This book was first recommended in the Mater Amabilis Facebook group by a friend of mine. She knows Fr. Matthew Kauth, who is a priest and Rector of the college seminary at Belmont Abbey.
This relatively short book devotes a chapter to each of the seven sacraments, along with an introduction, a conclusion, and a chapter on the definition of a sacrament. The sacraments might seem simple; after all, we introduce them to young children, but they are a convergence of the spiritual and the material and therefore an eternal source of meditation and contemplation.
Fr. Kauth's chapters are insightful, revealing mysteries of the sacraments through examples of modern life. Though short, they are rich in meaning. I read most of the chapters while praying at adoration and found much to ponder as I sat before the exposed host. Fr. Kauth doesn't just explain the sacrament featured in each chapter; he invites the reader to allow participation in the sacraments to become the center of life.
Living liturgically sanctifies the time and our lives. It allows us to move with the rest of the Body of Christ through the mysteries of Christ's life. It imparts meaning and drama. It inserts my mind into the mind of Christ and allows me to participate in his thoughts and capture the movements of his Sacred Heart. (pp. 144-145)
My son read this book in his eleventh grade year. I think high school, even later high school, is a perfect time for it. At first, I had considered this book as a replacement for The Creed in Slow Motion in ninth grade, which I've moved to middle school as our confirmation preparation. After reading The Sacraments, I've decided to keep it as a spiritual reflection book for later in high school. I believe an older student with a little more maturity will appreciate the book more.
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