In his letter to the Corinthians, Saint Paul referred to himself and the Apostles as “servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God” (1 Corinthians 4:1). The Greek word for mystery was translated into Latin as sacramentum. Thus, the Sacraments are the mysteries of the Christian faith.
The Sacraments bring God’s own life—the life of the Trinity—into us. They are outward signs instituted by Christ to give grace, and help us to become like Him. Jesus instituted seven Sacraments (Baptism, Reconciliation, the Holy Eucharist, Confirmation, Matrimony, and Holy Orders), each of which serves a particular role in the Christian life on our earthly journey and brings us closer to the mystery of God.
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What are the Sacraments?
The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. The visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each sacrament. They bear fruit in those who receive them with the required dispositions. --Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1131
Why Do We Need Sacraments?
The sacraments of the New Covenant are necessary for salvation. “Sacramental grace” is the grace of the Holy Spirit, given by Christ and proper to each sacrament. The Spirit heals and transforms those who receive him by conforming them to the Son of God.
What are the Fruits of the Sacraments?
The fruit of sacramental life is both personal and ecclesial. For every one of the faithful on the one hand, this fruit is life for God in Christ Jesus; for the Church, on the other, it is an increase in charity and in her mission of witness. --Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1134