As the name implies, the Sacraments are sacred rites instituted in the Church by Jesus. Properly speaking, there are seven Sacraments in the Catholic faith: Magħmudija, Konferma, the Ewkaristija, Qrar, Żwieġ, Orders, and the Dilka tal-Morda.
Through the Sacraments believers receive God’s grace through material things like water, bread, wine and oil.
The Sacraments may be understood as outward signs that convey the grace they signify. Water, pereżempju, signifies cleanliness and life. By the grace of God, the waters of Baptism actually cleanse the soul of sin and fill it with divine life (ara Evanġelju ta’ Ġwanni, 3:5, and the Atti tal-Appostli, 2:38). The Sacraments are patterned after the Incarnation, in which God, a spiritual being, took on human flesh–and the invisible one became visible.
The idea of grace being transferred through material things is a Biblical concept.
In the New Testament alone, we see water used in this way (mill-ġdid, ara John 3:5; 9:7; Atti tal-Appostli, 8:37; Paul’s Letter to Titus 3:5; or Peter’s First Letter 3:20 – 21); as well as oil (ara l Evanġelju ta’ Mark 6:13, or the Ittra ta’ Ġakbu 5:14); clay (ara John 9:6); garments (Mark 5:25 jew Luqa 8:43); and even handkerchiefs (ara l Atti tal-Appostli 19:11-12).
God’s grace is transmitted through other sensible things, wisq, such as Mary’s voice and Peter’s shadow (ara l Evanġelju ta’ Luqa 1:41, 44, and the Atti tal-Appostli 5:15, respectively).