Renewing Our Sacraments

By Sarah McDonald

Our family has been filled with sacramental grace lately! With the birth of our fifth last fall, we witnessed her baptism. Earlier this year, our oldest received the sacrament of reconciliation.
And, on the same day as his first confession, our niece was baptized in a ceremony at which my husband and I had the privilege of being her godparents.
With our #1 making his First Eucharist later this Spring, we are truly counting our blessings.

It is amazing how experiencing your children receiving their first sacraments can be a sacramental renewal for you as a parent.
As my daughter and my goddaughter were baptized, I was completely overwhelmed with joy, peace and a sense of responsibility for my own faith as well as helping them grow in theirs.

I was probably as nervous for my son as he was making his way to the confessional for the first time, but so proud of his preparation and his appreciation of the mercy of God. It gave me great joy to experience the sacrament with him.

It is inspiring to witness your children grow in their faith, to watch them approach the sacraments with wonder and awe. In light of these blessed occasions and, as #1 continues to prepare to receive the Eucharist, I have found my approach to the sacraments has changed.

I find myself excited, nervous, happy and anxious to be reconciled to God in the sacrament of reconciliation, and ???approaching the altar for Eucharist with a profound sense of the gift I am about to receive, but something that is so easily taken for granted.

Thank you, Lord, for giving me the blessings of my children, so that as my husband and I foster them in faith, we too may be blessed and renewed in our sacramental life!