Apr 4 Thu
God gives us new life through the sacraments.
The sacraments are sources of supernatural life, divine channels through which grace reaches our souls. Whenever we receive them with the proper dispositions, we are putting ourselves in vital contact with Christ in his Passion, the source of all grace, and hence we are putting ourselves in contact with God himself. In them, the humanity of Christ stands to God as a conjoined instrument (like the hands of the carpenter), whereas the sacrament stands as a separate instrument (like his hammer).
“The sacraments are the main medicine the Church has to offer. If you voluntarily abandon them, it is impossible to advance along the road, to follow Jesus Christ. We need them as we need air to breathe, the circulation of the blood, and light to appreciate at every moment what God wants of us."
“If the sacraments are abandoned, genuine Christian life disappears. Yet we should realize that particularly today there are many people who seem to forget about the sacraments and even scorn this redeeming flow of Christ's grace."
Let us contemplate the mercy of God, who has shown us so much love; and may our hearts be set on fire with thanksgiving and the desire to respond to him more fully, through greater dedication every day.
“I would like us to reflect now on the sacraments, which are fountains of divine grace. They are a wonderful proof of God's loving kindness. Just meditate calmly on the Catechism of Trent's definition: ‘certain sensible signs which CAUSE GRACE and at the same time DECLARE IT by putting it before our eyes.’ God our Lord is infinite; his love is inexhaustible; his clemency and tenderness toward us are limitless. He grants us his grace in many other ways, but he has expressly and freely established, as only he can do, seven effective signs to enable men to share in the merits of the redemption in a stable, simple, and accessible way."
The water poured on the head, the bread, the words pronounced in the name of Christ: all these are external signs of deep inner communion with our Lord. And thus, through material things, God himself acts on the soul.
The sacraments do not depend for their effect on the goodness of the person who administers them, for they act by virtue of a power conferred on them by Christ, who is always the principal minister: the sacraments are acts of Christ, who administers them through men. But they are administered by the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The priest merely lends his tongue and his hands to God.
How great is Christ's self-surrender in binding himself to the actions of men! How effective are his sacraments! Trusting in his mercy, we say to him with the Church: Father, Creator, you give the world new life by your sacraments. May we, your Church, grow in your life and continue to receive your help on earth.
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