There was a time when I began asking myself the question, "Is it at all possible for an individual Catholic faithful to gain a full understanding of the faith, the Church doctrine and its traditions and practices?"  This was triggered when during our final exam in religion when we were about to graduate from the minor seminary, I felt so much shame that I was not even able to get the correct answer to a basic catechetical question, "What is the teaching authority of the Church?" To which the answer is "the Church Magisterium."

     The Sacrament of Baptism,  defined in Canon Law as the doorway to the other sacraments, is very important.  But, in itself, it is not the only end of a Catholic.  As a testament that a Catholic is continually growing in the faith.  After baptism, there are other subsequent sacraments to be received such as Confirmation, Reconciliation,Eucharist, Matrimony, Holy Orders and the Anointing of the sick and dying.

     Oftentimes, the importance of the Sacrament of Confirmation is just seen as a mere requirement towards the reception of the Sacrament of Matrimony. The attitude is that if there is no impending church marriage, this particular sacrament is nothing- "wala lang!!!"  Usually in the parishes, the sacrament is celebrated whenever there is a big occasion like a parish feast or anniversary wherein the local ordinary, who is the official sacramental minister, is invited.There are times when the faculty to confirm is delegated to another official representative like a vicar forane.

    First Holy Communion.  Pre-graduation recollections and retreats.  Sacrament of Matrimony.  These are some of the special moments in every Catholic's life wherein going to the Sacrament of Reconciliation is required as it is, usually, followed with the celebration of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.  Otherwise, it is just relegated to some other spiritually trying times, like the funeral mass of a family member, or grave illness, or as a prerequisite for the Sacrament of the Anointing of the sick and dying.

     First things first.  But, sometimes, first things are put last.  The Sacrament of Matrimony is a complicated sacrament. Complicated, in the sense that it involves a lot of official documents such as baptismal and confirmation certificates, wedding license from the civil registrar, banns, seminars and interviews.  For the underage, a letter of consent from the parents is required.  For a foreigner, a freedom to marry certificate issued by their embassy is, also, a requirement.  It is my common experience, as a priest, that in administering the Sacrament of the Anointing of the sick and dying, I also find,  at the same time, that at in their old age they haven't yet embraced the Sacrament of Matrimony.  As we were taught not to keep the food on the table waiting, so we must also not keep the grace of God hanging in a balance by living as husband and wife but without the benefit of the Sacrament of Matrimony.   

     ".... Apart from me you can do nothing."  (John 15:5).  The seedbed of vocation is the family.  Every Catholic family is called upon to pray for vocations.  The sacraments are made possible only by a priest.  So without the Sacrament of the Holy Orders, there will be no sacraments.  Nobody is worthy of the call.  All of us are sinners.  But,it is only by the grace of God that our vocation will operate.

     The fourth commandment says, "You shall honor your father and mother."  If we have to honor our parents, how much more must we who honor those who gave us that very commandment?  The commandments are from God.  He is our shepherd and we are his sheep.  Jesus said: "My sheep hear my voice;I know them, and they follow me."  (John 10:27).  Therefore, as Catholics professing one faith in the Triune God, we have to follow him through the voice of the Church Magisterium through which He speaks. If we do this, it is only right that we will have a true understanding of our faith together with all its traditions and practices.

     If we remain friends with him, we are in good hands.  Let's take it from his own very words,  "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.  No one can take them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of my Father's hand." (John 10:27).

     I might make you very uncomfortable. May I ask you some questions? Are you using some form of artificial contraceptive?  A condom?  Birth control pills?  Have you had a vasectomy?  A ligation?  Or, worst of all, an abortion? 

     In bus terminals and port areas,specially during big holidays such as All Souls' Day, Christmas, Holy Week, etc.,  when people from urban areas go back to visit their families in the provinces, passengers fight for a space. On the road, one can see  vehicles, with only its wheels visible, transformed into a Christmas tree made of up people bearing their precious luggage back home. The bad side of it all is that, sometimes, accidents and, eventually, deaths do occur with many of the casualties unaccounted for since their names do not appear in the official manifest. 

     Our salvation does not only happen when we receive our baptism. It is an ongoing process done through the help of the other succeeding sacraments. There is no stop gap. Our names are already included in the official  manifest of heaven. We are not stoways. Or last minute passengers with no ticket on hand. Or else, if something happens and death is an unevitable consequence, it is a big disaster that heaven might be refused to us later on.