Pope St. John Paul II wrote: “The proclamation of the Gospel and its acceptance in faith reach their fullness in the celebration of Sacraments.” What do you think about the idea that the sacraments serve as a more direct path to God?

The sacraments are the pouring out of God's divine life into us who participate in them. As a result of this divine infusion we naturally have the opportunity to live in closer proximity to God. The greatest example of this is in receiving the Eucharist, actually receiving the very body and blood of God in our physical being. The potential for union with God is fast tracked at the speed of light through this Sacrament if we allow it, and all of the others point to this pinnacle of our faith by opening the valve wide to allow the full blast of Light to illuminate that track with such clarity and brightness that there is no hesitation along the way to the one who is the Way.

The Gospel message directs us to the sacramental life. Jesus not only instituted the sacraments, but showed us how to live sacramentally. The healings he performed generally contained some sort of relational restoration between the healed person and God. The sacrament is the visible, external sign of the invisible, internal reality. Jesus himself is the visible, external sign of the invisible, internal real potential of God within us.