Every Sacrament takes us into a deep experience of the Paschal Mystery. The mystery of the Death and Resurrection of Christ is ever present in every Sacrament. The challenge today is to look at sacraments as an invitation to make the whole of our lives sacramental. The grace we receive through the sacraments is undoubtedly God's gratuitous gifts to us but it is our responsibility to make it effective in our lives in and through the power of the Holy Spirit.

We can do this by looking at the classic definition of sacraments with the new insight of Vatican II. In this manner we can clearly see the communitarian dimension of sacrament and sacramental actions. This is best understood when we look at the action as an inter-action between the outward sign (action) and the inward grace. Perhaps in rediscovering a deeper meaning of this inter-action, we may be able to experience the bonding, unity and the power, that sustains us and the community when we are at the "cross road" moments in our lives.

Thus, if we are to re-establish the connection between liturgy and life, we have to experience a dynamic shift in our understanding and appreciation of ritual (the action). Ritual is never private, it is the behaviour of and within a community; it becomes a powerful medium for expressing a very deep meaning to the person who is the subject of this ritual.

The basic structure of the sacraments is similar namely the community is gathered for the proclamation of the Word (God speaks), and then we, God's people, respond (inspired by the Word) by doing a particular action, like exchange rings in Matrimony, receive Holy Communion in the Eucharist, or receive the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. In each case, the particular character unique to each sacrament is retained. Finally, there is a "sending forth" or a going back into our own worlds to live out the truth of that celebration. Let us then view sacraments against this grid to see how we can live out in community the truth of the celebration of sacraments.

The experience of Catechumens in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is that water alone is not the only element, but rather the action of being immersed in water, as a sign of drowning to sin and emerging to a whole new way of life in Jesus Christ, is giving a very deep meaning to their lives. Through the action of the Holy Spirit in Confirmation, we are invited to live in the dynamic presence of the Spirit. So also, partaking in the breaking of bread at the Eucharistic Celebration we are strengthened to discover joy in breaking of our lives for others.

In the Sacrament of Penance, we are called to die to sin in order that we may rise with Christ in a reconciled relationship with the Father, and with our neighbour. In the Sacrament of Anointing we are called to die to the debilitating fear of ill health and lack of wholeness, in order to live in hope and wholeness and resurrection.

Marriage is fidelity to a covenant, and requires mutual consent and commitment in good times and in bad, for better or for worse. It requires the moving out of our ones own self-contained world of personal wants, needs and choices to the needs and wants of the other the family.

The Sacrament of Holy Orders has less to do with hiearchical status and more to do with official public leadership of a faith-community in service of society. Very aptly put by Samuel Rayan, proclaiming Gods Word includes giving voice to the voiceless, "No broken bread can be a remembrance of the death of Jesus if it is divorced from the brokenness of the people, or the death of their children for lack of bread."

Thus when we understand the action of the Sacrament, and we reflect upon the action that the Sacraments generate in our lives by the power of the Holy Spirit, then:

• We will understand better Christ, the Sacrament of the Encounter with God, and the Church, the Sacrament of Christ.

• Be able to relate more easily Christian life and Christian worship within Sacramental Theology.

In other words, Christ is the One to be encountered in His Primary Sacramental Manifestation, the Church specifically when the Church gathers in prayer or sacramental acts.

This booklet "The Community Meets Jesus in the Sacraments" emphasizes the fact that Jesus can be encountered when the Community meets in prayer and in these pages a variety of such prayer experiences have been proposed.