Catholic Replies

Editor’s Note: Due to the pandemic, we were unable to hold weekly classes for 22 tenth-grade Confirmation students, so we prepared a series of 14 lessons on the material, along with some questions to answer. If these lessons are of value to you, put them to whatever use you can. We will continue to welcome your questions for the column as well, so please send them along and we will interrupt this series to answer them. At the bottom of this column, see the postal mailing address and the email address where you can send your questions.

Special Courses On Catholicism And Life — VIII

As mentioned in the first class, Jesus said that we must do four things to get to Heaven. First, we must love God over and above everything and everyone and also love other people since God created them, too. Second, we must keep His Commandments. We have already looked at each Commandment in detail. Third, we must receive the sacraments which Jesus gave us to help us get to Heaven. Fourth, we must reach out to our brothers and sisters through the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy.

To help us accomplish these works of mercy, Jesus gave us seven sacraments to strengthen us and make us holy. The sacraments are seven special ways in which God gives us the grace (or spiritual help) we need. Most of us have already received the Sacraments of Baptism, Penance, and Holy Communion. This year we will receive the special Sacrament of Confirmation to make us stronger Catholics so that we will never abandon the Church, or deny our belief in God, no matter how much pressure is put on us by other people, or by the culture in which we live.

There are three elements to each sacrament: (1) They are visible and effective signs that we can see taking place. Pouring water over a person’s head is a visible sign of Baptism. (2) They were given to us by Jesus Himself. For example, Jesus told the apostles to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19). (3) Their purpose is to give us grace, which is God’s divine help.

The sacraments are also special encounters between God and us in which God uses ordinary things, such as water, oil, and bread, to bring about extraordinary spiritual results. It is important to remember that the sacraments get all of their power from the actions of Christ Himself. It is Christ who baptizes, not the priest or deacon. It is Christ who confirms, not the bishop. It is Christ who changes bread and wine into His Body and Blood, not the priest. It is Christ who forgives sins, not the priest. Even if the priest or bishop is not a holy person, the sacrament is still valid because it is Christ administering it.

The Sacraments of Initiation into the Church are Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Eucharist. The Sacraments of Healing are Penance (Reconciliation) and Anointing of the Sick. The Sacraments of Vocation or Service are Holy Orders and Matrimony. Of the seven sacraments, we can receive two of them only once — Baptism and Confirmation. A man can receive Holy Orders three times — when he is ordained a deacon, a priest, and a bishop. A person can be anointed more than once if they recover from the first illness and become sick again. A person can marry in the Church more than once if their spouse dies.

All seven sacraments can be found in the Bible, so we know that they came from God. For example, we can find Baptism in Matt. 28:19, Confirmation in Acts 8:16-17, Holy Eucharist in Matt. 26:28, and Luke 22:19, Penance in John 20:22-23, Anointing of the Sick in James 5:14-15, Holy Orders in Luke 22:19 and Acts 14:23, and Matrimony or Marriage in Matt. 19:4-6.

Sacraments are not like magic. We must cooperate with them in order to obtain God’s grace. We can receive Confirmation and never go to church again, so in that case our refusal to cooperate with God will keep us from getting to Heaven. It’s not God’s fault if we don’t get to Heaven; it’s our fault according to the bad choices that we make.

In addition to the sacraments, God also gives other holy signs called sacramentals. These include holy water, rosaries, medals, blessings, and exorcisms.

List Of Answers

BAPTISM

BIBLE

CHRIST

CONFIRMATION

COOPERATE

GRACE

HEALING

HOLY EUCHARIST

INITIATION

JESUS

PENANCE

SACRAMENTALS

SACRAMENTS

SIGNS

VOCATION

Quiz:

  1. Jesus gave us seven _____________________ to help us get to Heaven.
  2. I have already received three sacraments: _______, _________, and __________________________.
  3. This year I will be receiving ________________________.
  4. There are visible ____________ that a sacrament is being administered.
  5. All seven sacraments were given to us by ________________.
  6. The purpose of the sacraments is to give us ______________ (God’s special help).
  7. Sacraments get all of their power from _______________ Himself.
  8. The sacraments of _______________ are Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Eucharist.
  9. The sacraments of _______________ are Penance and Anointing of the Sick.
  10. The sacraments of _______________ are Holy Orders and Matrimony.
  11. All seven sacraments can be found in the _______________.
  12. We must ____________________ with them to receive God’s grace.
  13. God also gives us ________________________, which are holy objects or ceremonies.

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