Physical Signs, Intangible Graces

Over the winter last year, I was going through a really hard time in almost every way: school was kicking my butt as I struggled to meet deadlines and set up a summer internship; my grandmother was ill again; and my then-boyfriend was laid off unexpectedly. To say I was stressed would be an understatement, and predictably, my faith had begun to suffer. I dragged myself to church on the weekends regardless, knowing that being there far outweighed the benefits of staying home.

After Mass during one particularly rough week, I approached my pastor and, choking up, asked for a blessing. He placed one hand on my shoulder, the other on my feverish forehead, and prayed for God to give me the physical strength and spiritual peace I needed to persevere. It was a beautiful and impromptu ritual, and in the days following, I really did find things were beginning to even out. Beyond that, there was something so comforting in the words and touch that consoled me in a way personal prayer couldn't.

Christianity is full of physical rituals like these that act as instruments of God's very real power. The Catholic Church in particular has seven of these major rituals, called sacraments. We believe that each one was given to the Church by Jesus in order to bring intangible gifts down to our human level. Wisely, He chose to do it through our five senses. Most of these are performed only once as life milestones, but Confession and Communion should both be taken advantage of regularly. That's what they're there for, after all. The Sacraments, coupled with faith, are centering points for all Catholics. It's through them that we truly encounter God. Let's break them down.


The Sacraments of Initiation: These are fairly self-explanatory. The Sacraments of Initiation are what make us fully members of the Church. There are three.

1) Baptism- We baptize by pouring water over newborns and converts as early as possible. Recall that original sin separates us from God; baptism is what washes this away while giving us the strength to resist temptation and follow God's call. (photo) (scripture)

2) Communion/Eucharist- In John 6, Jesus says over and over that the bread and wine He gives to His disciples is truly His Body and Blood. St. Paul confirms this in saying that those who receive Communion without believing this truth (called the Real Presence or transubstantiation) eat and drink judgment upon themselves. At each Mass, we eat unleavened bread and drink wine, entering into communion with both Jesus and others who receive with us. (photo)

3) Confirmation- Kids raised in the Church are confirmed sometime in junior high or high school. Converts can receive it when they and their pastor agree it's time. It is a final sealing of the grace we receive in baptism and strengthen through life during communion; we are considered adults in the Church and are given the responsibility of bring Christ's love to others. To do this, each person is anointed with oil and blessed to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit. (photo) (scripture)

Sacraments of Healing:  There are two of these that offer peace and strength for both body and soul.

4) Confession/Reconciliation- Jesus gave His Apostles the power to forgive sins, and we believe this in turn extends to all priests. Under a seal of unbreakable secrecy and in private, we confess all serious sins since our last confession; basically, these are any acts or thoughts that violate the Ten Commandments. We then receive a penance--a prayer or other act that we perform afterward to express our sorrow and intent to change--and absolution, forgiveness of our sins from Christ working in the priest. (I'll write more about this, including Biblical support, in a future post.) (photo)

5) Anointing of the Sick- Not just for the elderly or terminally ill, the Anointing of the Sick is open to anyone who is very sick, undergoing or recovering from surgery, pregnant, etc. We believe in God's ability to heal and work miracles today just as He did in Biblical times. (photo)

Sacraments of Service- We all have different paths in life, but everyone is called to serve God in some major life role separate from their career. Two of the sacraments are meant to mark the beginning of these roles.

6) Marriage- Marriage is something that has been present since the beginning of human society, a permanent oath made before God between one man and one woman. In Catholicism, the priest only acts as a witness who blesses the rings and the couple during the rite. The husband and wife are the ones that give themselves completely to one another of their own free will when taking their vows together. These vows always include the promise to be always "open to life" (children). Contraception, therefore, violates the vow. (photo)

7) Holy Orders- Jesus made Simon his first Apostle, the rock on which He built the Church, and gave him a new name, Peter (Greek petros, "rock") to reflect that. Peter and the other eleven Apostles were the first priests, who in turn passed on the authority given to them by Christ to other men. This process continues today and has remained uninterrupted through Holy Orders. (photo)