The Concept of a Sacrament
Signs like “Enter” or “Exit” alert people to take the action the sign indicates.
A Sacrament, consisting of words and actions, make visible what is invisible and also make real what the words and actions signify.
> Jesus is the Sacrament of God.
Through his words and actions Jesus makes visible the invisible God.
Thus he makes God's life-giving real for the people he cures.
> The Church is the Sacrament of Christ.
Whenever and wherever two or three disciples are gathered in love, Christ is present.
> The seven Sacraments are the Sacraments of the Church, the community of Christ’s Disciples.
For instance, Baptism is an encounters with the Risen Christ in which the newly baptized experiences
God’s life-giving presence and becomes a member of the Church community.
The seven sacraments of the Church reveal what is already present in life:
God’s loving presence of Goodness, Order and Life or grace.
A Sacrament
Life in this world is both exciting and full of possibilities but at the same time, it is ambiguous, complex and mysterious.
Consider a body of water. It may be contaminated and destructive or life giving. We use words to clarify our understanding. If a sign at a lake reads, “No Swimming: E. Coli Contamination”, a person would know that the water in the lake would be harmful. On the other hand if a sign says, “Mountain Fresh” on a bottle of water at Safeway one would know it should be safe to drink. The words clarify what action should be taken. Sacraments consist of both word and action. The Sacraments make real what they signify.
Thus when we baptize a person we are placing that person into a relationship with
The seven sacraments of the Church can be arranged into three groups:
> Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist.
* Baptism makes one beloved child of God and a member of the Body of Christ.
* Confirmation strengthens one to follow through on the commitment to be a disciple.
* Eucharist (the Mass) is the way the Church community gives praise and thanks for God’s
gracious and life-giving presence. Through this communion with Christ and Community, each person is
renewed and strengthened to continue living as a disciple.
Sacraments of Healing: Penance and Anointing the Sick.
* Penance (sometimes called Confession or the Sacrament of Reconciliation).
In this Sacrament one tells the Priest, who is the visible representative of Christ and the official
representative of the Church Community, that they are sorry for their sins. It is Christ who forgives
those sins.
Penance is often called the “Second Baptism” because it frees a person from being dominated by sin and
enables one to live more completely the new life Christ brought us.
* Anointing of the Sick: This sacrament is celebrated with those who are sick or suffering.
It is meant to bring strength to one’s body and peace to one’s heart and, if God wills it, total healing.
Sacraments of Service: Holy Orders and Matrimony or Marriage.
* Holy Orders: Through ordination, Bishops, Priests and Deacons are called to provide for the good order
of the Church and service to the People of God.
* Marriage: The union of man and woman in a faithful, loving and permanent relationship is a living sign of
God’s faithful love and the foundation for the well-being and growth of both Church and civil society.
Signs like “Enter” or “Exit” alert people to take the action the sign indicates.
A Sacrament, consisting of words and actions, make visible what is invisible and also make real what the words and actions signify.
> Jesus is the Sacrament of God.
Through his words and actions Jesus makes visible the invisible God.
Thus he makes God's life-giving real for the people he cures.
> The Church is the Sacrament of Christ.
Whenever and wherever two or three disciples are gathered in love, Christ is present.
> The seven Sacraments are the Sacraments of the Church, the community of Christ’s Disciples.
For instance, Baptism is an encounters with the Risen Christ in which the newly baptized experiences
God’s life-giving presence and becomes a member of the Church community.
The seven sacraments of the Church reveal what is already present in life:
God’s loving presence of Goodness, Order and Life or grace.
A Sacrament
Life in this world is both exciting and full of possibilities but at the same time, it is ambiguous, complex and mysterious.
Consider a body of water. It may be contaminated and destructive or life giving. We use words to clarify our understanding. If a sign at a lake reads, “No Swimming: E. Coli Contamination”, a person would know that the water in the lake would be harmful. On the other hand if a sign says, “Mountain Fresh” on a bottle of water at Safeway one would know it should be safe to drink. The words clarify what action should be taken. Sacraments consist of both word and action. The Sacraments make real what they signify.
Thus when we baptize a person we are placing that person into a relationship with
- God, the Father who is the creator of all goodness, right relationships (order) and life itself.
- God the Son who came to live among us as Jesus and who gives us the fullness of life and
- God the Holy Spirit who continues to enlighten, guide and strengthen us on our life's journey.
The seven sacraments of the Church can be arranged into three groups:
> Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist.
* Baptism makes one beloved child of God and a member of the Body of Christ.
* Confirmation strengthens one to follow through on the commitment to be a disciple.
* Eucharist (the Mass) is the way the Church community gives praise and thanks for God’s
gracious and life-giving presence. Through this communion with Christ and Community, each person is
renewed and strengthened to continue living as a disciple.
Sacraments of Healing: Penance and Anointing the Sick.
* Penance (sometimes called Confession or the Sacrament of Reconciliation).
In this Sacrament one tells the Priest, who is the visible representative of Christ and the official
representative of the Church Community, that they are sorry for their sins. It is Christ who forgives
those sins.
Penance is often called the “Second Baptism” because it frees a person from being dominated by sin and
enables one to live more completely the new life Christ brought us.
* Anointing of the Sick: This sacrament is celebrated with those who are sick or suffering.
It is meant to bring strength to one’s body and peace to one’s heart and, if God wills it, total healing.
Sacraments of Service: Holy Orders and Matrimony or Marriage.
* Holy Orders: Through ordination, Bishops, Priests and Deacons are called to provide for the good order
of the Church and service to the People of God.
* Marriage: The union of man and woman in a faithful, loving and permanent relationship is a living sign of
God’s faithful love and the foundation for the well-being and growth of both Church and civil society.
The Liturgy
The word Liturgy means “the work of the people”. It is the entire community which celebrates the sacraments. The Bishop, Priest or Deacon presides for the sake of an orderly celebration. The sacraments are ritual celebrations (something like a birthday party). All know the purpose and sequence. The community and ritual carries one forward even though at times a person may not be fully present to what is happening.
The Liturgical Calendar
The Liturgical year of consists of the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter and Ordinary Time (sometimes referred to as the Sundays after Pentecost) and enables all to deepen their relationship with Christ and so embrace his way of life more fully.
The Liturgy of the Hours
The Liturgy of the Hours consists of praying the psalms and readings atset times throughout the day. Every member of the Church can pray the Liturgy of the Hours either privately or in a group.
Liturgical Sacramentals and Symbols and Blessings
Statues, medals, pictures, holy water are items that help focus disciples on the one who calls them, blesses them and guides them in the way of true life: Jesus Christ
Liturgical Rites: Weddings, Funerals
Marriage or the Sacrament of Matrimony is celebrated by the couple being married with at two witnesses and a Bishop, Priest or Deacon who presides and is the official representative of the Chrch community.
A funeral is an opportunity for family, friends and members of the Christian community to gather and pray for the one who has died. A funeral involves a Vigil service usually the night prior to the actual funeral, then a Mass or Liturgy of the Word and finally a series of prayers at the grave site.
The Church treats the body of the deceased with respect because God has created each person good and holy and during one’s life the Holy Spirit has dwelt in the person’s heart. While full body burial is preferred the Church allows cremation.
Devotions
Devotions usually take the form of some specific prayers and or actions. Most devotions are approved by the Church such as the Rosary, Stations of the Cross and devotion to the Sacred Heart. There are some devotions which the Church does not approve of, such as the ritual crucifixion of a person on Good Friday.
Sacramentals
Sacramentals consists of statues, pictures, blessed water "Holy Water", etc. which help a person focus on developing a right relationship with God, their neighbor, creation and self. Thus the statue of St. Francis of Assisi reminds us that we are to care for all animals, the world of creation and give praise and thanks to God for it all.
The word Liturgy means “the work of the people”. It is the entire community which celebrates the sacraments. The Bishop, Priest or Deacon presides for the sake of an orderly celebration. The sacraments are ritual celebrations (something like a birthday party). All know the purpose and sequence. The community and ritual carries one forward even though at times a person may not be fully present to what is happening.
The Liturgical Calendar
The Liturgical year of consists of the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter and Ordinary Time (sometimes referred to as the Sundays after Pentecost) and enables all to deepen their relationship with Christ and so embrace his way of life more fully.
The Liturgy of the Hours
The Liturgy of the Hours consists of praying the psalms and readings atset times throughout the day. Every member of the Church can pray the Liturgy of the Hours either privately or in a group.
Liturgical Sacramentals and Symbols and Blessings
Statues, medals, pictures, holy water are items that help focus disciples on the one who calls them, blesses them and guides them in the way of true life: Jesus Christ
Liturgical Rites: Weddings, Funerals
Marriage or the Sacrament of Matrimony is celebrated by the couple being married with at two witnesses and a Bishop, Priest or Deacon who presides and is the official representative of the Chrch community.
A funeral is an opportunity for family, friends and members of the Christian community to gather and pray for the one who has died. A funeral involves a Vigil service usually the night prior to the actual funeral, then a Mass or Liturgy of the Word and finally a series of prayers at the grave site.
The Church treats the body of the deceased with respect because God has created each person good and holy and during one’s life the Holy Spirit has dwelt in the person’s heart. While full body burial is preferred the Church allows cremation.
Devotions
Devotions usually take the form of some specific prayers and or actions. Most devotions are approved by the Church such as the Rosary, Stations of the Cross and devotion to the Sacred Heart. There are some devotions which the Church does not approve of, such as the ritual crucifixion of a person on Good Friday.
Sacramentals
Sacramentals consists of statues, pictures, blessed water "Holy Water", etc. which help a person focus on developing a right relationship with God, their neighbor, creation and self. Thus the statue of St. Francis of Assisi reminds us that we are to care for all animals, the world of creation and give praise and thanks to God for it all.
Our Catholic Story:
As Catholics we believe:
As Catholics we believe:
- Our first purpose in life is to learn how to love God through our praise and worship
- The weekly celebration of the Litugry nourishes us in our relationship with God and one another
- The seven sacraments of the Church are encounters with the Risen Christ in which we experience God’s loving and life-giving presence. In an analogous sense the Church considers each person to be a Sacrament of Christ
Your story
Would you modify. in some way, your story of what the Sacraments are ?
Other Questions
What other questions do you have or would like to ask?
A) ________________________________________________________________
B) ________________________________________________________________
C) ________________________________________________________________
Would you modify. in some way, your story of what the Sacraments are ?
Other Questions
What other questions do you have or would like to ask?
A) ________________________________________________________________
B) ________________________________________________________________
C) ________________________________________________________________
Some Additional Resources
Links
What is a sacrament and why does it matter?
What is Baptism?
Why is Baptism important? What change does it make in me?
What is Confirmation?
Why is Confirmation important? What effect does it have on me?
What is the Eucharist?
How should I prepare for the Eucharist?
How am I changed by the Eucharist?
What is Confession and why do I need it?
What is reconciliation or Confession? How does this sacrament come from Jesus’ own example?
Why do I have to confess my sins to a priest?
Why do I need the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Penance? How does it help me?
What is Anointing of the Sick? Why is it important?
What happens during the Sacrament of Reconciliation? What forms can it take? How does it affect me?
What are the effects of Anointing of the Sick? Is it just for physical healing or those near death?
What impact does Anointing have on the larger community?
What is marriage?
Who can be married in the Church?
What did Jesus teach about marriage?
How did marriage begin? What do we know about marriage from the Bible?
What are the purposes of marriage? What are the effects of the sacrament?
What does the Church teach about divorce? What about annulment?
What are “Holy Orders” and where do they come from?
What are Holy Orders? Why is it a sacrament? How is it tied in with Old Testament traditions?
How are bishops, priests and deacons different? Why are they ordained ministers through Holy Orders?
What effect does Holy Orders have on the man who receives the sacrament?