The Sacraments of the Church
The liturgical life of the Church (worship) revolves around the Eucharistic sacrifice and the Sacraments. There are seven sacraments in the Church: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Matrimony, and Holy Orders.
The primary purpose of the sacraments is to help people grow in their relationship with God, in order to become more holy. "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
(Matthew 5:48(
However, the Sacraments have other things to accomplish as well and in order to understand this we first need to know that the Sacraments are not man made and are not the abstract thought of some ancient christian philosopher. No, the Sacraments are given by God in the person of Jesus Christ, given to build up the body of Christ and God's Kingdom in the world as well as enabling our lives of worship. However, the Sacraments are also signs and as such they also have a teaching function. This means that they not only presuppose faith, but by words and object, they also nourish, strengthen, and express it; that is why they are called "sacraments of faith."
The Sacraments impart grace,(God's gifts) but in addition, the very act of celebrating them disposes the faithful most effectively to receive God's grace in a fruitful manner, that we might worship God rightly, and practice charity wholeheatedly.
Worship is integral to our lives as Christians, because when we engage in the prayer and the ritual of the Church, we are formed as Church and this makes our sacramental rites of primary importance while we are gathered together to celebrate and this is the reason why we celebrate the Mass five times a week at Holy Trinity.
The history of human salvation is the history of the way God came to share in the lives of people, the word was made flesh and dwelt among us (John 1). Jesus Christ is of course the word and his becoming a man as we are was the first step in bridging of the gulf separating God and humankind, Jesus becoming the one Mediator working for the redemption of the world and for everyone living in the world, past, present and future. This work continues though the life of the Church though which Christ makes his grace available to all. However, this tells us that we have to make a choice, do we accept God and the many gifts he brings to our lives or do we simply ignore him.
If we accept God then we can move on as we begin to understand that the sacraments are the vehicle by which grace is delivered, the second part if you will of God's way of salvation.
The great mystery of the union in Christ of a human nature with the second Person of the Godhead is that the human actions and sufferings of Christ are in fact divine actions and sufferings and the Sacraments are a living continuation of this mystery. There are earthly, external signs here which, of themselves, could never acquire any supernatural significance, but the signs of the sacraments have been made by Christ into vehicles of his grace. Therefore, there are two fundamental ideas which constantly recur in the Church's teaching, on the sacraments.
First there is the Church's concern for the sacraments instituted by Christ, their number, and their proper preservation and administration; then there is the grace which Christ has for all time linked with these signs and which is communicated by them.
The second is the effect of the sacraments. This is important, because they are the signs of Christ's work; the effectiveness of Christ's continuing work in his Church, which cannot be dependent on humanities inadequacy. A sacrament, administered properly in the way established by Christ and with the proper intention, gives the grace it signifies. It is effective not by reason of the power of priestly prayer nor on account of the worthiness of the recipient,it is based solely by the power of Christ. The power of Christ lives in the sacraments. The effect of the sacrament is independent of the sinfulness or unworthiness of the minister. The Church has never tolerated any subjective qualification of the objective effectiveness of the sacraments ex opere operato. This would ultimately be to conceive the way of salvation as being man's way to God and not God's way to man.
The Church teaches that there are seven sacraments, which were instituted by Christ and given to the Church to administer and that they are necessary for salvation.
The Seven Sacraments
Baptism. The first and fundamental sacrament and the gate to the other sacraments, is the purifying and sanctifying sacrament of rebirth. It is the means by which its recipients are incorporated into the church in a sacramental bond of unity.
Confirmation. By a signing with the gift of the Spirit, confirmation enriches the baptized with the Holy Spirit, binding them more perfectly to the Church, and strengthening them in their witness to Christ by word and deed and in their work to bring to its fullness the Body of Christ. Confirmation is conferred through anointing with chrism and the laying on of hands.
Eucharist. The Eucharist is the most august sacrament, in which Christ himself is contained, offered and received, and by which the Church constantly lives and grows. The Eucharistic Sacrifice, the memorial of the death and resurrection of the Lord, in which the sacrifice of the cross is perpetuated over the centuries, is the summit and source of all Christian life and worship; it signifies and effects the unity of the people of God and achieves the building up of the Body of Christ.
Penance. The sacrament the seems to create fear in some Christians, but it is through penance, that the faithful receive pardon through God's mercy for the sins they have committed. At the same time, they are reconciled with the Church community. The confession, or disclosure, of sins frees us and facilitates our reconciliation with others.
Anointing of the Sick. Through the sacrament of anointing, Christ strengthens the faithful who are afflicted by illness, providing them with the strongest means of support. Jesus showed great concern for the bodily and spiritual welfare of the sick and commanded his followers to do the same. The celebration of this sacrament is an opportunity for the deepening of the faith of the community who are able to witness the faith and devotion of those being anointed.
Marriage. The Church has a rich tradition in its teaching on sacramental marriage and covenantal union. The Old Testament tells of the God who continues to make covenants with the chosen people and promising them that they will never be forsaken. The New Testament tell us that Jesus is the new covenant and compares his relationship with the Church to the relationship of a husband and wife. The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership for the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring.
Holy Orders. Holy Orders is the sacrament by which bishops, priests and deacons are ordained and receive the power and grace to perform their sacred duties. The sacred rite by which orders are conferred is called ordination. The apostles were ordained by Jesus at the Last Supper so that others could share in his priesthood.
Christian Funerals although not a sacrament Christian funerals are primarily concerned with providing assistant for the departed as their lives and bodies are honored, whilst at the same time their souls are commended to God and we should note that this honoring also brings hope and consolation to the living. While proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ and witnessing to the Christian hope in the resurrection, the funeral rites also recall to all who take part in them God's mercy and judgement and so meet the human need to turn always to God in times of crisis.
The liturgical life of the Church (worship) revolves around the Eucharistic sacrifice and the Sacraments. There are seven sacraments in the Church: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Matrimony, and Holy Orders.
The primary purpose of the sacraments is to help people grow in their relationship with God, in order to become more holy. "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
(Matthew 5:48(
However, the Sacraments have other things to accomplish as well and in order to understand this we first need to know that the Sacraments are not man made and are not the abstract thought of some ancient christian philosopher. No, the Sacraments are given by God in the person of Jesus Christ, given to build up the body of Christ and God's Kingdom in the world as well as enabling our lives of worship. However, the Sacraments are also signs and as such they also have a teaching function. This means that they not only presuppose faith, but by words and object, they also nourish, strengthen, and express it; that is why they are called "sacraments of faith."
The Sacraments impart grace,(God's gifts) but in addition, the very act of celebrating them disposes the faithful most effectively to receive God's grace in a fruitful manner, that we might worship God rightly, and practice charity wholeheatedly.
Worship is integral to our lives as Christians, because when we engage in the prayer and the ritual of the Church, we are formed as Church and this makes our sacramental rites of primary importance while we are gathered together to celebrate and this is the reason why we celebrate the Mass five times a week at Holy Trinity.
The history of human salvation is the history of the way God came to share in the lives of people, the word was made flesh and dwelt among us (John 1). Jesus Christ is of course the word and his becoming a man as we are was the first step in bridging of the gulf separating God and humankind, Jesus becoming the one Mediator working for the redemption of the world and for everyone living in the world, past, present and future. This work continues though the life of the Church though which Christ makes his grace available to all. However, this tells us that we have to make a choice, do we accept God and the many gifts he brings to our lives or do we simply ignore him.
If we accept God then we can move on as we begin to understand that the sacraments are the vehicle by which grace is delivered, the second part if you will of God's way of salvation.
The great mystery of the union in Christ of a human nature with the second Person of the Godhead is that the human actions and sufferings of Christ are in fact divine actions and sufferings and the Sacraments are a living continuation of this mystery. There are earthly, external signs here which, of themselves, could never acquire any supernatural significance, but the signs of the sacraments have been made by Christ into vehicles of his grace. Therefore, there are two fundamental ideas which constantly recur in the Church's teaching, on the sacraments.
First there is the Church's concern for the sacraments instituted by Christ, their number, and their proper preservation and administration; then there is the grace which Christ has for all time linked with these signs and which is communicated by them.
The second is the effect of the sacraments. This is important, because they are the signs of Christ's work; the effectiveness of Christ's continuing work in his Church, which cannot be dependent on humanities inadequacy. A sacrament, administered properly in the way established by Christ and with the proper intention, gives the grace it signifies. It is effective not by reason of the power of priestly prayer nor on account of the worthiness of the recipient,it is based solely by the power of Christ. The power of Christ lives in the sacraments. The effect of the sacrament is independent of the sinfulness or unworthiness of the minister. The Church has never tolerated any subjective qualification of the objective effectiveness of the sacraments ex opere operato. This would ultimately be to conceive the way of salvation as being man's way to God and not God's way to man.
The Church teaches that there are seven sacraments, which were instituted by Christ and given to the Church to administer and that they are necessary for salvation.
- The sacraments are the vehicles of grace which they convey.
- They are validly administered by the carrying out of the sign with the proper intention.
- Not all are equally qualified to administer all the sacraments.
- The validity of the sacrament is independent of the worthiness of the minister.
- Three sacraments imprint an indelible character.
The Seven Sacraments
Baptism. The first and fundamental sacrament and the gate to the other sacraments, is the purifying and sanctifying sacrament of rebirth. It is the means by which its recipients are incorporated into the church in a sacramental bond of unity.
Confirmation. By a signing with the gift of the Spirit, confirmation enriches the baptized with the Holy Spirit, binding them more perfectly to the Church, and strengthening them in their witness to Christ by word and deed and in their work to bring to its fullness the Body of Christ. Confirmation is conferred through anointing with chrism and the laying on of hands.
Eucharist. The Eucharist is the most august sacrament, in which Christ himself is contained, offered and received, and by which the Church constantly lives and grows. The Eucharistic Sacrifice, the memorial of the death and resurrection of the Lord, in which the sacrifice of the cross is perpetuated over the centuries, is the summit and source of all Christian life and worship; it signifies and effects the unity of the people of God and achieves the building up of the Body of Christ.
Penance. The sacrament the seems to create fear in some Christians, but it is through penance, that the faithful receive pardon through God's mercy for the sins they have committed. At the same time, they are reconciled with the Church community. The confession, or disclosure, of sins frees us and facilitates our reconciliation with others.
Anointing of the Sick. Through the sacrament of anointing, Christ strengthens the faithful who are afflicted by illness, providing them with the strongest means of support. Jesus showed great concern for the bodily and spiritual welfare of the sick and commanded his followers to do the same. The celebration of this sacrament is an opportunity for the deepening of the faith of the community who are able to witness the faith and devotion of those being anointed.
Marriage. The Church has a rich tradition in its teaching on sacramental marriage and covenantal union. The Old Testament tells of the God who continues to make covenants with the chosen people and promising them that they will never be forsaken. The New Testament tell us that Jesus is the new covenant and compares his relationship with the Church to the relationship of a husband and wife. The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership for the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring.
Holy Orders. Holy Orders is the sacrament by which bishops, priests and deacons are ordained and receive the power and grace to perform their sacred duties. The sacred rite by which orders are conferred is called ordination. The apostles were ordained by Jesus at the Last Supper so that others could share in his priesthood.
Christian Funerals although not a sacrament Christian funerals are primarily concerned with providing assistant for the departed as their lives and bodies are honored, whilst at the same time their souls are commended to God and we should note that this honoring also brings hope and consolation to the living. While proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ and witnessing to the Christian hope in the resurrection, the funeral rites also recall to all who take part in them God's mercy and judgement and so meet the human need to turn always to God in times of crisis.
