The Sacramental Nature of the Church

1. The Sacramental Nature of the Church An Intro to the Sacraments

2. “Made For More” • Intro – We are created to experience happiness here on earth and ultimately for eternity • Ch. 1 – Who is Jesus? • He proclaims to be God incarnate • The Gospels attest to these claims, our Catholic faith hold these claims as true. • Ch. 2 – Can we believe what we are told is true?... Yes • Ch. 3 – Our faith stands or falls with the actual occurrence of Jesus’ resurrection. • Did it actually happen?...Yes • Ch. 4 – Jesus has established an Earthly Kingdom (The Church) to prepare us for entrance into God’s Eternal Kingdom • Ch. 5 - Entrance into this Kingdom requires more than faith, it requires a transformation • God comes to us in the sacraments

3. What is the Meaning of the Sacraments? • “The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. • The visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each sacrament. • They bear fruit in those who receive them with the required dispositions.” (CCC, 1131) • God will always honor our gift of free will

4. Efficacious • Definition: • capable of producing a desired effect. • The sacraments actually confer the grace they signify. • They effect what they symbolize and symbolize what they effect • Act as both sign and symbol • Each sacrament confers a grace that is proper to it. • “Visible signs of invisible grace” -St. Augustine

5. Grace • “A participation in the life of God.” • (CCC, 1997) • “The free and undeserved help that God gives us in order to respond to his call.” • (CCC, 1996) • We have a free will and are free to act on our own, why do we still require God’s grace in order to achieve salvation? Think back to MfM • The conferring of God’s grace is know in the Church as the sacramental economy.

6. Sacramental Economy • Christ dispenses the fruit of his Paschal Mystery (God’s grace) through the sacraments. • Paschal Mystery • The life, death, and resurrection of Christ • All that he did to earn us salvation he gives us through the sacraments

7. Sacraments are the Masterworks of God • God makes himself present to us through the sacraments • It is not our words or actions that magically make him appear, like a genie • Rather, God chooses to make himself present in the sacraments and communicates to us through the rituals.

8. God Acts First, We Respond • Every encounter with the sacraments is a dialogue between us and God. • It is part of the relationship we share with Him. • The New Covenant • We have the freedom to choose whether or not we enter this relationship through our actions • Not a one time decision • We maintain this relationship every day in the decisions we freely make • Essentially, we make the free decision to allow God to transform us spiritually. • PP on Freedom?

9. Has learning about Jesus helped you understand God’s love better? • How? • How have the Church’s sacraments helped you celebrate God’s love? • How have you been transformed by the sacraments (or by your personal relationship with Christ)? • How would you be different if you never encountered Christ?

10. The Church and the Sacramental Economy of Salvation Chapter 1

11. The Incarnation • Definition: • Taking on human flesh. • In Jesus, God took on human form. • “And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) • What is meant by “the Word”. Who is being referenced? • Our human nature desires the physical presence of those we love and that we trust in.

12. Jesus Christ is the Sacrament of God • Liturgy: definition? • the official public worship of the Church. • Made up of the sacraments and the Divine Office or Liturgy of the Hours. • Mass is most important liturgical celebration. • The system Christ uses to make himself present on earth. • Christ makes something that is invisible visible – God’s divine presence • efficacious because he transmits God’s love to us; he is the only way to the Father.

13. Review From Yesterday • What does efficacious mean? • something capable of producing a desired effect • Is Jesus efficacious? How? • He makes God’s invisible love visible to us • Why is Jesus not considered the 8th Sacrament? • Because he is the primary sign of God’s love for us. The 7 sacraments communicate the Paschal Mystery to us. In knowing Jesus we come to understand God. • How is the Church like a sacrament? (Hint: 3 dimensions) • 1) It is a mystery (we can only come to know it through revelation, not by our own faculties) • 2) It is a visible sign of an invisible reality • 3) It is efficacious, it makes real what it signifies (The Kingdom of God)

14. The Church, The Universal Sacrament of Salvation • Each sacrament is primarily and fundamentally a personal act of Christ himself acting through his Mystical Body, the Church. • The act of the High Priest • “He [Jesus] entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.” (Heb. 9:12) • “It really is Christ who acts in the sacraments through the Holy Spirit for the Church.” (CCC, 1120) • The sacraments are efficacious because in them he is at work; it is he who baptizes, he who acts in his sacraments in order to communicate the grace that each sacrament signifies” (CCC, 1127) • Acting in Persona Christi

15. The Mystical Body of Christ • The members of the Church are bound together by a supernatural life communicated to them by Christ through the sacraments • I am the vine: you the branches. He that abides in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit: for without me you can do nothing (John 15:5). • Christ is the centre and source of life to Whom all are united, and Who endows each one with gifts fitting him for his position in the body • (John 15:7-12). • These graces, through which each is equipped for his work, form it into an organized whole, whose parts are knit together as though by a system of ligaments and joints • And not holding the head, from which the whole body, by joints and bands, being supplied with nourishment and compacted, grows into the increase of God. (Colossians 2:19). • Through them, too, the Church has its growth and increase, growing in extension as it spreads through the world, and intensively as the individualChristian develops in himself the likeness of Christ • (John 15:13-15).

16. So… • Just as Christ is the sacrament of God to the world, making Him visible and incarnate while bestowing divine grace, so the Church is the sacrament of Christ throughout our history. • Moon : Sun :: Reflection of light • Church : Christ :: Reflection of Salvation • The “Church” is the Earthly Kingdom we spoke of in “Made For More” • King, Prime Minister, Queen Mother • The successors of the Apostles (Bishops) spread throughout the world working in union with the Pope

17. Three Qualities of a Sacrament • It is a mystery. • It serves as a visible sign of an unseen divine reality. • It is an efficacious sign. - It makes real what it signifies

18. The Church as Mystery • Def. of Mystery: Something that cannot be fully explained or comprehended. • Symbolic language and imagery were used in the Early Church to help people understand the Church better. • Sheepfold (Christ as the fence) • Flock of Sheep (Christ the Shepherd) • Vineyard (God as the Vine Dresser, Christ as the vine, us as the branches) • Building of God • Bride of Christ (Mother to us) • New Jerusalem (Kingdom of God)

19. The Church as Visible Sign • Made visible by the marks of the Church • Four essential signs that designate her as Christ’s true Church • One, holy, catholic, and apostolic

20. One • Each parish is part of a larger diocese, which is part of the universal Church • All received their faith as it was communicated from the Apostles • All share in the same Mass and sacraments • Essentially, all churches are united to one another and form the Church

21. Holy • “The Holy Spirit dwells in the Church and in the hearts of the faithful, as in a temple.” • (Lumen Gentium, 4) • Witnessed in the lives of Mary and the many saints throughout the centuries. • We grow in holiness by following their example and by participating in the Church’s sacraments and mission of charity.

22. Catholic • Means Universal • The Church is Catholic under two senses • 1) She offers the fullness of the means for Salvation. • Does not rely on any other source, she is the only source. • 2) Her mission includes everyone and is for everyone.

23. Apostolic • The Church is a hierarchical community, lead by those who are authorized to act in the name of Christ. • The Church is founded on the Apostles, whom Jesus Chose. • Through the sacrament of Holy Orders, the Apostles hand down their authority on teaching and faith to successors. • The pope and bishops can trace their lineage all the way back to St. Peter and the other Apostles.

24. The Church as Efficacious Sign • The Church is both the means and the end (goal) of God’s plan. • The Mystical Body of Christ • “The Church, in Christ, is a sacrament – a sign and instrument, that is, of communion with God and of the unity of the entire human race.” • (Lumen Gentium, 1) • A sacrament in an analogical sense • “The universal sacrament of salvation.” • (Lumen Gentium, 48)

25. The Mission of the Church, the Body of Christ • “As a body is one, though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.” • (1 Cor 12:12-13) • Christ and the Holy Spirit animate the members of the Church through the sacraments to engage in and live out the mission of the Church. • We receive life and spiritual nutrients through the sacraments.

26. The Mission of the Church, the Body of Christ • “Rising for the dead, Christ sent his life-giving Spirit upon his disciples and through him set up his body, which is the Church as the universal sacrament of salvation. Sitting at the right hand of the Father he is continually active in the world in order to lead people to the Church and through it to join them more closely to himself; by nourishing them with his own Body and Blood, he makes them sharers in his glorious life.” • (Lumen Gentium, 48)

27. Communion With Other Catholics • The Body of Christ accepts and is made up of people from every race, economic status, political orientation, and even those who we may not get along with. • Each member of the Body serves the Body in a different way and is important and necessary. • Priest, alter server, choir member, catechumen, lay person, etc. • The mission and vocation of each particular local church is connected to that of the universal Roman Catholic Church. • Not a loose collaboration of local churches all doing their own thing.

28. Communion With People Throughout the World • The Church is the universal sacrament of salvation • Communion with other Christians • Imperfectly • Communion with Non- Christians • Jews, Muslims, etc. • “The ultimate purpose of mission is none other than to make men share in the communion between the Father and the Son in their Spirit of love.” (CCC, 850)

29. Communion With People Throughout the World • Human Solidarity: The virtue of social charity, friendship, and responsible sharing. Helps us to recognize that we are all part of the same family under the Father. • “If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.” (1 Cor 12:26) • Social Justice: The collaborative efforts of a united society to ensure that laws are established that provide conditions that allow associations or individuals to obtain what is their due, according to their nature and their vocation. • Linked to the common good and the exercise of authority.

30. Communion of Saints • Communion between all the living faithful and all the deceased faithful. • Deceased faithful includes those in Purgatory as well as those already in heaven. • All share the same spiritual goods: • Communion in the faith (from the Apostles) • Communion of the sacraments (unite us in faith) • Communion of charisms (a gift from the Holy Spirit for the benefit of all the Church) • Communion of goods (everything you have been blessed with is also to be used for the good of all the members of the Church) • Communion in charity (every good deed strengthens the Body of Christ, every sin harms this communion)

31. The Church, The Channel of Grace • Christ’s instrument for salvation • The Church gives grace through: • Baptism • Confirmation • Eucharist • Reconciliation • Anointing of the Sick • Holy Orders • Matrimony • Participating in the Church transforms us into priests, prophets, and royalty. • Christ allows us to participate in our salvation.

32. Our Mission as Priests • Differs from hierarchical priesthood of bishops and priests • Baptism marks us as a people that are to act as Christ • We are to offer ourselves to God in worship, become holy, and help others grow in holiness • Transforms us into a community founded on faith, hope, and charity (Theological Virtues)

33. Our Mission as Prophets • Someone who speaks God’s Word to others, witnesses to the truth about Jesus Christ, and reminds others to persevere in the true faith. • Not someone who predicts the future; think evangelist • People who spread the message of Christ throughout the world • We act as prophets whenever we give witness to him through our words, actions, or example. • Bishops and priests work as prophets within the Church • The laity carry out their prophetic mission outside of the Church in the secular world • In neighborhoods, workplaces, malls, hospitals, restaurants, sports, etc. • “In faith, hope, and charity they manifest Christ to others.” (Lumen Gentium, 31)

34. Our Royal Mission • Royalty is not to be equated with earthly riches and power. • Rather, it is the power to serve and protect those people who have been charged to their care. • True royalty does not seek to be served but to serve others. • “With great power comes great responsibility.”

35. What Happens in the Sacraments Chapter 2

36. Our Focus • We don’t just celebrate our redemption, we participate in it. • We do so in the Paschal Mystery • Jesus did not celebrate the sacraments as we do today. • He instituted them through his words and actions which are recorded in the Gospels • We have received the sacraments through Apostolic succession • Guided by the Holy Spirit

37. Review • What are the four types of communion represented by the Body of Christ • With the Trinity • Other Catholics • Non Catholics • Saints • How do the sacraments build up the Body of Christ? • Each sacrament plays a different role • Initiates, heals, and creates community for the Body of Christ

38. CELEBRATING OUR REDEMPTION • The liturgy is a celebration of the Paschal Mystery of Christ. • We are redeemed! • Especially in the Eucharist • We are present and participate in the actual Paschal Mystery of Christ. • Not as if merely watching a reenactment. • Transforms us so that we may imitate the life of Christ.

39. Imitating Christ • Do you feel indebted to Christ for our gift of salvation? • How do we pay this debt… • Have you ever imitated the actions of someone influential in your life? • We typically act this way because we received some kind of gift from them. • Dedicated time and effort for your benefit • Family, teacher, coach… • Participation in the liturgy transforms us so that we begin to imitate Jesus more and more.

40. CHRIST ACTS THROUGH THE SACRAMENTS • The events of our salvation occurred only once: • Jesus’ Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension • The coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost • However, by the power of the Holy Spirit the liturgy makes these events present and real for us today.

41. God the Father: Source and Goal of the Liturgy • Throughout human history, people have witnessed visible signs of God’s blessings • Blessings: Divine life-giving actions • “God’s invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made.” (Rom 1:20) • Seen in everything that surrounds us. • Every aspect of creation leads back to our Divine Creator.

42. However… • Creation only points to the Divine, it does not make real the Divine. • “In the Church’s liturgy the divine blessing is fully revealed and communicated.” • (CCC, 1082) • The sacraments point to God but they also make God truly present to us • God acts, we respond

43. The Work of Christ in the Liturgy • Christ’s presence is clearly seen in the liturgy in the following ways: • Jesus is present in the minister of the sacrament • Christ is the minister, the priest only acts in his name. • Jesus is present in the Word • The Word of God made flesh • Christ speaks when the Scriptures are read in the liturgy • Jesus is present when the Church prays and sings • “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them.” (Mat 18:20) • Jesus is especially present in the species of the Eucharist • Real Presence: The doctrine that Jesus Christ is truly present in his Body and Blood under the form of bread and wine in the Eucharist.

44. The Holy Spirit Prepares Us to Meet Christ in the Liturgy • TWO WAYS THAT WE INTERACT WITH THE H.S. • Anamnesis: The “remembering of” (Latin) • Recalls all that God has done for us • Ex. in the Liturgy (OT reading, NT Epistle, and Gospel) • Holy Spirit awakens our memory to the entirety of our faith • Epiclesis: “Invocation prayer” (Latin) • the intercessory prayer that the priest makes during Mass in which he begs the Father to send the Spirit so that the bread and wine may become the body and blood of Christ.

45. INTRODUCING THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS • The Church’s entire liturgical life revolves around the Eucharist and the other sacraments. • They can be understood in several different senses to gain a greater comprehension of their nature.

46. The Sacraments of Christ • Christ instituted each of them while he was on earth • Not in the form as we know them today • Each sacrament is rooted in Christ’s Paschal mystery

47. The Sacraments of the Church • Christ gave his Church the power to make God’s grace available through the sacraments. • The Church has the authority to determine the rituals of each sacrament. • Magisterium (Authority)

48. The Sacraments of Faith • The sacraments are not rooted in the faith of the individuals receiving the sacrament or in the minister. • They are rooted in the faith of the whole Church • That is why they are celebrated communally • The faith of the Church has preserved them throughout the history of the Church • Lex orandi, lex credendi • How we pray is how we believe (You play how you practice) • Sacred Tradition (Apostolic Succesion)

49. The Sacraments of Salvation • The sacraments confer the grace they signify – efficacious • THEY DON’T SIMPLY REPRESENT OUR SALVATION. THEY GIVE US OUR SALVATION. • Ex opere operato • “By the work worked” • It refers to the fact that the sacraments confer grace when the sign is validly effected -- not as the result of activity on the part of the recipient but by the power and promise of God. • The grace of the sacrament is not dependent on the worthiness of either the celebrant or the recipient. • Christ and the Holy Spirit still work through them • Disposition is important; must be open to receiving the grace

50. The Sacraments of Eternal Life • The sacraments are celebrated in anticipation of eternal happiness. • Unites us with the Holy Trinity. • This life will only be fully experienced after death. • However, we get a foretaste of the life that is to come now in our present lives by participating in the liturgy and sacraments.