Discovering JesusDiscovering JesusIn the SacramentsIn the Sacraments

Driver’s EducationDriver’s Education

It is almost time to begin the process It is almost time to begin the process of thinking about getting your of thinking about getting your driver’s permit.driver’s permit.

So we are going to have a little So we are going to have a little driver’s education challenge.driver’s education challenge.

We are going to have three We are going to have three contestants who are going to guess contestants who are going to guess (Multiple Choice) what each of the (Multiple Choice) what each of the following road signs mean.following road signs mean.

Road Sign #1Road Sign #1

1. 1. What does this sign mean?What does this sign mean?

a)a) Construction zone ahead Construction zone ahead

b)b) Hospital ahead Hospital ahead

c)c) Railroad crossing ahead Railroad crossing ahead

d)d) Roundabout ahead Roundabout ahead

Road Sign #2Road Sign #2

2. What should you do if you see this sign?2. What should you do if you see this sign?a) Come to a complete stop, proceed when you a) Come to a complete stop, proceed when you have the right-of-wayhave the right-of-wayb) Slow down, yield, proceed when you have the b) Slow down, yield, proceed when you have the right-of-wayright-of-wayc) Come to a complete stop only if there is a c) Come to a complete stop only if there is a vehicle coming from another directionvehicle coming from another directiond) Come to a complete stop, proceed after you d) Come to a complete stop, proceed after you flash your headlightsflash your headlights

Road Sign #3Road Sign #3

3. What does this sign represent?3. What does this sign represent?

a) Stop aheada) Stop ahead

b) Traffic light aheadb) Traffic light ahead

c) School zone aheadc) School zone ahead

d) Reduced speed zone aheadd) Reduced speed zone ahead

Road Sign #4Road Sign #4

4. What does this sign mean?4. What does this sign mean?

a) Merging traffic coming from the lefta) Merging traffic coming from the left

b) Right lane closed aheadb) Right lane closed ahead

c) Merging traffic coming from the rightc) Merging traffic coming from the right

d) Yield to oncoming trafficd) Yield to oncoming traffic

Road Sign #5Road Sign #5

5. What does this sign represent?5. What does this sign represent?

a) School zone aheada) School zone ahead

b) Construction zone aheadb) Construction zone ahead

c) Railroad crossing aheadc) Railroad crossing ahead

d) Rough road aheadd) Rough road ahead

The Value of SignsThe Value of Signs

Signs help us to get where we’re going.Signs help us to get where we’re going. Signs help us to know what to do – “All Signs help us to know what to do – “All

employees must wash their hands.”employees must wash their hands.” Signs can warn us of dangerSigns can warn us of danger Signs can help us communicate – Sign Signs can help us communicate – Sign

languagelanguage Signs can also help us see things Signs can also help us see things

before they arrive – Leaves changing before they arrive – Leaves changing are a sign of winter’s beginning and are a sign of winter’s beginning and the fall.the fall.

Imagine ThisImagine This

Imagine what life would be like without Imagine what life would be like without signs.signs.

When you go to a restaurant you would When you go to a restaurant you would have to try every door to find the rest room.have to try every door to find the rest room.

When you are trying to find a friend’s house When you are trying to find a friend’s house you would have to memorize left turns and you would have to memorize left turns and right turnsright turns

When you see a store you’ll have to guess When you see a store you’ll have to guess which one it is and what’s inside.which one it is and what’s inside.

Signs are truly something we take for Signs are truly something we take for granted.granted.

Signs Point To Something Signs Point To Something ElseElse

When you see a Stop Sign, you don’t When you see a Stop Sign, you don’t stop on the sign itself.stop on the sign itself.

When you see an exit sign, you don’t When you see an exit sign, you don’t walk through the sign to get out.walk through the sign to get out.

Instead the sign points to something Instead the sign points to something else.else.

God gives us Signs on how to get to God gives us Signs on how to get to heaven, we call these Sacraments.heaven, we call these Sacraments.

What is a Sacrament?What is a Sacrament?

““Sacraments are efficacious signs of Sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. The divine life is dispensed to us. The visible rites by which the sacraments visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each present the graces proper to each sacrament. They bear fruit in those sacrament. They bear fruit in those who receive them with the required who receive them with the required dispositions.”dispositions.”

More Easily StatedMore Easily Stated

A Sacrament is an outward sign, A Sacrament is an outward sign, instituted by Christ, to give grace.instituted by Christ, to give grace.

Each of the sacraments give us Each of the sacraments give us sanctifying grace and also gives us a sanctifying grace and also gives us a special grace called sacramental special grace called sacramental grace.grace.

Sacraments always give us grace if Sacraments always give us grace if we receive them properlywe receive them properly

The Seven SacramentsThe Seven Sacraments

What are the Seven Sacraments?What are the Seven Sacraments?– BaptismBaptism– EucharistEucharist– ConfirmationConfirmation– ReconciliationReconciliation– MarriageMarriage– Holy OrdersHoly Orders– Anointing of the SickAnointing of the Sick

What are the Signs?What are the Signs?

Each of the Sacraments is an Each of the Sacraments is an efficacious sign of Grace.efficacious sign of Grace.

The word efficacious, means that the The word efficacious, means that the sign itself helps bring it about.sign itself helps bring it about.

This sign points to the grace that is This sign points to the grace that is happening at the same moment (not happening at the same moment (not to the future or past)to the future or past)

What is Grace? It is God’s life within What is Grace? It is God’s life within us. It is an encounter with Jesus us. It is an encounter with Jesus Christ.Christ.

The Signs of the The Signs of the SacramentsSacraments

The seven sacraments are broken up into three The seven sacraments are broken up into three groups.groups.

3 Sacraments of initiation3 Sacraments of initiation– Baptism – Cleansing of original sin & receiving the Holy Baptism – Cleansing of original sin & receiving the Holy

Spirit. Through baptism we become adopted sons & Spirit. Through baptism we become adopted sons & daughters of God. Sign: Water & Oildaughters of God. Sign: Water & Oil

– Eucharist – We celebrate Jesus’ death and resurrection, Eucharist – We celebrate Jesus’ death and resurrection, by receiving the body & blood of Jesus we come into by receiving the body & blood of Jesus we come into communion with Jesus. We become one body and one communion with Jesus. We become one body and one blood. This means when we die, we too can be raised to blood. This means when we die, we too can be raised to eternal life. Sign – Bread & Wineeternal life. Sign – Bread & Wine

– Confirmation – At Confirmation we are sealed with the Confirmation – At Confirmation we are sealed with the Holy Spirit. By professing our faith we receive a greater Holy Spirit. By professing our faith we receive a greater share of the strength and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Sign - share of the strength and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Sign - OilOil

The Signs of the The Signs of the SacramentsSacraments

2 Sacraments of Healing2 Sacraments of Healing– Reconciliation/Pennance/Confession – This is where we Reconciliation/Pennance/Confession – This is where we

can receive God’s mercy and forgiveness of our sins. If can receive God’s mercy and forgiveness of our sins. If we make a proper Confession we can leave with 100% we make a proper Confession we can leave with 100% surety of the forgiveness of our sins. Sign – Prayer of surety of the forgiveness of our sins. Sign – Prayer of Absolution and the sign of the cross.Absolution and the sign of the cross.

– Anointing of the Sick – By anointing us with oil the priest Anointing of the Sick – By anointing us with oil the priest prays for our healing. This prayer is coupled with the prays for our healing. This prayer is coupled with the forgiveness of sins. Many people are healed of illness forgiveness of sins. Many people are healed of illness through this sacrament, but healing is not guaranteed. through this sacrament, but healing is not guaranteed. This sacrament helps one conform their lives to the will This sacrament helps one conform their lives to the will of God whether he heals us or whether we are asked to of God whether he heals us or whether we are asked to endure sickness. Sign - Oilendure sickness. Sign - Oil

The Signs of the The Signs of the SacramentsSacraments

2 Sacraments of Vocation2 Sacraments of Vocation– Marriage – The union of one man and one Marriage – The union of one man and one

woman as husband and wife. This union is a woman as husband and wife. This union is a sacrament because it gives us training for the sacrament because it gives us training for the union with God in Heaven. Sign – Rings, public union with God in Heaven. Sign – Rings, public pronouncement, & kisspronouncement, & kiss

– Holy Orders – By the laying on of hands by Holy Orders – By the laying on of hands by Bishops a man is made a deacon, priest, or Bishops a man is made a deacon, priest, or bishop. In this sacrament men devote their bishop. In this sacrament men devote their lives to the service of God and the lives to the service of God and the dispensation (giving out) of the sacraments. dispensation (giving out) of the sacraments. Sign – Laying on of Hands, OilSign – Laying on of Hands, Oil

How Do We Discover Jesus?How Do We Discover Jesus? In BaptismIn Baptism

– We die to sin by being washed clean in water, We die to sin by being washed clean in water, and rise to new life.and rise to new life.

– Our time “under water” is like joining Christ in Our time “under water” is like joining Christ in the tomb, and coming up is like rising again.the tomb, and coming up is like rising again.

EucharistEucharist– The bread and wine become Jesus’ Body and The bread and wine become Jesus’ Body and

Blood.Blood.– As promised Jesus becomes one body with us As promised Jesus becomes one body with us

and as the alcohol in the wine goes into our and as the alcohol in the wine goes into our blood, his blood becomes our blood.blood, his blood becomes our blood.

– We become one with Christ and are intended We become one with Christ and are intended to do His Divine work here on earth.to do His Divine work here on earth.

How Do We Discover Jesus?How Do We Discover Jesus? ConfirmationConfirmation

– As the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus Christ As the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus Christ and later on his Apostles at Pentecost, so too and later on his Apostles at Pentecost, so too does it descend on us.does it descend on us.

– We must first receive Communion and be one We must first receive Communion and be one with Christ, so as we encounter Christ we can with Christ, so as we encounter Christ we can receive the Holy Spirit as Christ receives the receive the Holy Spirit as Christ receives the Holy SpiritHoly Spirit

ReconciliationReconciliation– The priest, in the person of Jesus Christ, hears The priest, in the person of Jesus Christ, hears

our sins, offers us advice, instructs us to our sins, offers us advice, instructs us to improve, and forgives all of our sins.improve, and forgives all of our sins.

– We encounter the joy of Christ’s forgiving love!We encounter the joy of Christ’s forgiving love!

How Do We Discover Jesus?How Do We Discover Jesus? MarriageMarriage

– It is in our full self-giving, our laying down our It is in our full self-giving, our laying down our entire lives at the feet of our spouse, that we entire lives at the feet of our spouse, that we encounter Christ in the same love that he encounter Christ in the same love that he showed for us.showed for us.

– Marriage is a foreshadowing of a more perfect Marriage is a foreshadowing of a more perfect union of Jesus and his bride, The Church, union of Jesus and his bride, The Church, where we all become one.where we all become one.

Holy OrdersHoly Orders– In this Sacrament Christ is present as he was In this Sacrament Christ is present as he was

to his Apostle’s, calling them and setting them to his Apostle’s, calling them and setting them aside for his holy mission.aside for his holy mission.

– Through the grace of this sacrament, deacons, Through the grace of this sacrament, deacons, priests, and bishops stand in the person of priests, and bishops stand in the person of Jesus Christ for others and the celebration of Jesus Christ for others and the celebration of the sacraments.the sacraments.

How Do We Discover Jesus?How Do We Discover Jesus?

Anointing of the SickAnointing of the Sick– As Christ suffered, on account of sin being in As Christ suffered, on account of sin being in

the world, we too suffer with illness and are the world, we too suffer with illness and are subject to death.subject to death.

– This sacrament is so that God can bring This sacrament is so that God can bring healing to many, but also to bring glory to the healing to many, but also to bring glory to the suffering of all mankind as God glorified the suffering of all mankind as God glorified the suffering of Christ Crucified.suffering of Christ Crucified.

– Those who receive Anointing of the Sick Those who receive Anointing of the Sick receive forgiveness and absolution of their receive forgiveness and absolution of their sins.sins.