Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus,

In the next few bulletins we will examine the question of “How God Distributes His Gifts?”  “Jesus promised He would not leave us orphans (John 14:18) but would send the Holy Spirit to guide and protect us (John 15:26).  He gave the sacraments to heal, feed, and strengthen us.

The seven sacraments – Baptism, the Eucharist, Penance (also called reconciliation or confession), Confirmation, Holy Orders, Matrimony, and the Anointing of the Sick – are not just symbols.  They are signs that actually convey God’s grace and love.

The sacraments were foreshadowed in the Old Testament by things that did not actually convey grace but merely symbolized it.  Circumcision, for example, prefigured baptism, and the Passover meal prefigured the Eucharist.  When Christ came, he did not do away with symbols of God’s grace.  He supernaturalized them, energizing them with grace.  He made them more than symbols.

God constantly uses material things to show his love and power.  After all, matter is not evil.  When he created the physical universe, everything God created was “very good”.  In Genesis 1:31 we are reminded of this: “And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.  And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.”  He takes such delight in matter that he even dignified it through his own Incarnation.  In John 1:14 we read “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only-begotten Son from the Father.”

During his earthly ministry Jesus healed, fed, and strengthened people through humble elements such as mud, water, bread, oil and wine.  He could have performed his miracles directly, but he preferred to use material things to bestow his grace.  

In his first public miracle Jesus turned water into wine, at the request of his mother, Mary.  In John 2:5-11 we read “His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”  Now six stone jars were standing there, for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.  Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.”   And they filled them up to the brim.  He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the steward of the feast.”  So they took it.  When the steward of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first; and when men have drunk freely, then the poor wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.”  

He multiplied a few loaves and fish into a meal for thousands.  In John 6:8-11 we read “One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are they among so many?”  Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.”  Now there was much grass in the place; so the men sat down, in number about five thousand.  Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted.”

He changed bread and wine into his own body and blood.  In Matthew 26:26-28 we read “Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”  And he took a chalice, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”  

Through the sacraments he continues to heal, feed, and strengthen us.” (Pillar of fire-Pillar of truth, Catholic Answers)

God Bless,

Fr. David