How can Christians live out the seven sacraments?

Answer 1

First, all seven are doors to grace, opening our hearts to the Gospel, letting Christ into our lives.

Individually: Baptism is the first of the sacraments, the door to the Church. It is our response to God's call, and orients our whole life to God, at least in principle. True, we should be good (follow the commandments, do God's will) on our own, but that is just not possible. It is beyond our strength. Baptism is the sign that our hearts are open to God's grace and strength, so that we are relying not on our power but on God's.

Confirmation is the next sacrament, the "confirmation" of what has been done in us, and the granting of the Spirit. Especially for those baptized as infants, it may be an opportunity to renew what was done in us by our parents for our good, and make our faith our own. But even more, it is God and the whole Church, in the person of the Bishop, who confirms what we started in Baptism.

Eucharist is the continuing nourishment of our body, mind, and soul, at the Father's table. In Baptism, we become God's children, brothers and sisters of the household following our brother Jesus. Eucharist is where God feeds us, at the table of the Word, and of the Altar. We receive the Body and Blood of Christ, and in receiving and eating we become what we eat.

Another form of the Eucharist is actually the proper "Last Rites" for the dying: Viaticum, the Body or Blood of Christ given to the sick and dying as "food for the journey" when we face that darkest of passages, through death. We need our Shepherd with us on that road.

Reconciliation is the restoration of our relationship with God, the Church, and others, that we may have harmed by our sin. There are other means to restore that relationship, if our sin is not mortal (the Penitential rite at Mass, or receiving communion, sincere prayer of penitence, telling one harmed by our sin of our sorrow, and so on), but even in the case of venial sin, it can help to tell a minister of God and the Church, the priest, what we have done and to hear the Church's response. In the case of mortal sins, more is needed: the only sure ways to forgive mortal sin are Baptism (which removes all the guilt of sin, but may only be received once) and Reconciliation.

Anointing of the Sick is prayer for a person who is seriously ill. The community of the Body of Christ cares for all its members, and comes to visit and pray for (officially, in the person of the priest) those who are suffering from their weak health. This rite also may include confession and absolution, and the Eucharist.

The last two sacraments are sometimes called sacraments of vocation; they give direction and focus to our whole life: Marriage and Holy Orders. Each of these involves a commitment and service, whether to spouse and possible children (Marriage), or to serving a particular church (Holy Orders, as deacon, presbyter or bishop).

Together, these sacraments shape our Christian life, remind us of our commitments, and help us grow into those commitments.

Answer 2

The seven sacraments of the Catholic Church are:

• Baptism
• The Eucharist (Communion)
• Reconciliation
• Confirmation
• Marriage
• Holy Orders
• Anointing of the Sick

The sacraments, in the ordinary order (meaning that in the order of nature, God has ordained the sacraments as necessary to receive His grace, and to attain salvation) they are necessary for salvation. In other words, God is not bound by the sacraments, but we are. God could always work a miracle, but in the normal course of events, we are bound to the sacraments, i.e. Baptism is necessary for salvation.

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Catholic AnswerIn the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the index lists a dozen different topics under "effects of the sacraments:"

act ex opere operato (literally: "by the very fact of the action's being performed")

assist healing

communicate the Holy Spirit to the members of Christ's body

confer a sacramental "character" or sign

effect the grace signified by them

establish the unity of Christians

forgive sins

give sacramental grace

Holy Orders and Matrimony as sacraments directed toward the salvation of others

make Christians "children of God"

sustain and strengthen those who are on the way to holiness

unite us to Christ

Answer 3

Sacraments aren't something you live out, they are something you receive. Through the Sacraments God bestows His Grace, and that is not something that is dependent on our actions. We are supposed to be properly disposed to them, which means repentance and belief, for baptism, anointing of the sick and confession, and to at least not be in a state of mortal sin for the others.

Answer 4

Catholic AnswerThe seven sacraments are the normal and ordinary way that God has instituted to give grace to man. All of the seven sacraments give sanctifying grace and actual grace. The sacraments of penance and baptism are normally received when one is in a state of sin, their grace is primarily to remove the sin and its effects. Anointing is a mixed sacrament. The other sacraments can only be received by a person in a state of grace, which is why the sacrament of baptism is required before you can receive any other sacraments, and the sacrament of penance is required anytime you are in a state of serious sin.

from

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, English translation 1994

1084 "Seated at the right hand of the Father" and pouring out the Holy Spirit on his Body which is the Church, Christ now acts through the sacraments he instituted to communicate his grace. The sacraments are perceptible signs (words and actions) accessible to our human nature. By the action of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit they make present efficaciously the grace that they signify.

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1131 The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. The visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each sacrament. They bear fruit in those who receive them with the required dispositions.

Answer 5

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Roman Catholic AnswerThe Sacraments affect the Church when they are worthily received by her members, they make them holy by imparting God's grace to them.

Answer 6

All sacraments can affect your life but an individual can reach 6 sacraments.