Youcat commented through CCC – Question n. 174.

YOUCAT Question n. 174 - Why is faith in Jesus Christ not enough? Why does God give us the sacraments, too?      

(Youcat answer) We can and should come to God with all our senses, not just with the intellect. That is why God gives himself to us in earthly signs—especially in bread and wine, the Body and Blood of Christ.          

A deepening through CCC     

(CCC 1146) Signs of the human world. In human life, signs and symbols occupy an important place. As a being at once body and spirit, man expresses and perceives spiritual realities through physical signs and symbols. As a social being, man needs signs and symbols to communicate with others, through language, gestures, and actions. The same holds true for his relationship with God.  (CCC 1147) God speaks to man through the visible creation. The material cosmos is so presented to man's intelligence that he can read there traces of its Creator (Cf. Wis 13:1; Rom 1:19 f; Acts 14:17). Light and darkness, wind and fire, water and earth, the tree and its fruit speak of God and symbolize both his greatness and his nearness.       

Reflecting and meditating 

(Youcat comment) People saw Jesus, heard him, could touch him and thereby experience salvation and healing in body and soul. The ensible signs of the sacraments show this same signature of God, who desires to address the whole man—not just his head.    

(CCC Comment)

 (CCC 1148) Inasmuch as they are creatures, these perceptible realities can become means of expressing the action of God who sanctifies men, and the action of men who offer worship to God. The same is true of signs and symbols taken from the social life of man: washing and anointing, breaking bread and sharing the cup can express the sanctifying presence of God and man's gratitude toward his Creator.         

(The next question is: Why do the sacraments belong to the Church? Why cannot anyone use them however he wants?)