to receive God’s grace is by earnestly asking for it in prayer! Now God is capable of all things and no man should presume to understand the mind of God, so we can probably all agree that God can bestow His grace upon anyone He wishes in any manner He deems fit!

From a Catholic perspective, the ammunition or grace of which I speak is the grace which is made available to us in the very Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ as He gives Himself to us in the Eucharist! However, to receive the fullness of the grace made available to us in the Blessed Sacrament, we must be properly prepared and disposed to do so!

What do we mean by properly disposed and prepared to receive our Lord?

First, we must firmly believe without a doubt in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist! We must then very humbly and thankfully acknowledge the greatness of the One whom we are about to receive into our bodies and souls!

Reflect if you will on this fact: the God who gives Himself to us in the Eucharist is the same God who created the incomprehensible vastness, complexity, and beauty of the entire universe, from the immeasurable magnitude of the cosmos to the awesome design and workings of the sub-atomic world! He is also the One who keeps it all in perfect balance in the palm of His Mighty Hand! This is the God for whom we must be properly prepared to receive, truly present in the communion wafer that is placed on our tongue or in the palm of our hand at Mass!

Our preparation to receive our Lord in the Eucharist begins in the sacrament of Reconciliation. This is how we make clean and presentable the house into which we are inviting our Lord! The grace that is conferred upon us in the sacrament of Reconciliation requires true contrition for our sins! True contrition is demonstrated by a firm resolve to avoid future sin! Although we are absolved of our sins in the sacrament of Reconciliation, our tendency toward sin remains. So, once again, we need God’s grace to continue to fight off future temptation when the enemy has us in his sights!

The next step in receiving our Lord in the Eucharist is to truly desire to receive Him, and welcome Him warmly into our hearts and surrender ourselves totally to Him. In this way we become the instruments through which others will come to know Him! We are reminded of this when we hear the priest speak these words at Mass, “The Mass is ended, now go in peace to love and serve the Lord!”

Receiving Christ in the Eucharist gives us tremendous power against the temptations of sin and is the Source and Summit of our Faith!

A Tale Of A Good Shepherd And A Lost Sheep

Recently, Congressman Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island has clashed with the Catholic Church and Bishop Thomas Tobin of the Diocese of Providence regarding the congressman’s public support of a health care reform bill which supports public funding for abortions.

Congressman Kennedy’s public support for the right to choose abortion and his criticism of the Catholic Church’s opposition to the current health care reform bill is in clear contradiction to his claim that he is a practicing Catholic. At this juncture, the bishop would be negligent in not responding to, and caring for a sheep that has wandered from the flock into dangerous surroundings!

All of this has now made national news. Congressman Kennedy claimed in an interview dated November 22, 2009, that Bishop Tobin has forbid him to receive Holy Communion. You may read Bishop Tobin’s response to Kennedy’s claims here.

Catholics should be concerned not so much with the their ability to receive the sacraments, but with whether or not they are properly disposed to receive them. Christ’s sanctifying and saving grace is conferred through the sacraments when the recipient is properly disposed to receive that grace, i.e., receiving the Eucharist in the state of mortal is not the proper disposition toward receiving the Sacrament. The same goes for the sacrament of Confession (Penance, Reconciliation). The recipient asking to be absolved is not properly disposed to the sacrament if he or she is not sincerely contrite, and willing to repent and make every effort to avoid sin in the future.

Discussions on local radio talk shows has served to reveal that many professed Catholics, at least in and around the Diocese of Providence have much to learn about the Faith they claim to be practicing. A professed Catholic is not at liberty to pick and choose which Church doctrine he or she believes and follows, and what he or she does not believe, and thus does not follow. The Church has one teaching authority, the Magisterium, whose teachings are the true teachings received from Jesus Christ and passed on through apostolic succession over the centuries up to the present day.

We cannot profess the Catholic Faith and then do what we want concerning abortion, contraception, and reception of the sacraments etc.!

As Catholics, and I include myself, we need to spend much more time learning about and practicing our Faith, then on doing things that do little to enhance the quality of our life here on earth, much less our eternal life!

This is a wake up call for the Catholic Church. We are in dire need of better ways in which to educate the faithful and evangelize the truth. We need to pray more often and more fervently, not only for ourselves, but for our Holy Father, our bishops and priests and all the clergy and religious, all catechists, all political leaders, and everyone throughout the world who does not know Christ, or does not think that Christ is essential in their lives!

Let us pray for Bishop Tobin, that he remain close to our Lord, and continue to courageously and boldly proclaim and stand by the truth as he shepherds his flock! And let us pray for Congressman Kennedy, and all Catholics, whom have strayed and are wandering, that they may safely return home!

There's No Place Like Home!

Karla Wilkinson was a "lukewarm" Catholic until events in her life caused her to come home to the richness of her faith. Karla went on to write a book entitled Holy Habits.

The following article by Karla Wilkinson, which appeared in the May/June 2002 Issue of Lay Witness Magazine briefly describes what caused her to completely embrace her Catholic faith. I am sure you will find it informative and inspiring, and something that all of us Catholics keep in mind!

A Recovering Lukewarm Catholic Discovers Holy Habits

Karla Wilkinson

From the May/Jun 2002 Issue of Lay Witness Magazine

I always thought it was enough to be a halfhearted Catholic. After all, I was a nice person who seldom hurt anyone, with a little religion thrown in for good measure. Then something deeply painful happened- and I learned that "nice" was not enough and "lukewarmness" was no match for tragedy.

Five years ago, suddenly and without warning, my infant son died. Two weeks later my mother died. My heart was crushed. After the funerals, when things grew quiet . . . read more

The Beauty of the Sacraments!

Part of the beauty of the sacraments is the manner in which they confer God’s grace upon us.

In his divine wisdom, Jesus knew that as corporeal beings we would best be led to things of a spiritual nature through our five senses.

St. Thomas Aquinas refers to the matter (water, oil, etc.) and form (words) of each sacrament as proper and fitting for the purpose intended.

He also informs us of the role sacraments play in our salvation to which he says the following:

I answer that, Sacraments are necessary unto man's salvation for three reasons. The first is taken from the condition of human nature which is such that it has to be led by things corporeal and sensible to things spiritual and intelligible. Now it belongs to Divine providence to provide for each one according as its condition requires. Divine wisdom, therefore, fittingly provides man with means of salvation, in the shape of corporeal and sensible signs that are called sacraments.

The second reason is taken from the state of man who in sinning subjected himself by his affections to corporeal things. Now the healing remedy should be given to a man so as to reach the part affected by disease. Consequently it was fitting that God should provide man with a spiritual medicine by means of certain corporeal signs; for if man were offered spiritual things without a veil, his mind being taken up with the material world would be unable to apply itself to them.

The third reason is taken from the fact that man is prone to direct his activity chiefly towards material things. Lest, therefore, it should be too hard for man to be drawn away entirely from bodily actions, bodily exercise was offered to him in the sacraments, by which he might be trained to avoid superstitious practices, consisting in the worship of demons, and all manner of harmful action, consisting in sinful deeds.

It follows, therefore, that through the institution of the sacraments man, consistently with his nature, is instructed through sensible things; he is humbled, through confessing that he is subject to corporeal things, seeing that he receives assistance through them: and he is even preserved from bodily hurt, by the healthy exercise of the sacraments.

Taken from St. Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologica: TREATISE ON THE SACRAMENTS Part III, Q. 61, A. 1, Whether Sacraments are Necessary for Man's Salvation?

She Touched His Garment!

And a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years, 15 who (had spent her whole livelihood on doctors and) was unable to be cured by anyone, 44 came up behind him and touched the tassel on his cloak. Immediately her bleeding stopped. 45 Jesus then asked, "Who touched me?" While all were denying it, Peter said, "Master, the crowds are pushing and pressing in upon you." 46 But Jesus said, "Someone has touched me; for I know that power has gone out from me." 47 When the woman realized that she had not escaped notice, she came forward trembling. Falling down before him, she explained in the presence of all the people why she had touched him and how she had been healed immediately. 48 He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you; go in peace." (Luke 8:43-48)

The afflicted woman grasped at, and was able to touch only the garment of Jesus, and the power that flowed into her just from our Lord’s garment, combined with her faith, healed an illness that had tormented her for twelve years!

Do you long to be healed with that same power? Experience that same healing power course through your body and soul in the sacraments of Penance and Holy Eucharist!

As Catholics we can do so much more than simply attempt desperately to grasp the garment of Jesus for our healing! Jesus makes himself readily available to us daily as he gives us his whole body, blood, soul, and divinity at Mass!

Come receive Jesus! He longs to be with you! Do you long to be with him?

Why are the Sacraments Important?

There is power in the sacraments!

The power of the sacraments comes from Christ himself!

Each sacrament was instituted by Christ himself for the purpose of conferring upon those who choose to participate in the sacraments with the proper disposition, the grace he earned through his passion, death and resurrection.

As Catholics we enjoy the privilege of being in communion with Jesus and his Church each and every when we take the opportunity to receive Him in the Eucharist at daily Mass!

The beauty of the sacraments is the manner in which they confer God’s grace upon us. In his divine wisdom, Jesus knew that as corporeal beings we would best be led to things of a spiritual nature through our bodily senses. St. Thomas Aquinas refers to the matter and form, used in each sacrament as proper and fitting for the purpose intended. He also teaches us the following about the role sacraments play in our salvation:

I answer that, Sacraments are necessary unto man's salvation for three reasons. The first is taken from the condition of human nature which is such that it has to be led by things corporeal and sensible to things spiritual and intelligible. Now it belongs to Divine providence to provide for each one according as its condition requires. Divine wisdom, therefore, fittingly provides man with means of salvation, in the shape of corporeal and sensible signs that are called sacraments.

The second reason is taken from the state of man who in sinning subjected himself by his affections to corporeal things. Now the healing remedy should be given to a man so as to reach the part affected by disease. Consequently it was fitting that God should provide man with a spiritual medicine by means of certain corporeal signs; for if man were offered spiritual things without a veil, his mind being taken up with the material world would be unable to apply itself to them.

The third reason is taken from the fact that man is prone to direct his activity chiefly towards material things. Lest, therefore, it should be too hard for man to be drawn away entirely from bodily actions, bodily exercise was offered to him in the sacraments, by which he might be trained to avoid superstitious practices, consisting in the worship of demons, and all manner of harmful action, consisting in sinful deeds.

It follows, therefore, that through the institution of the sacraments man, consistently with his nature, is instructed through sensible things; he is humbled, through confessing that he is subject to corporeal things, seeing that he receives assistance through them: and he is even preserved from bodily hurt, by the healthy exercise of the sacraments. Summa Theologica: TREATISE ON THE SACRAMENTS (QQ[60]-90): Question. 61 - OF THE NECESSITY OF THE SACRAMENTS (FOUR ARTICLES)

Do We Know Jesus?

. . . The rise of Christian fundamentalism in our country gives us another reason to deepen our grasp of the sacraments. Today in our country there are fundamentalist Christians who see our devotion to the sacraments and our involvement with ritual and conclude mistakenly that we Catholics are not real Christians at all, but members of some kind of cult. It looks to them as if we do not believe in Jesus or read the Bible.

Many Catholic families are disrupted when a son or daughter, father or aunt, embraces fundamentalism and then informs Catholic family members that they are not saved and are bound for hell. In these painful moments we must each have a good understanding of our faith—not only for our own peace of mind but also to be able to clarify erroneous definitions of Catholic sacrament and worship.

Nothing can be further from the truth, by the way, than the accusation that we do not know Jesus and the Bible. If there is anything we can say about the Mass—or any of the sacraments—it is this: They all start with Jesus. For example, although the Baltimore Catechism’s definition of sacrament does not mention the Bible, the Church clearly teaches that "Sacred Scripture is of the greatest importance" (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, #24) in the celebration of the Mass and the sacraments. .. . . more (read this entire article, “It All Starts With Jesus” by Thomas Richstatter, O.F.M. by clicking on the following link) http://www.americancatholic.org/Newsletters/CU/ac0893.asp

Learn more about the sacraments by following the link below
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13295a.htm