Day 154: Sacraments of Eternal Life

The Church celebrates the mystery of her Lord "until he comes," when God will be "everything to everyone." Since the apostolic age the liturgy has been drawn toward its goal by the Spirit's groaning in the Church: Marana tha! The liturgy thus shares in Jesus' desire: "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you . . . until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." In the sacraments of Christ the Church already receives the guarantee of her inheritance and even now shares in everlasting life, while "awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Christ Jesus." The "Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come . . . Come, Lord Jesus!" CCC 1130

Today's reading from the Catechism is also short, just one paragraph (most of which I posted above) and an "In Brief" summarizing what has been covered over the past few days in this first chapter. It is on the relationship between the sacraments and eternal life, which the Catechism Compendium summarizes as:

In the sacraments the Church already receives a foretaste of eternal life, while “awaiting in blessed hope, the appearing in glory of our great God and saviour Christ Jesus” (Titus 2:13). (#232)

In the Catechism Companion, Vol II, the authors offer some good insight into such a short reading:

The sacraments bring heaven to earth right now, but they also are fulfilled in the kingdom of God, in eternity. The sacraments are where time and eternity touch... The day will come in heaven when there is no mediation and we see the Lord as he is face-to-face. But right now, he comes to us through signs, through the sacraments... Many Catholics know that Jesus Christ is truly present in the Eucharist, but too many of them forget this: we are not simply at Mass to receive the Eucharist; we are there to offer the Eucharist too. (p. 72)