Christ Gave Us Grace, but He Let the Church Manage How

Jesus Christ is the First and Best Sacrament. From his life, death, and resurrection (Paschal Mystery) comes all grace, our salvation. While Christ established the Kingdom, he let it up to us, the People of God, to dispense this grace. The Church (we) do this in many ways. (Actually we live in grace.) Our seven sacraments are based on the life of Jesus, who healed, forgave, gave his Body and Blood for spiritual food, and so on. From Jesus’ actions the Church provided the words and symbols of the sacraments. After all, Jesus left no Roman Missals in the hands of the Eleven. Rather, Jesus gave his Holy Spirit, who guided the apostles and their successors down the course of history. Through them and continuing today in our Pope and bishops, the rituals and names of the sacraments may change. For example, we used to say Extreme Unction, now we say Anointing of the Sick. The essence has not changed gives grace.