19. General Sacraments- Rayan Lobo,SJ

8/18/2019 19. General Sacraments- Rayan Lobo,SJ

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19. General Sacraments - Rayan Lobo, SJ Page 1

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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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 thedifferent 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 Lord’s 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 Rahner’s 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 T’RENT( 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 incommunity, 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 God’s 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 doesn’t 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 d on’t 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.

19. General Sacraments- Rayan Lobo,SJ

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