Unlocking Grace and Deeping Your Faith

The Seven Sacraments

As Catholic women, we often seek ways to strengthen our faith and to grow closer to Christ as we desire to live happy, healthy and holy lives. The sacraments of the Catholic Church are truly divine gifts which provide a roadmap for our spiritual journey. Each sacrament guides us to encounter God’s grace and provides an opportunity to grow in holiness. They also offer unique spiritual fruits which nourish us in different ways through each stage of life. The fruits of the sacraments fortify us to live holy lives as we share our faith with those around us.

As a cradle Catholic and midlife woman, I realized how easily I can take the sacraments for granted as I go through the motions and can overlook the graces of each one. I recently recorded a series for my podcast, Catholic Moms in the Middle, on each of the seven sacraments. For each sacrament, I interviewed a local priest in Nashville to share the importance of the sacrament and how the fruits and graces can impact our daily lives. Each show is inspiring and offers profound insight into the graces of each sacrament.

Baptism: Baptism is the foundation of our faith, cleansing us of original sin and marking us as beloved daughters of God. It’s a reminder of our true identity in Christ and it is the beginning of a lifelong journey towards holiness as it pours the gift of grace into our lives.

Eucharist: The Holy Eucharist is the source and summit of our Catholic faith. This Sacrament is the real presence of Christ and is given to us over and over again as spiritual nourishment. The grace from this sacrament provides strength to face daily challenges, renews our spirit and unites us with Christ’s love and sacrifice.

Reconciliation: This sacrament offers healing and peace through God’s mercy, allowing us to let go of guilt and to fully embrace the loving forgiveness of our Father. The grace from this sacrament helps us to find freedom from past mistakes and to reconcile our hearts completely to God. Many of the priests that I interviewed said that Reconciliation is one of their favorite sacraments because they are able to see firsthand how God can heal the most broken hearts and situations.

Confirmation: Confirmation strengthens the gifts of the Holy Spirit within us by empowering us to courageously live our faith in our daily lives. It is an opportunity to renew our commitment to God and step boldly into our role as spiritual mentors and leaders in our families and communities. The fruit of this gift is the courage and boldness to magnify Christ wherever we are called to serve.

Marriage: The sacrament of Marriage sanctifies the bond between spouses, reflecting God’s love through mutual sacrifice and fidelity. The sacrament gives us the grace to embrace our vocation as wives, creating holy homes and modeling Christ’s love to our spouses in the good times and in the challenging times. It allows us to be a reflection of Christ to our children so they can see the love of Christ in action.

Holy Orders: While not all are called to Holy Orders, this sacrament reminds us of the importance of vocations within the church. Our job is to encourage and support priests and religious as they live their lives giving glory to God. We are called to faithfully pray for our priests and religious.

Anointing of the Sick: This sacrament brings physical and spiritual healing by offering God’s grace and mercy during times of illness or suffering. The sacrament is a source of comfort and strength which is a reminder of God’s presence and peace even in moments of vulnerability and unknowns.

Each sacrament is a wellspring of grace, guiding us toward holiness and enriching our faith journey as we strive to magnify Christ in all that we do.

Go to Catholic Moms in the Middle to rediscover the gifts of each of the sacraments and to hear from priests from around the Diocese of Nashville. Learn practical ways to embrace them in your daily life to discover the grace and fruits they offer for your soul.

Jennie Guinn is a Catholic speaker, Life Coach, Podcaster, Weekly Radio Show Host on Nashville Catholic Radio and Radio Maria USA, and the founder of Catholic Moms in the Middle. After 26 years of working in Catholic education, Jennie felt God calling her "to step out of the boat" to serve in a new way. In her new ministry, she equips and encourages middle-life women to encounter the love of the Father and to be transformed and healed by the power of the Holy Spirit so they can MAGNIFY Christ in their corner of the world.