“Signs of Grace“
By Krystal Montgomery
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 1131) defines a sacrament as… an efficacious sign of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us…
During this Easter season, we witness the graces God gives us through the sacraments. From the Easter Vigil as new Catholics enter the church through the Sacraments of Initiation, to our children receiving their First Communion, and then Confirmation. It is through these sacraments, that we are all drawn closer to God. This is especially true as we watch the young members of our community take another step in their faith and recognize the real presence of Christ in their lives this weekend and next.
When we are filled with these graces, our response should be to imitate Christ to those around us. His light shines from us and is visible to those in our lives. The way we live our faith draws others in. This is especially true of the youngest group in our parishes and the excitement that comes with finally receiving Christ in the Eucharist!
For those receiving the Holy Spirit through Confirmation… we keep reminding them that this is not a graduation from the faith, but the start to a deeper spiritual journey and a stronger commitment to Christ. This sacrament strengthens in us what was started at Baptism and through the Eucharist. Just like the Apostles when they were in the Upper Room, and they didn’t know what to do next… it wasn’t until the Holy Spirit descended upon them that they went out on mission. Please keep those receiving sacraments in your prayers as they are now called to respond.
Sometimes we lose that reckless trust in God that we had as a child or when we were just starting our own faith journeys and didn’t know which way to go. Take a moment to recall what God hoped for all of you when those graces were first received… to remember what it was like to have childlike faith in Him. Please keep those receiving sacraments in your prayers as they are now called to respond.