through Holy Orders by giving us priests to give us the Sacraments. And your soul is fed and sustained throughout this whole process because Christ is present in the Eucharist that you receive at Holy Communion. In the Bible The Sacraments are what Christ did on Earth for our salvation. God commanded us to receive the Sacraments as all seven are in the Bible: Baptism: Jesus is baptized by John and hears the Great Commission: “Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased’” (Mk 1:9-11). “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit” (Mt 28:19). Confirmation: The Sacrament of Confirmation is found in Bible passages such as Acts 8:14–17, 9:17, 19:6, and Hebrews 6:2, which speak of a laying on of hands for the purpose of bestowing the Holy Spirit. Sealing with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost: “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other anguages, as the Spirit gave them ability” (Acts 2:4). In Ephesians 4:30, the Holy Spirit is described as a “seal” or “mark” on believers. Eucharist: Jesus said, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh. … Very truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day” (Jn 6:51, 53-54). Confession: Jesus said, “Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Mt 16:19; also Mt 18:18; Jn 20:23). Anointing of the Sick: The Book of James says to confess your sins to one another after speaking to the presbyters (elders): “Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven” (Jas 5:14-15). Priesthood: As for the washing of the feet, which was part of the ordination rite in the Aaronic priesthood, Jesus said, “So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you” (Jn 13:14-15). Titus 1:5 mentions that pastors were “ordained” in each city in Crete. Acts 13:2-4 describes the Holy Spirit setting apart Barnabas and Saul for the work to which He has called them. Acts 14:23 mentions Paul and Barnabas directing the appointment or ordination of elders “in each church” in Galatia. Marriage: In Matthew 19:4-6, Jesus affirms the biblical view of marriage as a union between one man and one woman, citing Genesis 2:24 to support this. The Wedding at Cana, the setting for Jesus’ first miracle: “On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding” (Jn 2:1-2). Regarding Ephesians 5:22-33, this passage provides guidance for marriage, emphasizing the roles of husbands and wives, and the importance of submission, love, and respect within marriage. Essential to the Catholic faith The Catholic Church is the only religion that possesses all seven Sacraments in full communion with the successor of St. Peter in Rome. It is true that the Eastern Orthodox churches, which broke with Rome in 1054, have all seven valid Sacraments, but Catholic and Orthodox Christians can only receive the Sacraments from each other’s bishops and priests under extraordinary circumstances. The Anglican churches, moreover, believe that they have the apostolic succession of bishops and authentically-ordained priests, but the Catholic Church does not recognize the validity of that claim — especially now that they ordain women to their priesthood as well. So the Sacraments are vital! Without the unique fullness of the seven Sacraments, the Catholic Church is just one more church among 45,000 other Christian denominations around the world. Marian Helper • Summer 2025 • Marian.org 15 To order Understanding the Sacraments: God’s Grace Guaranteed! (Product code B66-UNDB), visit ShopMercy.org or call 1-800-462-7426.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjI2Mw==