by Will Reaves, Director of Faith Formation and Intergenerational Catechesis
I mentioned last week that, even after the Ascension, God remains present with us in at least two ways. The first way was through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The other way God remains with us is through the sacraments. This is particularly obvious in Baptism and Confirmation, where the Holy Spirit is invited to live in us (and thus the two ways are actually linked). But it is also obvious above all in the Eucharist, where Jesus becomes not just spiritually but also physically present in the elements. Jesus’ love for us is such that He continues to nourish us with His actual body and blood. And in the other sacraments, He enacts His works of healing, mercy, and forgiveness, particularly in the Sacrament of Confession.
Our challenge is that we have often closed our hearts to the graces of these sacraments. Although we receive the Holy Spirit in Baptism, and the Precious Body and Blood in the Eucharist, we don’t feel all that much different from week to week. There are a variety of causes for this: The busyness of our schedules, the materialist strands of our culture downplaying supernatural realities, and even the regular repetition of the reception of the sacraments are just three reasons why we don’t always notice or accept the graces on offer. But the biggest challenge is one of belief. Do we believe the priest when he says “Your sins are forgiven” in the sacrament of confession? Do we believe the minister who offers us “The body of Christ”? Fundamentally, do we believe that God will fulfill His promises to His Church and to His People? Because when we believe that, it changes our lives.
Challenge: Continue to pray, if needed, that God would open your heart to embrace your vocation of love. To help with that, pick one sacrament you should receive more regularly and resolve to do it.