UNIT FIVEThe Church is Sacrament

5.2 Sacraments for God’s Faithful

Transcending Time

Past and future accessible to us.

Participate now in the events that happened long before our time, in the events that will not actually take place for many more years

Time is transcended in sacramental moments

When we celebrate the sacraments….

Moment of creation, saving acts of God recounted in the Old Testament, the past acts of Christ, the end times are all brought together in the present moment

The experience and the faith of members of the Church from every age are brought together

Jesus gave us the sacraments for the community

Sacraments ensure the unity between Christ and his body, the Church.As we increase our understanding of, and our appreciation for, the faith life of Catholics in other times and places, our connectedness to the body as a whole is strengthened and our ability to participate in the richness of the sacraments is increased.

The essence of each sacrament:

A particular graced encounter with God which occurs in and through the sacrament

The ritual, theology of the sacrament are the outward sign which point us to the encounter with God

Central belief:

The Holy Spirit has been present and active in the Church and in the sacraments since the beginning

The Church as a whole has never lost the truth or the ability to bring the grace of God to the world

In each century the sacraments have been sources of grace

Sacraments of Initiation

Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist

Through participation in these sacraments one is fully initiated in the Catholic Church

Baptism and Confirmation

Jesus’ baptism is the prototype of all Christian Baptisms

Jesus’ baptism transforms Baptism to a sign of the divine purification which God offers through Jesus

From the beginning, Christian Baptism has been linked to the descent of the Holy Spirit and to the permanent marking of the newly baptized Christian as God’s own.

Baptism: Linked to death and life

Waters of Baptism both a tomb and a womb

Christians are given a new life which will be fully realized only through the faithful acceptance of suffering and death

According to the scriptures, acceptance and reception of Baptism = a willingness to accept suffering and even death

The early Christians and Baptism

Trusted the Holy Spirit would give them the strength to remain faithful in the face of temptation, the same grace to resist sin that Jesus had received

Sin

An utterance, deed, or desire contrary to the eternal law

A failure to love God and neighbor

Harms both the sinner and the unity of the human family

An offense against God

Reception of Baptism

Earliest form, four step process

1. Person heard the Gospel

2. Believed it

3. Repented

4. Was baptized

Celebration of Baptism in early Church

Details from the Didache

Person taught, and accepted the basic principle of Christian faith and morality

He or she fasted for one or two days before being baptized

Baptisms done with ‘living” or running water as possible

Water poured over head three times

Didache

Also called the “Teaching of the Twelve Apostles”

Moral, disciplinary, and liturgical text written in the later first or early second century

Includes teachings on Baptism, Eucharist, fasting and prayer

Development of the Initiation Process

Baptism was not always immediately linked to the reception of the Holy Spirit

Paul received the gift of the Spirit through the laying on of hands immediately before his baptismOther occasions Holy Spirit given some time after Baptism

The Holy Spirit was given through representatives of the apostolic Church in Jerusalem

Presumption:

All who had received the Holy Spirit would be baptized, all who had been baptized would receive the gift of the Spirit

Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus (AD 217)

Process leading to baptism presentedBegan when person first attracted to gospel

His or her life examined by Church

Invited to join the catechumenate: period of preparation for Baptism

Invited on Sundays with the community to listen to scripture and the sermon

Dismissed before the community began prayers, celebration of Eucharist

Met apart for instruction and prayer

Final preparation for Baptism

Catechumens named as members of the elect

Begin period of intense prayerLifestyles examined

Given prayers, creeds, and gospel of the Church

Days leading up to Easter Elect participated in daily exorcism as the community prayed all evil and desire for evil would be removed from them

During final three days before Easter the elect fasted and spent their time in prayer

At the Easter Vigil

Elect gathered at the water basin near or inside the entrance of the church

Publicly renounced the devilAnointed with the oil of exorcismElect undressed and descended naked into the water

While in the waterElect questioned about their acceptance of the basic beliefs of Christianity, immersed three times

At the Easter Vigil

When they came out of the waterNewly baptized dressed in white garment

Anointed with the oil of thanksgiving

Led inside the main body of the churchBishop would lay hands on them and pour the oil of thanksgiving over their heads

Newly baptized Christians were welcomed as members of the Christian community with the kiss of peace

Invited to the Eucharist

Given three chalices from which to drink1. Eucharist

2. Milk and honey (symbolized entrance into the promised land)

3. Water (symbolized inner Baptism)

Fourth Century Changes

Converts flocked to the ChurchIncreasing difficult: to provide extended baptismal preparation or careful guidance for all new Christians; for a bishop to be present at each Baptism

2 distinct trends1. Priest serves as minister for Baptism, including

laying on of hands and anointing (East)

2. Bishop kept ministerial role, final anointing and laying on of hands left to be done by bishop (West)

Rise of Infant Baptisms

5th Century, adult Baptisms and the connection between Baptism and Easter began to wane

Augustine stressed the absolute necessity of God’s grace to free a person form original sin

Church believes grace is first given in Baptism

Therefore Baptism is essential for salvation

Soon infant baptism came to be the norm

Baptism understood as…

Claiming of an infant by God

All that mattered was that each child be washed clean of the stain of original sin so that he or she would be eligible to enter the kingdom of heaven

Christian Initiation Today

Bishop and a profession of faith essential elements of Confirmation

Seal which completed and authenticated Baptism

New understandings of Confirmation aroseCatechism of Trent: Confirmation of Baptism must wait at least until the age of reason (age 7), at which a person might be aware of what he or she was doing

Christian Initiation Today

Confirmation gave strength to the grace of Baptism, gave person the strength to fight evil

Not understood as essential for salvation

Eventually, Confirmation came to be celebrated some time in adolescence

Sacrament of maturity, gave grace needed to live as faithful adult

Christian Initiation Today

Up until 20th century, order of Sacraments of Initiation same as earliest days: Baptism, followed by a seal on Baptism later known as Confirmation, and finally reception of the Eucharist

In 1905, to encourage people to receive communion more frequently, Pope Pius X moved reception of first Eucharist from early adolescence to age seven, though Confirmation remained in adolescence

Christian Initiation Today

Confirmation lost its identity as the sacrament which admitted a person to the Eucharistic table and to full unity with the Church

The Eucharist lost some of its identity as the sign of total commitment to Christ and to his body, the Church

RCIA seen as normative

Emphasis on Christian initiation is a process of uniting people with God in heaven and with the body of Christ on earth

Emphasis on the commitment of those receiving the sacraments

Absolution

Release of repentant sinners from their sin in the sacrament of Reconciliation

Must still do what they can to make amends for their in order to recover their full spiritual health

Eucharist

Source and summit of Christian life

Culmination both of Gods’ action sanctifying the world in Christ and of the worship we offer to Christ and through him to the Father in the Holy Spirit

Every celebration anticipates Christ’s return

Eucharist in the early Church

A meal which allows participants to be freed from the constraints of time so that they can be present at both the saving events of the past (Last Supper and crucifixion) and at the future time of the second comingUnderstood as a meal that forms Christians into the new People of God

No one to come without having resolved any disagreements

Eucharistic Rites in the Early Church

1st century: All Christians in one community gather together, in private homes for celebration of Lord’s Day

Some homes became churches as congregations grew

Became impossible for all Christians in same city to worship together

To preserve and symbolize bond of unity among separate churches of an area, custom of “fragmentation” arose

Fragmentation

A piece of Eucharistic bread from the bishop’s church was sent to each of the other churches in the same city to be mingled with their Eucharistic bread

Essential elements of Christian Worship

From the beginning, preaching, prayer and the breaking of the breadEarly format of Eucharist, outlined in gospel story of Jesus’ appearance on the road to Emmaus

Jesus traces Salvation History from the Old Testament to the saving events of the Paschal MysteryThen offers prayer of thanksgiving and breaks the bread

Fixed pattern for Eucharist

By middle of 2nd century, Justin Martyr wrote rite of Eucharist

Began with a liturgy of the word (memoirs of apostles, writing of prophets read)

Followed by a sermon

Offered prayers, kiss of peace

Bread and wine brought in, presider offered prayers of thanksgiving

Congregation assents with “Amen”

Liturgy of the word

Part of the Mass which includes the “writings of the prophets” (the Old Testament reading and psalm), and the “memoirs of the apostles” (the New Testament epistle and the gospel, the homily, the profession of faith, and the intercessions for the world

Developments in Understanding and Practice

Eucharist as a sacrificeSacrifice which the book of Hebrews says is offered by Christ the high priest

Acceptable sacrifice which pleases the Lord, puts those who offer it in right relationship with God

Deacon

One who is ordained “not unto the priesthood, but into ministry”

Ordained to serve by assisting bishops and priests in sacramental celebrations and by dedicating themselves to the various ministries of charity

Eucharistic prayer

Heart and summit of the celebration of the Eucharist

Follows the offering of the unconsecrated bread and wine to God

Begins with preface in which Church gives thanks to the Father, through Christ, in the Holy Spirit, for all his works

Eucharistic prayer

• Includes the epiclesis (the request for the Spirit to descend), the institution narrative, the anamnesis (in which the Church remembers the passion, resurrection, and promise of Christ’s return), the intercessions, communion, and a final prayer of thanksgiving

Early Middle Ages

• After pilgrims visited Rome to see resting places of martyrs, they often imitated the Roman style of worship when they returned home

• 15th Century, Roman rite became rite of western Church

• Laity’s role in Mass became less participatory

• Prayers of Mass said in Latin

By Late Middle Ages

• Presence of Laity considered unnecessary and private Masses were common

• New sense of Christian spirituality developed– Piety emphasized individual sins and please

for mercy– Variety of private devotions became popular,

small side chapels where people offer prayers while Mass was going on

Transubstantiation

• 12th century, used to explain how bread and wine became body and blood of Jesus

• Change of the essential nature of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ during the consecration– Essence gave something its true identity and

determined the impact it would have on those who interacted with it (changed)

– Accidents those things perceptible to the senses (remained same)

Transubstantiation

• Doctrine intended to help people understand that as the bread and wine are incorporated into the one who receives the, that person’s relationship with Christ is strengthened– Helps people to understand that even though

the consecrated elements appear like all other bread and wine, all who offer prayers before them are offering prayers before the incarnate Jesus himself

A Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving• Early Christians understood Jesus’ death

as both a sacrifice of commitment and as payment of a debt

• By Middle Ages, the notion of sacrifice was influenced by pagan concepts– Council of Trent sought to correct

misunderstandings• Eucharist true sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving

and an expiation for the living and the dead

Council of Trent and the Eucharist• The cross was a bloody sacrifice and the

Eucharist an unbloody sacrifice but otherwise the two are the same

• Eucharist is a sacrifice which binds us to God

• Altered the practice of the Mass– Standardized liturgy, specific texts and

actions mandatory

Roman rite, rite of all western churches• 1661 Pope Alexander VII prohibited

translation of missal to vernacular (commonly spoken language) under penalty of excommunication

• From Council of Trent until the Second Vatican Council, celebration of Mass unchanged.

Sacrament causes what it signifies• If People understand what sacrament

signifies, then will be able to receive and benefit from the grace which it gives

• Vatican II’s Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy– Allows for legitimate variations in liturgy from

culture to culture– Several options to choose from for each of

parts of the Mass

In Conclusion

• In each period of history, way in which sacraments have been understood and celebrated shaped by world view and dominant culture of the day

• Great diversity of cultures and worldviews• We are a universal Church, across

distance, and time• We are one Church united with all who

have come before us in faith and with all who will follow us

In Conclusion

• Many legitimate variations within Catholic liturgy

• All of the periods of our history are a part of our Catholic Tradition