A Sacrament is something that fills our life with God's loving presence.  Almost anything can be sacramental.  Many people standing on top of a mountain are filled with awe and a profound sense of God's creative presence.  This is a sacramental moment for them.  Technically we say that a sacrament is "an outward and visible sign of an inward and invisible grace."  Fr. Ed's favorite way of explaining sacraments is that they are places where the air is thin.  There is a Welsh expression "the air is thin there" that is used to describe places where the heavenly world seems about to burst into this world: where God's presence is felt more powerfully.

Almost anything can be a sacrament, but we recognize two sacraments where God is always present to those who come with open hearts and minds, and who are committed to living a new life in Jesus.  Some people find this condition offensive, but God only enters the hearts and minds of those who make invitation.

Baptism and Holy Communion are the two major sacraments of the church.  Holy Communion is also sometimes called Holy Eucharist, The Mass, The Great Thanksgiving, or the Lord's Supper.  From time to time you are likely to hear all of these names at St. Edward's.

We also recognize five lesser sacraments.  God is not less present in these.  They are called lesser because not everyone experiences them.  They are Marriage, Ordination, Confession, Confirmation, and Last Rites.

The bottom line is that it doesn't really matter how many sacraments we count or what we call them, what really matters is that we live sacramental lives: being regularly filled with God's grace that gives us the power to live transformed and joyfilled lives.