Some years ago, a sick call came into the parish office. I was away. The parish manager contacted one of our parishioners who was a very prayerful woman. She did not relate as smoothly as she needed to with people. She went to the hospital. She prayed with the family of the dying relative.
Now the family involved were not people who ever shared the life of the faith community. They knew this woman was a woman of prayer and they were so appreciative that the ‘holy woman came.’ They were very touched by her prayer and the way she was so welcoming to them in their hour of need.
We have not given sufficient attention to the reality of the ‘holy’ person. The family recognized this wonderful quality about her. Her prayer was good. They were touched by the hand of Christ.
This is where our sense of sacrament blossoms forth. A sacrament is anything that puts us in touch with the very reality of the divine. A sacrament is a material thing that brings forth the presence of Christ.
We have limited our understanding of sacrament to the official seven sacraments of the Church. But sacraments are much broader than the ‘high holy sacraments.’
Holding a new born child can put you in touch with the great love and creative power of the Creator God. As you hold this child you may experience (but not necessarily in words) the force of God bringing this new life into being. As you hold this child you can feel gratitude that you were so wonderfully created. Holding this child makes you so appreciative of the great love and compassion that God is showering on you at this very moment.
In the early morning you are sitting outside on our deck with your cup of coffee. It is so enjoyable watching the birds swoop down to pick up insects and seeds for food. They flit around so gracefully and quickly. Here is the hand of God! You are so close to the great love that our creator God has for each one of these birds. This is a moment of sacrament. Birds put you in touch with God. You are moved with a moment of joy.
And then there is the most challenging concept of sacrament. You have been joined to Jesus Christ in the waters of baptism. You share in the very life and mission of Jesus Christ. Your body is the very temple of the Holy Spirit. Your life, your body, your soul are all rooted in and nourished by the very life-force of Jesus Christ.
The reality of Jesus with in you is meant to make you a sacrament of the very Son of God. Your life, your attitude is meant to manifest the very presence of Jesus. Your face is meant to become the very face of Jesus.
It is in this way that we are to understand ourselves as the living sacrament of Jesus. This is the direction of our Christian faith.
How well do you understand yourself as the living sacrament of Jesus Christ?
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