Theology: Chapter 5 Celebrating Sacraments

When or where is the church a sacrament of Jesus Christ to the world? Give three examples of how that happens in today's world.

The church is a sacrament of Christ: - whenever and wherever its members act as Jesus acted, and preach about and live out the reign of God. Three examples of how the "church is a sacrament of Jesus" 1. Christians who work at food shelves and homeless shelters make Jesus tangibly present to those they serve; 2. Parish members who volunteer to bring confined or elderly persons to Sunday Mass; 3. Bishops and theologians who work together to issue statements on topics concerning peace and justice.

What does it mean to say that the sacraments are divinely efficacious?

The sacraments are capable of effecting change in us and the world - because of God's power, not our own.

What makes the sacraments different from rituals of purely human making

The sacraments are different from rituals purely of human making because: 1. Jesus Christ himself acts in the sacraments; 2. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, the transforming grace of Christ's actions is poured into human hearts

Give the Catechism's definition of sacraments.

The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. The visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each sacrament. They bear fruit in those who receive them with the required dispositions.

Correlate the seven actions of Jesus Christ listed on page 90 with the seven sacraments of the Catholic church.

The seven actions of Jesus Christ: 1. He brought people to new life - BAPTISM 2. He forgave people's sins - RECONCILIATION 3. He sacrificed himself out of love - EUCHARIST 4. He shared the power of his spirit with others - CONFIRMATION 5. He healed people's illnesses - ANOINTING OF THE SICK 6. He was faithful to the One he called Abba - ? 7. He ministered to people's spiritual needs - HOLY ORDERS

What twofold function do the seven sacraments serve in the Catholic church?

The seven sacraments serve a twofold function in the Catholic church: 1. They express the faith of the church, who the church is; and 2. They renew and strengthen the faith of the church by giving us divine life.

How did Jesus' disciples witness Jesus to others?

The way that the disciples would witness Jesus to others would be to preach and act as he did.

Where do the seven sacraments come from? In what do they have their roots?

1. Eventually, all seven kinds of Jesus' actions were ritualized into what are now the official seven sacraments of the Catholic church. 2. They are rooted (1) in the life and ministry of Jesus; and (2) in the Tradition of the Catholic church - the church's wisdom, teaching and practice handed down under the guidance of the Holy Spirit

What is the paschal mystery? What do Jesus' death on the cross and his Resurrection tell us about God?

1. The paschal mystery is Jesus Christ's death and Resurrection, his Ascension to the Father, and his sending the Holy Spirit to his followers. 2. Jesus' death on the cross reveals God's care and concern for those who suffer. 3. Jesus' rising from the dead by the power of God lets us know that God can turn any kind of suffering into a grace-filled opportunity for new life.

Identify three images that help Christians understand who the church is. Discuss why each is a helpful image.

1. The people of God - The church is God's own beloved people through whom the world is being saved. The church as the people of God is a community established by Christ to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. 2. The Body of Christ - This image suggests a community of persons who profess faith in Jesus Christ. This image conveys the notion of a community whose members combine their individual gifts to work together to make him alive and present in the world. 3. The temple of the Holy Spirit - The spirit dwells in the church. Saving and healing actions, teaching truth and light - these all come from the work of the Spirit in them.

Why is Pentecost often called the birthday of the Christian church?

At Pentecost, when the Apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit, they were empowered to go forth into the world and preach the Good News of Jesus. The church was charged on the day of Pentecost to be a sacrament of Jesus Christ to the world,

What does the word "incarnation" mean? How does the opening story relate to the Incarnation of Jesus

Incarnation means "to make flesh." The term describes: - God's embodiment or "becoming flesh" as a human in Jesus. In the story, Tracy wanted to communicate her concern for certain members of creation by becoming one of them. The story relates to the Incarnation of Jesus because it demonstrates that God became human to let us know that he loves us.

What does Jesus' humanity model for us human beings?

Jesus' humanity models: - humanity at its best - a picture of what we humans can be and what God desires for us - that we faithfully respond to God's offer of grace.

Summarize why Jesus' life and ministry are a sacrament of God. Use an example to illustrate your response

Jesus' life and ministry are a sacrament of God because during his teachings he taught about a God whom he called his Father, a passionately caring God whose love in unlimited, healing, and unreserved. An example is that Jesus touched and healed ill or out cast people.

What is meant by saying Jesus is the primary sacrament of God?

We can see Jesus Christ as the primary sacrament of God: - through his life and ministry, as told in the Gospels of the New Testament. When we read the Gospels we see that Jesus loved and helped everyone and through his actions he revealed God, whose love is all-embracing.

Why is the disposition of those receiving the sacraments important?

Whether the grace given by God through the sacraments actually bears fruit in those who receive them depends on their disposition and how well prepared they are to receive a sacrament. Disposition refers to their inner attitude and readiness for a particular sacrament.