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THEO2: SACRAMENTS Fr. Niño Perido, crs

The Seven Sacraments

What are the Sacraments? A Sacrament is a channel of grace. Traditionally, a

Sacrament has been defined as sacred sign instituted by Christ to confer grace . In
every Sacrament, there is a visible element, and an invisible element . The visible is a
sign of the invisible. What happens exteriorly points to what is happening interiorly.
Christ acts upon us in the Sacraments on this deeper, invisible level, and we encounter
Him therein. In the Sacraments, the love, power, and grace of the Paschal Mystery is
applied to us in a particular way, for the sanctification of our lives.

Catholic Teaching names seven Sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist,

Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. But these are categorized
under three headings:

The Sacraments of Initiation 1. Baptism 2. Confirmation 3. Eucharist.

The Sacraments of Healing 1. Penance 2. Anointing of the Sick.

The Sacraments of Vocation 1. Holy Orders 2. Matrimony

Liturgy & Sacraments

Why are there seven Sacraments?

In natural life, we are born, we grow, we are fed, we heal, we have different
roles in life, and we die. The sacraments correspond to these dimensions. Baptism is
spiritual birth. Confirmation is spiritual growth. The Holy Eucharist is spiritual food.
Penance, also called Reconciliation or Confession, is spiritual healing. The Sacrament of
Matrimony is spiritual marriage. Holy Orders consecrates certain men to shepherd the
Church in the name of Christ. It is spiritual leadership. Anointing of the Sick spiritually
strengthens, forgives, and sometimes heals a person in life-threating sickness. It also
consecrates one’s death to Christ. So, through the Sacraments, Christ consecrates these
different dimensions of our lives and elevates them, so that our lives might be sanctified
by His grace.

Because Christ is the source of the seven sacraments, the sacraments are divine
gifts and doorways into the mystery of God and encounter with Christ, and a font for
the Christian life. The following explain how the sacraments originate from Christ.
 1. Baptism: Before Jesus ascended into Heaven, He instructed His disciples, “Go
therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them all that I have commanded you;
and behold, I am with you always, to the close of the age” (Mt 28:19-20).

2. Confirmation: The gift of the Holy Spirit was given to the Church at
Pentecost. Confirmation is a share in the grace of Pentecost. In the Acts of the Apostles
and elsewhere in the New Testament, we see this gift of the Holy Spirit being imparted
through the laying on of the apostles’ hands (Acts 8:14-18; 19:1-7; Heb 6:1-2).

3. Eucharist: At the Last Supper, Jesus gave the Church the Gift of the
Eucharist, His Body and Blood, and He instructed His apostles to “Do this in
remembrance of me” (1 Cor 11:24).

4. Penance / Reconciliation / Confession: When Jesus appeared to His

disciples as risen from the dead in the upper room, He breathed on them the Holy Spirit
and gave them the power to forgive sins, saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive
the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (Jn
20:23).

5. Anointing of the Sick: Jesus not only made healing the sick an essential
part of His ministry; He sent His apostles out to anoint the sick with oil (Mk 6:13). It is
for this reason that St. James says, “Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders
of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the
Lord; and the prayer of faith will save this sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and
if he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven” (Jas 5:14-15). Liturgy & Sacraments

6. Holy Orders: By choosing twelve apostles, by giving them authority to teach

and heal, and by giving them the power to celebrate the Eucharist and communicate
God’s forgiveness, Jesus ordained men to shepherd His Church in His name.

7. Matrimony: Jesus calls Himself “the bridegroom” (Mt 9:15; 25:1-10), since
He is the Lord Who has come as the Bridegroom of His people, since He, the Son of
God, has wedded Himself to humankind in becoming man, and because He will lay
down His life in love for His bride, the Church (Eph 5:25). Christ also blessed the
Wedding Feast of Cana with His presence (Jn 2:1-11). Marriage between believers,
then, shares in the mystery of Christ’s love for His Bride, the Church (Eph 5:21-33). In
these ways, for believers, Jesus has elevated marriage to a sacrament.

Why are there three groupings of Sacraments?

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 Three of the seven sacraments are called the Sacraments of Initiation, because
they are foundationally formative for the Christian life. They are Baptism, Confirmation,
and the Eucharist. Two are called Sacraments of Healing, since they impart healing,
forgiveness, and strength in our struggle with sin, suffering, sickness, and death. They
are Penance and Anointing of the Sick. Two are vocational (callings) and oriented
toward the building up of the Church in different ways. These are Holy Orders and
Matrimony. Why are certain Sacraments repeated, while others are not? Three
sacraments are only given once and never repeated: Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy
Orders (for the same degree). This is because there is something about these
sacraments which marks us for God. In each of these sacraments, there is an imparting
of a permanent power. This “mark” or “power” is what we call a Sacramental Character.
Baptism inserts us into Christ’s Body, the Church, and gives us the power to join in with
the worship of Christ, the liturgy. Confirmation gives us the power to witness to our
faith, to defend it, and to live it among the challenges and temptations of the world.
Holy Orders gives men the power to bestow divine gifts (sacraments and blessings)
upon the people of God, and to shepherd the flock in the name of Christ.

A similar “bond” is created between spouses in the Sacrament of Marriage, which

bond endures until the death of one’s spouse. Someone can be married again after
one’s spouse has died, then, since the former bond was only until death.

Penance and Eucharist, in contrast, are repeated often, since we need constant
forgiveness and spiritual nourishment and strength. Anointing of the Sick can be
repeated when one’s serious illness worsens. Liturgy & Sacraments

What is the “form and matter” of a Sacrament?

The Form of a sacrament refers to the words used that contain the power of
Christ. For example, the form of Baptism is the formula, “I baptize you in the name of
the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” The Matter of a sacrament refers to
the material used as a channel for the bestowing of grace. For example, the matter of
the Sacrament of the Eucharist is bread from wheat and wine from grapes. The form
and matter, along with the right minister of the Sacrament, and the right intention
within the minister, are all essential parts of any Sacrament. If incorrect words or
matter are used, the Sacrament is not valid. For example, if the one baptizing were to
say “I baptize you in the name of Zeus,” the baptism would not be valid, even if water
were used. Likewise, water is necessary for baptism. Using milk is not valid. Articulating
the form and matter of each sacrament helps us to be faithful to what Christ handed on
to us and not depart from that.

Why is disposition so important in the reception of the Sacraments?

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 People often doubt the power of baptism when they see people who have been
baptized living sinfully and selfishly. Likewise with the other sacraments. However, the
sacraments work with our free-will, not independent of it. If we reject the grace of any
particular sacrament after having received it, it is our fault for not living according to its
grace. It is not God’s fault. Neither does it prove that the sacrament is defective. There
is a saying: “What is given is given according to the disposition of the receiver.” The
more open we are to receiving the grace of a sacrament, the more we will receive, and
the less open we are, the less we will receive. It is we who limit God, not God who
limits what He can do in us. This is why it is important to realize, as valid as each
sacrament is in itself, that its fruitfulness in us depends on the disposition of our hearts.
Sacraments are not magic. We are called to approach them with faith. This also
highlights the importance of forming people well in their faith, so that they can better
prepare for and live out the grace of the sacraments. The sacraments also nurture and
strengthen faith, even as they work toward our spiritual healing and sanctification, and
lead us to eternal life. In the end, the Sacraments are divine gifts and privileged
channels through which God communicates His life to us, through Jesus and His Paschal
Mystery, so that we might be built up in faith and love and one day be united with
Eternal Love, God. We are called to come to the Sacraments with open hearts, full of
faith, reverence, eagerness, and love, so that we can be open to all God wants to give
us through the sacraments.