Sacrament
A Sacrament is when something holy happens! It is a transparent time, a time when you can see something deep inside of time.
Generally speaking, Protestants recognize two “dominical” sacraments for they were instituted by Jesus: the Lord’s Supper and Baptism. Roman Catholics have those two plus five others: Confirmation, Penance, Unction, Ordination and Matrimony. We follow in the Catholic tradition, yet refer to these last five as “Sacramental Rites” in our Catechism.
At such special moments as seeing a baby baptized or being baptized yourself, confessing your sins, getting married and during death, you are apt to catch a glimpse of the preciousness and mystery of life.
Needless to say, the church is not the only place where the holy happens. Sacraments can take place at any moment, at any place and to anybody: watching something be born, walking on the beach, someone visiting you when you are sick, having a meal with people you love or looking into a stranger’s eyes and finding out they are not strangers.
If we were not blind as bats, we might see that life itself is a Sacrament.
Come, Holy Spirit, our souls to inspire.