God chooses to mediate his graces through the sacraments.
On the day of Pentecost, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit made the Church visible and manifest to the entire world. Peter’s and all the apostles’ preaching that brought about the baptism of thousands was the birth of a new age – the age of the Church. In this age of the Church, Christ manifests, makes present, and communicates his work of salvation through his Church’s liturgy.
In this age of the Church, Christ lives and acts in and with his Church in a new way appropriate to this new age. He acts through the sacraments in what is called “the sacramental economy.” ...This sacramental "economy" ... is the communication or “dispensation” of the fruits of Christ's Paschal Mystery.
Each sacrament, celebrated by the Church in the name of Christ, is an action of God by which God seeks to pour out his gifts and graces. Each sacrament has effects that are unique to it.
We can therefore rightly expect that our access to God’s gift of forgiveness comes first and foremost through the sacraments.
Reflection Question
Think of one time in which you were part of a sacramental celebration and in which you were powerfully aware of God’s grace [active presence] being poured out in that sacrament. How did you come away from that experience different?
Scripture to Explore
Acts of the Apostles 1-4
Additional References
Catechism of the Catholic Church nos. 1076, 1110, 1113, 1123, 1129
United States Catholic Catechism for Adults pp. 168-170
Catechetical Framework for Lifelong Faith Formation MA.2.2.1, MA.2.2.5, MA.2.2.5
Resource for Adult Faith Formation
Prepared for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Distributed courtesy of the National Conference of Catechetical Leadership (NCCL)
© Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, 2014
All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the copyright holder.
Permission is hereby granted to all (arch)dioceses, parishes, Catholic schools, and other ecclesial entities to reproduce this document in whole or in part, in whatever form is most expedient, for the purposes of catechizing the People of God, provided that the copyright information on this page is included in its entirety. This grant does not diminish the rights reserved hereunder.
