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On The Little Apologist Instagram, I'm doing a series on The Sacraments in Scripture, and I wanted to share it with you, as well. Many of our Protestant brothers and sisters find it difficult to understand the concept of the Sacraments, frequently because they do not see the scriptural evidence for them. Most, if not all, non-Catholic or Orthodox Christians believe in Sola Scriptura, which is the belief that all authority comes from Scripture. We know this is only partly True, however, as the Bible itself did not exist as a whole until the 1400s, and it is not what Jesus taught or what the early Church believed! All of that being said, there IS Scriptural evidence for each of the Sacraments in Scripture. In this post, we'll explore what a Sacrament is, the Biblical evidence for them, and then dive into each Sacrament and explore the Scriptural evidence behind them. What is a Sacrament? " Sacraments are outward signs of inward grace, instituted by Christ for our sanctification" ( Catechism of the Catholic Church 1131). What does this mean? Think of all the instances in Scripture where God uses materials on earth to sanctify, transform, and heal. A woman touched Jesus' garment and was healed (Matthew 9:20-22) Jesus healed someone using dirt and saliva (Mark 8:22-25) We're encouraged to use oil for anointing (James 5:14) A dead man is raised by being touched with the bones of Elisha (2 Kings 13:21) ... and these are just a few examples. "Outward signs": Earthly actions or materials (ie: water, oil, laying on of hands, bread, wine, etc.) "Inward Grace": The effect of the Sacrament (i.e., healing, sanctification, reconciliation, etc.) "Instituted by Christ": We'll get to that part in a moment! "For our sanctification": These outward signs of inward grace are tools and gifts God gives us to help us grow closer to Him in this life so that we can be happy with Him in the next. (Read my post on salvation to learn more about sanctification!) What are the Seven Sacraments? The sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist) are the essential foundations of the Christian life. (CCC 1212) The Sacraments of Healing (Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick) heal us in mind, body, and soul and bring us back into communion with God. And the Sacraments at the Service of Communion (Holy Orders and Matrimony) are calls from the Lord to share our love in specific ways. Stay tuned for posts specifically about each of the Seven Sacraments and the Scriptural Evidence behind them!

MEDITATION: Carlo was only 15 years old when he died. A computer genius, soccer player, gamer, dog-lover, and all-around normal teenager, Carlo is known for his heroic virtue in the modern world. He's (going to be!) a Saint because of his devotion to Christ and the Poor and his evangelistic work sharing a database of Eucharistic miracles with the world. Carlo shows us that we can begin to be Saints NOW. No matter how ordinary they may seem, your talents, gifts, and special abilities can be used for good and by God for your sanctification. In Carlo's case, God used his graphic design and programming skills to reach millions with the Truth of the Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist. Every single aspect of your personality is valuable and intentional. You've been created and designed for a specific mission. Ask the Lord to reveal that mission to you and use you for His purposes. As Christians, specifically Catholics, who have the Lord physically and spiritually living within them, every aspect of our lives must be integrated with our faith. We were not created to be apart from God. Give Him control. Let Him have it all; you, like Carlo, will become a Saint. 😊 QUOTES: Enjoy these quotes from Blessed Carlo! I encourage you to choose one to pray with and meditate upon. " Sadness is looking at ourselves, happiness is looking towards God." "To be always united with Jesus, this is my plan of life." "By standing before the Eucharistic Christ, we become holy." "Our soul is like a hot air balloon. If by chance there is a mortal sin, the soul falls to the ground. Confession is like the fire underneath the balloon, enabling the soul to rise again… It is important to go to confession often." "The Eucharist is the highway to heaven." "Do not be afraid because with the Incarnation of Jesus, death becomes life, and there’s no need to escape: in eternal life, something extraordinary awaits us." PRODUCTS: CATHOLIC JEWELRY BOX Carlo Acutis - Blessed Sacrament/monstrance - double sided medal - beaded red and white necklace Shop here! Use code COLLEEN for a discount. IGNATIUS PRESS Blessed Carlo Acutis: A Saint in Sneakers Buy three get one Free! - Ignatius Press ... and there are SO many more!! RESOURCES: Official website of Blessed Carlo Acutis (in English) Send your prayer requests to the Association for the Cause of Canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis Carlo's Eucharistic Miracle Website/Exhibit Christ Stefanik Interview with Carlo's mother

Our Catholic faith is not segmented and compartmentalized—it should not be kept only to Sunday mornings. Rather, it ought to be the driving force behind everything we do and say. Our faith should take precedence over every other factor in all decisions we make. This raises the question- how should Catholics decide whom to vote for? First of all, we must identify our nation's predominant issues: poverty, the economy, education, immigration, and healthcare. We can talk all we want about these big, abstract concepts, but until we begin to focus on the individual people who make up our Nation, none of those larger concepts even matter. The Church has no political party. The Church is the Body fo Christ. What we vote in favor of must align with the values and teachings of Jesus and what will most benefit the members of the Body, most especially those who cannot defend themselves. to feed the hungry to give drink to the thirsty to clothe the naked to give shelter to travelers to visit the sick to visit the imprisoned to bury the dead . Every single issue fades when the very lives of the most vulnerable are at stake and being destroyed day by day. "How should Catholics vote if neither candidate is pro-life?" When we, as is the case in this election cycle, have no option to vote for a pro-life candidate, the following considerations must be made: 1. We cannot directly vote for any law expanding access to abortion . “In the case of an intrinsically unjust law, such as a law permitting abortion or euthanasia, it is therefore never licit to obey it, or to take part in a propaganda campaign in favor of such a law, or vote for it” ( Evangelium Vitae , 73). This section of Evangelium Vitae is particularly interesting because it is so very explicit about what is and is not permitted! While this does not directly apply to those of us who are not lawmakers, we certainly have a say in electing the people who vote against and in favor of our laws, and we must be careful not to promote or support candidates who support such laws, and call them out using phone calls, letters, emails, etc. when they make a decision that directly goes against the protection of human life. 2. We cannot vote for a candidate because of their support for abortion. This is kind of a no-brainer. No one of any religion or background should be voting in favor of or promoting unnatural death at any stage and for any reason (The most common issue of this type in the USA is abortion.) It is a grave sin to do so. Voting for a candidate because of their policies in favor of abortion, euthanasia, or the death penalty is sinful. 3. Even if the candidate's other policies are "good," we still cannot vote for them if doing so will cause danger and destruction of human life , which is so much more precious than anything else on the ballot. Even if you align with one political party on most issues, you cannot vote for "your party's" candidate if they are in favor of wider access to the destruction of human life. Now, what about in the case of this election year? As we've learned, we cannot, as Catholics, in good conscience, vote for a candidate who is so clearly outspoken about and in favor of expanded abortion access. When one candidate is highly in favor of abortion, and the other is in favor of abortion, but to a lesser degree or amount of time, as is the case with Harris and Trump, with Kamala in favor of unrestricted abortion access and Trump in favor of abortion only in the early stages of pregnancy and with exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother, we must vote for the candidate whose policies and beliefs will bring us closer and closer to making abortion unthinkable and unavailable, so that women, children, and families are safe. Sadly, in this year's election, neither candidate is pro-life. Both are in favor of abortion at varying levels. Harris is in favor of unrestricted access to abortion, and Trump is in favor of abortion in the early weeks of pregnancy with exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother. So we must pray. Pray for the mercy of God for whoever is elected, that they will have a change of heart and come to see the horrible truth of abortion, and pray for our nation, and pray that the lives of all people will one day be protected, valued, and cared for in our nation.

Hi there! I'm Colleen. I'm an 19 year old college grad from Saint Francis University and the owner and author of The Little Apologist and MercyLight Designs. ​ A bit about me... I started learning Catholic Apologetics when I was twelve years old and had to defend my faith in public school. Since then, I created this website, formerly known as the Catholic Teen Life Blog, and am now an apologist for Catholic Questions. I enjoy speaking for and organizing retreats, being a Catechist for the 5th and 6h grade students at my parish, cooking, art, and anything that requires deep, logical thought. ​ For some fun stuff... I'm the oldest of four siblings. Pink is my favorite color. Saint Gianna Molla is my Confirmation Saint. I'd love to be a wife and mother someday. I love graphic design and have a degree in business administration.​ ​​ ​ Feel free to connect on social media and send me a message! I'd love to hear from you. ​ In His Mercy, ​ Colleen About The Little Apologist... The Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraphs 40 and 41 read: ​ Since our knowledge of God is limited, our language about him is equally so. We can name God only by taking creatures as our starting point, and in accordance with our limited human ways of knowing and thinking. All creatures bear a certain resemblance to God, most especially man, created in the image and likeness of God. The manifold perfections of creatures - their truth, their goodness, their beauty all reflect the infinite perfection of God. Consequently we can name God by taking his creatures" perfections as our starting point, "for from the greatness and beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of their Creator" ​ To know God is to know beauty, goodness, and Truth itself. In our world today, these transcendental realities are under attack. Thankfully, though, there is so much beauty, goodness, and truth still found in the world, especially in the Church. ​ This blog aims to defend the Beauty, Goodness, and Truth found in the world and to lead others to find them in the Church that Christ established. As Catholics, we are all called to evangelization. In our increasingly secular society, we are often called upon to defend our Catholic faith. ​ Together, let's become Little Apologists! HISTORY Catholic Teen Life Blog- Launched in March of 2020 ​ MercyLight Designs- Launched December 2022 ​ Catholic Teen Life on Instagram- Launched December 2021 ​ Virtues, Saints, and Femininity Bible Study- Launched February 2023 ​ The Little Apologist - Launched July 2024 Contact Please send any inquiries or concerns here! I'd love to hear from you. ​ Note: Please send any Catholic-related questions through the form on the main page of the website. Thank you! First name Email:* Type Message Here:* Submit

How can I ask a question? Find the "Ask a Question" button in the home menu, fill out the form, hit submit, and voila! I'll get back to you shortly with an answer. What is an Apologist? a·pol·o·gist /əˈpäləjəst/ noun a person who offers an argument in defense of something controversial. In this case, an apologist is a person who defends the Catholic faith. What is MercyLight Designs? MercyLight Designs provides affordable, accessible, and beautiful Catholic digital and physical gifts, including spiritual bouquets, greeting cards, t shirts, and stickers.