INTRODUCTION TO SACRAMENTS
INTRODUCTION:
Religions offer to give people a worthwhile goal so that they may live their lives usefully.
Some goals are here and now and enable them to grow to a fuller maturity. There is also the
meta-historical, transcendent goal, the final one to which persons tend and one that is linked,
and links persons with the Creator. For this linking the “sacraments” are essential
GENERALLY, a “sacrament” refers to a ritual meant to invoke divine presence. Each religion has
its own sacraments that serve the spiritual aspirations of its followers-adherents, and mark
dispensational events in personal life and of the life of the community. These include such things as
joining a religion, becoming an adult, getting married, facing death and other such events that mark
important points and stages in religious development. Sacraments carry the inner spirit of these events.
For genuine religious practitioners these are not abstract and hollow rituals, but deeply practical,
meaningful and intelligent ways to symbolize God's work in the world and God's love for humankind.
Almost all religions concur that sacraments are important rituals to initiate individuals into the
community and to enable them to grow spiritually.
A) SOME TERMS AS A PREPARATION TO A STUDY OF THE SACRAMENTS
1. Religion & its Purpose
Religion is a multifaceted social reality: *it enables and enhances the relationship of human
beings with the divine and
*it embodies a creed, code and cult [= *a doctrine-worldview, * a code of conduct (e.g.
dharmashastras, the Decalogue, Torah)*a sense of devotion to a deity + the performance of
rituals to make the worldview present both in daily life and on special occasions];
*it enables persons to cope with 'the world in which they live.
*It helps them to understand the purpose of human life;
*it offershope to many in the midst of pain and suffering and
*it helps to reach the goal of human existence.
Religion maintains that human fulfilment is not possible or realizable without a person
communing with the Creator, the Ultimate. Before going further, we first explore some
terms that will be used in the study of sacraments
2. Sign
#A sign is that which points to another; it draws attention to something that is not itself (Eg.
a road sign). #A sign gives information about something to a person without necessarily
engaging the emotions or feelings of a person. #The function of signs is to draw attention to
the reality (objects) that makes up our world.
Signs perform their task when they enable us to understand, i.e. acquire mere cognitive
knowledge about the reality around us and in ourselves. [The function of writing a pen
performs is “intrinsic” to the object. The “intrinsic” function remains constant.]
In religion too, sacramental communication begins with signs. Certain objects have certain
meanings because of their function in different cultures; Religions use signs extensively. [E.g.;
the sacred books, water, oil, fire, etc.]
One can study a sign from any religion, without necessarily being a believer in any of the
religion, and mere cognitive knowledge [a philosophy] can be obtained of them.
3. Symbol
Symbols begin by being signs that have meaning, but they possess an added meaning in a
context of relationship.
As a birthday gift, the pen is a sign with an "added" meaning. The pen retains its nature as a
writing agent; but it also is the gift that expresses the love that one person wants to extend to
another. The meaningfulness of the sign will vary in the case of a birthday gift exchanged
between two business associates, to that when exchanged between two lovers!
Depending on the kind of relationship that one person has to another the meaningfulness of
the sign will vary. The pen possesses an intrinsic meaning (it writes) and then acquires an
added meaning (expresses goodwill and affection) that is derived from the type of
relationship shared between two persons. This is a symbol.
Such a relationship is more than a mere intellectual understanding (cognitive understanding).
It takes place at the level of personal freedom, at the level of love in its authentic and
comprehensive sense. Besides intellect, feelings and emotions come into play [E.g., The
reaction a flag evokes in a citizen; and in an alien.]
Symbols mediate meaning in excess of the meaning as signs that they possess in themselves.
This happens when they become the medium through which interpersonal relationships
function. In such relationships, each person finds in the symbol an expression of the self. The
expression has ceased to be a mere sign; it has become an extension of the selves of the two
persons. The sign can be understood as something that calls attention to a particular object or
reality; the symbol is that which expresses meaningfulness. Even an object becomes a
symbol when it expresses more meaning to a person than is usually associated with it
because of its nature.
Therefore, Symbols are described as: the representation in visible form of: ideas, actions,
persons, events, etc. frequently (in the religious case) of transcendent realities, which bring
the observer into connection and participation with that reality.
In sum: A SIGN is that which Points to or indicates something other than itself. The
SYMBOL is a sign that points to something else but also contains in some way the
reality that expresses itself in the sign. An object is seen as a symbol when it takes on
an added meaning (i.e. says more than what it is in itself), when it mediates a
“surplus of meaning" to persons or a community.
CHAPTER II THE SACRAMENTAL PRINCIPLE IN CHRISTIANITY – CREATED
REALITY IS CHOSEN TO SYMBOLIZE GOD
THERE ARE THREE PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIAN SACRAMENTALITY1:
In this Section, we consider how this sacramental principle is at work in the world& in the
Sacraments
1stPrinciple: -Nature The sacramental principle in Christianity concerns the manner in
which God communicates Himself to humans. The principle is based on the following:
a) God creates and expresses Himself in nature-creation;
b) God wishes to enter into relationship with people;
c) the very world inhabited by people becomes the medium through, which God relates to
them. The very created world is made the medium through which He becomes present to
humans(Rom 1:20).
God is sovereign and free to relate with persons in whichever way He pleases and has chosen
to communicate himself to people in the world that He has created, (uniquely in Jesus Christ
- Heb. 1:1). This is the understanding of the Church as she celebrates her sacraments. God
sustains all created realities. But creation is also endowed with a dignity, which lies in the
fact that God chooses creation to express Himself and to that extent creation becomes
sacred-dignified.
2nd Principle: Body-Spirit Reality
God's communication takes place through all creation, but uniquely in the person of Jesus
Christ. Identification with Jesus Christ who is truly human, i.e. one who has a body like other
human beings, IS THE KEY to entering into relationship with God and responding in faith.
This happens because the 'body', the material element that scholasticism viewed as the
individuating principle of the human form, characterizes a human being. We do not merely
1
The # Sacraments are a means of individual sanctification, AND ** they also build up a relationship between
the believer and the Church. They **deepen a person's relationship to God in and through the world of created
reality.They do this byconferring the internally spiritual reality of grace AND also external manifestations by
which one’s attitude to the world conform more concretely to God's plan..
possess our bodies; WE ARE OUR BODIES which enables us to be part of the world as awhole and to enter into relationship with others who are also like ourselves. Body and spirit
are integrated realities that make up the existential human state of a person.
Human beings are able to act in the world and respond to god’s communication BECAUSE
OF AND THROUGH THEIR BODIES– just as Jesus Christ was able to fulfill God's plan for
him in this world and suffer and die on the cross – in the flesh.
Human persons are able to fulfill God's will through their ‘bodiliness’. God chooses the
body of Jesus to communicate himself to us.TO BE A HUMAN PERSON IS TO BE
BODY-SPIRIT. THIS IS A FACT OF EXPERIENCE AND SACRAMENTALITY
BUILDS ON THIS PREMISE.
The divine chooses to communicate with humans through bodiliness = the God-man
Jesus Christ. The divine is signified through material signs that can be understood and
responded to by human persons who have faith.
3rd Principle: God's Transforming Communication IN JESUS
Christian faith views the world as the context in which God is experienced. The purpose of
God's creation is to manifest & communicate his great love for humankind, and this is
revealed in full in the person of Jesus Christ, His Incarnate Word.
In the final analysis of God's creation, it is for God’s glory that the world is created [See AG:
2 & CCC 294]. THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST INTERPRETS THE TRUE
MEANING OF SACRAMENTALITY IN THE WORLD (COL 1:15-20; GS 22, 45)
All creation finds its finality through Jesus Christ. It is this truth that the Church bears
witness to in its life and teaching. It is by interpreting the person of Jesus Christ and
adverting to his universal Salvific significance that the Church receives its identity and
mission in the world.
God's presence is in his actions, in HIS COMMUNICATION IS NOT NEUTRAL BUT
TRANSFORMS PERSONS and this is seen in the Christ event foretold by the prophets of
Israel. Those who came to believe that Jesus was God's final revelation to them, became
transformed persons and continued proclaiming in their own lives what Jesus had
proclaimed in his own, through his “words and works, signs and miracles" (DV 4).
God’s communication [by whatever means] MEANS the establishing of a relationship of
love and life between the divine person who communicates and the human person to whom
the communication is made. Through this self-communication of God, believers enter into a
dialogue with him and are made part of his household and are gradually transformed
because they share in the divine life.
CHAPTER III A DEEPER LOOK AT SACRAMENTS – CATHOLIC SENSE
1. BiblicalEvidence(s) for Religious Rituals /Sacraments in Catholicism(See CCC
1150-1152): In Christianity, the word “Sacrament”(from Latin: “Sacramentum,” meaning “making
sacred”) has its own distinct history. The Roman Catholic Church defines a sacrament as “an outward
sign of an inward (invisible) grace, instituted by Jesus Christ” (Protestant denominations accept some
of the seven sacraments (BEM of WCC). The Eastern Churches call sacraments “Holy Mysteries,”
which can range from two or more.
a) Sacraments in the Old Testament.
See DV 2&CCC 1150
Some precursors to Christian Sacraments: Several ancient practices of Judaism can be seen as
precursors to the use of sacraments in Christianity. For example, the Levitical rites mentioned in Book
of Leviticus, prescribed numerous ceremonies for cleansing, offering sacrifice, atonement, and for
praising God. Additionally, the Paschal/Passover sacrifice of Exodus was a means of protection
(deliverance) from the “destroyer” (Exodus 12:21-12), was viewed as an obligation for the faithful.
The Israelites were commanded to celebrate the “Passover” meal annually and to tell all their children
about what God had done for his chosen people. This event is interpreted by some Christians as a
foreshadowing of the paschal sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the institution of the Eucharistic meal of
salvation and celebration. In the subsequent Christian celebration of the Eucharist, the faithful are
commanded by Jesus to continually partake in the bread and wine (Luke 22:14-20) “as a memorial” to
Jesus.
b) Sacraments in the New Testament.At first, the followers of Jesus continued frequenting the
temple (Acts 2, 46) even while celebrating the Eucharist among themselves, but this was to change as
they came to the realization that believing in Jesus meant following a new way of life. The visible
symbols - the sacraments of initiate on and especially the Eucharist - can be seen as expressions of the
Church enabling it to continue what Jesus had begun.
The Easter faith of the apostolic community was centered on the Risen Christ and the community
looked for symbols to express its faith in him. These symbols were found already in the Jewish rituals
and assumed a new meaning from the Christ-event. This meaning was gradually recognized by the
Christian community. Some of the Christian rituals were prefigured in the OT, especially those that
were concerned with Baptism (Confirmation) and Eucharistic, all of which are explicitly alluded to
in the texts of the NT.
God's saving action that was signified in the OT through ritual celebrations found its final and
definitive expression in the person of Jesus Christ. Hence there remains a qualitative difference
between the sacraments of the OT and those of the NT.The seven sacraments of the Church belong
to the New Dispensation and actually symbolize Jesus Christ, whereas the sacraments ofthe Old
Dispensation point to a future event: Jesus Christ.
At the beginning there was only Jewish Christianity and Christians continued practices that were
followed by the people of Israel. Hellenistic Christianity would emerge later and would call into
question the practices followed by Jewish Christianity, e.g., circumcision.
Far from being grafted on the tree of Israel, the Gentile Christians will become the tree.
The Council of Jerusalem in AD 49 had to decide on practices - barring circumcision that would be
observed by Christians who did not belong to the people of Israel. It was a crisis point in the nascent
Church that had to respect its Jewish moorings. Already in NT times, recoursewas had to adaptation
and inculturation of sacramental rituals.
The early Church slowly grew in awareness of itself is witness to Jesus Christ. It must also be kept in
mind that we have very little information about how and when the Church celebrated its liturgy. But
after a particular period of time, and in response to a need of the community, the Church recognized
the sacraments (c. 12th – 13th Century)that we find in the Christian Tradition.
In the NT, biblical imagery is often used to explain the significance of the sacraments of initiation
(Rom 6,3-4) and What is seen as a type in the OT becomes an anti-type in NT. (John 6, 49-50).
To identify themselves as followers of Christ, the first Christians needed some externally visible sign.
These were first seen in the sacramental symbols of initiation, the visible means through which they
could express their unity and relationship to the risen Lord and to each other. When the community
met, they are recollections of what Jesus had said and done; they; covered that the 'breaking of the
bread' (Eucharistic fellowship) is an apt ritual to express their unity in Christ. This would explain
there is mention of these sacraments in the NT. But the same NT does not give us reason to believe
that Jesus willed the specific formand matter of individual sacraments! The task of elaborating
Christian sacramental symbols would be the prerogative of the Church community.
This brings us to the question of Jesus as the Primordial Sacrament.
2. Jesus the Primordial Sacrament
a) Jesus never used the word ‘sacrament’ and the word is not found in the bible. It is a
translation of the Latin Sacramentum which was a soldier’s oath of allegiance to his gods,
emperor, or commander. It was a translation of the Greek word mysterion, a pagan word
used to describe cults or mystery religions people were initiated into.
The Church lived and experienced the sacraments before defining them (Mk. 1: 4, 911; // Mt. 28: 19; // Acts 2:38, 41-42, 46; 1 Cor. 11: 20ff; Rom. 6:3-11). Any object,
person, thing or event which somehow connected God and humans and which
revealed His saving love can be called a sacrament.
The sacraments of the Church have much in common with religious rituals of other
religions; but in the understanding of the Church, SACRAMENTS HAVE A MEANING
THAT GOES FAR BEYOND THAT OF A RITUAL.
After Vat. II, sacraments were seen as
i)bringing sanctifying grace to the individual, AND
ii)asdynamic actions of the Church which bring about and nourish the Salvific
relationship of Christians through the Church to God and to the world [CCC
1116]. SACRAMENTS ORIGINATE IN THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST
WHO IS CONSIDERED THE BASIC PRIMORDIAL SACRAMENT.
Through the ministry of the Church, they are celebrated and make it possible for
Christian believers to encounter the Risen Christ.
b) Jesus Christ is the one in whom we experience the divine. A person can begin by seeing
Jesus as just a man - even if he is understood to be the best - BUT JESUS IS THE
CHRIST, THE WORD OF THE FATHER, ONE WHO IS GOD'S REPRESENTATIONIN A UNIQUE WAY. He is the unique symbol of God in our midst, and
recognized as such through the gift of faith.
The same can be said about the sacraments.In the world of everyday life we see material
objects and have learnt to recognize their function by observing them, by constantly using
them and by being informed about them. In fact, we use our reasoning faculties to
understand the reality around us. But to speak of a reality that is not material, of ideas, of
that which we are convinced about, the world of the divine, of the spirit - For this we use
representations –symbols that enable us to grasp the meaning of the immaterial ‘thing’ [CCC
1145 & 1151].
We use material objects, words and gestures that would be meaningful on the human
plane but in the Church's liturgy they symbolize the encounter with the divine, for
example, in the Eucharistic celebration. Christian faith brings together an assembly that
wants to celebrate the Presence of Christ in their midst. In the context of a meal the bread of
life is broken and shared and the people who share it experience communion with one
another and with the Risen Lord. All this means that there must be at the first level a
meaning that is human and positive; for a second level of meaning to show forth: that
which is expressive of the divine.
NOTE: THE SACRAMENTS CONTAIN SIGNS, SYMBOLS, RITUAL, MYTH [=
PDRA]& RITE OF PASSAGE, BUT YET ARE ABOVE & BEYOND THEM ALL.
3. Sacraments and their Function(s) ***Sacraments are
i) expressions of our faith relationship to God in the Church; they
ii) build and strengthen our union with God our Father. In these liturgical
expressions,
iii) God reaches out to us to share – in theChurch; Himself with us AND
iv) help persons relate to each other and to Godthrough and in community.
Sacraments are
v) signs of the Kingdom of God in the world. Sacramental signs
vi) help us to recognize the presence and action of God in Christ. Sacraments:
vii) invite us to identify with the Jesus' way of life through our participation in his
death and resurrection. [Jesus shows us how a person of faith lives in the presence of
God. God's Reign & refers to God's initiative in Himself on our behalf.]
viii) Have the power to transform the recipient who has the right disposition & faith
and is prepared properly to receive the transforming power
Therefore, the sacraments as symbolized RITUALS possess:
(1) aCommemorative (Remembering) function of recalling the Christ event;
(2) aDemonstrative-Identifying function of making present Christ's saving action &
identifying the practitioner as member of a certain community;
(3) aPrognostic & Prophetic function of pointing to the final fulfilment and pointing
to the present remedial action needed to be taken for:
(4) aTransformative function – bringing about a change in the life of the partaker.
4. Sacraments in the life of the Church[READ - SC; 59]
The seven sacraments can be viewed from MANY ANGLES. *They are a ‘means of
obtaining grace’. *Theyhave the capacity for building community and effecting
transformation. *They can also be seen as expressions of the Reign of God in the world.
*They challenge us to live out the gospel valued so that the world of men and women is
transformed.
PRECEDING VATICAN II, Sacraments were considered an “OUTWARD SIGN OF INWARD
GRACE”; Jesus Christ is recognized as the Sacrament of God, representing God to us in our world. At
the same time, he is also the response of humankind to God.
AFTER VATICAN II, theology viewed sacraments as ‘ENCOUNTERS WITH THE RISEN
CHRIST’whichstresses the dynamic-transformative nature of relationship in the sacramental
celebration where the word of God is seen as an apt starting point for the same celebration.
It marks out the sacramental action as God’s initiative on humankind’s behalf; at the same
time it calls for a suitable response from humankind to God. [CCC 1153]
Aspects of sacramentality as seen in the seven sacraments is present to a lesser or
different extent in other religions and in human experience in general. Sacraments
include the following three elements;
(1) The divine presence of a living God;
(2) the final and definitive meaning of human life, and
(3) the individual and societal transformation of men and women into children of
a loving God.
CHAPTER IIISACRAMENTAL COMMUNICATION THROUGH SYMBOLS&
ITS ABUSES
1. The Sacramental Principle as against Magic-Superstition-Idolatry***
a) MAGIC pretends to manipulate God's freedom and obliges Him to act according to
creaturely wishes and desires. By the exercise of ritual actions, magic seeks to empower
human beings to behave as though they could coerce-control God to do their bidding which
is against an attitude of faith in a loving God; substituting a false human wisdom in the place
of a loving trust in God and commitment to his love and mercy. It seeks to displace God as
the sovereign Lord of creation by a human power.
b) SUPERSTITION is when persons so structure their world that chance or random
forces are seen to prevail against God. Here, the people are tyrannized by fears of everyday
of life-events because they believe that fate is at work rather than a benevolent Creator.
Often superstitious people are led to believe that magical incantations and ritual practices can
ward off the evil effects of fate. In doing so, they are guilty of finding substitutes for God to
guide their life.
2. Sacramentality and Idolatry: In the Bible, there are severe strictures against fashioning
objects in place of God and worshipping those objects as God [the 1 st commandment]. Idolatry
= 'idol-worship'. Actually, when representations of the divine are made, cult and worship are
directed not to the stone or wooden idol but to the ‘BEING’ re-presented by it. Even though
Judaism and Islam prescribe representations of God, they do practise rituals that are meant to
bring God's blessings on those who participate in those rituals
Idolatry seeks to give the praise and worship that is due to God, to a finite or created
reality. In practice, the idol is the implicit attempt to subject God to the control of the
creature for the created object that is “idolized” is not a symbol of, but a substitute
for God. Idolatry is an effort to blur the difference between God and humankind and to
manipulate God. (See CCC 1159-1161)
E) “SACRAMENTALITY” IN HINDUISM
Christianity proclaims that the transcendent God has communicated Himself in a self-gift that
is concrete and visible in Jesus Christ; the Church thru the seven sacraments continues to
make that communication real and present to the people. These sacramental celebrations are
referred to as offers of God's grace or as ‘grace-events in the life of the Church’.
Weltanschauung(worldview) and Meaningfulness: Sacramental rituals signify God's
initiative in a very precise way. This is founded on aWeltanschauungor worldview. There are
different worldviews embraced by other religions. The meaningfulness of the same ritual or
celebration will therefore be specific to the religion in question.
E.g.: Rituals that are common to many religions may be practiced; but the meaningfulness of
the ritual will differ in each religion. Pilgrimage to the Kabain Mecca is in Islam one of its
five Pillars ranking as a Quranic duty whereas a pilgrimage to the Holy Land by a Christian
is a private act of piety. Washings are practiced in many religions signifying cleansing and
purification. Baptism, in addition to these significations, represents participation in the death
and resurrection of Christ and inclusion in God's family.
1. Sacramentalityand Samskaras
'Hinduism' has emerged over many centuries and is associated with sanathanadharma(eternal
dharma that applies to everyone, outcastes too). Samskaras-rituals of the Brahmins,are seen
as ‘rites of passage’ performed at different stages (ashramas) of the life cycle. Through these;
one attains purification, social acceptance and religious identity. There are many rituals that one
performs in one's own life and mantras that one recites at specified times of the day. In all
this, the character of a persons is (supposed to be) formed in keeping with their dharma.
Even non-Brahmin castes (varna) perform rituals in their lives in keeping with their caste
dharma(svadharma). In Hinduism, each one's dharma prescribes the specific laws and rituals
governing that caste. The Hindu worldview ascribes religious rites and duties to individual
persons according to their place in the caste hierarchy. At times, people consider
samskarasin Hinduism to be exactly like the sacraments in Christianity– BUT:
ALTHOUGH CERTAIN SIMILARITIES EXIST BETWEEN SACRAMENTS AND
RITUALS OF THE SAMSKARAS, SEEING A SIMPLE EQUATION BETWEEN THE
CHRISTIAN SACRAMENTS AND SAMSKARAS DOES AN INJUSTICE TO BOTH
RELIGIONS AS THERE ARE SIMILAR ASPECTS IN EACH, BUT NOT IN ALL.
Like a sacrament, the samskaras reflect a community dimension, giving a person a new
status and / or Functionthrough a Rite of Passage;e.g.,upanayana, the thread ceremony,
marks a Brahmin's passing from childhood to student life that the community takes note of.
The performance of samskarais an expression of the spirituality lived by persons that is
linked to their dharma. Such dharma is mandated by rta (fixed order in the cosmos) the
fundamental order in the universe. As ritual, each samskarapreserves the religious tradition in
a community especially at the times of birth, marriage and death. This would be true even of
religions practiced by Tribals and other groups.
2. Sacramentality-Symbols-Rituals in Hindu-India
There are different signs through which persons recognize God present in the world different
responses to them. Tirtha-yatra[pilgrimage] is a common phenomenon in India, places of
worship are seen as reminders of God's presence in the world and people of different faiths
acknowledge the activity of God in their midst. Among the high-caste Hindus samskarasare
prescribed rituals that purify the individuals and constitute them members of a community.
Divine-religious signs are manifestation of the Source (Brahman) mediated through some
expressions. The one Supreme Being discloses itself in the cosmos and the signs of this
continuing disclosure are to be found especially in dance, music, painting, literature,
buildings and artefacts in general. They remind people about the presence of the divine in
the world inhabited by humankind,& influence persons with regard to the divine force
existing in themselves, in this way they perform a sacramental function. The individual
persons perform rituals in acknowledgment of the understanding that they are the embodiment
of the divine.
a) The Templeis a major symbolic expression of the divine in the midst of people. The
garbhagrha, the innermost sanctuary is left “untouched” to resemble the life force of the
universe from which all other symbolic signs and artistic shapes derive. The dimensions of
the temple are prescribed by the shastrasand its square shape is meant to intensify the force
within its walls. By carvings, the temple is the inspiration for what takes place in the everyday
life of people. The temple is built in stages but its final completion signals the time for the
indwelling of the divine.
b) Murtirefers to the embodied presence of the infinite divine force. To construct an image is to
make it the place where the divine force appears. This force is focused and concentrated in the
image that is constructed. Specific directives and rules govern the making of the Image, but it
must have an installation ceremony (pratisthapana) before it is recognized as containing the
deity. Murti-puja takes place in the temple and in the houses of people. This is not necessarily
idol worship as some believe.
c) Yajana,the sacrificial fire is celebrated on a variety of auspicious occasions: to give honour
to the divine, to celebrate a great event or to ward off an impending calamity. In general,
sacrifice has the objective ofestablishing a relationship between the one who sacrifices and
the one who receives the sacrifice; it is seen as the means through which the humans
experience union with the divine. It is meant to preserve the cosmic order [Puja is homage,
worship, respect]. Vedic yajnawas believed to empower persons at significant moments of
life like birth or marriage sacrifice, initially officiated by grahapati(householder) and
gradually replaced by the presence of the purohita(advisor). Later on, the sacrifices were
controlled by the Brahmin alone. In the Vedic period sacrifice was the essence of religion and
Agni is the mediator between humankind and the heavens and represents the power of the
divine in all begins.
THE CHRISTIAN SACRAMENT IS THE ONGOING EXPRESSION OF THE CHRIST-EVENT IN THE
HISTORY OF MEN AND WOMEN. IT IS RECOGNIZED AS AN ACTION OF REVELATION IN WHICH
HUMAN FREEDOM IS ENGAGED AND A PERSON IS INVITED TO RESPOND IN FAITH TO GOD'S
REVELATION. IT “MEDIATES” AN ENCOUNTER WITH GOD IN CHRIST.
CHAPTER IV: THE SACRAMENTAL THEOLOGY FROM THE CCC
THE CELEBRATION OF THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERY
Why the liturgy?
1066 In the Symbol of the faith the Church confesses the mystery of the Holy Trinity and of
the plan of God's "good pleasure" for all creation: The Father accomplishes the "mystery of
his will" by giving his beloved Son and his Holy Spirit for the salvation of the world and for
the glory of his name.1
Such is the mystery of Christ, revealed and fulfilled in history according to the wisely ordered
plan that St. Paul calls the "plan of the mystery"2 and the patristic tradition will call the
"economy of the Word incarnate" or the "economy of salvation."
1067 "The wonderful works of God among the people of the Old Testament were but a
prelude to the work of Christ the Lord in redeeming mankind and giving perfect glory to
God. He accomplished this work principally by the Paschal mystery of his blessed Passion,
Resurrection from the dead, and glorious Ascension, whereby 'dying he destroyed our death,
rising he restored our life.' For it was from the side of Christ as he slept the sleep of death
upon the cross that there came forth 'the wondrous sacrament of the whole Church."'3
For this reason, the Church celebrates in the liturgy above all the Paschal mystery by which
Christ accomplished the work of our salvation.
1068 It is this mystery of Christ that the Church proclaims and celebrates in her liturgy so
that the faithful may live from it and bear witness to it in the world:
For it is in the liturgy, especially in the divine sacrifice of the Eucharist, that "the
work of our redemption is accomplished,"and it is through the liturgy especially that
the faithful are enabled to express in their lives and manifest to others the mystery of
Christ and the real nature of the true Church.
What does the word liturgy mean?
1069 The word "liturgy" originally meant a "public work" or a "service in the
nameof/onbehalfofthepeople."
In Christian tradition it means the participation of the People of God in "the workofGod.
Through the liturgy Christ, our redeemer and high priest, continues the work of our
redemption in, with, and through his Church.
1070 In the New Testament the word "liturgy" refers not only to the celebration of divine
worship but also to the proclamation of the Gospel and to active charity. In all of these
situations it is a question of the service of God and neighbour.
In a liturgical celebration the Church is servant in the image of her Lord, the one
"leitourgos";she shares in Christ's priesthood (worship), which is both prophetic
(proclamation) and kingly (service of charity):
The liturgy then is rightly seen as an exercise of the priestly office of JesusChrist.
It involves the presentation of man's sanctification under the guise of signs
perceptible
by
the
senses
and
its
accomplishment
in
ways
appropriatetoeachofthesesigns.
In it full public worship is performed by the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ, that is, by
the
Head
and
his
members.
From this it follows that every liturgical celebration, because it is an action of
Christ the priest and of his Body which is the Church, is a sacred action surpassing
all others. No other action of the Church can equal its efficacy by the same title and
to the same degree
Liturgy as source of life
1071 As the work of Christ liturgy is also an action of his Church. It makes the Church
present and manifests her as the visible sign of the communion in Christ between God and
men. It engages the faithful in the new life of the community and involves the "conscious,
active, and fruitful participation" of everyone.
1072 "The sacred liturgy does not exhaust the entire activity of the Church": it must be
preceded by evangelization, faith, and conversion. It can then produce its fruits in the lives
of the faithful: new life in the Spirit, involvement in the mission of the Church, and service
to her unity.
Prayer and liturgy
1073 The liturgy is also a participation in Christ's own prayer addressed to the Father in
the Holy Spirit. In the liturgy, all Christian prayer finds its source and goal. Through the
liturgy the inner man is rooted and grounded in "the great love with which [the Father] loved
us" in his beloved Son. It is the same "marvelous work of God" that is lived and internalized
by all prayer,at all times in the Spirit.
Catechesis and liturgy
1074 "The liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; it is also
the
font
from
which
all
her
power
flows.
It is therefore the privileged place for catechizing the People of God.
"Catechesis is intrinsically linked with the whole of liturgical and sacramental activity, for
it is in the sacraments, especially in the Eucharist, that Christ Jesus works in fullness for
the transformation of men.
1075 Liturgical catechesis aims to initiate people into the mystery of Christ (It is"mystagogy.") by
proceeding from the visible to the invisible, from the sign to the thing signified, from the
"sacraments" to the "mysteries." Such catechesis is to be presented by local and regional
catechisms.
This Catechism, which aims to serve the whole Church in all the diversity of her rites and
cultures, will present what is fundamental and common to the whole Church in the liturgy
as mystery and as celebration (Section – I), and then the seven sacraments and the
sacramentals (Section – II).
SECTION ONE
THE SACRAMENTAL ECONOMY
1076 The Church was made manifest to the world on the day of Pentecost by the outpouring
of the Holy Spirit.The gift of the Spirit ushers in a new era in the "dispensation of the
mystery" the age of the Church, during which Christ manifests, makes present, and
communicates his work of salvationthrough the liturgy of his Church, "until he comes."In this
age of the Church Christ now lives and acts in and with his Church, in a new way appropriate
to this new age. He acts through the sacraments in what the common Tradition of the East
and the West calls "the sacramental economy"; this is the communication (or
"dispensation") of the fruits of Christ's Paschal mystery in the celebration of the Church's
"sacramental" liturgy.
THE PASCHAL MYSTERY (MYTH) IN THE CHURCH'S SACRAMENTS
(RITUALS)
1113 The whole liturgical life of the Church revolves around the Eucharistic sacrifice and the
sacraments.There are seven sacraments in the Church: Baptism, Confirmation or
Chrismation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. This
article will discuss what is common to the Church's seven sacraments from a doctrinal
point of view. What is common to them in terms of their celebration will be presented in
the second chapter, and what is distinctive about each will be the topic of the Section Two.
I. The Sacraments of Christ
1114 "Adhering to the teaching of the Holy Scriptures, to the apostolic traditions, and to the
consensus . . . of the Fathers," we profess that "the sacraments of the new law were . . . all
instituted by Jesus Christ our Lord."1115 Jesus' words and actions during his hidden life
and public ministry were already salvific, for they anticipated the power of his Paschal
mystery. They announced and prepared what he was going to give the Church when all was
accomplished. The mysteries of Christ's life are the foundations of what he would henceforth
dispense in the sacraments, through the ministers of his Church, for "what was visible in our
Savior has passed over into his mysteries (=Sacraments/Liturgy
1116 Sacraments are "powers that comes forth" from the Body of Christ, which is everliving and life-giving. They are actions of the Holy Spirit at work in his Body, the Church.
They are "the masterworks of God" in the new and everlasting covenant.
II. The Sacraments of the Church
1117 As she has done for the canon of Sacred Scripture and for the doctrine of the faith, the
Church, by the power of the Spirit who guides her "into all truth," has gradually recognized
this treasure received from Christ and, as the faithful steward of God's mysteries, has
determined its "dispensation.Thus the Church has discerned over the centuries that among
liturgical celebrations there are seven that are, in the strict sense of the term, sacraments
instituted by the Lord.
1118 The sacraments are "of the Church" in the double sense that they are "by her" and
"for her." They are "by the Church," for she is the sacrament of Christ's action at work in
her through the mission of the Holy Spirit.They are "for the Church" in the sense that
"the sacraments make the Church since they manifest and communicate to men, above all
in the Eucharist, the mystery of communion with the God who is love, One in three persons.
1119 Forming "as it were, one mystical person" with Christ the head, the Church acts in the
sacraments as "an organically structured priestly community. Through Baptism and
Confirmation the priestly people is enabled to celebrate the liturgy, while those of the
faithful "who have received Holy Orders, are appointed to nourish the Church with the word
and grace of God in the name of Christ.
1120 The ordained ministry or ministerial priesthood is at the service of the baptismal
priesthood.The ordained priesthood guarantees that it really is Christ who acts in the
sacraments through the Holy Spirit for the Church. The saving mission entrusted by the
Father to his incarnate Son was committed to the apostles and through them to their
successors: they receive the Spirit of Jesus to act in his name and in his person. The ordained
minister is the sacramental bond that ties the liturgical action to what the apostles said and
did and, through them, to the words and actions of Christ, the source and foundation of the
sacraments.
1121 The three sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders confer, in addition to
grace, a sacramental character or "seal" by which the Christian shares in Christ's priesthood
and is made a member of the Church according to different states and functions. This
configuration to Christ and to the Church, brought about by the Spirit, is indelible,40 it
remains for ever in the Christian as a positive disposition for grace, a promise and
guarantee of divine protection, and as a vocation to divine worship and to the service of the
Church. Therefore, these sacraments can never be repeated.
III. The Sacraments of Faith
1122 Christ sent his apostles so that "repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached
in his name to all nations. "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. The mission to baptize, and so
the sacramental mission, is implied in the mission to evangelize, because the sacrament is
prepared for by the word of God and by the faith which is assent to this word:
The People of God is formed into one in the first place by the Word of the living
God.... the preaching of the Word is required for the sacramental ministry itself, since
the sacraments are sacraments of faith, drawing their origin and nourishment from the
Word.
1123 "The purpose of the sacraments is to sanctify men, to build up the Body of Christ
and, finally, to give worship to God. Because they are signs, they also instruct. They not
only presuppose faith, but by words and objects they also nourish, strengthen, and express it.
That is why they are called 'sacraments of faith.
1124 The Church's faith precedes the faith of the believer who is invited to adhere to it.
When the Church celebrates the sacraments, she confesses the faith received from the
apostles
whence
the
ancient
saying:
lexorandi,
lexcredendi
(or:
legemcredendilexstatuatsupplicandi according to Prosper of Aquitaine [5th cent.]).The law of
prayer is the law of faith: the Church believes as she prays. Liturgy is a constitutive
element of the holy and living Tradition.
1125 For this reason no sacramental rite may be modified or manipulated at the will of
the minister or the community. Even the supreme authority in the Church may not
change the liturgy arbitrarily, but only in the obedience of faith and with religious respect
for the mystery of the liturgy.
1126 Likewise, since the sacraments express and develop the communion of faith in the
Church, the lexorandi(Prayer) is one of the essential criteria of the dialogue that seeks to
restore the unity of Christians.IV. The Sacraments of Salvation
1127 Celebrated worthily in faith, the sacraments confer the grace that they signify. They
are efficacious because in them Christ himself is at work: it is he who baptizes, he who acts
in his sacraments in order to communicate the grace that each sacrament signifies. the Father
always hears the prayer of his Son's Church which, in the epiclesis of each sacrament,
expresses her faith in the power of the Spirit. As fire transforms into itself everything it
touches, so the Holy Spirit transforms into the divine life whatever is subjected to his
power.
1128This is the meaning of the Church's affirmation that the sacraments act ex opera
operato(literally: "by the very fact of the action's being performed"), i.e., by virtue of the
saving work of Christ, accomplished once for all. It follows that "the sacrament is not
wrought by the righteousness of either the celebrant or the recipient, but by the power
of God. From the moment that a sacrament is celebrated in accordance with the intention of
the Church, the power of Christ and his Spirit acts in and through it, independently of the
personal holiness of the minister. Nevertheless, the fruits of the sacraments also depend on
the disposition of the one who receives them.
1129 The Church affirms that for believers the sacraments of the New Covenant are
necessary for salvation.51 "Sacramental Grace" is the grace of the Holy Spirit, given by
Christ and proper to each sacrament. The Spirit heals and transforms those who receive
him by conforming them to the Son of God. The fruit of the sacramental life is that the
Spirit of adoption makes the faithful partakers in the divine nature52 by uniting them in a
living union with the only Son, the Savior.[God Questions]
V. The Sacraments of Eternal Life
1130 The Church celebrates the mystery of her Lord "until he comes," when God will be
"everything to everyone. Since the apostolic age the liturgy has been drawn toward its goal
by the Spirit's groaning in the Church: Maranatha!The liturgy thus shares in Jesus' desire: "I
have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you . . . until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of
God. In the sacraments of Christ the Church already receives the guarantee of her
inheritance and even now shares in everlasting life, while "awaiting our blessed hope, the
appearing of the glory of our great God and Savoir Christ Jesus." The "Spirit and the Bride
say, 'Come . . . Come, Lord Jesus!"
St. Thomas sums up the various aspects of sacramental signs: "Therefore a sacrament
is a sign that commemorates what precedes it- Christ's Passion; demonstrates what is
accomplished in us through Christ's Passion - grace; and prefigures what that Passion
pledges to us - future glory."
IN BRIEF
1131 The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to
the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. the visible rites by which the
sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each sacrament.
They bear fruit in those who receive them with the required dispositions.
1132 The Church celebrates the sacraments as a priestly community structured by the
baptismal priesthood and the priesthood of ordained ministers.
1133 The Holy Spirit prepares the faithful for the sacraments by the Word of God and the
faith which welcomes that word in well-disposed hearts. Thus, the sacraments strengthen
faith and express it.
1134 The fruit of sacramental life is both personal and ecclesial. For every one of the faithful
an the one hand, this fruit is life for God in Christ Jesus; for the Church, on the other, it is an
increase in charity and in her mission of witness.
CHAPTER V
THE SACRAMENTAL CELEBRATION OF THE PASCHAL MYSTERY
CELEBRATING THE CHURCH'S LITURGY
I.
Who Celebrates?
1136 Liturgy is an "action" of the whole Christ (Christustotus). Those who even now
celebrate it without signs are already in the heavenly liturgy, where celebration is wholly
communion and feast
The celebrants of the heavenly liturgy
1137 The book of Revelation of St. John, read in the Church's liturgy, first reveals to us, "A
throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne": "the Lord God. It then shows the
Lamb, "standing, as though it had been slain": Christ crucified and risen, the one high priest
of the true sanctuary, the same one "who offers and is offered, who gives and is given. Finally
it presents "the river of the water of life . . . flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb,"
one of most beautiful symbols of the Holy Spirit.
1138 "Recapitulated in Christ," these are the ones who take part in the service of the praise
of God and the fulfilment of his plan: the heavenly powers, all creation (the four living
beings), the servants of the Old and New Covenants (the twenty-four elders), the new People
of God (the one hundred and forty-four thousand), especially the martyrs "slain for the word
of God," and the all-holy Mother of God (the Woman), the Bride of the Lamb, and finally "a
great multitude which no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes, and peoples
and tongues.
1139 It is in this eternal liturgy that the Spirit and the Church enable us to participate
whenever we celebrate the mystery of salvation in the sacraments.
The celebrants of the sacramental liturgy
1140 It is the whole community, the Body of Christ united with its Head, that celebrates.
"Liturgical services are not private functions but are celebrations of the Church which is 'the
sacrament of unity,' namely, the holy people united and organized under the authority of the
bishops. Therefore, liturgical services pertain to the whole Body of the Church. They manifest
it, and have effects upon it. But they touch individual members of the Church in different
ways, depending on their orders, their role in the liturgical services, and their actual
participation in them.For this reason, "rites which are meant to be celebrated in common,
with the faithful present and actively participating, should as far as possible be celebrated in
that way rather than by an individual and quasi-privately.
1141 The celebrating assembly is the community of the baptized who, "by regeneration and
the anointing of the Holy Spirit, are consecrated to be a spiritual house and a holy
priesthood, that . . . they may offer spiritual sacrifices. This "common priesthood" is that of
Christ the sole priest, in which all his members participate:
Mother Church earnestly desires that all the faithful should be led to that full,
conscious, and active participation in liturgical celebrations which is demanded by
the very nature of the liturgy, and to which the Christian people, "a chosen race, a
royal priesthood, a holy nation, a redeemed people," have a right and an obligation
by reason of their Baptism.
1142 But the members do not all have the same function.Certain members are called by God,
in and through the Church, to a special service of the community. These servants are chosen
and consecrated by the sacrament of Holy Orders, by which the Holy Spirit enables them to
act in the person of Christ the head, for the service of all the members of the Church. The
ordained minister is, as it were, an "icon" of Christ the priest. Since it is in the Eucharist that
the sacrament of the Church is made fully visible, it is in his presiding at the Eucharist that
the bishop's ministry is most evident, as well as, in communion with him, the ministry of
priests and deacons.
1143 For the purpose of assisting the work of the common priesthood of the faithful, other particular
ministries also exist, not consecrated by the sacrament of Holy Orders; their functions are determined
by the bishops, in accord with liturgical traditions and pastoral needs. "Servers, readers, commentator
1144 In the celebration of the sacraments it is thus the whole assembly that is leitourgos,
each according to his function, but in the "unity of the Spirit" who acts in all. "In liturgical
celebrations each person, minister or layman, who has an office to perform, should carry out
all and only those parts which pertain to his office by the nature of the rite and the norms of
the liturgy
II. How is the Liturgy Celebrated?
a) SIGNS AND SYMBOLS
1145 A sacramental celebration is woven from signs and symbols. In keeping with the divine
pedagogy of salvation, their meaning is rooted in the work of creation and in human
culture, specified by the events of the Old Covenant and fully revealed in the person and
work of Christ.
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.
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. 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.
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.
1149 The great religions of mankind witness, often impressively, to this cosmic and symbolic
meaning of religious rites. the liturgy of the Church presupposes, integrates and sanctifies
elements from creation and human culture, conferring on them the dignity of signs of grace,
of the new creation in Jesus Christ.
1150. Signs of the Covenant. the Chosen People received from God distinctive signs and
symbols that marked its liturgical life. These are no longer solely celebrations of cosmic
cycles and social gestures, but signs of the covenant, symbols of God's mighty deeds for his
people. Among these liturgical signs from the Old Covenant are circumcision, anointing and
consecration of kings and priests, laying on of hands, sacrifices, and above all the Passover.
the Church sees in these signs a prefiguring of the sacraments of the New Covenant.
1151. Signs taken up by Christ. In his preaching the Lord Jesus often makes use of the signs
of creation to make known the mysteries of the Kingdom of God.He performs healings and
illustrates his preaching with physical signs or symbolic gestures.He gives new meaning to
the deeds and signs of the Old Covenant, above all to the Exodus and the Passover, for he
himself is the meaning of all these signs.
1152. Sacramental Signs. Since Pentecost, it is through the sacramental signs of his Church
that the Holy Spirit carries on the work of sanctification. the sacraments of the Church do not
abolish but purify and integrate all the richness of the signs and symbols of the cosmos and of
social life. Further, they fulfill the types and figures of the Old Covenant, signify and make
actively present the salvation wrought by Christ, and prefigure and anticipate the glory of
heaven.
b) WORDS AND ACTIONS
1153 A sacramental celebration is a meeting of God's children with their Father, in Christ
and the Holy Spirit; this meeting takes the form of a dialogue, through actions and words.
Admittedly, the symbolic actions are already a language, but the Word of God and the
response of faith have to accompany and give life to them, so that the seed of the Kingdom
can bear its fruit in good soil. the liturgical actions signify what the Word of God expresses:
both his free initiative and his people's response of faith.
1154 The liturgy of the Word is an integral part of sacramental celebrations. To nourish
the faith of believers, the signs which accompany the Word of God should be emphasized:
the book of the Word (a lectionary or a book of the Gospels), its veneration (procession,
incense, candles), the place of its proclamation (lectern or ambo), its audible and intelligible
reading, the minister's homily which extends its proclamation, and the responses of the
assembly (acclamations, meditation psalms, litanies, and profession of faith).
1155 The liturgical word and action are inseparable both insofar as they are signs and
instruction and insofar as they accomplish what they signify. When the Holy Spirit
awakens faith, he not only gives an understanding of the Word of God, but through the
sacraments also makes present the "wonders" of God which it proclaims. The Spirit makes
present and communicates the Father's work, fulfilled by the beloved Son.
CHAPTER VI A PHILOSOPHICAL-PRACTICAL-PASTORAL LOOK
To Recapitulate: The sacraments are an essential part of the Church and enable her to
be visible, concrete and efficacious in the lives of her members; they are enduring signs
of Christ's presence in the world; they are manifestations of God in the world and
expressions of the faith of the believing community. They signify God's gift of
salvation to all men and women. Sacraments are multidimensional realities, viewed
***as God's ongoing revelation to us, as expressions of the self-understanding of the
Church, ***as moments of deep interiority relying on the prayer of Jesus that makes
them efficacious, ***as events for sanctifying persons. They must not be reduced to
mere subjective-relative actions-rituals performed by a minister that make sanctifying
grace available to the recipient.
In sum: 1. Sacraments = Encountering the Risen Christ2. Sacraments = A
Transformation by the Spirit3. Sacraments = Prophetic Signs of the Kingdom
1. On the Efficacy of the Sacraments
Through the Sacraments, what Christ came into the world to realize, is effected till the
end of time; that is to make present Jesus Christ who proclaims a message of healing
and wholeness to persons. The sacraments are the real and active presence of Christ
symbolized in the concrete words, actions and objects and offered to the potential recipient of
the sacrament. This presence of Christ is perceived in faith. According to the promises of
Jesus, the Spirit leads the Church and is the primary agent in the sacramental action – the
source of efficacy of the sacraments – FROM HIS PRESENCE & ACTION THE
SACRAMENTS DERIVE THEIR EFFICACY that is:.
THE REAL AND ACTIVE PRESENCE OF GOD IN CHRIST IN THE SACRAMENTAL
SYMBOLS BRINGS ABOUT THE FOLLOWING:
a) A conversion in the heart of the recipient - God’s grace is offered in a concrete situation so
that we may accept it and be possessed by grace, turn from our sinful ways to the person of Jesus
and His love and be transformed. This is the REAL experience of its saving effect. b) To enable
the person concerned to receive the ability to adequately respondto the challenges in their
situation of life (the specific grace of a sacrament); Eg. marriage or orders; c) To build up the
Church as a communitybonded together by God’s grace so that the unity expressed concretely
in the community in this world symbolizes the unity of each person – individually and
collectively – with God.
2. The Effects of Sacramental Grace
Grace is identified with the presence of God himself - UNCREATED GRACE.
When this PRESENCE of God is communicated to persons it is referred to
asCREATED GRACE. Grace is known in and through its effects. [Matt. 12: 33-35]
We can have only moral certainty about our being in the state of grace; else we fall into
the sin of presumption!
All the sacraments invite the believer to identify with Christ and in responding
positively to this invitation the believer receives thegrace of the sacrament. However,
grace that sanctifies persons is not inextricably joined to the seven sacraments. God
can and does communicate himself to persons in ways of his own choosing;
otherwise God's freedom would not be respected. One can conclude to the sanctity of
others by seeing their way of life. Grace is seen as bringing about a relationship
between God and persons in this world. It is the action of the indwelling Holy Spirit that
makes the sacramental action fruitful
It is not only through the sacraments and the ministrations of the Church that the Holy
Spirit makes holy the People, leads them and enriches them with his virtues. Allotting
his gifts according as he wills (Cf: 1 Cor. 12, 11), he also distributes special graces
among the faithful of every rank. By these gifts he makes them fit and ready to
undertake various tasks and offices for ... building up of the Church (1 Cor. 12,7& LG
12).
TWO MAJOR EFFECTS take place because of the sacramental celebration: (1)
SANCTIFYING GRACE IS GIVEN TO THE INDIVIDUAL RECIPIENTS SO
THAT THEY ARE SANCTIFIED AND UNITED TO GOD;
.
(2) THIS RESULTS IN A PERSON'S BEING MORE UNITED OR RELATED TO
THE CHURCH THROUGH THE SACRAMENT.
The specific effect derives from the individual nature of the sacrament that brings about
a change in the moral status of the person, e.g. Reconciliation brings about a change in
the moral disposition of the penitents; so the persons can be reunited to the community
from which they have been separated.
Formerly, when theology spoke of grace through philosophical-juridical categories,
there was always the danger that in speaking in such a way the mystery of God's
sovereignty and freedom was diminished. If grace is recognized in persons it is because
in their words and deeds those persons show a similarity to the words and deeds of
Jesus Christ. Grace is referred to as sacramental because the effect that one sees in
persons is linked to their membership in the Church community. This means that the
sacramental celebrations in the Church are instances when persons are aided in their
pilgrimage in this world and helped to participate in the liturgy of the Church.
Today, theologians hold thatsanctifying and sacramental grace are essentially the
same. Sacramental grace has specificChristological, ecclesiological and
anthropological dimensions. Sacramental grace proper to each sacrament is the
special effect that is the consequence of the particular sign of the sacrament.
3. Sacramental Causality
The Council of Trent says that sacraments give us that grace which they signify. They
certainly cause grace in some way. But the Church has not defined the particular mode in which
grace is caused through the act of signifying. Many theologians have given various
explanations for the efficacy of sacraments. We can categorize them into two: a)
Classical explanations.& b) Modern explanations
b) Modern explanations.
It is common (modern) teaching of the Church that sacraments cause grace in a
person through the sacramental celebration. Theology referred to an oft-quoted axiom:
sacramentasignificandoefficiuntgratiam(sacraments effect grace by signifying it).
This also accords with the teaching of Thomas Aquinas. The Church has not defined
how sacraments cause grace, but through the centuries, theologians have tried to give
explanations of how sacraments cause grace in the recipient. In more recent times,
Edward Schillebeeckx haddescribedsacramental celebrations as inter-personal
encounters, hence only these two are chosen for study here.
Edward Schillebeeckx uses encounter theology to explain causality of sacraments. He
says that sacraments cannot be studied in a compartmental manner. He begins with Christ
and comes to the Church and then deals with sacraments. Christ is the Primordial
Sacrament and the Risen Lord is historically continued in his Church where every
sacrament necessarily gives grace for the following reasons:
Since the Church is the sacramental expression of the encounter between man and God in
Christ, whenever the sacrament is celebrated this encounter is renewed. ***Every act of
Christ is rooted in the eternity of the divine nature of Christ, persisting eternally. ***The
sacramental celebration re-enacts the personal encounter between God and the human
person in Jesus Christ. The efficacy of the sacrament is realized by this encounter. ***So
sacraments are the very same acts of Christ sacramentally presented to us and hence
effect grace in the recipient.
In the celebration of a sacrament, it is the duty of the ministerto signify the Salvific
nature of the sacramental action, which faithfully witnesses to his Lord and Master,
Jesus Christ. God manifests Himself most fully in the person of Jesus Christ who
embodies God's "eternal yes" to humans and an unconditional love for them. In short,
the mystery of the Incarnation is continued by the Church and finds its ongoing
signification (becoming) in each sacramental celebration of the Church. The Church
has left the question of sacramental causality open for further study.
4. On Matter and Form
During the age of the Scholastics to define causality in the sacraments; the classical
categories of causes – mainly Aristotelian – were considered.
FORMAL CAUSALITY gave something its specificity;
MATERIAL CAUSALITY its individuality;
FINAL CAUSALITY its ultimate form and
EFFICIENT CAUSALITY brings/brought about the intended effect.
Grace was seen as acting in the form of a final and efficient cause. The form of a
sacrament came about when the appropriate word(s) were spoken over the concrete
visible elements in a sacrament. The concrete, visible elements over which the form was
spoken were seen as the matter of the particular sacrament. (Cf: ND 1308)
In each sacrament, there is the form (determining element) and matter (the
determinable element), which constitute the sensible aspect of that sacrament. As for
their determinable element, a distinction was made between the proximate and remote
matter of the sacrament [Duns Scotus - c. 1265-1308].
The form is the verbal formula that is used to give the material dimension (the
elements of matter and the ritual action) its specific meaning (determination) in the
sacramental celebration. These formulae are sanctioned by the Church' and indicate the
nature of the sacramental action.
The matter is the material element (i.e. the acts of the penitent – contrition, confession
and satisfaction – quasi-materia, as said by Aquinas) over which the form (i.e. the
words of absolution) is pronounced. [E.g. sacrament of reconciliation] Matter and form
make for the concrete visibility in the sacramental action that symbolizes salvation in
Jesus Christ.
During St. Augustine’s time many more realities or events in the life of the Church
qualified as sacraments. The need for clarifying how the Church understood and
celebrated the sacraments came about when in the course of history certain aspects
concerning the sacraments were denied & disputed. Historically, the number seven
was linked with the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit and with seven being seen as a sacred
number. Historically, the Second Council of Lyons (1274) held that there are seven
sacraments. The Council I of Florence (1439) repeats what Lyons had already said. But
in the Trent, the number seven is fixed. Theologically and historically,the Church was
sacramental even before the canon of seven sacraments is fixed. Hence, it is possible
to see in contexts in addition to the seven, events which could be analogically identified
as sacramental, e.g. religious profession, the assuming of a great responsibility. Here,
it is piously recognizing God's Salvific and efficacious action in various contexts. ]***
On the Institution of the Sacraments[See CCC 1114-1116]
The Church teaches (1st canon of Trent on Sacraments), that Jesus Christ instituted the seven
sacraments. This was directed against Martin Luther. The question of the institution of the
sacraments goes back in time to the early Church since, at that time, a canon on the sacraments
did not exist nor was the sacrament understood in the way Trent did. If Jesus Christ did not
institute the seven sacraments, they would not be efficacious and would not effect a
transformation in the recipient.