The sacraments are like fountains from which divine grace flows. Anyone may draw from them freely, and each will receive, according to the dispositions of the heart, a greater or lesser share of this life-giving water.
There are seven sacraments, instituted by Jesus Christ to communicate to us the life of grace. They correspond to all the spiritual needs of our souls and of society.
Baptism first makes us participants in divine life. Confirmation strengthens it within us. Penance restores it to those who have lost it. The Eucharist nourishes it. Extreme Unction gives it a final increase at the hour of death. Holy Orders provides the Church with ministers to distribute it. Marriage perpetuates it in humanity by forming Christian families.
Baptism is the sacrament that makes us Christians, children of God and members of the Church. It imprints on the soul a mysterious sign, a spiritual mark that can never be erased. Once baptized, one never ceases to be a Christian, even if one later turns away from God.
To baptize, natural water is poured on the head of the person while saying: “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Ordinarily, priests administer Baptism, but in cases of necessity – for example, when a newborn is in danger of death – anyone can and should confer it, provided this simple form is observed.
Baptism completely removes all sin. It takes away original sin – that wound of the soul which stains every human being at birth because of the sin of Adam and Eve. It also removes all personal sins that may have been committed by the one receiving this sacrament after reaching the age of reason. The soul emerges from it cleansed, as if newly created.
Confirmation prolongs and strengthens the new life begun in Baptism. It is the sacrament by which God strengthens us inwardly to live fully as Christians in the world. The Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, is given to those who receive it with proper disposition, together with an abundance of His gifts: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord.
Through Confirmation, we are equipped for the spiritual battles of life, like knights prepared for combat. It makes us courageous witnesses of Jesus Christ, King of kings, able to profess our faith, defend it, and live it boldly amid difficulties and opposition.
The sacrament of Penance is the sacrament by which God forgives the sins committed after Baptism. Jesus instituted it when He said to the Apostles, and through them to all their successors: “The sins you forgive are forgiven them; the sins you retain are retained.”
The Eucharist is the sacrament that truly contains, under the appearances of bread and wine, the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ.
Extreme Unction (often called the Anointing of the Sick) is the sacrament given to those who are seriously ill. It brings a deeper purification of the soul, strengthens trust in God, and may also, if it is the Lord’s will, restore some health to the body.
Holy Orders is the sacrament that confers upon certain members of the faithful the sacred power to exercise ministry in the Church, together with the grace needed to carry it out worthily. The principal duties of priests and bishops are to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, administer the sacraments, and preach the Word of God.
When instituting the Eucharist, Jesus said to His Apostles: “Do this in memory of Me.” It was then that He instituted the sacrament of Holy Orders, giving priests the power to consecrate bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ.
Marriage is the sacrament that sanctifies the union of a man and a woman, giving them the grace to live together according to the Gospel and to form a family. This sacramental bond is indissoluble: a valid and consummated marriage between baptized persons cannot be broken. Not even by mutual consent can this union, blessed by the Church, be dissolved. For this reason, the Church forbids divorce and teaches that conjugal love, sustained by grace, is called to endure throughout life.
In 1870, during the war between France and Germany, a troop of Prussian soldiers one day invaded the small village of Villars, in the Diocese of Dijon. All the houses were forcibly occupied by the soldiers, who settled in as if at home for the night. Only one building remained untouched and silent: the church.
This did not last. A Prussian officer declared that he intended to lodge the men who had found no place elsewhere inside it. Anxiety immediately spread among the devout parishioners. They imagined coarse conversations, the clatter of boots, weapons, smoke, and the irreverence that would be committed in the holy place. They rightly judged that most of the soldiers were Protestants and had no reverence for the Eucharist, since they did not believe in the Real Presence. The Blessed Sacrament was in grave danger of being subjected to sacrilegious outrages and blasphemy.
The parish priest had been absent since the day before and would not return until the next day. How could the Blessed Sacrament be safeguarded when only a priest has the right to touch it?
In this urgent situation, the faithful understood that, in the absence of a consecrated hand, they needed at least a pure heart. They first turned to the young women of the parish and offered them the daunting honor of approaching the tabernacle. One by one, however, they withdrew – out of reverence, fear, modesty, and a deep sense of unworthiness. None dared accept.
After a moment of hesitation, they went to find a thirteen-year-old boy who had recently made his First Communion and was known for his piety. They explained the situation to him. The boy grew troubled and flushed. When they urged him, tears welled up in his eyes, and he choked back a sob: “I cannot… I have sins… a grave sin.” His confession was heartbreaking, but his honesty was admirable. He knew that such an act required a soul in a state of grace.
The distress became extreme. Someone had to be found. At last, all eyes turned to the most unexpected person: a little boy of four and a half, named Peter, known for his innocence and gentleness. They dressed him in his finest clothes and explained to him, in simple words, that he would carry Jesus.
Peter’s father took him in his arms and went up with him to the altar. All those present knelt in reverence. Their eyes were fixed on the tabernacle. Guided by his father, Peter’s small hands opened the golden door. The child took hold of the golden ciborium containing the consecrated hosts. His little hands held the sacred vessel, and with a smile, he pressed it against his heart. In that unforgettable moment, it was a child who carried the King of Heaven.
Then began an improvised procession, yet one filled with profound solemnity. In front, women sang a hymn. Behind them, men advanced slowly, holding lighted candles. At the center, the father carried his child, who himself carried Jesus, Lord of Heaven and earth. The procession made its way to the sacristy, where a temporary place had been prepared for the Eucharistic Lord.
Once the Blessed Sacrament was safe, the silence broke, and emotion rose. One by one, those present came to kiss little Peter, to thank him, and to congratulate him – he who, through the pure innocence of his soul, had been granted the great privilege of carrying God.
That evening, in a village occupied by the enemy, those good Christians rested in peace and quiet joy.