purpose of sacraments essay

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Understanding the 7 Sacraments: The Big Picture

May 20, 2017 by Gretchen Filz

Do you know what a sacrament is? Do you know how many there are? Can you name them?  Do you know what they do?

These are important questions that every Catholic should be able to answer. If it's a bit fuzzy or confusing, here is a short primer that lays out the big picture of our relationship to the sacraments and what they do for us.

WHAT IS A SACRAMENT?

A sacrament is an outward sign of an invisible spiritual reality. Because humans are a unity of a physical body and a spiritual soul, God uses the means of physical objects and rituals to convey spiritual truths that we cannot detect using our senses.

This outward sign functions as a channel through which God imparts sanctifying grace into the soul.  The sacraments are seven in number and have their source in the saving work of Jesus in his passion, death, and resurrection, and were established by Him for the sanctification of every member of His Church.

Sacraments are external rites performed by the Church that we experience both physically and mystically. Through them God imparts actual divine grace (participation in the divine life of the Holy Trinity) which enters into our soul and transforms (sanctifies) us, helping us to live a life pleasing to God so that we can spend eternity with him in heaven.

Through the sacraments the supernatural moral virtues are also infused into our souls, giving us the grace we need to overcome sin and to live a life ruled by faith, hope, and charity with increasing perfection throughout our lives.

In a nutshell, "Sacraments are outward signs of inward grace, instituted by Christ for our sanctification."

WHY ARE THERE SEVEN?

According the Catechism of the Catholic Church , the sacraments

"touch all the stages and all the important moments of Christian life: they give birth and increase, healing and mission to the Christian's life of faith. There is thus a certain resemblance between the stages of natural life and the stages of the spiritual life." 

Because of this broad inclusion of all stages of life from birth to death, it is fitting that there be more than a single sacrament that corresponds to each. This is for our benefit so that we can know that God is always with us, that he sustains us through all the stages of our life, and that his grace is always working to save us through His Church.

The number seven is also a spiritually significant number; it appears in many biblical passages and is associated with perfection or completeness. For example, God rested on the seventh day after creation, there are seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, Jesus spoke seven last words from the Cross, etc.

 The Three Sacraments of Initiation into the Catholic Church

The first three sacraments—Baptism, Confirmation, and First Communion—are collectively known as the Sacraments of Initiation into the Catholic Church, "whose unity must be safeguarded" according to the Catholic Catechism. In other words, they are a package deal, so to speak.

The easiest way to understand why there are three Sacraments of Initiation (and not just one) is by viewing them in light of the Holy Trinity.  The Holy Trinity is the Christian doctrine of God's nature: the unity of three Divine Persons in one God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Each of the Sacraments of Initiation reveal one of the three Persons of the Holy Trinity.

Baptism is always the first sacrament to be received; it is the gateway into the Church and plants the seed of divine life into our souls, which is then increased by degree through the other sacraments throughout our lives.

The Sacrament of Baptism :  The removal of the stain of original sin and becoming a Christian, a son or daughter of God the Father .

The Sacrament of Confirmation : The seal or completion of baptism; the reception of the mark of God the Holy Spirit and His seven sanctifying gifts.

The Sacrament of Holy Communion : The reception of the God the Son in the Holy Eucharist; the body, blood, soul, and divinity of the Incarnate Jesus Christ.

So we see that the three Sacraments of Initiation follow a Trinitarian formula: being received into the divine life of the Triune God through each of the Divine Persons.

According to the Catechism,

"The sacraments of Christian initiation—Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist—lay the foundations of every Christian life. The sharing in the divine nature given to men through the grace of Christ bears a certain likeness to the origin, development, and nourishing of natural life. The faithful are born anew by Baptism, strengthened by the sacrament of Confirmation, and receive in the Eucharist the food of eternal life. By means of these sacraments of Christian initiation, they thus receive in increasing measure the treasures of the divine life and advance toward the perfection of charity." (CCC 1212)

 The Other Four Sacraments that Guide Us through Life

From here we can understand the other four sacraments.  Once we are received into the Church through the three Sacraments of Initiation, our life within the Church doesn't stop there.  We also regularly receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation or Penance which restores us when, during the course of our life, we through sin fall from the grace we have received in our baptism.  Serious sin cuts us off from God's grace (called a grave sin because it kills God's divine life in the soul), while sacramental confession restores it.

Next comes the question of our state in life as Christians living in the world. The vocational sacraments are the Sacrament of Holy Matrimon y and the Sacrament of Holy Orders. These sacraments impart God's divine life to those living out a life-long call to marriage or the priesthood.

Finally, at the end of our lives comes sickness and death and the corresponding Sacrament of Healing , also called Anointing of the Sick, Extreme Unction, or Last Rites. It is when we receive the prayer and blessing of the Church to strengthen the soul as we transition from this life to the next. The sacrament is also administered to those who are seriously ill or in danger of death.

THE ROLE OF THE PRIEST

The sacraments, as external rites, are performed by the priest who acts in persona Christi . This means that the priest, in virtue of apostolic succession, acts in the very person of Christ as he administers the sacraments to the faithful. The sacraments impart divine life into our souls through the power and authority of Jesus Christ in the person of the priest.

The seven sacraments of the Catholic Church are injections of divine grace to help us live our lives, from birth to death, in harmony with the will of God, which is intended for our happiness and well-being in this life. They are marvelous gifts of God intended to purify our souls and bring us to eternal life with Him in heaven, and we should be very grateful for them!

This article has been updated and was originally published in January 2013. © The Catholic Company. All rights reserved.

• Author:Gretchen Filz
• Church & Faith

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Why Sacraments Are Important for Your Faith

• Rev. Kyle Norman Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer
• Updated Mar 10, 2022

Christian faith is about more than simply believing the right thing. If we limit faith to the doctrinal positions we hold, or the theological nuances to which we ascribe, this will create a disconnect between what we say we believe and how we live. We may talk a good game, but our outward lives will remain unchanged, un-transformed. This is not to say that what we believe is unimportant. Of course it is! However, what we believe (or better yet who  we believe in) is to inform how we live. The two must be connected. Christian faith is to be embodied, lived out.

This outward display of faith can prove difficult. There are times when we all struggle with how to express outwardly what we believe internally. It is precisely because of these struggles that the sacraments are important for us. The sacraments of the church are one of the ways that Christian people have historically navigated the lived-out dimension of their faith. As tangible expressions of our connection to Jesus, sacraments help us live our faith in a visible way. Still, many people have questions about the sacraments, and why they are important for our spiritual lives.

Here are four essential truths we must remember about sacraments:

Sacraments are biblically based.

Protestant Churches limit the sacraments to Baptism and Eucharist (Communion) alone. The difference in number is because Protestant denominations emphasize that only Baptism and Communion were specifically instituted by Christ. In Matthew 28:19 , Jesus specifically commands the disciples to “Baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” Similarly, Jesus instructs the disciples at the Last Supper to “do this in remembrance of me” ( Luke 22:19 ). As it is only these two sacraments that can be linked to a specific gospel command, the Protestant church reserves the sacramental title to these alone.

Sacraments are physical actions.

Sacraments point to our relationship with Jesus, and our reliance upon the Holy Spirit, in a physical way. Simply defined, a sacrament is an outward and visible expression of the inward grace of Jesus. Each sacramental action communicates participation with the Holy Spirit in our lives. This participation is not merely a matter of internal thought or inward affection, it is an embodied participation. Thus, essential to any sacraments is the outward physicality of the sacrament. The “act” of the sacrament helps us recognize that our life with Jesus is about the “here and now” not the “then and not yet.” Sacraments are taken into flesh-and-blood existence and become part of how we live our lives.

Take baptism as an example. One cannot simply decide they are baptized. One cannot imagine themselves into baptismal identity. One must, physically, feel the water upon their skin. Or take Christ’s call to participate in Communion. To partake of the Eucharist, one must physically reach out for the bread and the wine. The external action signifies our reception of the inward grace of Jesus.

Sacraments are holy invitations.

We can sometimes get bogged down by debates and disagreements regarding the Sacraments. What is the correct number of sacraments? Should babies be baptized? Do we dunk or sprinkle? Is wine necessary for communion? If we get side-tracked by these arguments, we will fail to recognize one of the most important aspects of the sacraments: Sacraments are places in which we are invited to realize the grace of Jesus. This means that there is a dual nature to the sacraments. On one hand, the sacrament is something that we do, an action that we perform. We eat the bread. We drink the cup. We anoint with oil. On the other hand, the sacraments testify to something that Jesus does. The very point of engaging with a sacrament is to receive the inward presence of Jesus.

When we partake of bread and wine in the sacrament of the Eucharist, for example, it is not simply the bread and wine we receive. We receive, in a real way, the presence of Jesus in our lives. In the moment of consuming the Eucharist, we commune with Jesus. The same holds true for the sacrament of baptism. As we are outwardly covered with the baptismal water, inwardly we receive the presence of the Holy Spirit. The inward grace that is received is as real for us as the water that drips down our forehead or the taste of the Communion bread in our mouths.

There is, of course, a danger of making the sacraments simply routine action. The danger is that constantly engaging in the physical expressions of faith may end up masking the spiritual reality behind the action. Yet this is a danger pertaining to how we approach the sacraments, not about the sacraments themselves. If we remember that, in the sacraments, we encounter the presence of Jesus, then we thwart the danger of making the sacraments simply empty routines.

Sacraments are resources.

So, why are the sacraments important for our faith lives? Well, it is not uncommon to struggle with our faith. Many faithful Christians experience times where they doubt their ability to experience the presence of Christ. When we find ourselves in these times, the sacraments beckon us; they are the voice of Jesus calling out “ If you want to find me, you can find me here.” The sacraments assure us that Christ draws close and bestows his grace upon us.

This, undoubtedly, means that the sacraments are something we can look to. Are you feeling spiritually empty? Take up the eucharist. Find a church, go to the altar rail, and receive the bread and wine. In that moment, as you reach out to receive the physical elements, know that you reach out to Jesus who is present with you. As you consume the eucharist, taking the physical elements into your bodily life, recognize that in the same way, the presence of Jesus dwells inwardly. Or perhaps you are in a need of healing. Take up the command of James and go to the elders of the church for prayer and anointing.

Whether one believes in seven sacraments or two, the radical thing about the sacraments is that they contain power. They bring into our lives, in a mystical and spiritual way, what they signify. In the sacraments, we interact with the real presence of Jesus. So, if that is something you are looking for, then seek out one of the sacraments. Christ is present in them, and he bids you to come.

Photo credit: © Sparrowstock

This article is part of our larger resource library of Christian questions important to the Christian faith. From core beliefs to what the Bible says about angels, we want to provide easy to read and understand articles that answer your questions about Christian living.

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Topic 17: Introduction to the Liturgy and the Sacraments

The liturgy is an “action of God” that unites us to Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit (cf. "Sacramentum Caritatis," no. 37).

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1. The Paschal Mystery: a living and life-giving mystery

Jesus' words and actions during his hidden life in Nazareth and his public ministry were saving acts that anticipated the fullness of his paschal mystery. “When his Hour comes he lives out the unique event in history which does not pass away: Jesus dies, is buried, rises from the dead and is seated at the right hand of the Father once for all (Rom 6:10; Heb 7:27; 9:12). His Paschal Mystery is a real event that occurred in our history, but it is unique: all other historical events happen once, and then they pass away swallowed up in the past. The Paschal mystery of Christ, by contrast, cannot remain only in the past because by his death he destroyed death. All that Christ is—all that he did and suffered for men—participates in the divine eternity and so transcends all times while being made present in them all. The event of the Cross and Resurrection abides and draws everything to life" ( Catechism of the Catholic Church – CCC – 1085).

As Benedict XVI wrote, “Being a Christian starts with the encounter with an event, a Person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction." [1] Hence “our Faith and the Eucharistic liturgy both have their source in the same event: Christ's gift of himself in the Paschal Mystery." [2]

2. The Paschal Mystery in the time of the Church: liturgy and sacraments

Christ our Lord “carried out the redemption of humanity principally by the Paschal Mystery of his blessed passion, resurrection from the dead and glorious ascension." [3] “It is this Mystery that the Church proclaims and celebrates in her liturgy" ( CCC , 1068).

“The liturgy then is rightly seen as an exercise of the priestly office of Jesus Christ. It involves the presentation of man's sanctification under the guise of signs perceptible by the senses and its accomplishment in ways appropriate to each of these signs. In it a full public worship is performed by the Mystical Body of Christ, that is to say by the Head and his members." [4] “The whole liturgical life of the Church revolves around the Eucharistic sacrifice and the sacraments" ( CCC , 1113).

“Seated at the right hand of the Father and pouring out the Holy Spirit on his Body which is the Church, Christ now acts through the sacraments he instituted to communicate his grace" ( CCC, 1084).

2.1. The sacraments: nature, origin and number

“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" ( CCC, 1131). “The sacraments are perceptible signs (actions, words) accessible to our human nature" ( CCC, 1084).

“Adhering to the doctrine of the scriptures, apostolic traditions and the unanimous sentiment of the Fathers," we profess that “the sacraments of the new Law were all instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ." [5]

“There are seven sacraments in the Church: Baptism, Confirmation or Chrismation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony" ( CCC, 1113). “The seven sacraments touch all the stages and all the important moments of Christian life; they give birth and increase, healing and mission to the Christian life of faith. There is thus a certain resemblance between the stages of natural life and the stages of the spiritual life" ( CCC, 1210). They form an organic whole centered on the Eucharist, which contains the very Author of the sacraments (cf. CCC, 1211).

The sacraments signify three things: the sanctifying cause , which is the Death and Resurrection of Christ; the sanctifying effect or grace; the sanctifying end , which is eternal glory. “A sacrament is a sign that commemorates what preceded it: Christ's Passion; it demonstrates what is accomplished in us through Christ's Passion: grace; and it prefigures what the Passion pledges to us: future glory." [6]

The sacramental sign, proper to each sacrament, is made up of material realities (water, oil, bread, wine) and human gestures (washing, anointing, laying on of hands, etc.) which are called the matter ; and also of words said by the minister of the sacrament, which are called the form . In reality, “a sacramental celebration is a meeting of God's children with their Father, in Christ and the Holy Spirit; this meeting takes the form of a dialogue through actions and words" ( CCC, 1153).

The liturgy of the sacraments contains an unchangeable part (what Christ himself established about the sacramental sign), and parts that the Church can change for the good of the faithful and greater veneration of the sacraments, adapting them to the circumstances of place and time. [7] “No sacramental rite may be modified or manipulated at the will of the minister or the community" ( CCC , 1125).

2.2 The effects and necessity of the sacraments

All the sacraments confer sanctifying grace on those who place no obstacles. [8] This grace “is the gift of the Holy Spirit who justifies us and sanctifies us" ( CCC , 2003). In addition, the sacraments confer the sacramental grace that is proper to each sacrament (cf. CCC, 1128): this is a specific divine help to obtain the aim of the particular sacrament.

We receive not only sanctifying grace, but the Holy Spirit himself. “Through the Church's sacraments, Christ communicates his Holy and sanctifying Spirit to the members of his Body" ( CCC, 739). [9] The result of the sacramental life is that the Holy Spirit “deifies" the faithful, uniting them in a living union with Christ (cf. CCC , 1129).

The three sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Orders, in addition to conferring grace, confer a sacramental character, an indelible spiritual seal impressed on the soul, [10] by which a Christian shares in Christ's priesthood and is made a member of the Church according to different states and functions. The sacramental character remains for ever as a positive disposition for grace, as a promise and guarantee of divine protection, and as a vocation to divine worship and the service of the Church. For this reason these three sacraments cannot be repeated (cf. CCC, 1121).

The sacraments that Christ has given his Church are necessary (at least the desire to receive them) for salvation and for obtaining sanctifying grace; and none of them is superfluous, even though not all of them are necessary for everyone. [11]

2.3 Effectiveness of the sacraments

The sacraments “are effective because in them Christ himself is at work; it is he who baptises, he who acts in his sacraments in order to communicate the grace that each sacrament signifies" ( CCC, 1127). The sacramental effect is produced ex opere operato (by the very fact of the action, the sacramental sign, being performed). [12] “The sacrament does not act in virtue of the justice of the one who gives it or who receives it; it acts by the power of God." [13] "From the moment that a sacrament is celebrated in accordance with the intention of the Church, the power of Christ and his Spirit acts in and through it, independently of the holiness of the minister" ( CCC , 1128).

The person who administers the sacrament puts himself at the service of Christ and the Church, which is why he is called the minister of the sacrament; and this person cannot be just any member of the faithful, but ordinarily requires the special configuration to Christ the Priest that is given by Holy Orders. [14]

The effectiveness of the sacraments derives from Christ himself who acts in each sacrament; “nevertheless the fruits of the sacraments also depend on the disposition of the one who receives them" ( CCC , 1129). The stronger one's faith, the deeper one's conversion of heart and adhesion to the will of God, the more abundant are the effects of grace that one receives (cf. CCC , 1098).

“Holy Mother Church has, moreover, instituted sacramentals. These are sacred signs that bear a resemblance to the sacraments. They signify effects, particularly of a spiritual nature, which are obtained through the intercession of the Church. By them men are disposed to receive the chief effects of the sacraments, and various occasions of life are rendered holy." [15] “Sacramentals do not confer the grace of the Holy Spirit in the way that the sacraments do, but by the Church's prayer they prepare us to receive grace and predispose us to co-operate with it" ( CCC, 1670). “Among sacramentals, blessings (of persons, meals, objects and places) come first" ( CCC , 1671).

3. The Liturgy

Christian liturgy “is essentially an actio Dei , an action of God which draws us into Christ through the Holy Spirit;" [16] and it has a dual dimension, ascending and descending. [17] “The liturgy is an 'action' of the whole Christ ( Christus totus )" ( CCC, 1136), and thus “it is the whole community, the Body of Christ united with its Head, that celebrates" ( CCC , 1140). In the midst of the assembly Christ himself is present (cf. Mt 18:20), risen and glorious. Christ presides over the celebration. He, who acts inseparably united to the Holy Spirit, convokes, unites, and teaches the assembly. He, the Eternal High Priest, is the principle protagonist of the ritual action that makes present the salvific event, while making use of his ministers to re-present (to make present, really and truly, in the here and now of the liturgical celebration) his redeeming sacrifice, and to make us sharers in the life-giving gifts of his Eucharist.

While forming “as it were one mystical person" with Christ the Head, [18] the Church acts in the sacraments as a “priestly society" that is “organically structured." Thanks to Baptism and Confirmation the priestly people become able to celebrate the liturgy. Therefore “liturgical services are not private functions, but are celebrations of the Church…and pertain to the whole Body of the Church. They manifest it, and have effects upon it. But they touch individual members of the Church in different ways, depending on their orders, their role in the liturgical services, and their actual participation in them." [19]

The whole Church, in heaven and on earth, God and men, takes part in each liturgical celebration (cf. Rev 5). Christian liturgy, even though it may take place solemnly here and now in a specific place and express the yes of a particular community, is by its very nature “catholic." In union with the Pope, with the bishops in communion with the Roman Pontiff, and with the faithful of all times and places, the liturgy is directed towards all mankind, so that God be all in all ( 1 Cor 15:28). Hence this fundamental principle: the true subject of the liturgy is the Church, specifically the communio sanctorum , the communion of saints of all places and times. [20] Therefore, the more fully a celebration is imbued with this awareness, the more specifically does it fulfil the spirit of the liturgy. One expression of this awareness of the unity and universality of the Church is the use of Latin and Gregorian chant in some parts of the liturgical celebration. [21]

Thus we can say that the assembly that celebrates is the community of the baptised who “by regeneration and the anointing of the Holy Spirit are consecrated to be a spiritual house and a holy priesthood, that through all the works of Christian faithful they may offer spiritual sacrifices." [22] This “common priesthood" is that of Christ, the Eternal High Priest, shared in by all his members. [23] “Thus in the celebration of the sacraments all the assembly is leitourgos , each one according to their function, but in the unity of the Holy Spirit who acts in all" ( CCC , 1144). For this reason taking part in liturgical celebrations, even though it does not encompass the entire supernatural life of the faithful, constitutes for them, as for the entire Church, the summit to which all their activity tends and the source from which they draw their strength. [24] For “the Church receives and at the same time expresses what she herself is in the seven sacraments, thanks to which God's grace concretely influences the lives of the faithful, so that their whole existence, redeemed by Christ, can become an act of worship pleasing to God." [25]

When we refer to the assembly as the “subject" of the liturgical celebration, we mean that each of the faithful, acting as a member of the assembly, carries out what and only what corresponds to him or her. The members do not all have the same function ( Rom 12:4) Some are called by God in and through the Church to a special service of the community. These servants are chosen by the sacrament of Holy Orders, by which the Holy Spirit configures them to Christ the Head for the service of all the members of the Church. [26] As John Paul II clarified on several occasions, “ in persona Christi means more than offering 'in the name of' or 'in the place of' Christ. In persona means in specific sacramental identification with the Eternal High Priest who is the author and the principle subject of this sacrifice of his, a sacrifice in which, in truth, nobody can take his place." [27] As the Catechism graphically says, “the ordained minister is, as it were, the icon of Christ the priest" ( CCC , 1142).

“The mystery celebrated in the liturgy is one, but the forms of its celebrations are diverse. The mystery of Christ is so unfathomably rich that it cannot be exhausted by its expression in any single liturgical tradition" ( CCC , 1200-1201). The liturgical rites presently in use in the Church are the Latin (principally the Roman rite, but also the rites of certain local churches, such as the Ambrosian rite, or those of certain religious orders) and the Byzantine, Alexandrian or Coptic, Syriac, Armenian, Maronite and Chaldean rites" ( CCC, 1203). “Holy Mother Church holds all lawfully recognised rites to be of equal right and dignity, and wishes to preserve them in the future and to foster them in every way." [28]

Juan Jose Silvestre

Basic Bibliography

Catechism of the Catholic Church , nos. 1066-1098; 1113-1143; 1200-1211 and 1667-1671.

Recommended Reading

Saint Josemaría, Homily “The Eucharist, Mystery of Faith and Love," in Christ is Passing By , nos 83-94; cf. also Conversations , no. 115.

Joseph Ratzinger, The Spirit of the Liturgy , Ignatius Press.

[1] Benedict XVI, Enc. Deus Caritas Est , 25 December 2005.

[2] Benedict XVI, Sacramentum Caritatis , 22 February 2007.

[3] Vatican II, Sacrosantum Concilium , 5; cf. also CCC 1067.

[4] Ibid ., no 7. CCC , 1070.

[5] Council of Trent: DZ 1600 – 1601; cf. also CCC, 1114.

[6] St Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae , III, q.60, a 3; cf. also CCC , 1130.

[7] Cf. CCC , 1205; Council of Trent: DZ 1728; Pius XII: DZ 3857.

[8] Cf. Council of Trent: DZ 1606.

[9] “The desire and work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the Church is that we may live from the life of the risen Christ" ( CCC, 1091). “He unites the Church to the life and mission of Christ" ( CCC, 1092); “the Holy Spirit heals and transforms those who receive him by conforming them to the Son of God" ( CCC, 1129).

[10] Cf. Council of Trent: DZ 1609.

[11] Ibid ., DZ 1604.

[12] Ibid ., DZ 1608.

[13] St Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae , III, q.68 art.8.

[14] The ordained priesthood “guarantees that it really is Christ who acts in the sacraments through the Holy Spirit for the Church. The saving mission entrusted by the Father to his incarnate Son was committed to the apostles and through them to their successors: they receive the Spirit of Jesus to act in his name and in his person. (cf. Jn 20:21-23; Lk 24:47; Mt 28:18-20). The ordained minister is the sacramental link that ties the liturgical action to what the apostles said and did and through them to the words and actions of Christ, source and foundation of the sacraments" ( CCC , 1120). Even though the effectiveness of the sacrament does not depend on the moral qualities of the minister, nevertheless his faith and devotion, as well as contributing to his own personal sanctification, can be of considerable help to foster the good dispositions of the recipient of the sacrament and in consequence the fruit obtained.

[15] Vatican II,. Sacrosanctum Concilium , 60; (cf. CCC, 1667).

[16] Benedict XVI, Sacramentum Caritatis , 37

[17] “On the one hand, the Church, united with her Lord and 'in the Holy Spirit' ( Lk 10:21), blesses the Father 'for his inexpressible gift' ( 2 Cor 9:15) in her adoration, praise and thanksgiving. On the other hand, until the consummation of God's plan, the Church never ceases to present to God the Father the offering of his own gifts, and to beg him to send the Holy Spirit upon that offering, upon herself, upon the faithful and upon the whole world, so that through communion in the death and resurrection of Christ the Priest, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, these divine blessings will bring forth the fruits of life, 'to the praise of his glorious grace' (Eph 1:6)" ( CCC , 1083).

[18] Cf. Pius XII, Enc. Mystici Corporis (quoted in CCC , 1119).

[19] Vatican II,. Sacrosanctum Concilium , 26 (quoted in CCC, 1140).

[20] “May this sacrifice be effective for all mankind-- Orate, fratres, the priest invites the people to pray--because this sacrifice is yours and mine, it is the sacrifice of the whole Church. Pray, brethren, although there may not be many present, although materially there may be only one person there, although the celebrant may find himself alone, because every Mass is a universal sacrifice, the redemption of every tribe and tongue and people and nation (cf. Rev 5:9).

“Through the communion of the saints, all Christians receive grace from every Mass that is celebrated, regardless of whether there is an attendance of thousands of persons or whether it is only a boy with his mind on other things who is there to serve. In either case, heaven and earth join with the angels of the Lord to sing Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus… " (St Josemaria Escriva, Christ is Passing By , no 89).

[21] Benedict XVI, Sacramentum Caritatis , 62; Vatican II, Sacrosanctum Concilium , 54.

[22] Vatican II, Lumen Gentium , 10.

[23] Ibid . 10 and 34; Decr. Presbyterorum Ordinis , 2.

[24] Cf. Vatican II Sacrosanctum Consilium , 20.

[25] Benedict XVI, Sacramentum Caritatis , 16.

[26] Cf. Vatican II, Presbyterorum Ordinis , 2 and 15.

[27] John Paul II, Enc. Ecclesia de Eucharistia , 29. Footnote 59 cites the following words from Pius XII's encyclical Mediator Dei : “The minister of the altar acts in the person of Christ in as much as he

is head, making an offering in the name of all the members."

[28] Vatican II, Sacrosanctum Concilium. 4.

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Sacraments and Sacramentals

Signs of God's grace in our lives

We recognize that the Sacraments have a visible and invisible reality, a reality open to all the human senses but grasped in its God-given depths with the eyes of faith. When parents hug their children, for example, the visible reality we see is the hug. The invisible reality the hug conveys is love. We cannot "see" the love the hug expresses, though sometimes we can see its nurturing effect in the child.

The visible reality we see in the Sacraments is their outward expression, the form they take, and the way in which they are administered and received. The invisible reality we cannot "see" is God's grace, his gracious initiative in redeeming us through the death and Resurrection of his Son. His initiative is called grace because it is the free and loving gift by which he offers people a share in his life, and shows us his favor and will for our salvation. Our response to the grace of God's initiative is itself a grace or gift from God by which we can imitate Christ in our daily lives.

The saving words and deeds of Jesus Christ are the foundation of what he would communicate in the Sacraments through the ministers of the Church. Guided by the Holy Spirit, the Church recognizes the existence of Seven Sacraments instituted by the Lord. They are the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist), the Sacraments of Healing (Penance and the Anointing of the Sick), and the Sacraments at the Service of Communion (Marriage and Holy Orders). Through the Sacraments, God shares his holiness with us so that we, in turn, can make the world holier.

Sacraments and Social Mission: Living the Gospel, Being Disciples | en Español This 28-page booklet and study guide highlights the connections between the celebration of the sacraments and our social mission as followers of Jesus and the Body of Christ. 

The Mystery of the Eucharist and the Call to Love and Transform: A reflection on section II of The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church  | en Español In November 2021, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops approved The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church . The document is divided into two sections, “I. The Gift,” and “II. Our Response,” followed by a brief concluding reflection (“Sent Forth”).  Section I emphasizes the gift of Jesus’ real presence in the sacrament of the Eucharist, which we experience personally and communally as members of the Mystical Body of Christ. This reflection guide by the USCCB Dept. of Justice, Peace and Human Development focuses on the “Transformation in Christ” passages in Section II, which guide our response to the gift of the Eucharist. 

Sacraments of the Church

Sacraments of christian initiation.

Baptism    Confirmation    Eucharist

Sacraments of Healing

Penance and Reconciliation    Anointing of the Sick

Sacraments of Service

Matrimony    Holy Orders

Sacramentals and Other Resources

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Why is Baptism important? What change does it make in me?

The Lord himself affirms that Baptism is necessary for salvation. “No one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit” (Jn 3:5). Christ commanded his disciples to preach the Gospel, draw people to faith in him, and baptize those who come to conversion. The Church does not neglect the mission she has received from Christ to ensure that all be baptized and reborn of water and the Spirit.

By Baptism all sins are forgiven, Original Sin and all personal sins, and temporal punishment due to sin is removed. After one has been reborn in Christ, there is nothing to prevent one’s entry into God’s Kingdom.

However, though all sins are removed, there remains, as an effect of Original Sin, the inclination to sin that is called  concupiscence . This inclination to sin shows itself in what is sometimes referred to as a darkening of the mind and a weakening of the will, that is, the inability to know clearly the right or wrong of an action and/or the lack of strength to resist temptation and always to do the right thing no matter how hard this is. The effects of Original Sin need not harm us so long as we seek strength to resist them through the Sacrament of Penance, the Sacrament of the Eucharist, prayer, a deepening spirituality, growth in virtue, and a wholehearted dependence on God.

Baptism also gives us new life as adopted children of God. We become sharers of divine life and temples of the Holy Spirit. We are now made righteous by God and live in a state of grace, that is, we live in union with God because of his gracious and loving initiative. Our permanence in the state of grace is called  sanctifying grace  because God “sanctifies” us, that is, makes us his holy people by giving us his life. God continues to assist us by many helps that are called  actual graces . Thus, we have the ability to live and act under the guidance and light of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. This helps us mature in goodness through the practice of virtues, such as the Cardinal Virtues: prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude.

By Baptism we become members of the Church, the Body of Christ. We share in the priesthood of Christ as well as his prophetic and royal mission. “You are ‘a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises’ of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Pt 2:9). We enjoy the community we find in the Church, share our talents and gifts with its members, respond willingly to its teachings and requirements, and assume the responsibilities that our membership implies.

Baptism provides a common foundation among all Christians, including those not yet in full communion with the Catholic Church. The Church recognizes the validity of Baptism in other Christian Churches as long as the rite involved the pouring of or immersion in water, a Trinitarian formula, and the intention to baptize. Those who have been baptized have been saved by their faith in Christ and the grace of Baptism. “They therefore have a right to be called Christians and with good reason are accepted as brothers [and sisters] by the children of the Catholic Church” (CCC, no. 1271, citing UR, no. 3).

“Incorporated into Christ by Baptism, the person baptized is configured to Christ. Baptism seals the Christian with the indelible spiritual mark (character) of his belonging to Christ. No sin can erase this mark, even if sin prevents Baptism from bearing the fruits of salvation. Given once for all Baptism cannot be repeated” (CCC, no. 1272). This spiritual mark is also called a character, which St. Augustine likened to distinctive brandings impressed upon soldiers and slaves during Roman times to signify the commander or owner to whom they belonged. Baptism marks us permanently as belonging to Christ, whose image we bear.

You can read more from the  United States Catholic Catechism for Adults , order your own copy, or read questions about it at the  United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website .

Copyright © 2006, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright holder.

Blog / 7 Reasons Why Baptism Is Important

7 Reasons Why Baptism Is Important

In the book Understanding Four Views on Baptism (Zondervan, 2007), editor John H. Armstrong says, “From the earliest days of Christianity baptism has been a rite of initiation. By this watery sign, made in the triune name of God, people are openly admitted into the life and community of the church. All agree that baptism is the symbolic door into the church.”

What Is Baptism?

The English word “baptism” derives from the Greek word baptisma and denotes the action of washing or plunging in water. Ancient pagans had ceremonial cleanings, but its Christian origin is primarily traced to Old Testament Jewish ritual purifications.

Its imagery is rich in Hebrew Scripture, as in Psalm 51:1-7 “Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin….Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” In his commentary , Warren Wiersbe says, “’Wash’ ( vv. 2, 7 ) refers to the cleansing of dirty clothing ( Isa. 1:18 ; 64:6 ). In the Jewish society of that day, to wash and change clothes marked a new beginning in life ( Gen. 35:2; 41:14; 45:22 ; Ex. 19:10, 14 ), and David made such a new start ( 2 Sam. 12:20 ).”

The Old Testament story of Naaman, the commander of the king of Aram’s army, is another precursor to the concept of baptism, where the prophet Elisha told Naaman to wash 7 times in the Jordan river as the method God chose to heal him of his leprosy and demonstrate God’s life-changing power and far reaching love, even to those outside the Israelite fold ( 2 Kings 5:1-14 ).

At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, John the Baptizer used this Jewish imagery in his work where the people’s confession of sin, and their repentance and forgiveness, was ratified by baptism. The New International Encyclopedia of Bible Characters on Bible Gateway Plus says, “The use of water rituals was not uncommon in Judaism. Cleansing from the impurities of sin was certainly one of the ideas conveyed by this ceremony. However, in view of the associations of water with Noah’s Flood and the destruction of the Egyptians in the Red Sea, John’s baptism was probably intended also to remind the people that sin requires divine judgment ( 1 Peter 3:20-21 ).”

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What Are the Forms of Baptism?

Here are abbreviated descriptions of Christian forms of baptism from the Encyclopedia of the Bible on Bible Gateway:

• Baptist view: baptism of the professing regenerate by immersion. “The outward rite confirms and seals to recipients their inward faith.”
• Reformed view: infant baptism of children of the covenant. “Parents eligible to receive baptism for their offspring are only such as are faithful in their confession and in the discharge of their covenant obligations. Those who do not give evidence of the union with Christ which baptism signifies cannot claim the grace and promise extended in this institution.”
• Sacramentarian view: infant baptism by sprinkling as a regenerative act. “The Spirit as the Lord and Giver of life is believed to regenerate the child and to make him a living member of the body of Christ, the family of God. This is sacramental because it is seen in faith and not empirically, and it is believed to begin a process of growth in grace which carries the new creature into his eternal destiny.”

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Why Is Baptism Important?

“From the earliest days of Christianity baptism has been a rite of initiation ( Acts 2:41 ),” says Armstrong. “By this watery sign, made in the triune name of God, people are openly admitted into the life and community of the church.”

A person’s baptism is a proclamation that her sins are washed away by the blood of Christ and that she is now united with Christ by the Holy Spirit in the newness of Christ’s resurrection life.

Here are 7 reasons why baptism is important.

1. Jesus Modeled Baptism

• Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. ( Matthew 3:13 ) • At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ( Mark 1:9 ) • When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. ( Luke 3:21 )

2. Jesus Commanded Baptism

• Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:19-20

3. Baptism Is a Public Confession

• Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38

4. Baptism Signifies a New Name

• So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3:26-29

5. Baptism Represents a New Life

• Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. Romans 6:1-11

• Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17

6. Baptism Establishes a New Identity

• I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

• In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. Colossians 2:11-12

7. Baptism Unifies the Faith

• There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4:4-6

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The Value Of Sacramentals

by Paul Kokoski

Descriptive Title

Value of Sacramentals, The

Description

This essay explains the meaning of sacramentals, the ways in which they differ from Sacraments, and their value to the Church and individual spirituality.

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Homiletic & Pastoral Review

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Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA, January 2003

© Ignatius Press

This item 4680 digitally provided courtesy of CatholicCulture.org

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The Role of Word and Sacrament in the Life of Catholics Essay

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Catholics in the United States are the representatives of one of the largest religious groups, and Catholicism has deep roots in the country’s history. That is why, the Catholic tradition and the views of Catholics on Word and sacraments can be discussed as reflecting the visions of the majority of Americans.

The role of Word and Sacrament in the life of those Catholics who follow their religious tradition strictly is significant because Word of God is associated with main religious doctrines and principles of Catholicism, and sacraments can be discussed as the main rites of passage which determine the major stages in the human life and accentuate the connection of an individual with the faith.

Catholics focus on belonging to the community and church while following the fundamental religious principles and doctrines. The everyday life of Catholics should be based on spirituality, faith, and religious tradition. Moreover, Catholicism provides people with a set of moral norms and rules which are necessary to follow and live according to God’s laws (Allitt, 2003).

The principles of Catholicism are meaningful for Americans because they depend on the aspects of the historic development (Hemeyer, 2010). According to Corbett and Hemeyer, “Catholics were among the first, if not the first, Europeans to set foot upon the shores of America” that is why it is quite usual for Americans to share the Catholic tradition (Corbett & Hemeyer, 1997, p. 89).

As a result, “the majority of people in the United States consider Catholics to be a part of consensus religion. Catholicism is not viewed as ‘out-of-the-ordinary’ religion” (Corbett & Hemeyer, 1997, p. 92).

From this point, the main tendencies of the American society’s development are formed within the Catholic communities which can influence the life of a lot of Americans considerably. Thus, Catholics’ visions of Word and Sacrament become especially significant for discussing the Americans’ religious tradition and spirituality in relation to Christianity.

The guidelines to find the principles of religion and rules to follow can be reached with references to Word of God presented in the Bible. Catholics are inclined to discuss Word of God as God’s will or even as the equivalent of God. Thus, God’s will make Catholics act according to this will and according to the specific doctrines and codes presented in relation to the dogmas of Catholicism (Hemeyer, 2010).

Catholics follow Word of God because it can be discussed as the single truth presented directly by God. From this perspective, following Word, people have to provide the definite response to this will. Catholics react to Word of God with following the religious principles and building their life according to the Catholic tradition.

God’s truth is reflected in Word that is why people can grow spiritually basing on the visions provided in the Bible (Allitt, 2003). Furthermore, Catholics can draw conclusions about the aspects of religion only referring to Word of God.

However, to build the life according to Word of God and main Catholic principles, it is necessary to follow definite religious procedures known as sacraments. Thus, Word of God and Sacrament are the basic aspects of the Catholic worship. The American Catholic Church provides people with the opportunity to attend it as the centers for worship and for developing the community life (Hemeyer, 2010).

Church is significant during the periods of trouble and when people experience crises in their life. Those Catholics who cannot find the answer to the questions of spirituality with the help of interpreting Word of God are inclined to act and follow sacraments which reflect the main stages or passages in the human life such as the process of adopting the religion or marriage (Corbett & Hemeyer, 1997).

Sacraments are the meaningful rituals which can deepen the individual’s faith and connect the person with God more closely, developing one’s spirituality.

Thus, to accept God’s will and to participate in Sacrament, Catholics should follow a range of rituals. Moreover, the role of sacraments is incomparable because they help determine the main aspects of the life and accentuate the sacred fields of the human existence.

Catholics determine seven main sacraments which are Baptism, Confirmation, Reconciliation, Marriage, Eucharist, Holy Orders, and Anointing of the Sick. According to Hemeyer, the first and the main sacrament that Catholics participate in is Baptism. Thus, Catholics believe that “baptism is necessary for the removal of the inborn sin that is a part of all persons simply because they are human” (Hemeyer, 2010, p. 99).

To become a Catholic, it is necessary to be baptized according to the principles of this religion. Baptism is an important stage of cleaning the soul and body from the sins, and it is a kind of protection for a human provided by the religion. Baptized Catholics begin to celebrate God and his will fully.

Eucharist is a ritual when Catholics share Christ’s Body and Blood in the form of bread and wine. It is an important stage of becoming closer to Christ spiritually. Sacraments are significant to teach Catholics the basics of religion according to God’s Word. Thus, God forgives the people’s sins, and Catholics are taught to forgive during the sacrament of Reconciliation (Hemeyer, 2010).

To develop the mature spirituality, Catholics are expected to follow the ritual of Confirmation. Holy Orders help Catholics join Church and share the basic religious doctrines.

Anointing of the Sick is a specific sacrament in which a priest usually uses oil to anoint a person “who is ill or in danger of dying from accident or old age”, and this sacrament is a way of “mediating the concern of Christ and the Church for the suffering person” (Hemeyer, 2010, p. 103). Marriage is one more Catholic sacrament.

Getting married in front of God, Catholics state their belonging to their spouses and accentuate the religious power of the union of persons who love each other.

Sacraments in the form of definite rituals and ceremonies help Catholics share the love of Christ and follow God’s will reflected in Word. Moreover, Word of God can be regarded as the single source of God’s will available for Catholics’ understanding.

The interpretation of Word of God presented in the Bible is the Catholics’ way to deepening their faith and spirituality. Furthermore, the Bible is the source of ethical rules and codes for the Christians.

Thus, Catholics receive the knowledge of God with references to Word of God provided in the Bible. Sacraments are extremely significant for Catholics because these acts help people connect their lives with God. According to the religious visions, Catholics can feel God’s grace and love while following these sacraments.

Allitt, P. (2003). Religion in America . USA: Columbia University Press.

Corbett, J. M., & Hemeyer, J. C. (1997). Religion in America . USA: Prentice Hall.

Hemeyer, J. C. (2010). Religion in America . USA: Prentice Hall.

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IvyPanda. (2019, April 17). The Role of Word and Sacrament in the Life of Catholics. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-role-of-word-and-sacrament-in-the-life-of-catholics/

"The Role of Word and Sacrament in the Life of Catholics." IvyPanda , 17 Apr. 2019, ivypanda.com/essays/the-role-of-word-and-sacrament-in-the-life-of-catholics/.

IvyPanda . (2019) 'The Role of Word and Sacrament in the Life of Catholics'. 17 April.

IvyPanda . 2019. "The Role of Word and Sacrament in the Life of Catholics." April 17, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-role-of-word-and-sacrament-in-the-life-of-catholics/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Role of Word and Sacrament in the Life of Catholics." April 17, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-role-of-word-and-sacrament-in-the-life-of-catholics/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "The Role of Word and Sacrament in the Life of Catholics." April 17, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-role-of-word-and-sacrament-in-the-life-of-catholics/.

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Water Baptism

Other essays.

Water baptism is an ordinance or sacrament instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ, to be practiced until the end of the age, which signifies a believer’s union with Christ in his life, death, burial, and resurrection, and one’s membership in the church, God’s new covenant people.

This article will discuss the importance of water baptism as an ordinance or sacrament of the church. After discussing different views of baptism within historical theology, it will turn to what the New Testament says is the meaning and significance of baptism. The article will conclude on a couple of reflections of where evangelicals agree and disagree on the meaning of baptism.

Christian Baptism is one of the two ordinances or sacraments which our Lord Jesus Christ, the head of the church, has instituted for the church’s life and health, until the end of the age. As such, water baptism is to be practiced today in obedience to his command (Matt. 28:18-20).

In Scripture, the purpose of baptism is at least twofold: a sign of initiation and entrance into the church, which should precede one’s participation in the Lord’s Supper, and a declaration of faith and surrender to Christ’s lordship. The New Testament does not know of a Christian who is also not baptized. Evidence for this is found in the book of Acts. From Pentecost on, everyone who believed the gospel was baptized, thus publicly testifying of their faith in Christ (Acts 2:41; 8:12-13, 36-39; 9:17-18; 10:47-48; 16:14-15, 31-33; 18:8; 19:5). The church fails in her calling when she does not make disciples, by baptizing them and instructing them in the truth of the gospel.

But a legitimate question arises: What exactly is baptism? Anyone familiar with historical theology knows that disagreements over the meaning of baptism, its proper subjects, and its mode have a long history. Given these debates, we must not relegate baptism to a secondary issue. Baptism is commanded by our Lord and is a visible proclamation of the gospel. Also, underneath baptismal debates are crucial biblical-theological issues. Baptismal polemics reflect entire theological systems. They function as test cases for how one puts together the Bible, especially how one understands the nature of salvation and the relationships between the biblical covenants. Before we describe the basic meaning of water baptism, let’s first describe a spectrum of views regarding it, with some views being more consistent with the gospel than others.

Views of Water Baptism

First, there is the sacramental view of baptism reflected by Roman Catholicism. This view argues that the act of baptism regenerates the person being baptized from spiritual death to life (infants and adults), even apart from faith in Christ ( ex opere operato , “by the work performed”), and it’s necessary for our salvation. The act of baptism removes the person’s original sin, makes them spiritually alive by the infusion of grace that begins the transforming process of making a person righteous. In this view, Christ has given authority to the church and her officers to effect saving grace in people through the administration of the sacraments, beginning in baptism and culminating in extreme unction.

A weaker sacramental view is taught by Lutheranism. Similar to Roman Catholicism, Lutherans argue that baptism regenerates a person, yet they insist that faith is necessary for God to justify the person who is baptized. Lutherans do not speak of an infused grace in the act of baptism; rather, by Word and sacrament God creates faith in the individual and makes them a living member of Christ’s church. For Lutherans, the subjects of baptism fall into two groups: believers who have come to faith in Christ, and infants, in whom God mysteriously creates an unconscious faith which they later confirm as they reach an age of maturity. Yet, in both cases, faith is present in the regenerative act of baptism and our justification before God.

Second , there is the covenantal view of baptism reflected by Reformed, covenant theology. This view denies that baptism is regenerative and that it’s effective in an ex opere operato way. Instead, baptism, which, under the new covenant replaces circumcision as a covenant sign, is similar to circumcision in what both signify. Both signify God’s “sign and seal” of his covenant promises that those who believe the gospel will be justified. Baptism objectively brings a person (infants and adults) into the visible church, at least, in the case of infants, in the sense that they are “in” the covenant, but not necessarily “of” it. Baptism does not effect a saving union in itself. It’s only by God’s grace, the Spirit making us alive and granting us faith and repentance, that we experience true salvation—the reality to which baptism points. That is why, parallel to the Old Testament, even if infants are baptized under the new covenant and considered covenant members, they are only truly the elect (and part of the invisible church) if they exercise saving faith in Christ.

Third , there is the view of believers’ baptism as reflected in Baptist and the believers’ church tradition. In agreement with the covenant view, this view denies that baptism is regenerative and necessary for salvation. Yet, unlike the covenant view, baptism is only to be applied to believers. Baptism is not merely a sign and seal of God’s promises that anticipates one’s faith in Christ. Instead, baptism is an outward sign of an inward spiritual reality that the believer has already experienced by faith in Christ. Baptism, in contrast to circumcision, does not point forward to the need for a circumcision of the heart. Rather, baptism is a new covenant sign that communicates the grace of God to those who have been regenerated and thus have faith in Christ . Baptism is a public testimony that one has entered into faith union with Christ, and it marks and defines those who believe in Christ. That is why baptism is only to be applied to those who confess Jesus as Lord, who have experienced his power, who are, by faith and spiritual rebirth, Abraham’s true spiritual seed. Baptism is a new covenant rite for the new covenant people of God.

Meaning and Significance of Water Baptism

Much could be written regarding the meaning and significance of baptism. Moreover, it’s at this point that major differences surface between baptismal views. However, let’s think through what baptism is by unpacking four truths, which must be affirmed to be true to the New Testament teaching.

First, baptism is one of the primary means God has given the church to declare publicly our faith in Christ as Lord and Savior. Is this not part of what is going on at Pentecost in Peter’s exhortation to the people who cry from their hearts, “What shall we do?” (Acts 2:37)? Peter has just demonstrated that the coming of the Spirit in power is evidence that redemption has been accomplished; that Jesus is Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36); and that the promised new age from the Old Testament has now finally arrived (Joel 2:28-32; Ezek. 36:25-27; Jer. 31:31-34). What response is necessary from the people? It is repentance and baptism, administered in the name of Jesus, signifying a person’s submission to Christ as Lord (Acts 2:38). This truth is important, especially today when altar calls, confirmation, public rallies, and so on, have taken the place of baptism in our public confession of Christ. Baptism beautifully and powerfully pictures our submission to Christ and the truth of the gospel, which no subsequent church rite can replace.

Second, central to the meaning of Christian baptism, in contrast to Jewish proselyte baptism or John’s baptism, is that it signifies a believer’s union with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection (Rom. 6:3-7; Col. 2:11-12) and all the benefits that are entailed by that union. For this reason, in the New Testament baptism is regarded as an outward sign that signifies an inward reality, namely that a believer has entered into the realities of the new covenant that Jesus inaugurated and sealed with his own blood on the cross. As such, when received in faith, baptism signifies Spirit-wrought regeneration (Titus 3:5), inward cleansing, renewal, and forgiveness of sins (Acts 22:16; 1Cor. 6:11; Eph. 5:25-27), and the abiding presence of the Spirit as God’s seal testifying and guaranteeing that the believer will permanently be kept secure in Christ (1Cor. 12:13; Eph. 1:13-14). In fact, so close is the association between baptism and new covenant blessings in Christ, many have argued that in the New Testament, baptism functions by metonymy for the entire conversion experience.

For example, in Galatians 3:26-27, Paul can say: “For in Christ Jesus, you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” The language of “putting on” Christ refers to our union with him. But note how Paul can ascribe union with Christ both to faith (v. 26) and to baptism (v. 27). He does so, not by affirming an ex opere operato view of baptism, since Paul is referring to people who have repented of their sins and believed in Christ. It’s only the truly converted who have put on Christ. But, by metonymy, baptism can stand for conversion, and thus an outward sign that signifies this fact.

We find something similar in Romans 6:1-4. Paul sees water baptism as uniting the believer to Christ in his redemptive acts—his life, death, burial, and resurrection. No doubt, in this text, Paul is not primarily giving a theological explanation of the nature of baptism. Instead, Paul is concerned to rebut the charge that the believer should “remain in sin” to highlight grace. He uses the language of “realm transfer” to show how inconceivable this suggestion is. Christians, Paul insists, have “died to sin” (v. 2b) and thus are no longer “in Adam” but are “in Christ.” Yet, Paul can say that this realm transfer occurred in our baptism (v. 3), by which we were united to Christ. Again, Paul is not affirming that the act of baptism unites us to Christ apart from faith. Rather, as in Galatians 3:26-27, baptism is shorthand for our entire conversion experience. By itself, baptism does not effect regeneration, nor is it even necessary for salvation. In the New Testament  baptism always assumes faith for its validity, and true saving faith leads to being baptized although faith and baptism do not enjoy the same logical status of necessity (cf. Eph. 4:5; 1Pet. 3:21).

Third , water baptism signifies a believer’s entrance into the church. In Galatians 3:27-28, for example, Paul can immediately move from “putting on” Christ in baptism to how we are one in Christ’ body. Or in Ephesians 4:22-25, Paul can use the baptismal imagery of “putting on” and “putting off” to speak of the kind of behavior we should have as individuals and as “members of one body” (v. 25), certainly a reference to the church. Baptism, then, is the defining mark of belonging, as well as a demarcation from the world (cf. Acts 2:40-41). Thus, in baptism, not only does Christ appropriate to himself the one who is baptized in his name and incorporate him into his body, but the person who is baptized also openly identifies with the Lord and his people.

Fourth , water baptism is a promise and glorious anticipation of the fact that all things will be consummated by Christ. Although there are a number of questions surrounding John’s baptism, one thing is clear: John’s baptism was an eschatological ceremony, anticipating the coming of the Messiah, the kingdom of God, and the entire new covenant era. Christian baptism is also eschatological, but, in contrast to John’s baptism, what John anticipated and pointed to, has now come in Christ. Christian baptism, then, signifies that the believer has entered into the dawning of the new creation and the new covenant due to our union in Christ. This is why Paul can say: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come” (2Cor. 5:17). As such, water baptism looks backwards and forwards: backwards to the inauguration of the new age in Christ’s first coming, and forward to the consummation at his return. By baptism, we participate in these realities. In truth, baptism is our entry into the eschatological order of the new creation that we now experience due to our covenantal union with Christ and being sealed with the Spirit for the day of redemption (Eph. 4:30).

Agreement and Disagreement on Baptism

Certainly more could be said regarding the meaning and significance of baptism, but these four truths highlight much of the New Testament ’s teaching regarding it. Evangelicals across a wide spectrum of denominational affiliation should agree on these basic points. For example, we ought to agree that every Christian should be baptized in obedience to God; that baptism is the sign of the gospel realities of union with Christ and all the benefits of new covenant; that baptism is tied to our incorporation into the church; and that the act of baptism, against the ex opere operato view of Roman Catholicism, does not regenerate. Instead, baptism is effective only by grace alone, through faith alone, and in Christ alone.

However, a point of division still remains, especially between the covenantal and believer’s baptism view. Since baptism is not effective apart from faith, why should we baptize infants? Obviously, the divide over this issue is vast and a resolution of it is probably not forthcoming soon, and the reason why is important. Ultimately, the dispute is not over a few texts, but entire biblical-theological arguments, especially one’s view of the relationship between the covenants.

Those who advocate infant (paedo)baptism admit that although there is no explicit command in the New Testament to baptize infants, the practice is still warranted. Why? For the following reason: (1) There is an essential continuity of “the covenant of grace” from Abraham to Christ. (2) Since infants were included in the old covenant by circumcision as an outward sign of entrance into the covenant community, and baptism has replaced circumcision in the new covenant, then believing parents are required to administer baptism to their children. (3) In the old covenant, circumcision did not entail that the child was one of the elect; they still needed to exercise faith to know their election. So in the new covenant, baptism does not guarantee that children are the elect, but it’s still required to administer the covenant sign to them prior to faith. (4) Support for the practice of baptizing infants is found in the household baptisms in the New Testament.

On the other side, those who affirm a believers’ baptism argue the following: (1) Baptism is only effectual by faith in Christ, hence the New Testament pattern of the proclamation of the gospel, conversion, and then baptism of believers. (2) No doubt there is continuity between the old and new covenants due to the one plan of God, but there is also a lot of discontinuity as well. For example, under the old covenant, there is necessarily a distinction between the locus of the covenant community and the locus of the elect, with circumcision being the sign of the former. Yet, under the new covenant this distinction has been removed. By definition, those who are in the new covenant are those who have had God’s law written on their hearts, been born of the Spirit and forgiven of their sins (Jer. 31:31-34), and as such, the church, as God’s new covenant people is a regenerate community. This truth suggests that baptism, as the sign of the new covenant, is only to be applied to those who are in the new covenant, i.e., believers. (3) Circumcision, under the Abrahamic and old covenants do not signify the same realities as baptism does under the new covenant. (4) The examples of household baptisms are arguments from silence and they fail to see the covenantal distinctions between the old and the new. In fact, when we look at the examples closely, we see that in a number of them there are indications of saving faith on the part of all those baptized.

So where does this leave us? It leaves us with honest discussion about the differences among us but also emphasizing what unites us in the gospel. No doubt, infant and believers’ views of baptism are not simultaneously right, and given the importance of baptism the establishment of local churches and denominations that teach one of the views to the exclusion of the other is necessary, given our commitment to biblical authority. Yet, we must also never lose sight of what unites us. We have to find ways of showing our unity in Christ while not downplaying our differences. In fact, we must find unity in that to which baptism points, namely the glory of Christ and the truth of the gospel of God’s sovereign grace. Despite ongoing differences, more than anything else, this is what must captivate our thinking, our lives, and our churches.

Further Reading

• G. R. Beasley-Murray, Baptism in the New Testament . Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1962.
• Donald Bridge and David Phypers, The Water That Divides . Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1977.
• J. V. Fesko, Word, Water, and Spirit: A Reformed Perspective on Baptism (Grand Rapids: Reformation Heritage Books, 2010).
• John D. Meade, “Circumcision of Flesh to Circumcision of Heart: The Typology of the Sign of the Abrahamic Covenant,” in Progressive Covenantalism: Charting a Course between Dispensational and Covenant Theologies , ed. Stephen J. Wellum and Brent E. Parker (Nashville: B&H Academic, 2016), 127-58.
• Thomas R. Schreiner and Shawn D. Wright, eds., Believer’s Baptism: Sign of the New Covenant in Christ (Nashville: B&H, 2006).
• Gregg Strawbridge, ed., The Case for Covenantal Infant Baptism (Phillipsburg: P&R, 2003).
• Stephen J. Wellum, Interview on Baptism and the Covenants .
• Wright, David F., ed. Baptism: Three Views (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2009).

This essay is part of the Concise Theology series. All views expressed in this essay are those of the author. This essay is freely available under Creative Commons License with Attribution-ShareAlike, allowing users to share it in other mediums/formats and adapt/translate the content as long as an attribution link, indication of changes, and the same Creative Commons License applies to that material.

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The Church and the Sacraments

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Jim Pennell

The Church is the abiding motif in Karl Rahner’s theology. Indeed, over half of his extensive repertoire deals in some way or another with the subject of ecclesiology. In order to gain a fuller picture of Rahner’s thought on the Church, one must first come to grasp the philosophical underpinnings that ground his understanding of the human person, grace, and Christology. For as Peter Schineller has noted, there is a danger in isolating Rahner’s ecclesiology, because his task as a systematic theologian was to relate the Church to his treatment of other areas of doctrine. Thus, the following paper unpacks and engages Rahner’s foundational idea of the Church as “the sacrament of salvation for humanity.” I will thereafter briefly consider how three aspects of his ecclesiology are rooted in an anthropocentrism that elicits an deficient understanding of grace and the person of Christ. As Ratzinger, von Balthasar, and David Schindler have argued, such an approach lends itself to a problematic conception of the Church’s relationship vis-à-vis the world.

Kyle Schiefelbein-Guerrero

This essay is an attempt to choose a new starting point for future discussions of Eucharistic theology by beginning with a theology of sacrament from which theologies of the individual sacraments and the church may be derived. To aid in this goal, this essay takes a look at a theological representative from both sides: Paul Tillich for the Lutherans and Karl Rahner for the Catholics. Before delving into their particular understanding of sacrament, it is important to understand and compare their methods, which is the first section of this essay. The second section of this essay discusses their theology of sacrament, beginning with an outline of their individual theologies, followed by a comparison. Although the goal of this essay is not to reach an agreement on the theology of sacrament, it is hoped that this approach can benefit future dialogue.

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One of the most promising aspects of the text of the third phase of the International Roman-Catholic-Reformed Dialogue might be the suggestion to reflect upon the idea of the church as 'sacrament of the kingdom' (no.231). In this contribution, I shall take up that suggestion and develop a fourfold approach of the sacraments in which the interconnectedness of church and kingdom plays a crucial role. I shall deal with the soteriological, the ecclesiological, the eschatological and the symbolic aspect respectively. Deliberately, I begin with the soteriological aspect because the first and main thing sacraments do is to point to our salvation. Salvation implies, however, a mediation of salvation and hence the ecclesiological aspect follows the soteriological aspect. The mediation of the church always points beyond itself to the kingdom of God. That is the eschatological aspect. And every reference to the eschaton always has the form of the symbol as the focal point of the 'a...

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First of all, the author distinguishes between four types of sacra-mentality-the universal sacramentality (appropriate to Christ), the extensive sacramentality (appropriate to the Church), the organic sacramentality (appropri-ate to the seven sacraments) and the concentrated sacramentality (appropriate to the Eucharist). Then, he recapitulates the doctrine as being part of the Church tradition and discerns three types of sacraments-sacraments of the natural order,First of all, the author distinguishes between four types of sacramentality – the universal sacramentality (appropriate to Christ), the extensive sacramentality (appropriate to the Church), the organic sacramentality (appropriate to the seven sacraments) and the concentrated sacramentality (appropriate to the Eucharist). Then, he recapitulates the doctrine as being part of the Church tradition and discerns three types of sacraments – sacraments of the natural order, sacraments of Moses’ Law and sacraments of the New Testament. The following part is dedicated to the concept of salvation history describing its various phases as coexisting layers, so people living in one historical era can belong to various stages of the salvation economy related to the particular types of sacraments. The last part includes a hypothesis that sacramental action of the Church should not be reduced to a celebration of the seven New Testament sacraments but she is called upon to operate with the sacraments prior to the New Testament (or pre-New Testament sacraments) as well. The fullness of revelation enables the Church to recognise their authentic aspects. The author finds support for his hypothesis in the teachings of the Second Vatican Council and proposes to call these sacraments prior to the New Testament, the sacraments of hope or the sacraments of humanity.

First of all, the author distinguishes between four types of sacramentality – the universal sacramentality (appropriate to Christ), the extensive sacramentality (appropriate to the Church), the organic sacramentality (appropriate to the seven sacraments) and the concentrated sacramentality (appropriate to the Eucharist). Then, he recapitulates the doctrine as being part of the Church tradition and discerns three types of sacraments – sacraments of the natural order, sacraments of Moses’ Law and sacraments of the New Testament. The following part is dedicated to the concept of salvation history describing its various phases as coexisting layers, so people living in one historical era can belong to various stages of the salvation economy related to the particular types of sacraments. The last part includes a hypothesis that sacramental action of the Church should not be reduced to a celebration of the seven New Testament sacraments but she is called upon to operate with the sacraments...

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It is not often that a student at the Pontifical Biblical Institute publishes a book while working to complete the rigorous requirements of the licentiate program. This represents a singular accomplishment that is not to be overlooked. And it is not just any book that Fr. Roza (henceforth “R.”) has produced. He has assembled a wide-ranging collection of biblical, patristic, liturgical, and doctrinal texts that are pertinent for the study of each of the seven sacraments. These texts are carefully documented and systematically arranged in a way that will surely help the reader to profit from the fruits of the author’s industrious research. Also of great interest is the author’s own “Introduction” (...) Dean Béchard, S.J. Pontifical Biblical Institute Via della Pilotta 25 I-00187 Rome Italy

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emerzan ragel

Man could be considered as a river, which flows beautifully to the ocean of God. Many people have attempted and are attempting and will attempt to go deeper into this marvelous river to see the depth of it. It has been a very difficult task to perceive what really it is, yet some of the thinkers have given some explanations describing the profoundness and wonders hidden in this dynamic human being. With all these, people are led to ask questions about the present situations and look fair answers that can solve problems. There is much suffering and pain in the lives of many people. They are looking for a fulfillment that will liberate them in daily life. The dichotomy affecting the modern world is, in fact, a symptom of the deeper dichotomy. That is in man himself. He is the meeting point of many conflicting forces. In this condition as a created being he is subject to a thousand shortcomings, but feels untrammeled in his inclination and destined for a higher form of life. Torn by a welter of anxieties he is compelled to choose between them and repudiate some among them. Worse still, feeble and sinful as he is, he often does the very thing he hates and doesn't do what he wants. And so he feels himself divided, and the result is a host of discords in social life. Many, it is true, fail to see the dynamic of this state of affairs in all its clarity for their vision is in fact blurred by materialism or they are prevented from even thinking about it by the wretchedness of their plight. Others delude themselves that they have found peace in a world view now fashionable… The church believes that Christ, who died and was raised for the sake of all, can show man the way and strengthen him through the spirit in order to be worthy of his destiny... The church likewise believes that the key the centre and the purpose of the whole man's history to be formed in its Lord and Master… (GS 10) It is the Sacrament that sanctifies the human person through sanctifying grace. It consists of the intimate union of life with Christ. Grace totally possessing man renews and sanctifies, transforms and deifies him. By receiving the divine gift of grace he truly becomes a new creature. So the sacraments are the signs of God's love towards man. Hence in this chapter we elaborate this concept deeper with different aspects.

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The Purpose of Baptism in the Christian Life

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Before exploring the purpose of baptism in the Christian life, it's important to gain an understanding of its meaning. The English word "baptism" comes from the Greek baptisma, which refers to "washing, dipping, or immersing something into water."

A general biblical definition of baptism is “a rite of washing with water as a sign of religious purification and consecration.” This rite of cleansing with water as a means of achieving ritual purity was practiced frequently in the Old Testament (Exodus 30:19–20).

Baptism signified purity or cleansing from sin and devotion to God. Many believers have practiced baptism as a tradition without fully understanding its significance and purpose.

What Is the Purpose of Being Baptized?

Christian denominations differ widely in their teachings about the purpose of baptism.

• Some faith groups believe baptism accomplishes the washing away of sin , thus making it a necessary step in salvation.
• Others believe that baptism, while not accomplishing salvation, is still a sign and seal of salvation. Thus, baptism ensures entrance into the church community.
• Many churches teach that baptism is a vital step of obedience in the believer’s life, yet only an outward acknowledgment or testimony of the salvation experience already accomplished. These groups believe baptism itself has no power to cleanse or save from sin since God alone is responsible for salvation. This perspective is called "Believer's Baptism."
• A few denominations consider baptism a form of exorcism from evil spirits.

New Testament Baptism

In the New Testament , the significance of baptism is seen more clearly. John the Baptist was sent by God to spread the news of the coming Messiah,  Jesus Christ . John was directed by God (John 1:33) to baptize those who accepted his message.

John's baptism was called “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” (Mark 1:4,  NIV) . John's baptism anticipated Christian baptism. Those baptized by John acknowledged their sins and professed their faith that through the coming Messiah, they would be forgiven.

Jesus Christ submitted to baptism as an example for believers to follow.

Baptism is significant in that it represents the forgiveness and cleansing from sin that comes through faith in Jesus Christ. Baptism publicly acknowledges one's confession of faith and belief in the gospel message. It also symbolizes the sinner's entrance into the community of believers ( the church ).

Purpose of Baptism

Identification.

Water baptism identifies the believer with the Godhead :  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit :

Matthew 28:19 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." (NIV)

Water Baptism identifies the believer with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection:

Colossians 2:11–12 "When you came to Christ, you were 'circumcised,' but not by a physical procedure. It was a spiritual procedure--the cutting away of your sinful nature. For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to a new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead." ( NLT)

Act of Obedience

Water Baptism is an act of obedience for the believer. It should be preceded by repentance, which simply means “change.” That change is the turning from our sin and selfishness to serve the Lord. It means placing our pride, our past, and all of our possessions before the Lord. It means giving the control of our lives over to Him:

Acts 2:38, 41 "Peter replied, 'Each of you must turn from your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.' Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church—about three thousand in all." (NLT)

Public Testimony

Water Baptism is a public testimony or the outward confession of the experience that has occurred inwardly in a believer’s life. In baptism, we stand before witnesses confessing our identification with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Spiritual Symbolism

Water Baptism doesn't save a person. Instead, it symbolizes the salvation that has already happened. It is a picture representing the profound spiritual truths of death, resurrection, and cleansing. 

Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God , who loved me and gave himself for me." (NIV)

Romans 6:3–4 "Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism." (NLT)

Resurrection

Romans 6:4–5 "We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection." (NIV)

Romans 6:10–13 "He died once to defeat sin, and now he lives for the glory of God. So you should consider yourselves dead to sin and able to live for the glory of God through Christ Jesus. Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to its lustful desires. Do not let any part of your body become a tool of wickedness, to be used for sinning. Instead, give yourselves completely to God since you have been given new life. And use your whole body as a tool to do what is right for the glory of God." (NLT)

The washing through the water of baptism symbolizes the believer's cleansing from the stain and filth of sin through God's grace .

1 Peter 3:21 "And this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also – not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." (NIV)

1 Corinthians 6:11 "But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." (NIV)

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THE SACRAMENT OF THE EUCHARIST

1322 The holy Eucharist completes Christian initiation. Those who have been raised to the dignity of the royal priesthood by Baptism and configured more deeply to Christ by Confirmation participate with the whole community in the Lord's own sacrifice by means of the Eucharist.

1323 "At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Savior instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of his Body and Blood. This he did in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until he should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved Spouse, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a Paschal banquet 'in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us.'" 133

• I. The life of man - to know and love God
• II. Handing on the Faith: Catechesis
• III. The Aim and Intended Readership of the Catechism
• IV. Structure of this Catechism
• V. Practical Directions for Using this Catechism
• VI. Necessary Adaptations
• Man's Capacity For God
• Ii. Ways Of Coming To Know God
• Iii. The Knowledge Of God According To The Church
• Iv. How Can We Speak About God?
• The Revelation Of God
• II. The Stages Of Revelation
• III. Christ Jesus -- Mediator And Fullness Of All Revelation25
• The Transmission Of Divine Revelation
• I. The Apostolic Tradition
• II. The Relationship Between Tradition And Sacred Scripture
• III. The Interpretation Of The Heritage Of Faith
• Sacred Scripture
• II. Inspiration And Truth Of Sacred Scripture
• III. The Holy Spirit, Interpreter Of Scripture
• IV. The Canon Of Scripture
• V. Sacred Scripture In The Life Of The Church
• II. I Know Whom I Have Believed16
• III. The Characteristics Of Faith
• I. Lord, Look Upon The Faith Of Your Church
• II. The Language Of Faith
• III. Only One Faith
• I Believe In God The Father Almighty, Creator Of Heaven And Earth
• Paragraph 2. The Father
• Paragraph 3. The Almighty
• Paragraph 4. The Creator
• Paragraph 5. Heaven And Earth
• Paragraph 6. Man
• Paragraph 7. The Fall
• III. The Only Son Of God
• He Was Conceived By The Power Of The Holy Spirit, And Was Born Of The Virgin Mary
• Paragraph 2. Conceived By The Power Of The Holy Spirit And Born Of The Virgin Mary
• Paragraph 3. The Mysteries Of Christ's Life
• Jesus Christ Suffered Under Pontius Pilate, Was Crucified, Died And Was Buried
• Paragraph 1. Jesus And Israel
• Paragraph 2. Jesus Died Crucified
• Paragraph 3. Jesus Christ Was Buried
• HE DESCENDED INTO HELL. On The Third Day He Rose Again
• Paragraph 1. Christ Descended Into Hell
• Paragraph 2. On The Third Day He Rose From The Dead
• He Ascended Into Heaven And Is Seated At The Right Hand Of The Father
• From Thence He Will Come Agaln To Judge The Living And The Dead
• II. To Judge The Living And The Dead
• I. The Joint Mission Of The Son And The Spirit
• II. The Name, Titles, And Symbols Of The Holy Spirit
• III. God's Spirit And Word In The Time Of The Promises
• IV. The Spirit Of Christ In The Fullness Of Time
• V. The Spirit And The Church In The Last Days
• I Believe In The Holy Catholic Church
• Paragraph 1. The Church In God's Plan
• Paragraph 2. The Church - People Of God, Body Of Christ, Temple Of The Holy Spirit
• Paragraph 3. The Church Is One, Holy, Catholic, And Apostolic
• Paragraph 4. Christ's Faithful - Hierarchy, Laity, Consecrated Life
• Paragraph 5. The Communion Of Saints
• Paragraph 6. Mary - Mother Of Christ, Mother Of The Church
• I Believe In The Forgiveness Of Sins
• I. One Baptism For The Forgiveness Of Sins
• II. The Power Of The Keys
• I Believe In The Resurrection Of The Body
• I. Christ's Resurrection And Ours
• II. Dying In Christ Jesus
• I Believe In Life Everlasting
• I. The Particular Judgment
• III. The Final Purification, Or Purgatory
• V. The Last Judgment
• VI. Hope Of The New Heaven And The New Earth
• The Liturgy - Work Of The Holy Trinity
• II. Christ's Work In The Liturgy
• III. The Holy Spirit And The Church In The Liturgy
• The Paschal Mystery In The Church's Sacraments
• I. The Sacraments Of Christ
• II. The Sacraments Of The Church
• III. The Sacraments Of Faith
• IV. The Sacraments Of Salvation
• V. The Sacraments Of Eternal Life
• Celebrating The Church's Liturgy
• II. How Is The Liturgy Celebrated?
• III. When Is The Liturgy Celebrated?
• IV. Where Is The Liturgy Celebrated?
• Liturgical Diversity And The Unity Of The Mystery
• The Sacrament Of Baptism
• I. What Is This Sacrament Called?
• II. Baptism In The Economy Of Salvation
• III. How Is The Sacrament Of Baptism Celebrated?
• IV. Who Can Receive Baptism?
• V. Who Can Baptize?
• VI. The Necessity Of Baptism
• VII. The Grace Of Baptism
• The Sacrament Of Confirmation
• I. Confirmation In The Economy Of Salvation
• II. The Signs And The Rite Of Confirmation
• III. The Effects Of Confirmation
• IV. Who Can Receive This Sacrament?
• V. The Minister Of Confirmation
• The Sacrament Of The Eucharist
• I. The Eucharist - Source And Summit Of Ecclesial Life
• II. What Is This Sacrament Called?
• III. The Eucharist In The Economy Of Salvation
• IV. The Liturgical Celebration Of The Eucharist
• V. The Sacramental Sacrifice Thanksgiving, Memorial, Presence
• VI. The Paschal Banquet
• VII. The Eucharist - Pledge Of The Glory To Come
• The Sacrament Of Penance And Reconciliation
• II. Why A Sacrament Of Reconciliation After Baptism?
• III. The Conversion Of The Baptized
• IV. Interior Penance
• V. The Many Forms Of Penance In Christian Life
• VI. The Sacrament Of Penance And Reconciliation
• VII. The Acts Of The Penitent
• VIII. The Minister Of This Sacrament
• IX. The Effects Of This Sacrament
• X. Indulgences
• XI. The Celebration Of The Sacrament Of Penance
• The Anointing Of The Sick
• I. Its Foundations In The Economy Of Salvation
• II. Who Receives And Who Administers This Sacrament?
• III. How Is This Sacrament Celebrated?
• IV. The Effects Of The Celebration Of This Sacrament
• V. Viaticum, The Last Sacrament Of The Christian
• I. Why Is This Sacrament Called Orders?
• II. The Sacrament Of Holy Orders In The Economy Of Salvation
• III. The Three Degrees Of The Sacrament Of Holy Orders
• IV. The Celebration Of This Sacrament
• V. Who Can Confer This Sacrament?
• VI. Who Can Receive This Sacrament?
• VII. The Effects Of The Sacrament Of Holy Orders
• The Sacrament Of Matrimony
• I. Marriage In God's Plan
• II. The Celebration Of Marriage
• III. Matrimonial Consent
• IV. The Effects Of The Sacrament Of Matrimony
• V. The Goods And Requirements Of Conjugal Love
• VI. The Domestic Church
• Other Liturgical Celebrations
• Christian Funerals
• I. The Christian's Last Passover
• II. The Celebration Of Funerals
• Man: The Image Of God
• Our Vocation To Beatitude
• II. The Desire For Happiness
• III. Christian Beatitude
• Man's Freedom
• I. Freedom And Responsibility
• II. Human Freedom In The Economy Of Salvation
• The Morality Of Human Acts
• I. The Sources Of Morality
• II. Good Acts And Evil Acts
• The Morality Of The Passions
• I. Passions
• II. Passions And Moral Life
• Moral Conscience
• I. The Judgment Of Conscience
• II. The Formation Of Conscience
• III. To Choose In Accord With Conscience
• IV. Erroneous Judgment
• The Virtues
• I. The Human Virtues
• II. The Theological Virtues
• III. The Gifts And Fruits Of The Holy Spirit
• II. The Definition Of Sin
• III. The Different Kinds Of Sins
• IV. The Gravity Of Sin: Mortal And Venial Sin
• V. The Proliferation Of Sin
• The Person And Society
• II. Conversion And Society
• Participation In Social Life
• II. The Common Good
• III. Responsibility And Participation
• Social Justice
• I. Respect For The Human Person
• II. Equality And Differences Among Men
• III. Human Solidarity
• The Moral Law
• I. The Natural Moral Law
• II. The Old Law
• III. The New Law Or The Law Of The Gospel
• Grace And Justification
• IV. Christian Holiness
• The Church, Mother And Teacher
• I. Moral Life And The Magisterium Of The Church
• II. The Precepts Of The Church
• III. Moral Life And Missionary Witness
• The First Commandment
• I. You Shall Worship The Lord Your God And Him Only Shall You Serve
• II. Him Only Shall You Serve
• III. You Shall Have No Other Gods Before Me
• IV. You Shall Not Make For Yourself A Graven Image . . .
• The Second Commandment
• I. The Name Of The Lord Is Holy
• II. Taking The Name Of The Lord In Vain
• III. The Christian Name
• The Third Commandment
• I. The Sabbath Day
• II. The Lord's Day
• I. The Family In God's Plan
• II. The Family And Society
• III. The Duties Of Family Members
• IV. The Family And The Kingdom
• V. The Authorities In Civil Society
• The Fifth Commandment
• I. Respect For Human Life
• II. Respect For The Dignity Of Persons
• III. Safeguarding Peace
• The Sixth Commandment
• I. Male And Female He Created Them . . .
• II. The Vocation To Chastity
• III. The Love Of Husband And Wife
• IV. Offenses Against The Dignity Of Marriage
• The Seventh Commandment
• I. The Universal Destination And The Private Ownership Of Goods
• II. Respect For Persons And Their Goods
• III. The Social Doctrine Of The Church
• IV. Economic Activity And Social Justice
• V. Justice And Solidarity Among Nations
• VI. Love For The Poor
• The Eighth Commandment
• I. Living In The Truth
• II. To Bear Witness To The Truth
• III. Offenses Against Truth
• IV. Respect For The Truth
• V. The Use Of The Social Communications Media
• VI. Truth, Beauty, And Sacred Art
• The Ninth Commandment
• I. Purification Of The Heart
• II. The Battle For Purity
• The Tenth Commandment
• I. The Disorder Of Covetous Desires
• II. The Desires Of The Spirit
• III. Poverty Of Heart
• IV. I Want To See God
• In The Old Testament
• In The Fullness Of Time
• In The Age Of The Church
• I. Blessing And Adoration
• II. Prayer Of Petition
• III. Prayer Of Intercession
• IV. Prayer Of Thanksgiving
• V. Prayer Of Praise
• At The Wellsprings Of Prayer
• The Way Of Prayer
• Guides For Prayer
• Expressions Of Prayer
• II. Meditation
• III. Contemplative Prayer
• The Battle Of Prayer
• I. Objections To Prayer
• II. Humble Vigilance Of Heart
• III. Filial Trust
• IV. Perservering In Love
• The Prayer Of The Hour Of Jesus
• article 1 the summary of the whole gospel
• article 2 our father who art in heaven
• article 3 the seven petitions
• article 4 the final doxolgy

Sacraments Essay Draft