ST.

THOMAS ACADEMY
Sto. Tomas, Batangas
S.Y. 2017-2018

Camille S. Malvecino
STEM 12 – St. Raphael

REFLECTION PAPER: Seven Sacraments

Sacraments are holy signs and seals for us to see. They were instituted by God so that
by our use of them, he might make us understand more clearly the promise of the gospel, and
might put his seal on that promise. There are seven sacraments namely – Baptism,
Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. In
his sacraments the Lord promises that he will be our God and that we will be his people.
Furthermore, the sacraments are organized into three groups which are Initiation, Healing, and
Service of Communion. The question therefore is not what the sacraments do to us, but what
God does for us with them. Each of them has a purpose. Baptism is for our birth. Confirmation is
for our spiritual growth. Eucharist for the nutrition of our soul. Penance for the cure the sickness
of our soul. Anointing of the sick, to comfort our souls at the time of our death. Holy Orders
which fulfills the duties of the priesthood. Lastly, Matrimony, which helps for the obligation in
married life. Each of them plays an important role towards our Christian life.
In application to real life, money shouldn’t be a hindrance to achieve these things.
Nowadays, people give more value to the big celebration instead of looking to its’ essence. We
should open our hearts to see how God is good at creating these sacraments. One must know
the essence of it because they are the external signs of God’s love. Sacraments touches all the
stages which a Catholic person must have. From womb until to the tomb, sacraments are
present. Thus, it only shows God’s love and mercy. In order to pay back, we should do our part.
Injecting our soul with good prayer and sacraments is better than feeding ourselves with our
cravings. We should renew ourself from sins just like the licenses that people have. Sacraments
have no expiration. It will always end up in one thing – that God never fails us. He always
makes his way.
The Sacraments are the greatest means of knowing God. God’s eye of grace and our
eye of faith meet in the sacraments. If we want God to know who we are, we have to spend time
in prayer daily, and we have to encounter Him in the Sacraments. The Sacraments include good
works and prayer. We need to practice all of it because it will help us to be closer to God.
Sacraments are like the missing piece of the puzzle. Without them, our Christian life wouldn’t be
complete. As a Catholic, all of us are called to receive this. It’s hard to understand Catholics who
don’t practice their faith. I cannot imagine my life without the Sacraments. My faith in God
sustains me, but in the Sacraments, I find the strength I need to face life’s challenges.
Everything hits same ground, that the Sacraments are signs of God’s love, the privileged ways
for us to encounter Him.

“Yes, God knows you, God hears you, God loves you, God is there for you. You are blessed.”