How on earth would you conclude we believe sacraments impart grace apart from faith?
More importantly, WHY would you think Catholics believe such a thing?
“More importantly, WHY would you think Catholics believe such a thing?”
Because Catholics are the ones telling me to take things literally, when Jesus said:
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.”
Where is the talk of faith? Why don’t you take it literally?
There is also this, from the Council of Trent: “CANON IV.-If any one saith, that, after the consecration is completed, the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ are not in the admirable sacrament of the Eucharist, but (are there) only during the use, whilst it is being taken, and not either before or after; and that, in the hosts, or consecrated particles, which are reserved or which remain after communion, the true Body of the Lord remaineth not; let him be anathema.”
After the consecration is complete. Not if the recipient has faith, or if taken with faith, but “after the consecration is completed”, transubstantiation has taken place and the bread-looking stuff and wine-looking stuff are the flesh and blood of Christ, suitable for worshiping.
And Jesus said, “Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”