Soporific Sacraments

Seeing the difference between sacraments and sacramentals

          Today I want to explain briefly the difference between a “sacrament” and a “sacramental.” At the end of Mass, we’ll use one very unique sacramental – blessed candles – to bless throats. Now, what’s the difference between a sacramental and a sacrament; they sound virtually identical, don’t they? Well, a sacrament is the “reality,” while a sacramental is only a “reminder” of that reality.

          For instance, I proudly display two bumper-stickers on my car: one for I.C. School and another for Trinity Junior High. Those stickers are like a sacramental, a reminder of these great schools. But the reality would be the school itself, where students fall asleep in math and English class! One is a reminder, the other is the reality. Take another example: I always carry a rosary in my pocket, and try to pray it daily, and that’s a special sacramental, a reminder. But receiving Holy Communion at Mass is the reality, the REAL Presence of Jesus, a sacrament. That’s also why we fall asleep at Mass, just like students fall asleep in school. You see, we can’t handle the reality, the truth of God’s love; we prefer reminders like bumper-stickers and rosaries.

          February 3rd is the feast of St. Blaise, and Catholics traditionally bless throats with crossed candles. Blessed candles – like bumper-stickers and rosaries – are sacramentals, reminders. But what’s the reality they remind us of? That’s the reality of God’s healing love. (By the way, the Anointing of the Sick is the corresponding sacrament of God’s healing.) Now, let me be clear about one thing: blessed candles are not magical or superstitious. They don’t force God’s hand to heal us. Rather, they remind us of his healing love, and remind us to pray for it. But just like good parents sometimes say “no” to their children’s requests, so our Good God says “no” to us, but only because he wants to give us what’s best for us. And Father knows best.

          I hope you can see the difference between a sacrament and a sacramental. One is the reality (like Mass and Confession), and the other is a reminder of the reality (like rosaries and bumper-stickers). I hope you also see why we get excited about the reminders and tend to fall asleep with the reality. The reality is too much for us; the truth of God’s love is too much for us. As Jack Nicholson said so eloquently in the movie, “A Few Good Men,” “You can’t handle the truth.”

          Praised be Jesus Christ!