TIMOTHIANS
“The Magazine of the New Breed”
Published by Holy Society of St. Timothy
The Cathedral Church of Saint Michael
October 2003 Issue
SACRAMENTS – AVENUE OF GOD’S GRACE
by Gem
“Sacraments is a rite ordained by Christ or by the Church as an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual sign of an inward and spiritual grace. There are seven sacraments, namely: Holy Baptism, Holy Eucharist, Confirmation, Ordination, Holy Matrimony, Reconciliation and Unction.”
It is so refreshing to hear the Word of God over and over again. What we have learned in our youth camp are repeated teachings and principles that we have heard before, but sometimes, we forgot to apply it in our lives.
We heard different teachings and we knew its benefits. We also heard testimonies how a person was blessed as he encounter God through the sacraments. But my question is, are we accepting and responding to all the seven sacraments made available for us?
We are part of God’s family. If we touch the sacraments, we also touch the One who gave it. Only in the church where we find the grace of God for it is the avenue of God’s grace. The church is the way where we can avail the sacraments.
In Holy Baptism, we become a member of the Kingdom of God because He adopted us as His own children. Also, if we are baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, we are open to the other sacraments.
Holy Eucharist is the proclamation of Christ life, death and resurrection until His coming again. When we are going to receive the Body and Blood our Lord Jesus Christ, we must have a prepared heart because if we are going to receive the Eucharist with unprepared heart, we put ourselves into judgment instead of healing for our body, soul and spirit.
We express our commitment, receive strength from the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of Confirmation. When the leaders of the church anointed our minds, eyes, ears, noses, lips, hearts, and hands, it signifies that we should think the things of God, to see what God sees, listen to His word, to smell good things and speak God’s word, that God is in our hearts and to work the things of God. So why you stay the same you, if you have received the Sacrament of Confirmation?
Sacrament of Ordination is the rite on which it gives authority and the grace given to the Bishops, Priests, and Deacons to continue the apostolic succession. Once you are called by God and you did not answer your calling, it will be a burden to you. You can run but you cannot hide from your calling.
Holy Matrimony is a sacramental marriage which the woman and the man enter into a life union, make their vows before God and the church and they receive the grace and the blessing of God to fulfil their vows. We are to preserve the sanctity of marriage.
Sacrament of Reconciliation heals us. If we repeat on our sins and make confession of our sins to the priest and ask for guidance and absolution, surely, we will receive forgiveness from God and His forgiveness give us another chance. God is merciful. He is waiting for us to come to Him. He is not mad at us. He never condemn us as we condemn ourselves everytime we did the same mistake again. He vanished our sins and He gives us peace and healing for our body, soul and spirit. Everytime we are going to avail this sacrament, don’t look at the ministers as who they are but look at them as God’s instrument of His grace.
Sacrament of Unction is the rite of anointing the sick for the healing of spirit, mind and body. Everytime we got sick, go to church and avail this sacrament. If you can’t go, called up the man of God to minister unto you. Believe that you will be healed for the power of God will only move to a person of faith.
Let us avail and respond to the sacraments so that we may grow spiritually and our life will be changed from glory to glory and from strength to strength.
“Let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our need.” (NIV Heb. 4:16)
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