SACRAMENTAL THEOLOGY
Some Preliminary Thoughts
 The Sacraments are about 2 things in general:
 God communicating Himself to mankind
 Mankind offering worship to the Living God
Preliminary Thoughts:
God’s Communication of Himself
 God’s relationship to man is always sacramental
 A visible sign of an invisible reality
 Sacraments are necessary because we are both:
 Body and Soul
 Material and Immaterial
 Visible and Invisible
Preliminary Thoughts:
God’s Communication of Himself
 Because God is invisible, God chose to use visible
signs to make Himself “visible” and thus make
communication with us easier
 Jesus Christ: the Sacrament of the Father
 The Catholic Church: the Sacrament of Jesus Christ
 7 Sacraments: signs by which the Church brings the
power of Jesus Christ into my life
Preliminary Thoughts:
God’s Communication of Himself
 Necessary (and obvious) assumption: creation,
because it is good, can lead us to God
 Opposed to creation as a product of chance (atheistic
evolution)
 Opposed to creation as evil (Plato) or result of
violence of gods (ancient pagans)
Preliminary Thoughts:
God’s Communication of Himself
 From new blessing for Baptismal Water (Easter
Vigil): O God, whose Spirit in the first moments of
the world's creation hovered over the waters, so
that the very substance of water would even then
take to itself the power to sanctify
 From the beginning, God made matter an instrument
of grace
Preliminary Thoughts:
God’s Communication of Himself
 God is present throughout our lives; we are never
outside the scope of God’s saving action
 The cycle of my life is brought up and lived tied to the
Sacraments from birth to death
 Birth – Baptism
 Maturing – Confession, M. H. Eucharist, Confirmation
 Embracing lifelong commitment – Marriage, Holy Orders
 Death – Anointing of the Sick, Viaticum, Funeral Mass
Preliminary Thoughts:
Worshipping the Living God
 The Exodus…2 Goals?
 Reaching the Promised Land
 Let my people go that they may serve me in the
wilderness (Ex7:16, 8:1, 9:1, 9:13, 10:3)
 B16: Moses cannot negotiate about the liturgy with
a foreign power, nor can he subject worship to any
form of political compromise…[W]orship…can only
take place according to God’s measure and
therefore eludes the rules of the game of political
compromise.
 NOW, read Ex10:3-11

3 So

7 Then
Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh and said to him, “Thus says the
LORD, the God of the Hebrews, ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself
before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me. 4 For if you refuse to
let my people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country,
5 and they shall cover the face of the land, so that no one can see the land.
And they shall eat what is left to you after the hail, and they shall eat every
tree of yours that grows in the field, 6 and they shall fill your houses and the
houses of all your servants and of all the Egyptians, as neither your fathers
nor your grandfathers have seen, from the day they came on earth to this
day.’” Then he turned and went out from Pharaoh.
Pharaoh's servants said to him, “How long shall this man be a snare
to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God. Do you not
yet understand that Egypt is ruined?” 8 So Moses and Aaron were brought
back to Pharaoh. And he said to them, “Go, serve the LORD your God. But
which ones are to go?” 9 Moses said, “We will go with our young and our
old. We will go with our sons and daughters and with our flocks and
herds, for we must hold a feast to the LORD.” 10 But he said to them, “The
LORD be with you, if ever I let you and your little ones go! Look, you have
some evil purpose in mind.[a] 11 No! Go, the men among you, and serve the
LORD, for that is what you are asking.” And they were driven out from
Pharaoh's presence.
Preliminary Thoughts:
Worshipping the Living God
 To serve God, they MUST go into the
wilderness
 God has COMMANDED that the proper
place of worship is the desert (Ex8:27)
 To serve God, the whole people must
go into the desert
 Current practice was that only men
should worship
 To serve God, all the livestock must go
 We do not know with what we must serve
the Lord until we arrive there (Ex10:26)
Preliminary Thoughts:
Worshipping the Living God
 What happens at Sinai?
 Worship
 Receiving of the 10 Commandments / the Law of the
people of God
 B16: The land is given to the people to be a place for
the worship of the true God…Worship, that is, the
right kind of…relationship with God, is essential for
the right kind of human existence in the world.
Preliminary Thoughts:
Worshipping the Living God
 Ex25: 1-9
 What is happening?
 What is the most important point of this passage?
 B16: Man himself cannot simply “make” worship. If God does
not reveal Himself, man is clutching empty space.
 B16: In any form, liturgy includes some kind of “institution.” It
cannot spring from imagination, our own creativity – then it
would remain just a cry in the dark or mere affirmation.
 What happens when the people disobey?
 The LORD said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel,
that they take for me a contribution. From every man
whose heart moves him you shall receive the
contribution for me. 3 And this is the contribution that
you shall receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze,
4 blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen,
goats' hair, 5 tanned rams' skins, goatskins,[a] acacia
wood, 6 oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and
for the fragrant incense, 7 onyx stones, and stones for
setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece. 8 And let
them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their
midst. 9 Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of
the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make
it.
Foundation of the “Sacrament”
 Under the ancient forms of worship,
there were specific rituals that needed to
be performed
 Noah’s sacrifice after the flood recedes
 Abraham & circumcision
 Exodus 24 – Moses & Israel
Foundation of the “Sacrament”
 Originally, referred to as mysteries
 We are “stewards of the mysteries of Christ”
(1Cor4:1)
 St. Ignatius: “deacons are ministers of the
mysteries of Jesus Christ”
 Greek: St. Paul speaks of “mysterion” of
God's love
 First used in reference to pagan mystery
cults that had secret rituals.
 Christianized to meant that one is unable to
fully understand the reality of God’s hidden
plan to renew everything in Christ
 Something that cannot be fully understood,
but rather leads to wonder & awe
Foundation of the “Sacrament”
 “Sacrament” comes from St. Jerome
 Meant to distinguish the Church from the ancient
pagan rites known as “mysteries”
 Latin: sacramentum, which meant a sacred pledge
or an oath sworn by men on entering the Roman
military
 Christians: pledge of life to Christ
Foundation of the “Sacrament”
 This swearing of the sacramentum changed the status of the man
entirely. He was now utterly subject to his general’s authority, and had
thereby laid down any restraints of his former civilian life. His actions
would be by the will of the general… There was more than mere
practicality behind the change from the white toga of the citizen to the
blood red tunic of the legionary…Now he was a soldier. The legionary
could only be released from the sacramentum by two things: death or
demobilization. Without the sacramentum, however, the Roman could
not be a soldier.
 The camp the legionaries built every night while they were on the
march fulfilled more than just the function of protecting the soldiers
from attacks by night. For it maintained the Roman understanding of
order; it didn't merely keep army discipline, but set the soldiers apart
from the barbarians they fought. It reinforced their being Roman.
Barbarians might sleep wherever they laid themselves down like
animals. But not Romans.
Foundation of the “Sacrament”
 No longer being civilians, but soldiers, the diet had to be as
hardy as their lifestyle. Wheat, frumentum, was what the soldier
received to eat each day, come rain, come shine. If it was
monotonous, then it was also what the soldiers demanded. It was
deemed good, hardy and pure. For just as with their attitudes
toward their nightly encampment, the Romans saw the food they
ate as soldiers as a symbol which set them apart from barbarians.
If barbarians filled their bellies with meat and alcohol before
battle, then the Romans kept to their stark rations. They had
discipline, inner strength. To deny them their frumentum was to
think of them as barbarians.
 In the Roman mind the legionary was a tool, a machine. Though
it possessed dignity and honor, it abandoned its will to its
commander. It ate and drank only in order to function. It
required no pleasure. This machine would feel nothing and
flinch from nothing.
Foundation of the “Sacrament”
 Pliny on the Sunday worship of Christians:
 They were in the habit of meeting on a certain
fixed day before it was light, when they sang in
alternate verse a hymn to Christ as to a god,
and bound themselves to a solemn oath, not to
any wicked deeds, but never to commit any
fraud, theft, adultery, never to falsify their
word, not to deny a trust when they should be
called upon to deliver it up. Afterward, it was
their custom to…partake of food, but food of
an ordinary and innocent kind.
Definition of a Sacrament
 A visible sign of an
invisible reality
 An outward sign
instituted by Christ to
give grace
An outward sign…
 Signs
 Represent something else (ex. words)
 Make visible what’s invisible at the moment (ex. flag)
 Reveal something about the object it represents
 50 stars represent 50 states; red for blood shed, white for
purity, blue symbolizing heaven
 Conceal more about the object represented
 The nation of which the flag is a sign remains mysteriously
hidden
An outward sign…
 Matter
 The essential symbol/gesture of the Sacrament
 NOTE: it’s NOT always physical stuff
 Form
 The word/prayer/formula which determines the
purpose of the matter
 Minister – one who possesses authority &
power to administer the Sacrament as the
Church intends
 Ordinary vs. Extra-ordinary ministers
 Recipient – one to whom the Sacrament is
administered, must be careful NOT to place an
obstacle in the way of the Sacrament
What’s the Matter?
 Matter / Symbol / Gesture
 Baptism – water poured on the head
 Confirmation – anointing w/Sacred Chrism
 M. H. Eucharist – wheat bread & grape wine
 Confession
 “Quasi-matter”: Contrition, Confession, and Satisfaction
 Anointing of the Sick – anointing w/ blessed oil (&
laying on of hands)
 Marriage – the man and the woman
 Holy Orders – laying on of hands by the bishop
What’s the Form?
 Form(ula) / Words
 Baptism
 N. I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit
 Confirmation
 N., be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit
 M. H. Eucharist – the Words of Consecration
 Confession
 Words of Absolution: I absolve you of your sins in the name of the Father…
 Anointing of the Sick
 By this holy anointing, may the Lord in His love and mercy, help you with the
grace of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord who frees you from sin, save you and
raise you up.
 Marriage – vows exchanged by husband and wife
 Holy Orders – consecratory prayer
Who’s the Minister?
 Minister
 Baptism – ordinarily, a deacon + (deacon, priest, bishop)
 In an emergency, anyone (even an atheist!) who does what the
Church does with the Church’s intention
 Confirmation – Bishop (original minister)
 In the East: Bishop (ordinary); priest (extraordinary)
 In the West: Bishop (original); priest (ordinary)
 M. H. Eucharist – priest+ (priest & bishop)
 Confession – priest+
 Anointing of the Sick – priest+
 Marriage – the man and the woman
 Holy Orders – Bishop (3 bishops when ordaining a
bishop)
Who’s the Recipient?
 Recipient
 Baptism – an unbaptized person
 Confirmation – a baptized, unconfirmed Catholic
 M. H. Eucharist – a Catholic in a state of grace
 Confession – a contrite Catholic, who has examined
his/her conscience
 Anointing of the Sick – a Catholic who is in remote
danger of death (elderly, those with a serious illness, those
about to undergo surgery with anesthetic)
 Marriage – a man & a woman who are free to marry
 Holy Orders – an unmarried man not previously ordained
An outward sign…: Efficacy
 Efficacy of the Sacraments
 Like a stop sign that actually stops you
 The Sacraments “effect what they signify”
 What do they signify?
 Washing, strengthening, communion with God,
forgiveness, strengthening in sickness, union of a man
and a woman, consecrating of a man for a sacred task
An outward sign…: Efficacy
 Ex opere operato (by the work worked)
 The primary minister is Christ
 The lack of worthiness on the part of
the minister does not hinder the grace
of the Sacraments
 What’s highlighted here is Christ’s
acting/work in the Sacraments
 When Peter baptizes, it is Christ Who
baptizes…When Judas baptizes, it is
Christ Who baptizes. – St. Augustine
An outward sign…: Efficacy
 Ex opere operato (by the work worked)
 Those whom a drunkard baptized, those
whom a murderer baptized, those whom
an adulterer baptized, if it was the
baptism of Christ, were baptized by
Christ. – St. Augustine
 All true UNLESS the recipient puts up
an obstacle
An outward sign…: Efficacy
 Ex opere operantis (by the work of the worker)
 The recipient MUST respond to the gift given
 Sacraments are effective in conferring grace, but
fruitfulness IS dependent on the recipient and on
how well the minister prepares the recipient
 Ex. 5 men are ordained priests, but each is more or less
open to the graces offered & is able to use the grace more
or less effectively.
An outward sign…: Efficacy
 Ex opere operantis (by the work of the worker)
 Disposition of the minister has a profound impact on
the disposition of the recipient
 A priest in mortal sin could celebrate Mass, but how much
it helps the faithful is limited because he is separated from
Christ
 St. John Vianney
 You have a job to do: “full, active, conscious
participation”
…instituted by Christ…
 Christ DIRECTLY instituted the Sacraments
 As the Savior of the human race it falls w/in His power
to communicate that grace
 Christ alone has power to communicate that grace by
his own chosen means
 COUNCIL of TRENT: Canon 1. If anyone says that
the sacraments of the New Law were not all
instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ, or that there are
more or less than seven, namely, baptism,
confirmation, Eucharist, penance, extreme unction,
order and matrimony, or that any one of these seven
is not truly and intrinsically a sacrament, let him be
anathema.
…instituted by Christ…
 Baptism – Matthew28:19
 Confirmation
 John 16:7-15; Acts 8:17, 19:6
 Eucharist
 Luke 22:19, Matthew 26:26, John 6:53
 Reconciliation
 John 20:21-23 (“principally” – word of Trent)
 Anointing of the Sick
 Mark 6:13 (“alluded to” – words of Trent); James 5:14ff
(promulgated by James)
 Holy Orders – Luke 22:19, 2Timothy 1:6, 2:2
 Marriage
 John 2:1-11 (raised to the level of a Sacrament); Matthew 19:3-9,
Ephesians 5:25
…to give grace
 GRACE – God’s life living within us
 SANCTIFYING GRACE – semi-permanent (unless we kick
it out)
 Every Sacrament has a special grace attached to it
 Baptism – removal of all sin, incorporation into the Body
of Christ, and becoming children of God and Temple of
the Holy Spirit
 Confirmation – strengthening the whole person with the
Gifts of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the Faith by
word and deed and to never be ashamed of the Cross (if
necessary, martyrdom)
 Eucharist – charity leading to unity of the recipient with
Jesus Christ and His Church, which is the Body of Christ
…to give grace
 Every Sacrament has a special grace attached to it
 Matrimony – making the two one flesh and
strengthening them to live as faithful spouses and
parents
 Holy Orders – a configuring to the priesthood of
Jesus Christ
 Anointing – bodily strengthening for the sake of
enduring suffering and death without abandoning
God
 Confession – reconciling one to God and His Church
if necessary, and enabling one to live a life of penance
and avoid sins in the future
…to give grace: Sacramental Character
 SACRAMENTAL CHARACTER: a special
gift
 3 Sacraments only: Baptism, Confirmation, &
Holy Orders
 Sphragis (Greek) – a brandmark left on a
person’s flesh when he is branded (ex.
soldier, sheep)
 External sign of soldier belonging to the Roman
army is taken up by the Fathers
 A mark left on the person at their deepest center
 Thru Baptism, one becomes slave of divine
Master, soldier of Christ in his army, a sheep in
Good Shepherd’s flock
…to give grace: Sacramental Character
 SACRAMENTAL CHARACTER: a special gift
 Once it is impressed it cannot be lost
 B/c of the character/indelible mark, these Sacraments
may never be repeated
 4 Characteristics of the Character
 Distinguish, configure, dispose, oblige
…to give grace: Sacramental Character
 4 Characteristics of the Character
 Distinguish – we are set apart from others who have
not received this Sacrament
 Baptism – now a child of God
 Confirmation – now a witness to Christ
 Holy Orders – now a Sacramental priest
 Configure – we are made more like Christ in a new way
 Baptism – to act more like a child after the Son’s model
 Confirmation – to spread and defend the Faith like Christ
 Holy Orders – to teach, govern, and sanctify like Christ
…to give grace: Sacramental Character
 4 Characteristics of the Character
 Dispose – we are enabled to do what we are meant to
do as a result of receiving the Sacrament
 Baptism – to cooperate with grace to become holy
 Confirmation – to help others become holy
 Holy Orders – to offer Sacrifice/sacrifice
 Oblige – we are given a task to accomplish as a result
 Baptism – to live as a child of God
 Confirmation – to live as a witness
 Holy Orders – to live as a priest of Jesus Christ
Sacramentals
 Outward signs…
 …instituted by the Church…
 Sacramentals have many elements of the Sacraments
and can be traced back to one of the Sacraments
 Sacramentals not instituted by Christ and do not
confer grace in same way as the Sacraments
 Ex opere operantis
 …to give grace
Sacramentals
 Blessings, Rosaries, Bibles, Way of the Cross,
Indulgences, Exorcism (a powerful form of
Sacramentals – CCC, 1673)
 Sacramentals dispose us to receive grace or benefit
from its work and/or from the Sacraments