SANCTIFYING YOUR ENTIRE LIFE

The correspondence between the Church's Seven Sacraments and major events in life is no coincidence. These Christian "rites of passage" attest to the santicity of human life, made in the image and likeness of God

Baptism, which usually occurs soon after natural birth, is itself a "rebirth" into the Family of God.

Communion corresponds to the human need to take in daily nourishment, by nouishing us with the Bread of Life.

Confirmation is (in the Latin Rite) ordinarily bestowed upon people in their early teens; it is thus a Sacrament of Christian Maturity which makes the young person a full-fledged member of the Church.

Penance recognizes human frailty and the need for forgiveness; through the priest Jesus forgives our sins and restores us to fellowship in the Body of Christ.

Marriage and Holy Orders both sanctify one's state in life, as either natural parents who will raise up new children of the Church or spiritual fathers who image and represent Christ the New Adam in the midst of Ecclesia the New Eve.

Finally, Anointing of the Sick sanctifies death, the end of earthly life and one's birth into eternal life.

So from birth to death, our loving Mother Church stands by us, nourishing, forgiving, blessing and preparing us for eternity with God.


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