19.

Sacraments General

As human beings we are constantly confronted with uncertainties and ambiguities of life.

Religions with their understandings of the world, God and man enable human beings to
find meaning in their experience and cope with the world, resolving uncertainties and
ambiguities of life.

Religions make use of rituals in this process.

A characteristic mark of Catholicism is its sacramental life which is centered on the seven
sacraments.
1. Religious rituals are celebrations of life and means of overcoming evil,purifying
individuals and of obtaining social acceptance in a community.
Ritual : Solemn ceremony of celebration made up of presecribed formulas,
gestures,
certain materials
stylized actions,
Symbolizing community traditions handed down generation to generations.

Rituals are prescribed action or ceremonies through which myths become alive to the
members in a particular community.

Rituals could be secular or religious.

Secular: e.g. Hoisting of the flag,

Religious: eg: Bathing in Ganges.

Religious rituals:

Symbolic Actions: Gestures, ceremonies, prescribed forms and materials.

Performed to obtain divine blessings, social acceptance in a particular religious

community.

Functions of Rituals
a. Rituals are celebrations of life: Celebration of different stages of life. Birth, Puberty,
Marriage, Death.
to make meaning at these moments recognizing what is taking place in the life of a
person and community.
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b. Rituals are means of overcoming evil: God provides us grace to overcome evil, such as
corruption and evil tendencies and this is celebrated in the rituals.
Evil:

Prevents one from realizing his/her potential.

Prevents me from going beyond myself.

Rituals put us in touch with God.

They remind us of the values to be followed.

c. Rituals purify individuals from all that hinders him from coming into contact with the
ultimate:
eg: Hindus taking bath in the Ganges for the inner purification.
Penitential Mode: The retreats etc.

d. Rituals are means to obtain social acceptance in the community

Rituals are community celebrations, so once purified through the ritual a person is
vested with Rights Duties - obtains social acceptance in the community.

Eg: Through baptism one gets social identity. This also brings unity in the
community.

The sacraments of the church have much in common with rituals but they have
meaning and sacrifice much beyond the rituals.

The Concept of rituals helps Christian believers to understand the 7 sacraments which
originate from Jesus Christ (Nd 1311) and are celebrated in the church ( SC 7,11)

(ND 1311: Anathama sit.

That the sacrament of the new law or one or not all instituted by Jesus, our Lord.

In fact there are more that 7 sacraments.

Or any of these truly and properly sacrament)

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The sacraments are our encounter with God.

The Church experiences, expresses and

celebrates its union with God through 7

sacraments.

ND 1311: There are 7 sacrament originating from Jesus Christ

There are 3 opinions about the constitution of the sacraments.
(Sacraments transform human lives and affect communion with God and community.)
1. Fundamentalists: The historical Jesus instituted all the 7 sacraments, it cannot be scripturally
proved.
2. Protestant reformers: Only 2 sacraments have scriptural basis ( Baptism and Eucharist); They are
instituted by Jesus Christ, other sacraments are created by the Church.
3. Mediate Institution : Christ instituted the sacraments through the Church. The Church interpreted
the mind of God.

The sacrament of the church has much in common with rituals but they have a meaning and
significance that go far beyond these rituals. The Christian sacraments are rooted in the Christ
event.

Each of the 7 sacraments is an occasion to celebrate the saving mystery of Christ in the
different areas/ stages of life.

Christ is the primordial sacrament and church is the fundamental sacrament, meaning it is
the saving community willed by God.

Sacraments while fulfilling the basic functions of rituals (purification, giving identity,
overcoming evil) go far beyond these rituals. That is, transform human lives and effect
union with God who is revealed in Christ event.

In order that sacraments be meaningful, SC makes a plea to reform and promote the
liturgy. In SC 7 it calls the church to use such signs which are perceived by the people.

SC 11 it (SC) recommends that the faithful must be properly disposed inorder that the
liturgy may be effective. It is the duty of pastors to ensure that the faithful take part in

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the liturgy actively and are fully aware of what they are doing, inorder tobe enriched by
it.

SC 59 :

Luthers contention was that five sacraments have no biblical basis. They were instituted
by the church, not being faithful to the Lords command.

For Luther only Scripture ( Sola Scriptura) and Faith alone( Sola Fedei)

Council of Trent reacted and said all 7 sacraments are originated from Jesus Christ.

Today we make use of Rahners argument to explain how God is the author of
sacraments:
In so far as God willed the church, he also willed its constituent elements;
Scripture sacrament and Magisterium.

In other words Christ intended it, Mt 28, 18-20

SC 59 says - the purpose of sacraments is to sanctify men, build up the body of Christ, to
give worship to God.

Sacraments are those finite realities though which God is communicated to the church
and through which responds to the communication of God(Self Communication)

Sacraments are therefore ecclesiological in character.

3.The Christian sacraments confer grace ex opera operato, that is by the performance of
the rite itself(ND 1318)

The sacraments confer grace ex opera operato that is by the very act of the ritual.

This was against the view of Luther who held the view that grace of the sacrament
depend on faith of the recipient and he also made an overstress on the role of the
ministers.

In this context TRENT( ND 1318) by its doctrine of ex-opera operato affirms that
faith does not suffice without the sacraments and the worthiness of the minister does not
matter for the validity/ efficacy of the sacraments which means that the efficacy of the
sacrament is in the performance of the rite itself, wherein it is the work of Christ

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continued in the church and made concretely present through the minister(who acts on
behalf of Christ)

Theologically the minister need not be holy (morally sound) for the efficacy of the
sacrament, yet pastorally, the minister must be holy (lead a holy life) being the spiritual
leader of the people.

On the other hand the mere celebration of the sacrament, does not sanctify a person unless he
actively co-operates in the sacramental action (proper disposition).

The subjective disposition of a person receiving a sacrament does affect its validity, but
the spiritual effects or the fruitfulness can be blocked lack of faith or lack of proper
disposition.

4. Sacraments are celebrations of faith, signs of the KOG and a means to identify with Jesus
Christ.
Celebrations of Faith:

In using the sign we express our faith, in the unseen reality hidden in the underneath the
sign.

The Church is related to God in the experience of faith.

Sacraments give us a chance to relate to God, in and through the community. Thus
sacraments are celebration of our faith (done at various stages of life) done in
community, encountering God .

Sacraments are the signs of the Kingdom:

The proclamation of Jesus Christ in the NT - (Lk 4, 16 good new to the poor, sight to
the blind, liberation to the captives) - Mk 1, 14 Kingdom of God isat hand.

The kingdom of God continues to establish in the world.

The church through the sacraments confirms this mission.

Each individual sacrament is an expression of Gods reign because it affirms the sacra
mentality of Jesus Christ and is continued with newness in everything.

That is newness in the community, in a person, mind, attitude etc and thus establishing
the kingdom.

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A means for persons to be identified with Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ showed how human beings can live meaningfully in the world and encounter
God in the world.

Disciple identified themselves with Jesus and his values

Today the sacraments remind us of our true identity of being one with Christ.

Extra
Each sacrament helps us at certain stage of life to be closely related to God our Father through
Jesus Christ.
1. context of religious rituals
2. How rituals help in understanding 7 sacraments
3. Ex Opera Operanto(Understanding of)
4. Transforming role of Christian rituals.

We do not encounter Christ directly but in the church, which is his body. although it is
Jesus Christ who is present and active in the sacrament, it is the church that makes that
celebration available and which mediates his presence and saving action.

Ex opera Operantis := from the work of the worker

Thomas Aquainas speaks of right disposition, rarely valid reception is efficacious sign of
grace = sacraments cause what they signify.

Augustine : Visible signs of invisible grace.

Sacraments do not cause grace magically.

They are free acts of God, and they are free acts of ours. They work only to the extent
that we bring faith and devotion to them.

The minister of the sacrament:

The minister must voluntarily carry out the intention of the church.

He or she must intend what the church intends.

This doesnt mean however that the minister must also be a Person of profound faith or
even of moral purity although these are eminently desirable.

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But if those qualities were demanded of each minister, in every instance, then the church
would never know when and to what extent its sacraments were properly celebrated and
administered.

It s precisely because the sacraments are acts of church, and not simply acts of devotion,
that the role of the minister is so important.

The recipient : A sacrament can have no ecclesiological importance if the intended recipient
has no faith in it or in the reality it symbolizes or he/she is morally unprepared for it.

Sacramentals:

Not ex opera operanto but ex opera operates, that is through the faith and devotion of
those who are using, receiving or celebrating the sacramental.

Eg: Baptisma water, holy oils, candles, crucifixes, statues an medals.

Council of Trent:

Taught that the sacraments also cause grace for those who dont place an obstacle to it.

It is not the personal merit of the recipient that causes the cause received.

At the same time God does not force the human will

Sacraments are directly ecclesiological in character.

Christian Anthropology : Redeemed human person is made visible in the church

Christology: Christ is encountered in the sacrament. Christ acts in the sacraments. Jesus
is the sacrament. The 7 sacrament are manifestations of him.

Eschatology: Church is the sign and instrument of the KOG.

Ecclesiology :

Sacraments are made available by the church and mediates his presence and saving
action.

Sacraments immediately relates the recipient to the church.

Eg: sacrament of Penance has it immediate purpose and effect not the restoration of
friendship with God but reconciliation with the church. it is not just the God who is
offended by the sin. Church too has been violated. Sinner has to make up with the
church.

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Christian Moral life: Christian moral life is our way of being the church.
7 sacraments or more: are not important but there are certain rituals throughwhich the saving
presence and activity of God.

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