As a child I memorized the definition of a sacrament, my memory tells me, “A sacrament is an outward sign, instituted by Christ, to give grace.” I learned that there are seven sacraments: Baptism, Penance (Reconciliation), Eucharist, Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Orders and Extreme Unction (Anointing of the Sick). The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes each of them in detail.
Later, I learned the word “sacramental”. Our Creed tells us that God created everything, “visible and invisible”. As Christians we believe that the invisible world is the biggest and most important part of creation and that it will last forever, while the visible world will someday come to an end. One of the roles of the visible world is to point to and reveal the invisible world. Thus, we have the world of signs, symbols, words, emotions, angels, heaven, thoughts, spirits, ritual, etc.
The saying is simple, “The invisible is revealed by the visible.” Let me repeat that slowly, “The invisible is revealed by the visible.” As sign going south out of Clare says that Mt. Pleasant is twelve miles. That is what signs and symbols do, they point to things we cannot yet see. Words are symbols that have meaning. We don’t hear or see the meaning, they are invisible, yet they point to something real.
We have sacraments and we have sacramentals. A sacramental is anything visible that points to, or reminds us of something invisible, yet real. Thus, a crucifix reminds us of Gods love for us. The physical, visible world of stars, trees, clouds, rainbows, and all of the visible world that we experience points to God, who is invisible. Hugs and kisses are actions that point to the invisible-love. Science is good at describing the visible world, but not the invisible. Ask any scientist to describe an angel?!
We think we know what light, gravity, electricity, and magnetism are, but even if we know how to quantify them, manipulate them, use them and are comfortable with them, do we really know what they are? What is intuition? We can’t see love, yet most of us believe in it.
All throughout history, people have been awed by the grandeur, beauty, and wonder of nature, the visible world, and had the experience of God. Who can look at a newborn anything, and not know that everything about it points to an invisible reality? Perhaps this is what the Bible means when it says that “They have eyes but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear.” Let us ask for the gift to see and hear, not just the visible, but the Invisible. Why should we settle for the sign or symbol of something, when we can experience the thing the sign points to? Would you like to have the cardboard sign of a chocolate sunday, or the chocolate sunday? I want the real thing-a relationship with God, the Invisible. Are we receiving just a host at communion or the person of Jesus Christ?
“May the Lord bless and keep you. May he let his face shine upon you, be gracious to you and give you his peace.”
