The Anatomy of a Relationship With Christ (3)

Jesus became a sacrament for me, the cause of my salvation, he brought my time in hell to an end, and put a stop to my inner disintegration. He washed me patiently in the waters of baptism, he filled me with the exhilarating joy of the Holy Spirit in confirmation, he nourished me with the bread of his word. Above all, he forgave me, he forgot everything, he did not even wish me to remember my past myself.

—Carlo Carretto, In Search of the Beyond

Yesterday we saw in Carretto’s writing, why it is important for us to come to Christ’s Table on a regular basis. Today, Carretto continues with this theme, reminding us that it is Christ alone who can heal and restore us. Notice the emphasis on sacraments of baptism and the Eucharist. Note too the acknowledgment of the indwelling Presence of the Holy Spirit. This is how we begin to be healed. This is what it means to partake in the means of grace through which Christ heals us. It is certainly not the only way Jesus can heal us, but these means of grace are common to all believers and have a proven track record.