Skip to main content

Teach the Sacraments and Let God’s Light Shine

Teach the Sacraments and Let God’s Light Shine:

As Catholics, we are so blessed to have seven sacraments available to us during our lifetimes! Although some of the sacraments can only be experienced once in a person’s life (e.g. Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Matrimony or Holy Orders), the sacraments of the Holy Eucharist and Reconciliation can be received regularly, and the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick whenever there is a need. So what exactly is a sacrament? In simplified terms, a sacrament is an opportunity to receive grace from God. As defined in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, grace is favor, the free undeserved help God gives us. Through the sacraments, we have amazing opportunities to experience God's gift of grace and allow Him to work through our lives!

When you look at the sacraments, they can be divided into three parts: (1) Sacraments of Initiation into the Church—Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, (2) Sacraments of Healing—Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick, and (3) Sacraments of Serving— Holy Matrimony and Holy Orders. 

Teaching your children about the sacraments and living them is an important part in building the faith foundation of your children. How do your children see you approach Holy Eucharist? Have your children witnessed their parents going to Reconciliation? Have they gone to Reconciliation more than once? How is the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony lived out and witnessed for your children? 

When I was three and battling leukemia in the hospital, my parents had our parish priest come to give me the Anointing of the Sick, although I don't recommend throwing popcorn at the priest that comes to pray and/or anoint you like I did, don’t be afraid to receive this sacrament. Often, I think people think they need to be on their death bed to receive this sacrament and the graces it provides, but that’s not the case. People can receive Anointing of the Sick for emotional, mental, and physical sicknesses throughout their lives.

Today, discuss the beauty of the sacraments with your children. Help them prepare for and then celebrate the ones they receive only once, and bring those that can be received more than once regularly into your family life. As a craft to help your children remember the sacraments, make a collage that depicts all seven sacraments with images. You can also make a circle that lists the sacraments around it to illustrate the sacramental life of the Church and turn the circle into a sorting game to learn the sacraments and their categories. Experience and live the Sacraments you’ve been blessed to receive, and allow the divine graces poured into you to help God’s light in you shine out into the world!

Dear Lord, help me and my family to live out the sacraments we have received. Help us to live out our baptismal vows and faith and love for you in ways that allow your light to shine forth in our lives. Amen.





Additional Resource:

Below is a great video, from Ascension Press, that discusses the sacraments of the church you and your family can watch together.


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Saints Joachim and Anne

Saints Joachim and Anne: Feast Day July 26th Have you ever thought about the fact that Jesus had grandparents? When God the Son took on human flesh, he also paced himself within the dynamics of the human family. Although there is no specific reference in the Bible to the Blessed Virgin Mary’s parents by name, the Church celebrates Jesus' maternal grandparents under the names Saint Joachim and Saint Anne. It took a special father and mother to raise, care for, and help prepare the Blessed Virgin Mary for her future vocation and extraordinary relationship with God the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, and her saintly husband, Saint Joseph; and those special parents were no doubt saints themselves. Speaking of Saint Joseph, his parents would also have been grandparents of the Lord. Celebrating Jesus' grandparents today, reminds us that grandparents are the keepers and transmitters of family history and tradition, and are the patriarchs and matriarchs of families, holding generatio...
Post a Comment
Read more

Baptism of the Lord

Baptism of the Lord: The Last Day of Christmas  “I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Matthew 3:11) Today we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord. Since Jesus is God and, therefore, sinless and perfect, he didn’t need to be baptized, but by being baptized, he gave us a sacrament for adoption into his family—a means to become children of God. What makes the Sacrament of Baptism important? (1) Baptism claims us as children of God, forgiving us of our sins, (“I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”), it is the first sacrament of initiation into the Church and Her mission, and through Baptism, God gifts us with grace. What exactly is grace? The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines it as: “Grace is favor, the free undeserved help that God gives us to respond to His call to become children of ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Chair of Saint Peter the Apostle

The Chair of Saint Peter the Apostle: Feast Day Feb. 22 “And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18) Today, we celebrate the feast day of Peter's appointment by Christ to govern the Church on earth, and his successors in that role to become the next Vicar of Christ—in simple terms, today's feast day celebrates the institution of the papacy. So, today as we celebrate this beautiful role of leadership within the Catholic Church, pray for the Pope, that he will always be guided by the Holy Spirit, and lead the flock he's been entrusted with the gifts of knowledge, wisdom, understanding, piety, counsel, fortitude, and a fear of the Lord. Also reflect on the awesomeness that you are part of something beautiful—you are a part of the Church, the Church founded by Christ, the Bride of Christ! Let that amazing reality sink in!    Celebrating Through Food: Since today’s ...
Post a Comment
Read more