Introduction to Liturgy

and Sacraments
Introduction to Catholic Sacraments
The sign of the Father to us is the Lord Jesus Christ
himself. Christ then is our First Sacrament (Ur
Sacrament) or the visible symbol of the Father to us. The
Church is the Fundamental Sacrament (Grund Sacrrament)
in which through, with, and in her, the work of salvation of
the Father, through Christ (the Son), guided by His Spirit,
and continues.
 That is why the Church cannot sustain
herself in existence without the practice or
administration of what the Lord Jesus
Christ himself had started during his
earthly life, i.e., preaching (teaching),
sanctifying (healing), and governing (way
of life). And this became explicit when He
boldly proclaimed that “He is the Way
(Sacrament of Initiation), the Truth
(Sacrament of Vocation), and the Life
(Sacrament of Healing).
The Church continues the work of God through Jesus
Christ by imitating her founder. She shares the functions
of governance (governing office – Christ is our Way),
preaching (teaching office – Christ is our Truth), and
healing (sanctifying office – Christ is our Life).
 In our previous undertakings, studying the brief history
of the Church and trying to absorb in understanding its
nature and mission, belonged only to the realm of the
mind if what we learn cannot be integrated through the
practice and observance of the Sacraments. In a word,
and in the end, the liturgical aspect of the Church as to its
involvement and participation in the active renewal of our
Christian life is necessary in our entire pursuit for
holiness – our salvation. We now connect and take a look
at the Seven Ritual Sacraments of the Church.
Definition of the Sacraments (Why Seven?)
The word “sacrament” is taken from the Latin word
sacramentum, meaning something sacred, or holy. The word
used in the original Greek is mysterion. It is use to refer to the
deep and secret purposes (the mystery) of God’s work in the world
through Jesus Christ. The mysterion/sacramentum indicates that
through the created universe, we enter into a close relationship
with God; we experience the mystery of God’s presence.
 Sacraments are saving symbolic acts or visible
signs, arising from the ministry of Christ and continued
in, by and for the Church, which, when received in
faith, fashion us into likeness to Christ in his Paschal
Mystery, through the power of the Holy Spirit.(cf. CFC
1576)
 Three Elements of a Sacrament
Sacraments are They represent particular actions and
signs. values of Jesus. These signs re-enact and
re-present what has taken place in the past.
They make present and real today what
Jesus has accomplished by his saving
deeds. For instance, the Eucharist is a
symbolic re-enactment of the Last Supper.
These seven signs also reflect Jesus’ basic
values: reconciliation (forgiveness),
anointing of the sick (healing) and
Eucharist (unity of the communion).
Sacraments have been They are ultimately traceable to Jesus for he
instituted by Christ. alone can confer upon material signs a spiritual
efficacy; besides, being our Redeemer, He
alone can determine in what way the life of
grace should flow into our souls. Jesus
“instituted” the sacraments by first being the
sacrament of his Father through his whole life
of word and action, and then by establishing
the Church to be his basic sacrament. The
Church makes Christ present to all persons in
every age first, by being his body, and second,
by celebrating those actions that continue
Christ’s own ministry.(cf. CFC 1525).
Sacraments give or Grace is a living relationship with God. Very
increase grace. simple, Jesus is grace. Grace is the gift of God’s
friendship for us. Grace is the story of God’s
constant love for us. Grace is God’s free invitation
to us to live in union with Him. In a sense, a
sacrament is a promised meeting of Jesus and
through Him the Father. Our Lord promised that
He would be with us; the seven sacraments are
guaranteed moments of encountering Him. They
are grace -filled moments. Each sacrament has its
own proper effect. St Thomas says each sacrament
meets one of our seven basic spiritual needs
(corresponding to our seven basic material needs).
But how exactly do the sacraments communicate
grace?
They do so ex opere operato’ that is, they of themselves give grace,
not depending intrinsically on either the minister or the recipient for
their efficacy. For they are actions of Christ, and it is from Him, and
Him alone, that they draw proper.
But because He has willed that these material elements should
give grace, they do so, provided are administered properly [right matter
and form are used] and are united in their administration by the
authorized minister who has the intention to do so as the church
does. The minister may be in the state of sin, but will not affect the
validity of the sacrament though the minister himself commits the
sacrilege, unless it is a matter of life and death.
 The recipient’s state of soul, on the other hand, has a definite effect
of Sacrament’s efficacy, not intrinsically but practically. The sacrament
in themselves give grace, but the recipient has the power of blocking
their effects in his soul if he so chooses. This because Sacraments are
encounters with Christ, which means that the recipient must give his
cooperation to Christ’s sanctifying actions. Those actions themselves
are efficacious, cannot work out in the individual’s sanctification
actually without correspondence on man’s part.
Why Seven?
 “Canon I. – If any one saith, that
the sacraments of the New Law were not
all instituted by Jesus Christ, our Lord; or,
that they are more, or less, than seven, to
wit, Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist,
Penance, Extreme Unction, Order, and
Matrimony; or even that any one of these
seven is not truly and properly a
sacrament; let him be anathema.”
Council of Trent, On the Sacraments in
General
  “Canon IV. – If any one saith,
that the sacraments of the New Law are
not necessary unto salvation, but
superfluous; and that, without them, or
without the desire thereof, men obtain
of God, through faith alone, the grace
of justification; through all (the
sacraments) are not necessary for every
individual; let him be anathema.
Council of Trent, On the Sacraments in
General
  “Canon VI. – If any one saith, that
the sacraments of the New Law do not
contain the grace which they signify; or,
that they do not confer that grace on those
who do not place an obstacle thereunto; as
though they were merely outward signs of
grace or justice received through faith, and
certain marks of the Christian profession,
whereby believers are distinguished
amongst men from unbelievers; let him be
anathema.” Council of Trent, On the
Sacraments in General
  “These five sacraments –
Confirmation, Eucharist, Extreme Unction,
Holy Orders and Matrimony – are on that
account called sacraments of the living,
because those who receive them must be free
from mortal sin, that is, already alive through
sanctifying grace. Q: What sin does he
commit who, conscious that he is not in a state
of grace, receives one of the sacraments of the
living? A: He who conscious that he is not in a
state of grace, receives one of the sacraments
of the living, commits a serious sacrilege”
Catechism of St. Pius X, The Sacraments
 “However, let not the faithful imagine that it is enough to
receive the body of the Lord once a year only, in obedience to
the decree of the Church. They should approach oftener; but
whether monthly, weekly, or daily, cannot be decided by any
fixed universal rule. St. Augustine, however, lays down a most
certain norm: Live in such a manner as to be able to receive
every day” Catechism of Council of Trent, The Sacrament of
the Eucharist (Sacraments of Confirmation, Holy Orders and
Matrimony are received only one time in a person’s life, and
Extreme Unction only when in danger of death. The Sacrament
of Penance is the only other Sacrament beside the Eucharist
which is received regularly).
Church Teaching on Changing of any Sacraments:
 “It is well-known that to the Church there belongs no right
whatsoever to innovate anything on the substance of the Sacraments”
Pope St. Pius X, Ex quo nono, 1910
 “The Church is forbidden to change, or even touch, the matter or
form of any Sacrament. She may indeed change or abolish or introduce
something in the nonessential rites or “ceremonial” parts to be used in
the administration of the Sacraments, such as the processions, prayers or
hymns, before or after the actual words of the form are recited …” Pope
Leo XIII, Apostolicae Curae, 1896
 Thus, Christ instituted seven
Sacraments through which we receive
graces. The Catholic Church teaches there
are seven Sacraments and that these cannot
be added to, remove from, or changed.