THE SACRAMENTSChapter 11

THE SACRAMENTS

God designed the sacraments with human nature in mind The sacraments use physical, sensible

signs to indicate spiritual, invisible realities.

They make the abstract, concrete. Sacraments accomplish what they

signify because God works in them

SIGNS OF GRACE

Sacraments are referred to as “Holy Mysteries” in Eastern Church

“Sacramentum” = Latin for “oath” Linked to Roman soldiers’ oath of office

A sign that points to a deeper, spiritual reality An “efficacious sign of grace”

The Sacraments accomplish in the soul what their signs symbolize

INSTITUTED BY CHRIST

Christ left us the sacraments as fonts of grace for our salvation

God bestows his grace on us through them. When we receive grace, we receive a share

in the divine life of God. There are SEVEN Sacraments

Can you name them all?

SACRAMENTS IN SCRIPTURE

Baptism: Matthew 28:19 Confirmation: Acts 19:6 Eucharist: Matthew 26:26-28 Penance: John 20:23 Matrimony: Mark 10:9 Holy Orders: Luke 22:19 Anointing of the Sick: James 5:14

EX OPERE OPERATO

“By the very fact that the operation is being performed”

Literally “by the work worked” A Sacrament confers the grace it

signifies The sacrament is valid because Jesus

confers it The reception of grace depends on

disposition of the recipient i.e. “what you put in, you get out”

SACRAMENTS THAT ARE RECEIVED ONLY ONCE

Baptism Confirmation Holy Orders These sacraments configure us to

Christ and distinguishes us from others.

MATTER

Physical matter to convey God’s grace to us Baptism: Water Confirmation: Sacred Chrism (oil) Eucharist: Bread/Wine Penance: verbal confession Holy Orders: laying on of hands Marriage: the couple Anointing of the Sick: oil of the sick

FORM

The words of the sacramental rite Ex: “Be sealed with the Holy Spirit”

Without the form, the sign is not present, and the matter is not sacramental

MINISTER

The person who performs the sacramental act

Christ is the minister of every sacrament, but he works through the Church and human ministers

Each sacrament is different.

SACRAMENTAL GRACE

Grace comes in two forms: Sanctifying Grace Actual Grace

Sacraments give us sanctifying grace Sanctifying grace helps us “to act by God’s

love” AKA “habitual grace” because it encourages

virtue and choosing good over evil

SANCTIFYING GRACE

Weakened by venial sins Lost through mortal sins

The Sacrament of Penance restores this type of grace and helps repair our relationship with God

ACTUAL GRACE

The grace God gives us in particular moments to strengthen us against temptation or to help us do something virtuous

The intervention of God in our lives to propel us toward goodness

Given freely and available to everyone. It is our responsibility to choose to

respond to grace

PROPER DISPOSITION

We must want to receive the graces offered by the sacrament

We must be in the proper spiritual condition NOT in a state of mortal sin

Exceptions to the rule: Baptism/Penance (sometimes Anointing of the Sick)

Receiving a sacrament unworthily is serious This is sacrilege – a mortal sin

SACRAMENTS ARE NECESSARY…

…for salvation: we need grace to respond to our vocation- they are the means by which God sanctifies us

… to draw us to Him: they are encounters with God which unite us to him

…because they constitute three divine calls: a life of holiness, a life of worship, and to live according to His moral teachings

…for unity in the Christian community: they are communal in nature

CATEGORIZING THE SACRAMENTS

INITIATION Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation

HEALING Penance, Anointing of the Sick

SERVICE OF COMMUNION Matrimony, Holy Orders