The Book of Genesis began with one purpose and the Book of Revelation ended with the same purpose, the salvation of humankind. A Christian life therefore the Church is understood as a sacrament of love because the sacraments are seen as visible signs of God's grace and love made manifest in the world, particularly through the Eucharist, marriage, and the acts of service in the world.
The sacraments offer divine help to live a life of love, unity, and sacrifice, uniting believers with Christ's love and drawing them into a deeper participation in His divine life. The sacraments are an expression of our love for God and our desire to partake of his love.
Here is a rundown on how the Christian life is a sacrament of love. We may not forget that Jesus is the Sacrament of the Father as the Church has been calling Him for a long time. That Loving Father created us to obtain salvation. The sacraments have just one purpose. This is given us the grace that will bring us (if we perseverance) to the salvation.
This is what the Constitution Lumem Gentium (LG) of the Vatican Council Second said about this matter: “Christ is the Light of nations. Because this is so, this Sacred Synod gathered together in the Holy Spirit eagerly desires, by proclaiming the Gospel to every creature, to bring the light of Christ to all men, a light brightly visible on the countenance of the Church. Since the Church is in Christ like a sacrament or as a sign and instrument both of a very closely knit union with God and of the unity of the whole human race, it desires now to unfold more fully to the faithful of the Church and to the whole world its own inner nature and universal mission. This it intends to do following faithfully the teaching of previous councils. The present-day conditions of the world add greater urgency to this work of the Church so that all men, joined more closely today by various social, technical and cultural ties, might also attain fuller unity in Christ” (LG # 1).
Jesus is the great sacrament of the love of God. Jesus is the fullest revelation possible of God's goodness and love. We believe that Jesus is Son of God and Son of Mary – truly human and truly divine. In his person, and through his actions, words and gestures Jesus made God and God's love present on earth. He was, and is still, for us “the image of the unseen God” (Col 1:15), the “Word made flesh” who lived among us (see and read John 1:1-18) and hence the greatest sacrament of God.
Sacraments are signs of God's Love. Sacraments are visible signs of God's invisible grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church. They are outward expressions of inward spiritual realities, making God's love and presence tangible in believers' lives. Through the sacraments, individuals encounter Christ, receive His grace, and are empowered to live out their faith.
Sacraments are more than a ritual, a sacrament is an outward action that symbolizes, confers, and is a means by which God's grace is given. For example, the water in baptism represents the washing away of sin and new life in Christ. That is the reason the Church is called the Sacrament of Salvation (LG # 48).
Sacramental grace is one of the most evident means by which we can recognize the love of God in the sacraments. Sacramental grace is the grace that God gives us through each sacrament to assist the faithful in the journey of holiness and the Church to increase in charity and witness. It is a particular grace of the Holy Spirit, by Christ, which we receive by the sacraments.
Baptism makes us children of God and members of the Church. This sacrament also washes away original sin. The Eucharist is the celebration of the Lord's Supper, during which believers are nourished by the body and blood of Christ, and by it, become one with Him and with each other, and remember His death on the cross. Confirmation strengthens Christians with the gifts of the Holy Spirit and encourages them to live as mature believers.
The sacrament of Reconciliation or Penance forgives our sins and reconciles us with God and the Church. The Anointing of the Sick offers spiritual and sometimes physical healing to those who are ill. The sacrament of Holy Orders ordains men as priests, deacons, and bishops to continue Christ's ministry. The Holy Matrimony joins a man and woman in a sacred covenant of love and partnership, which mirrors Christ's love for the Church. The grace of the sacrament is the special love of God and the Church.
The sacraments are not just rituals but are meant to inspire and empower Christians to love more deeply. By encountering Christ's love in the sacraments, Christians are motivated to live out that love in their daily lives, serving others and building up the community. The Christian life, lived in response to God's love and through the sacraments, is a testament to the power of love to transform individuals and the world.
Sacramental life is life lived as if the world we inhabit is sacramental. In Christian life and thought, the sacramental life is one which appreciates the fact that God has freely chosen to communicate and make himself present to us in our lives and in our world. Our sacramental life of the Church does not end with the seven sacraments of the Church but embraces all of life and all of God's creation.
Christians are demanding that there is a God in all places. That instead of confining the holy to the church or to special rites or places, it is also essential sacramental life learn to see the presence of God in nature, in human relationships, in work, and in all areas of daily life.
We also have to see the spiritual in the physical. God made the spiritual but also the physical world. Everything can be a sign of God's grace, a means of encountering the divine.
Living with intention and awareness in every aspect of our life is very important. Paying attention to the details of life, finding meaning in the mundane, and approaching each moment with a sense of reverence.
It means that a Christan life is one of sharing God's love with everyone. A sacramental life is not only about personal experience, but also about sharing God's love and grace with others through actions and relationships.
We must affirm both the physical and the spiritual dimension of this life. We must value the outward forms and rituals, but we must also recognize that they are signs that point to a spiritual reality.
How to live a sacramental life? We have to pray. Offer both formal prayers and informal conversation with God throughout the day. Be attentive to each moment, to your thoughts and feelings and to what is around you. Find delight in nature, in art, music and other forms of beauty. Be aware of and grateful for the many blessings that come your way, both large and small. See what you can do to serve the poor and needy and to make the world a better place.
Celebrate the formal sacraments of your faith tradition as means of grace. Sacramental life can increase the meaningfulness and purpose of life as you view yourself as an active participant in the work of God. The more you acknowledge the presence of God in all things the more you will feel a deep sense of joy, peace, and contentment in life.
Seek more fulfilling relationships and friendships. Viewing others as made in God's image will bring about more loving and compassionate relationships.
Let us heighten and reinforce our sense of God’s grace. The sacramental life leads you to see God's grace at work in your life, and in the world around you. Because we need to become greater in our capacity for love and compassion. By meeting God in all things, you are more likely to be moved to love and compassion for others. Well, all these began to be Christian life as a sacrament of love.
