Are "sacraments" biblical?

Sacrament comes from the Latin for "oath" or "swear," and oath-taking is as old as Creation, as old as the Old Testament, as old as Christianity. God Himself swears an oath to you in every sacrament, and you swear one to Him every time you receive one.

Jesus instituted seven Christian sacraments, or covenants, for His one; holy; catholic (meaning universal); and apostolic church. The sacraments are "the masterworks of God" (CCC 1116), that administer and affect saving grace in the soul. Together, they equip us for a complete self-donation to God that draws us deeper and deeper into the mystery of God's Trinitarian life for all eternity.

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LOVE the Word® is a Bible study method based on Mary's own practice: lectio without the Latin. Get the book based on her method in the right margin, How to Pray Like Mary.

L - Listen (Receive the Word.)

O - Observe (Choose one or more of the following personality approaches to connect the passage to your life and recent events.)

Can you trace the progression of your spiritual life through your reception of the sacraments? Does knowing the sacraments are a participation in a solemn swear and covenant with God, a self-donating gift to Him of your whole life, make a difference in how you will receive them going forward?  

V - Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.)

Remembering that He loves you and that you are in His presence, talk to God about the particulars of your O – Observe step. You may want to write your reflections in your LOVE the Word® journal. Or, get a free journal page and guide in the right-hand margin.

E - Entrust (May it be done to me according to your word!)

Lord Jesus, we thank you that you gave us everything you had to give on the cross, and that you continue to make that self-donation present to us in the sacraments of the Church. Help us to never again take them for granted. We thank you that the quarantine has made us more mindful of the gifts and mysteries in our sacraments, and may we receive them enthusiastically and joyfully for the rest of our days. Amen.+ 

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