signs of god’s grace: a journey through the sacraments€¦ · thorough introduction to the seven...

A

NN OO WW YY OO UU KK NN OO WW MM EE DD II AA S T U D Y G U I D E

Signs of Gods Grace: A Journey Through the

Sacraments

Presented by Rev. Thomas J. Scirghi, S.J., Th.D.

SIGNS OF GODS GRACE: A JOURNEY THROUGH THE SACRAMENTS S T U D Y G U I D E

W W W . N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A . C O M / 1 - 8 0 0 - 9 5 5 - 3 9 0 4 / 2 0 1 3 2

Now You Know Media Copyright Notice:

This document is protected by copyright law. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. You

are permitted to view, copy, print, and distribute this document (up to seven

copies), subject to your agreement that: Your use of the information is for

informational, personal, and noncommercial purposes only. You will not modify

the documents or graphics. You will not copy or distribute graphics separate

from their accompanying text and you will not quote materials out of their

context. You agree that Now You Know Media may revoke this permission at

any time and you shall immediately stop your activities related to this

permission upon notice from Now You Know Media.



Table of Contents

Program Summary ............................................................................................................... 4

About Your Presenter ........................................................................................................... 5

Topic 1: An Introduction to the Sacraments .................................................................. 6

Topic 2: Baptism: We Are Washed and Welcomed into the Church .......................... 11

Topic 3: Confirmation: The Pentecost Feast Still Burns with Tongues of Fire .......... 16

Topic 4: The Eucharist: The Lamb of God Frees Us from Sin ................................... 22

Topic 5: The Liturgy of the Eucharist: Come to the Table, Take and Eat .................. 27

Topic 6: Penance: The Celebration of Gods Mercy ................................................... 31

Topic 7: Anointing of the Sick: Are Any Among You Sick? .................................. 35

Topic 8: The Funeral: The Lord Promises to Raise Us Up ......................................... 40

Topic 9: Matrimony: The Sacred Covenant ................................................................ 44

Topic 10: Holy Orders: Continuing the Call to the Lord in Service to the Church ...... 48

Topic 11: Preaching: Jesus Christ Is Present in His Word ............................................ 53

Topic 12: Sacramentals: Extending the Table of the Lord ............................................ 58

Bibliography ....................................................................................................................... 63



Program Summary

The sacraments lie at the heart of the Catholic faith. Now, you can discover

them anew in this captivating program.

St. Anselm perhaps best defined Christian theology when he described it as

fides quaerens intellectum, or faith seeking understanding. At the center of

theology is worship, where the faithful come to give praise and thanksgiving to

God. Through our communal prayers and rituals, we remember our tradition,

express our faith, and encounter the presence of the living God.

The sacraments tell the powerful story of the Christian faith. These

efficacious signs of grace (Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 1131) are

rooted in the work and teaching of Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God and

Word made flesh, the One who directs us along the way to union with God.

Thus, sacramental celebration is absolutely fundamental to all Christians.

Now, you can join Fordham University professor Fr. Thomas Scirghi, S.J.,

in this illuminating series on the sacraments. An expert on sacramental theology,

he authored Everything Is Sacred: An Introduction to the Sacrament of Baptism,

which bestselling author Fr. James Martin, S.J., praised as the perfect

guidebook for curious parents, enthusiastic newcomers, and confused cradle

Catholics. Frankly, this is the best book on baptism Ive ever read. Fr. Scirghis

mastery of the material is evident in this 12-lecture series.

With Fr. Scirghi as your guide, you will explore the origin of the sacraments

through their scriptural roots and their development in the Churchs history. You

will also study ritualhow each sacrament is celebrated. Whether you are

seeking to deepen your understanding of the sacraments or looking for a

thorough introduction to the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church, you will

find this course invaluable and insightful.

This is a truly essential course for Christians of all ages and positions:

students, pastors, and lifelong learners alike will find these lectures enlightening.

The sacraments tell the Christian story of how we come to follow the way of the

Lord. Discover this story today.



About Your Presenter

Rev. Thomas J. Scirghi is Associate Professor of Theology at Fordham

University, where he specializes in the theology of sacraments and liturgy, as

well as homiletics, the theory and practice of preaching. He earned a Master of

Divinity degree from the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley, California; an

S.T.L. from the Weston Jesuit School of Theology in Cambridge,

Massachusetts; and a Doctor of Theology from Boston University. A member of

the New York Province of Jesuits, he has taught at the Jesuit School of

Theology at Berkeley and the Jesuit College of Theology in Melbourne,

Australia. In 2013, he was appointed to the Thomas More Chair of Catholic

Studies, a joint appointment to the University of Western Australia and the

University of Notre Dame, Australia. He has lectured on liturgy and preaching

for clergy and laity throughout America, as well as in Africa, Asia, and

Australia. Recently he published Everything Is Sacred: An Introduction to

Baptism (Paraclete Press), and Living Beauty: The Art of Worship, with his

colleague Alejandro Garcia-Rivera (Rowman and Littlefield Press). He is also a

frequent contributor to Pastoral Liturgy magazine.



Topic 1: An Introduction to the Sacraments

I. Welcome and Introduction

A. The breadth and aim of the course

II. The definition of sacraments (cf. CCC 1131)

A. Sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. The celebration of the sacraments make present the graces

proper to each sacrament. They bear fruit in those who receive them with the required

dispositions.

B. N.B. Old Baltimore Catechism definition: A sacrament is an outward sign, instituted by Christ, to give grace. The new Catechism expands upon the old definition.

C. Lets focus on seven points here.

1. Efficacious signs

a. They effect what they signify, i.e., something happens because of them; they cause something to happen.

b. Most signs simply point, e.g., Exit,Lincoln Memorial, but some signs are efficaciousthey cause something to happen

c. E.g., a couple celebrates tenth wedding anniversary over a nice dinner. These signs also enhance their relationship.

d. Symbols

i. These efficacious signs are more precisely symbols.

ii. Symbols re-present a hidden reality. They make present something that we cannot perceive with our senses, e.g., love.

2. Grace = the presence of God.

a. In the state of grace = close relationship with God

b. The celebration of the sacraments provide opportunities to realize that we are in the presence of God.

3. Instituted by Christ

a. First, note that the word instituted may be tricky.

b. We may think that Jesus Himself practiced or performed the seven sacraments.



c. But Jesus never married anyone: He wasnt married nor did He join people together in marriage. For that matter, although he was baptized, he did not baptize anyone.

d. Rather, the sacraments find their origins in Christ. That is, they are rooted in the words and worksin the teachings and actionsof Jesus Christ.

i. Baptism: Matthew 28

ii. Penance and anointing of the sick: Jesus forgave sinners and healed the sick

4. Entrusted to the Church

a. We know that the Church is the Body of Christ.

b. So it is here, in this body, that the sacraments are celebrated and the presence of Christ continues to be experienced.

5. Divine life is dispensed

a. We share in the divine life of God.

b. The sacraments remind us that we are made in the image and likeness of God. Each of us carries a spark of the divine, so they remind us of who we are and whose we are.

c. We are made in Gods own image and we belong to God.

6. Bear fruit

a. The sacraments are effective in that they transform us; we are changed.

b. We should behave more like Jesus Christ. To bear fruit = to behave more like Jesus Christ; to imitate His life.

7. Required dispositions

a. In order for the sacraments to bear fruit, we need to dispose ourselves properly.

b. Lets be careful here: the grace comes from God, not us. We do not cause the grace to happen. However, we must be open, or disposed, to receiving the grace.

c. What we want to avoid here is reducing the sacraments to either magical or mechanical operations.

i. Magical: say the right words, make the right gesture, and grace happens.

ii. Mechanical: follow a procedure and grace will happen.

d. Its about relationships: sacraments are not mechanical; they are relational, building our relationship with God.

e. So this is why its important that we approach the sacraments with the proper dispositions:



i. An openness to Gods grace

ii. A desire to deepen our relationship with God, to trust in God

iii. A willingness to follow the Lord

D. This is our definition of the sacraments, based on the Catechism:

1. They are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ, and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed.

III. The Sacramental System

A. God > Jesus Christ > Church > Seven Sacraments > Sacramentals

1. The seven sacraments are part of a system.

2. The purpose of the Church is to point the way to God. This is what sacraments do, these efficacious signs: they make us aware of the presence of God.

B. Primary sacrament: Jesus Christ

1. The purpose of Christ is to show us the way to God. To see Christ is to see God.

a. John 14:8-11: Philip said to Jesus, Show us the Father. Jesus answered him, How can you say, Show us the Father? Believe me, I am in the Father and the Father is in me.

C. So the sacramental system begins with GOD, since the purpose of the sacraments is to lead us to God.

D. The primary sacrament is JESUS CHRIST: He is the primary way by which Christians come to know God.

E. The next part of the system is the CHURCH, the Body of Christ. By praying with the Church, and with all the activity of the Church, we find signs of God.

F. Then we have the SEVEN SACRAMENTS. The Church extends the presence of Christ into the community of the faithful and throughout the world.

G. Finally, we have the SACRAMENTALS: rituals and objects which we use to celebrate and practice our faith.

1. Ritual: receiving ashes for Ash Wednesday or praying a novena

2. Objects: palm branches for Palm Sunday, a Bible, or rosary beads.

3. Blessings: we bless people and objects to remind us of our unity within the Church and how God is present to us in daily life and in all that we do.

IV. Sacramental Principle

A. The Sacramental Principle states that all creation manifests the presence of God.



B. We can know God through all of created reality. Why can we say this?

C. God created the universe, and we know something of the creator through the creation.

1. The world as Gods museum

a. Here, all around us, is Gods work, and we get a glimpse of the artist through the work.

b. E.g., admiring Michelangelos Pieta, with its fluid lines in marble.

V. Our way of proceeding with the sacraments

A. Its roots in Scripture

B. A brief historical development

C. The theology, i.e., how this particular sacrament provides an efficacious sign of grace

D. A look at the ritual for the sacrament

VI. Final note

A. In our discussion of sacrament, we havent said anything about the origin of the word.

B. We will take that up in the topic on baptism. Well see that sacrament began as a military ritual and later became the Christian celebration.


W W W . N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I A . C O M / 1 - 8 0 0 - 9 5 5 - 3 9 0 4 / 2 0 1 3 1 0

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What is the purpose of the sacraments?

2. Describe the difference between a common sign and an efficacious sign.

3. What does it mean to say that the sacraments are relational?

4. How does the sacramental principle influence our world view?



Topic 2: Baptism: We Are Washed and Welcomed into the

Church

I. The origin of baptism

A. The purpose of baptism is to welcome people into the Church and to guide them along the way of Jesus Christ.

B. Sacramentum: the meaning of the word sacrament

1. From military oath to Christian ritual

a. Military oath: in ancient Rome, army recruits would undergo a ritual called sacramentum to become soldiers.

i. They would pledge their fidelity to the gods of Rome and loyalty to their commanding officer.

ii. They would be branded or tattooed with the seal of Rome (SPQR) and the insignia of his regiment. This mark indicated that the man is a soldier in good standing in the

Roman army, entitled to all the rights and privileges of a soldier.

b. Christian ritual

i. In the second century, Christians needed to explain their ritual to non-Christians.

ii. They compared it to the Roman military ceremony: pledging fidelity to Jesus Christ, Son of God, and loyalty to the Christian community by confessing its beliefs.

iii. Then they were marked with an invisible and indelible brandmarked as a son or daughter of God.

2. This ritual of initiation combined three sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist

a. The Christians would meet by a body of water, and an elder of the community would stand in the stream.

b. The neophytes (the ones about to enter the Church) would wade out to the elder and profess their faith.

c. The elder would then plunge them into the water: this is where we get the word baptism, meaning to plunge.

d. After that, the neophytes would wade back onto shore. They would retreat behind some trees or bushes, change out of their wet clothes, dry off, and put on a white robe, a

symbol of the new person theyve become.



e. Then they would be anointed with chrism, perfumed oil. Like the kings and queens were anointed to indicate their special status, the baptized are anointed to show their status as

children of God.

f. Then they would sit down to the meal of bread and wine: the Eucharist. As they broke bread, they became members of the community. Finally, they would feast together.

II. Scriptural roots

A. John the Baptist (from Qumran community)

1. Baptizing was already in practice.

2. He adds sin.

3. Jesus is baptized, which some see as scandalous.

a. He is sinless, but He carries the sins of the world upon Him.

b. On the cross: He dies for our sin (an inclusion).

B. Jesus commands his apostles to baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

C. Pentecost (Acts 2) baptism of 3,000

D. Early Church (N.B.: They clearly state to baptize with water and the Trinity)

1. Justin Martyr (A.D. 150)

2. Hippolytus (A.D. 225)

III. Development

A. Separation of the three Sacraments of Initiation

B. Infant baptism

C. Edict of Milan (313), Emperor Constantine: spread of Christianity

1. Up to this time, the bishop presided over initiation, but now, with so many people, he could not see to it for everyone, so he delegated authority to priests to baptize, and the bishop

would confirm.

2. Bishop = a sign of unity

D. Baptism Confirmation Eucharist => switches to Baptism Eucharist Confirmation

IV. Infant Baptism

A. Fear of infant mortality (cf. John 3:5)

1. What happens to an un-baptized child, one who is innocent of sin, but un-christened?



2. Limbo: an eternity of blissful existence without the benefit of Gods presence

3. Benedict XVI: Never an official teaching of the Church, never part of the liturgy (we dont pray for souls in Limbo). Rather, we trust in the mercy of God, even if we cant explain it.

B. N.B.: Sacraments are necessary so that we may come to know God and grow in relationship with Him. Sacraments guide us along the way to God, but they do not limit the power and authority of

almighty God. So, we trust in the mercy of God.

V. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)

A. This rite revives a practice of the early Christian Church.

B. What is RCIA? We need a clear statement.

1. It can serve as a parish renewal, because the whole parish comes to be involved.

2. Several stages over a year

a. Inquiry

i. People who are attracted to the Church and may be thinking of joining, get to ask questions of the teaching and practice of the Catholic Church

ii. Undergo an extended period of study and reflection, coming to understand the Church more and to see themselves as members of the community.

b. Baptism

i. This is one long process of initiation, culminating in baptism at the Easter Vigil.

ii. The three Sacraments of Initiation are received.

iii. A communal celebration

c. Mystagogia: It doesnt end on Easter, but continues through ongoing service and worship in the community.

VI. The Ritual

A. Well focus on infant Baptism. Many people dont receive an explanation of the ritual, as opposed to RCIA, with instruction along the way.

B. Five parts:

1. Welcome: greeting of parents and godparents (who represent the community), plus the naming of the childa saints name, a model of Christian living.

2. Liturgy of the Word: the Scripture is always a part of sacramental celebration. The Scripture reading is followed by preaching, an opening of the Word.

3. Profession of Creed: our statement of faith, pronounced by parents, godparents, and others.



4. Rite of Baptism

a. Bath

b. White garment

c. Chrism

d. Candle

5. Blessing of Parents



REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What is the purpose of baptism?

2. How is this Christian ritual similar to the ancient Roman military oath?

3. Given that an infant has no understanding of the sacrament, what is the purpose of infant baptism?

4. Discuss the five parts of the ritual of infant baptism.



Topic 3: Confirmation: The Pentecost Feast Still Burns with

Tongues of Fire

I. The problem: separating Confirmation from the Sacraments of Initiation

A. Baptism: dying to oneself and being raised to new life in Jesus Christ

B. Confirmation: receiving the Holy Spirit, the paraclete, promised by Jesus

C. Eucharist: united in the Lord through the church in the breaking of the bread

D. Questions

1. What happens when Confirmation is separated from the other Sacraments of Initiation?

2. Just what is being confirmed?

3. More specifically, what does it mean to receive the Holy Spirit apart from baptism?

E. We will address these questions in three parts:

1. Pentecost: the model of Confirmation

2. Separation: Why the three Sacraments of Initiation were separated

3. Purpose: What is the role of Confirmation in the sacramental system?

II. The Feast of Pentecost (Acts of the Apostles, chapter 2)

A. The term

1. Fiftieth day

2. Feast of Weeks: seven weeks after the beginning of the grain harvest; a harvest celebration, similar to Thanksgiving

B. The event

1. The Apostlesgood Jewish mengathered for their annual feast.

2. Cowards to Crusaders

a. Huddled in the upper roomfearful of authorities

b. Spirit bursts in: tongues of fireall can understand one another (vs. Babel)

3. Peters speech: the first proclamation of the Gospel



C. To receive the Holy Spirit

1. Meaning: strengthened in their faith to carry out the mission with which Jesus entrusted them

2. Matthew 28, the mission: teach and baptize . . . but they were afraid!

D. Scripture references to receiving the Holy Spirit

1. Prophecy of the Spirit

a. Isaiah 11:2, There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse . . . and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him.

b. Isaiah 61:1, The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good tidings to the afflicted. (cf. Jesus sermon in synagogue, Luke 4:13)

2. Jesus receives the Spirit.

a. Matt 3:16, (When Jesus was baptized, the heavens were opened.) And he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and resting on him.

b. John 1:33, John the Baptist about Jesus: He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain

3. Jesus will send the Spirit

a. John 14:16, I will pray (to) the Father and he will give you (a) Counselor (an Advocate, Paraclete, Encourager) to be with you forever.

b. John 16:13, When the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth.

c. Acts 1:8, You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses . . . to the ends of the earth.

4. Apostles impart the Spirit to others

a. Acts 8:17, They laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

i. This gesture becomes the sign for handing on the Spirit.

ii. This gesture is the origin of the Sacrament of Confirmation, carrying on the grace of Pentecost. [CCC 1288]

III. The separation of the Sacraments of Initiation

A. Early Church: the Sacraments of Initiation in three parts: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist

1. Confirmation consisted of being anointed with the oil of chrism.

a. Chrism = anointed, Christ (from Christos = anointed one)

b. Christian: we follow the anointed one, and in turn, we are anointed.



2. In the ancient world, oil had many uses:

a. Cleansing (after a bath)

b. Limber (for athletes)

c. Healing (bruises and wounds)

d. Anointing of royalty

e. Its sweet perfume suggested celebration: The sweetness of the Lord

3. The anointing with chrism was added to the laying on of hands for Confirmation

B. The separation

1. Fourth century: the Church expands rapidly (Edict of Milan, Emperor Constantine).

2. Many people want to be baptized. Parents want their children baptized, fearing infant mortality.

3. Dioceses are growing rapidly, and new dioceses are forming in rural areas. This new growth causes a problem: the bishop cannot get to everyone requesting baptism in time.

4. Solution:

a. Eastern Church: priests are delegated to anoint with the chrismchrismation

b. Western Church: introduces a double anointing:

i. The priest will anoint the person after the baptismal bath.

ii. The bishop will anoint the person on the forehead with chrism, later.

c. Eventually this becomes known as confirmation.

5. The Eastern Church emphasizes the unity of Christian Initiation; the Western Church emphasizes the communion of the new Christian with the bishop and the unity of the

Catholic Church. [Bishop = sign of unity]

C. The reason for the separation of Baptism and Confirmation was a practical one, i.e., how to baptize and confirm all these people in a rapidly expanding church. Then followed the

theological rationale for the separation, e.g., the two distinct mysteries of Easter and Pentecost

are manifested sacramentally, as baptism focuses on the death and resurrection of the Lord, while

confirmation focuses on the descent of the Holy Spirit. [Rahner 282]

D. Some found scriptural support for the separation, e.g., Acts 8:17, mentioned earlier,

E. Those people in Samaria had been baptized, but (we read) the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen on them, so Peter and John were sent to pray with them, they laid hands on them, and they received

the Spirit.



IV. The purpose of Confirmation

A. Strengthening the person to follow Christ

1. To resist the lure of evil . . . all forms of temptation

2. To stand up to the enemies of Christ

3. Thomas: The Confirmed person receives the power to profess faith in Christ publicly. [ST III, 72, 5, ad 2; CCC 1305]

B. Soldier of Christ: the apostles changing from cowards to crusaders, spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ, carrying on His saving work, risking life and limb

C. The Slap

1. Early on, the bishop would give a kiss of peace to the person being confirmed. In the case of an infant, the bishop would caress his or her neck.

2. Later this was replaced with the slap on the cheek, a sign of strengthening for the battle against evil. [Martos, Doors, 189]

D. The Sacrament of Christian Maturity or the fullness in the Christian Spirit [CCC 1308]

1. One is now ready to ratify what was pronounced for him/her in baptism.

2. Because of this notion, we have looked for the appropriate age for the sacrament.

i. Varied: infancy (East), 7 years, adolescence

ii. Trying to find the age which corresponds with such maturity

3. While this makes sense, CCC advises that we should not confuse mature faith with the age of natural growth. They quote Thomas: The age of the body does not determine the age of the

Spirit. [ST III, 72, 8, ad 2] Also, they remind us that the grace of baptism is a gift and does

not need ratification. So, there is no uniform age for receiving Confirmation.

4. This also affects the order of the sacraments, e.g., some dioceses in the U.S. have changed the order for their young people receiving the sacraments of initiation. One bishop (Samuel

Aquila, then in Fargo, now Denver) writes of asking approval from Pope Benedict to change

the order, putting Confirmation before First Communion. He says that the Pope was very

happy that the sacraments of initiation have been restored to their proper order. This shows

that the Eucharist completes the process of initiation.

E. Problem: CCC still teaches that Confirmation confers an indelible character or seal of the Holy Spirit on the soul of the recipient (1295-96, 1304-05), but it does not explain how this seal is

different from that of baptism.

1. The focus is on our mission as Christians.

2. Recall the priesthood of the baptized.



3. An increase and deepening of the baptismal grace [CCC 1303]

4. (It) should awaken a sense of belonging to the universal church of Christ, and to the local church community. [CCC 1309]

5. Paul VI: The faithful are born anew by baptism, strengthened by the Sacrament of Confirmation, and finally are sustained by the food of eternal life in the Eucharist.

[McBrien, EN, 350]

F. In the Sacrament of Confirmation, we celebrate the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, strengthening us for mission, giving us tongues of fire to proclaim the good news in our lives.



REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What is the problem for the Sacrament of Confirmation today?

2. Why were the three sacraments of initiation separated?

3. What is the meaning of the phrase to receive the Holy Spirit?

4. Discuss the feast of Pentecost as a Jewish festival and a Christian miracle.



Topic 4: The Eucharist: The Lamb of God Frees Us from

Sin

I. Thanksgiving

A. God takes the initiative. God offers, and we receive and respond.

B. In the Liturgy of the Eucharist, we receive Gods gift and respond with gratitude. We give our thanks to God.

C. Eucharist = thanksgiving: we not only say thank you, but we do thanks through the liturgy.

D. Liturgy (leiton: laity, people; ergon: work): work of the people

1. This is our work for God.

2. Jesus showed us the way to express our gratitude.

E. The Eucharist became the central act for the Christian community, and still is for Roman Catholics. [SC]

F. We will discuss the Eucharist in two parts:

1. The theology of the sacrament, with a focus on the Last Supper, the Paschal Mystery, the significance of a meal, and the notions of real presence and sacrifice.

2. In the next lesson, we will focus on the liturgy, i.e., how we celebrate the Eucharist.

II. The Last Supper

A. The Jewish meal

1. Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it and gave it to His disciples. And then He took a cup of wine. And He added these words: This is my body . . . my blood. . . Do this . . .

2. He gave new meaning to the Jewish family meal.

a. The Jewish meal was a sacred occasion.

b. The head of the household prayed a blessing with bread, on special occasions, with a cup of wine.

B. Anamnesis: memory, but not merely a recalling of an old event, but through the memorial celebration we recognize our own part in the story.

1. This is our story.

2. Seder Supper: Why is this night different? Father rehearses the great story of salvation: how God called Israel and formed a covenant with them, liberated them from bondage in



Egypt, established them as a great nation at Sinai, with the Law, and guided them along the

way with the prophets. This is their story.

C. Eucharist: Christ is really present with us as we gather in His name (e.g., Emmaus: They recognized him in the breaking of the bread).

III. Gathering for a meal

A. The purpose is to gather people together more than it is about nourishment.

B. The meal brings us together. We tell our stories and talk about our plans and dreams, and the bonds of unity are strengthened. Something happens to us in the meal: we are transformed, i.e.,

brought into a community.

C. For the early Christians, the Eucharistic meal became the central component of their faith.

1. The people who break bread together.

2. Companions in the Lord: Latin cum-pane = with bread

3. Transformed: cf. 1 Corinthians 11:17

D. About food

1. Jews knew the presence of God through food. God revealed himself by providing food for them, when they were in need (e.g., Exodus: manna [bread from heaven], quail, water).

2. Christians: Jesus Christ, Son of God, becomes the food of salvation, taking this meaning further.

3. An animal must die.

a. Rabbit story

b. Kavanaghs Butcher shop: Genesis Hebrews Revelation

IV. Real Presence

A. Jesus emphasized His ongoing presence with His disciples.

1. Johns Gospel:

a. Remain/abide with me.

b. The promise of the paraclete

c. Where two or more are gathered, I am with them.

2. Matthew

a. Know that I am with you till the end of the age.



b. Eucharist is the greatest sign of Christs presence with us. He is present to us in a profound way.

B. Problem: Excessive materialisma distortion of Christs real presence

1. Middle Ages

a. People think theyre unworthy to touch the host

b. Change from bread to hosts, and no more cup [concomitance]

c. The gaze that saves

d. The host as charm

e. They forgot the command: Take and eat.

C. Spiritual Presence

1. Jesus Christ is really present in the celebration of the Eucharist, in the breaking of the bread and the sharing of the cup, in the bread and wine becoming the body and blood.

2. Now, what does in mean?

a. Careful not to limit our understanding of Christs presence to a mere physical notion

b. This spiritual presence is deeper and more profound than physical presence.

V. Sacrifice

A. Definition: sacra-facere = to make holy

B. Two types of sacrifice:

1. Immolation: burnt sacrifice; something is destroyed

2. Oblation: an offering

C. Paschal Mystery

1. Jesus showed us both types of sacrifice. He offered himself in loving obedience to His Father, and out of love for humanity, and for this He was executed.

2. Jesus became the paschal lamb. Remember, at the beginning of the Exodus, the Israelites spread the blood of a lamb over their doorposts, and the angel of death passed over their

homes, sparing the first born son. They were saved by the blood of the lamb. Jesus became

the paschal lamb. By shedding His blood, we are saved from death.

D. Our sacrifice

1. Oblation: we offer ourselves out of gratitude to God.



2. Symbolized by the Offertory in the liturgy. Carrying up the gifts of bread and wine, we express our gratitude for what God has given us.

3. So the priest prays (a conflation of the two prayers):

Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,

for through your goodness we have received the bread and wine we offer to you,

fruit of the earth and the vine, and work of human hands,

they will become the bread of life . . . our spiritual drink.

4. We offer not only the bread and wine, but ourselves as well.

5. Eucharistic Prayer III

Look, we pray, upon the oblation of your Church,

and recognizing the sacrificial victim by whose death you willed

to reconcile us to yourself, grant that we,

who are nourished by the Body and Blood of your Son

and filled with His Holy Spirit, may become one body, one spirit in Christ.

6. We are transformed, along with the gifts of bread and wine.

7. Augustine: We place ourselves on the pattern. Become what you eat.

E. We ask for the ongoing transformation to become the Body of Christ.



REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What is the meaning of the Paschal Mystery?

2. Describe the term anamnesis and its significance for the Eucharist.

3. Discuss the significance of the family meal and its relation with the Eucharist.

4. Explain the meaning of the Eucharist as a sacrifice.



Topic 5: The Liturgy of the Eucharist: Come to the Table,

Take and Eat

I. The Story of Emmaus in four parts

A. Disciples on the road to Emmaus from Jerusalem, shortly after Jesus death

1. Theyre confused/bewildered: rumors of resurrection.

2. They meet a stranger along the way and tell Him the news.

3. They dont recognize its Jesus.

B. Jesus opens the Scripture to them.

1. He rehearses salvation history through the stories of the prophets.

2. He draws the connection: Jesus is the Christ/Messiah, the fulfillment of the prophets.

3. They invite Him to share a meal and spend the night.

C. Breaking of the bread

1. They invite Jesus to pray the blessing over the meal, as was the custom.

2. Jesus takes bread and breaks it.

3. Flash: He vanishes.

4. Were not our hearts burning as he opened the scriptures for us?

5. Opened, diagonoi, as in birth

D. Run to Jerusalem to tell others

1. Good news must be shared.

2. The community begins to form.

II. Connecting Emmaus and the Liturgy

A. Meeting along the way Gathering of the assembly

B. Opening the word Liturgy of the Word

C. Breaking bread Eucharist

D. Running to Jerusalem Dismissal



E. Four-fold presence of Christ in the liturgy: Eucharistic elements Word Minister Assembly

III. The Structure of the Mass

A. Gathering Rite: to create the proper disposition (vs. distraction)

1. Penitential Rite: we are saved sinners.

2. Gloria: our song of praise of God

3. Opening Prayer: collect (priest collects the prayers of the people)

B. The Liturgy of the Word

1. Four Scripture passages (for Sunday): OT, Psalm, NT, Gospel

a. OT: paired with Gospel. We see how Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophets.

b. Responsorial Psalm: responsorialthe peoples response to the OT/first reading.

c. NT: lectio continua (continuous reading) of one NT book.

d. Gospel:

i. Alleluia (sung): disposition

ii. The Gospel book was prominent in the liturgy of the early Church.

iii. The procession marks this.

iv. The deacon/priest kisses the book (not the ambo), a symbol of Christ.

v. Good news: a passage with an incident in the life, work, and teaching of Jesus Christ.

2. Preaching: opening the Word so that, as Jesus said, it may be fulfilled in your hearing.

3. Response to the Proclaimed Word

a. Creed: our profession of faith (what we believe)

b. Prayer of the faithful: the priestly prayer of the people

C. The Liturgy of the Eucharist, focusing on the Eucharistic Prayer

1. We all pray this together: dialogue, three times.

2. Eucharist = thanksgiving

a. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

b. It is right and just. (It is right to give God thanks and praise.)



c. All prefaces begin: It is truly right and just, our duty and salvation, always and everywhere, to give you thanks, Lord.

d. Thanks for Creation and redemption for giving us life, and for redeeming us when we have not lived life fully, but fell to sinyou redeemed us.

3. Four-part structure: Took, Blessed, Broke, Gave

a. We hear this at the Last Supper as well as on the mountain with the multiplication.

b. Augustine: Become what you eat.

D. Dismissal: sending forth

1. Examples

a. Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord.

b. Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.

2. We are sent for service: charged with a blessing.

3. Gospel book is processed in, but not out. We listen, take it to heart, and carry it out.

4. What we have heard/learned/experienced we carry out with us, looking for the signs of Gods presence in daily life.



REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Describe the four parts of the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

2. What does the word Eucharist mean and how is this meaning expressed in the liturgy?

3. How are the Scripture readings organized for the liturgy throughout the year?

4. Discuss the four-fold action of Jesus with the bread.



Topic 6: Penance: The Celebration of Gods Mercy

I. Scripture

A. New Testament: the forgiveness of sins was the fundamental work of Jesus Christ.

1. Mark 1:15: Jesus came into Galilee, right after leaving the desert where He was tempted. He proclaimed the Gospel (good news) of God and said: The time has come; the kingdom of

God is upon you; repent and believe the Gospel.

2. Mark 1:4: Before this, John the Baptist, at the Jordan River, preached repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

3. John 20:21-28: After the resurrection, Jesus appeared to the disciples, breathed on them and said, Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive they are forgiven them.

4. Luke 5:31-32: This is why He came into the world. Its not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to invite the virtuous people, but to call sinners to repentance.

B. Old Testament: The Scapegoat

1. Christian reconciliation finds its roots in ancient Israel, e.g., with the scapegoat.

2. Leviticus 16:8: Aaron with the goat, Azazel, used for atonement.

3. Jesus becomes the scapegoat. He took the sins of the world upon Himself. When He was lifted up and died, sin died with Him. We are given another chance. Our sins are expunged,

and the slate is wiped clean.

4. 2 Corinthians 5:18: God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer holding mans misdeeds against them.

II. Sin

A. What do we mean by sin? What is sin?

B. Hamartia: to miss the mark; a distraction

C. Original Sin: the human tendency toward evil.

D. Human beings are essentially good. Why? God made us. Were made in the image and likeness of God. We carry a spark of the divine within us. We are good, but sometimes we dont act good.

We dont live up to our potential. We have fallen from grace.

E. The Fall

F. Grave/mortal sin: serious sin that threatens to break our relationship with God [cf. CCC]

G. Venial sin: a lesser offense in daily life



H. Sins of commission: those we intentionally commit

I. Sins of omission: the good we fail to do

III. What are we celebrating?

A. Mercy (Hebrew: hesed, rahanim; Greek: eleos)

1. You, O Lord, are merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. (Psalms 86:15)

2. Rahanim, from rehem: uterus, a maternal metaphor.

3. Gods mercy is outlandish; it defies normal expectations.

a. The Good Shepherd (Luke 15:1)

b. The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)

c. The woman caught in adultery (John 8:2-11)

B. Redemption: we are redeemed.

1. Redimere: to buy back, e.g., redeeming bottles

2. We are bought back from slavery through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Romans 6:4-10).

C. Justification: we have been justified.

1. We are restored to right relationship with God, others, and ourselves.

2. To justify the right marginalign the textproper alignment

D. Summarythe reason we celebrate penance:

1. The gift of Gods mercy

2. We have been redeemedbought back from slavery and given a new taste of freedom.

3. We have been justifiedrestored to our right relationship with God.

IV. Why must we go to a priest? Wont God forgive us?

A. Mediation

1. Of course God forgives us, immediately and permanently. (On the cross, Jesus forgave His executioners before they asked.) But does the presence of the minister help us to realize

Gods forgiveness?

2. This is the purpose of the priest in Confession: to make Gods grace all the more accessible.



3. Consider:

a. Jesus instructed His followers to do this . . . to forgive sins.

b. The great task of the confessor/priest is lifting the burden of guilt from the persons shoulders.

c. Hearing the words of absolution through the priests voice and the touch of forgiveness through the priests hands

4. We Catholics are big on mediation, making Gods presence all the more accessible through the Body of Christ, the Church.

B. Can mediation lead to manipulation?

1. In the first lesson we warned that sacraments can sometimes be reduced to magical feats or mechanical functions.

2. Its all about relationships: building and maintaining our relationship with God.

3. Remember: proper dispositions

V. The four parts of the Sacrament of Penance

A. Contrition: The most important act of the penitent

1. A heartfelt sorrow and aversion for the sin committed, along with the intention of sinning no more.

2. Metanoia: a profound change by which one reorders ones life, according to the love of God as shown through Jesus Christ

3. Contrite: to rub raw, as in great sorrow; genuine penance/contrition requires a change from within.

B. Confession: I imagine myself standing before God. The light of Gods mercy shines on me, making me aware of my sin.

C. Penance/Satisfaction (a legal term): penance provides a remedy for sin, for getting us back on track through: prayer, good work, and restitution.

D. Absolution: Through the ministry of the Church, may God give you pardon and peace. And I absolve you from all your sin, in the name of the Father . . .

1. The visible sign of Gods salvation and the renewal of a broken covenant; like the father welcoming home the Prodigal Son

2. Jesus Christ brings us back home. He retrieves what is lost, repairs what is broken, and revives what is dead. This is what we celebrate in Penance.



REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What do we celebrate in the Sacrament of Penance, and why?

2. Discuss the notion of the scapegoat.

3. What do we mean by sin?

4. Given that God is the one who forgives all sinners, why should we go to a priest to confess our sins?



Topic 7: Anointing of the Sick: Are Any Among You

Sick?

I. Development of this sacrament

A. Scripture

1. The origins of this sacrament are clearly rooted in the Gospels with Jesus ministry. Jesus healed the sick and went out of the way to do this.

a. Jairuss daughter and the woman with a hemorrhage

b. He commanded his disciples to care for the sick (Mark 16:18) and we read how they cast out demons and anointed with oil those who were sick (Mark6:13).

2. The apostles immediately carried on this ministry after Jesus resurrection.

a. In Jerusalem, Peter and John meet a crippled man at the temple gate. Peter said to him, I have no silver and gold, but I give you what I have; in the name of Jesus Christ of

Nazareth, walk. And the man leapt up and began to praise God (Acts 3:4-8).

b. The apostle James describes the duty clearly: Are any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name

of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up;

and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.(James 5:14-15)

B. The Lord is concerned with the whole person: no disembodied spirituality. He fed the hungry, washed His disciples feet, and healed the sick.

C. One sign of salvation: When I was sick you visited me.

D. Just as Jesus went out of his way to comfort and heal the sick, the early Church continued this work, and in doing so they knew the presence of Christ with them.

II. Extreme Unction

A. Some of you will remember this sacrament being called Extreme Unction or Last Rites. As the Church evolved, this sacrament became focused on the dying.

B. Trent: This anointing is to be given to the sick, especially those who are in such a serious condition as to appear to have reached the end of their life. For this reason it is also called the

Sacrament of the Dying. [Rites p.604]

C. So, many of us grew up with the understanding that this sacrament is solely for those who are dying.



D. Vatican II reformed this rite: Extreme Unction may be properly called Anointing of the Sick. It is not a sacrament only for those who are at the point of death. But as soon as a person begins

to slip into danger of death from sickness or old age, that is the time for the sacrament.

III. What is the purpose of this sacramental anointing?

A. Accompanying: the Church accompanies the sick along their journey.

1. In many of our sacramental celebrations we accompany one another through the journey of life.

2. The sacraments serve as milestones along the path of a Christians life marking special moments that call for celebration.

B. Celebration

1. To gather people together to mark an important occasion with ceremonies or festivities; not always a good time

2. Joy shared is doubled; suffering shared is divided.

C. Necessary for the sick

1. A person suffering a long lingering illness can experience loneliness, which may lead to despair, thinking himself a burden.

2. Laid up in a hospital or at home, having to rely on others for basic care, unable to work or help out can become fertile soil for the evil spirit: I am worthless and life no longer holds

meaning for me.

3. Here again the instruction quotes the Council of Trent: Anointing strengthens the soul of the sick person, inspiring confidence in Gods mercy which will help him to bear the trials and

hardships of sickness, and more readily resist the temptations of the devil who lies in wait.

[Rites 604]

D. Practical Effects

1. Physical healing

a. It is possible to experience physical healing from the sacrament.

b. There is something to be said for the power of prayer.

2. Avoid judgment

a. However, we want to avoid pronouncing a persons recovery as a blessing. We should be thankful, but to say the person who is healed has been blessed by God, and that God

heard our prayers, may lead others to wonder, what about the person who wasnt

healed? She prayed and we prayed for her. Did God ignore her prayers? Lets be thankful

without being judgmental.



IV. The Rite

A. Who gets anointed?

1. Seriously sick

2. People such as:

a. Those undergoing surgery brought on by a serious illness

b. Elderly people who are notably weakened

c. Sick children with sufficient use of reason who may be strengthened by the sacrament

d. Those who have lost consciousness or the use of their reason, but would have asked for the sacrament as Christian believers.

3. We dont anoint dead people

a. It is not for the dead. Sacraments are for the living.

b. We pray for a dead person, and with the family and friends of the deceased, but we do not anoint a dead person.

c. Now, if were uncertain if the person before us is dead (may be in a coma), then the priest may anoint the person conditionally.

4. What is meant by serious?

a. Seriously is translated from the Latin periculose, which could also mean dangerously, gravely, or perilously.

b. They chose seriously to avoid restrictions for the celebration of the sacrament.

c. It should be given to anyone whose health is seriously impaired but not indiscriminately, or to those whose health is not seriously impaired. We use a prudent

judgment.[Rites 612]

B. Who anoints?

1. A priest: the sacrament includes confession of sins.

2. Recall the epistle of James: Are any among you sick? Call on the elders of the church, and they will pray over you and anoint you with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of

faith will save you, and if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.

3. Anointing absolves us from sin, so a priest is needed for this sacrament.

C. How to anoint?

1. Very simple and flexible



2. Three parts:

a. Laying on of hands by the priest

b. Offering of the prayer of faith

c. Anointing with oil

3. The priest blesses the forehead and hands of the person with oil, saying, Through this holy anointing, may the Lord in His love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit.

May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up.

4. The oil (olive oil) was used for medicinal purposes for centuries. For those areas that do not have access to olive oil, other plant oils may be used.

V. Viaticum

A. Finally, there is still a last rite, one that is for the dying: viaticum.

B. Literally, food for the journey. Here the person receives his last Eucharist.

C. Roman custom: placing two coins on the eyes of the deceased to pay the ferryman

D. For Roman Catholics, we follow the Lord who said: Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day. (John 6:54)

E. It is another way of accompanying the person along the journey, into the next stage of life.



REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Discuss the scriptural roots for this sacrament.

2. What is the purpose of sacramental anointing?

3. Who should be anointed?

4. What is the purpose of viaticum?



Topic 8: The Funeral: The Lord Promises to Raise Us Up

I. Why should we include the funeral with the sacraments?

A. It is not one of the seven sacraments, but like the sacraments, the funeral tells the story of what it means to be a Christian.

B. We are reminded of the Paschal Mystery and the promise of everlasting life.

C. The purpose of the funeral:

1. To commend the dead to God

2. To express the faith of the Christian people in the future resurrection, and in this way, to support their hope

3. Also, similarly to Anointing of the Sick, we accompany the deceased who will be received by God, and we show compassion to the loved ones.

II. The funeral journey

A. A journey in three stations and two processions

1. Three stations: Vigil (Wake), Funeral Liturgy, Committal (Burial)

2. The two processions: moving from the vigil to the church, and then to the cemetery

B. The Vigil

1. Held at home, or the funeral parlor, or at the church

2. Led by a priest or deacon, or a lay minister

3. Here we pray together, perhaps sing a hymn, and the minister may offer a reflection.

4. Its a time to pay our last respects and comfort the family.

5. This is the time for eulogies, i.e., stories about the deceased.

C. The Funeral Liturgy

1. Held at the church

2. Begins inside the entrance to the church

3. Notice the symbols of baptism here:

a. Water: the priest sprinkles the casket with holy water, and says (summarizing), I bless the body of [name]. with the holy water that recalls his baptism. . . . All of us who were

baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death . . . (And) if we have been united



with him by likeness to his death, so shall we be united with him by likeness to his

resurrection.

b. Pall: a white cloth, reminding us of the white garment worn at baptism. Priest: On the day of his baptism, [name] put on Christ. In the day of Christs coming, may he be

clothed in glory.

c. Paschal candle: displayed for the funeral. It was from this candle that the godparents lit their candle, and they promised to light the way for the newly baptized.

4. The funeral is the other side of baptism.

a. Baptism receives a person into the Christian community.

b. The funeral releases the person into the Kingdom of God.

D. Committal (Burial)

1. Held at the cemetery

2. May be led by priest, deacon, or lay minister

3. The community honors its member one last time.

4. The grave is blessed, if it hasnt already been blessed.

5. Scripture passage may be read.

6. The casket is sprinkled with water and incensed.

7. Through it all, note the care for the body.

a. We show great respect for the human body.

b. St. Paul: The body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

III. Preaching the Funeral

A. The readings

1. Choose two or three plus a psalm, i.e., a gospel passage, plus a reading from OT and/or NT.

2. The Lectionary supplies a long list of suggestions.

B. Know your audience (first rule of public speaking).

1. A very mixed congregation: practicing Catholics, non-Catholics, disaffected

2. The circumstances of the persons death, e.g., tragic or peaceful

3. Be attentive to the sorrow and needs of the family.

4. Strike a balance between acknowledging their suffering and pointing toward hope.



C. Paschal Mystery

1. Our hope in everlasting life because of Jesus death and resurrection.

2. We have been spared from death.

D. No eulogies (save these for the vigil)

1. You can talk about the deceasedhow the deceased illustrated/exemplified the Christian life.

2. Wisdom/wonder, humility/tranquility, knowledge/courage

E. Choose carefully your words.

1. Avoid euphemisms that may deny the reality of death, e.g., the priest up in the great golf course in the sky, or Grandma baking her ziti for the heavenly courtcute and quaint, but we

must (somehow) confront the reality of the persons death.

2. Beware of trite expressions (as we try to justify God in the midst of a persons death), e.g., God works in strange ways or, for a little girl who died, God wanted her with him. Who

wants a God like this?

3. In the funeral, we accompany those who grieve and show them compassion. We are not here to justify Godto try to make sense out of something that defies explanation. We point to

Christ who goes before us to show us the way home.

F. A test of the preachers faith

1. What do I really believe about the promise of eternal life? (That there is a life beyond this mortal existence.)

2. Can I say with the poet, John Donne: Death be not proud. . . . One short sleep past, and death shall be no more, death, you shall die.

3. Does the caterpillar know it will become the butterfly? [E. Johnson, She Who Is]



REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What is the purpose of the funeral?

2. Discuss the three stations of the funeral journey.

3. Which symbols are found in both the funeral and baptism?

4. How is the theology of the paschal mystery pertinent to the funeral?



Topic 9: Matrimony: The Sacred Covenant

I. Questions about marriage

A. Why is marriage a sacrament?

1. Its different from the other sacraments.

2. Jesus never married: He never took a wife; He never joined two people together in marriage; He didnt command his disciples to bless the marriages of others. So, why is it a sacrament?

3. The simple answer: because of the covenant.

4. Covenant defines fully, freely, and forever.

B. How did the Church become involved in marriage?

1. In the early Church, there was no Christian ceremony.

2. The wedding was a family affair, perhaps with a priests blessing. Sometimes a priest would bless the bridal chamber on the wedding night.

3. Nevertheless, marriage was important in the eyes of the Church.

a. The New Testament provides instructions and encouragement for husbands and wives.

b. Augustine: Marriage is the seedbed of the city. I.e., family life provides a foundation for societya good family will produce good citizens.

4. Problem in the Early Middle Ages: clandestine marriages

a. These secret marriages posed a problem when one partner left home: no proof of marriage.

b. Solution: Church invited to officiate the wedding.

5. Legal/practical: announcements were made (asking for known impediments), witnesses provided. Today, we require two witnesses (best man & maid of honor) and a license.

C. Spiritual/sacramental: the covenant

1. Christian marriage gives us a glimpse of how God loves humanity: freely, fully, and forever.

a. Freely: no duress, of ones own choice

b. Fully: unconditional, no strings attached, wholeheartedly

c. Forever: not just for awhile (while the feeling is good); this is permanent



II. The efficacious sign of marriage

A. The Sacrament of Marriage points to God, specifically, Gods love for humanity.

1. This is the way that God loves us.

2. The sign of Gods love is shown through Jesus Christ: His Incarnation, Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension.

3. Jesus offered Himself to the Father, completelyemptied himself (Philippians 2:5-11). He gave himself over, completely. In marriage, husbands and wives offer themselves to each

other.

B. Might I lose my individuality in marriage?

1. It is possible. It can happen.

2. However, is it also possible that by offering yourself to another in loving devotion, you can find your true self?

3. If you say no, then marriage is not for you. But many people have found themselves through the love of another.

4. Jesus: He who finds himself is lost, but he who loses himself for my sake, will find it. (Matthew 10:39)

C. There is a counter-cultural edge to sacraments in general.

1. They rub against the grain of popular culture. They challenge us to a new way of thinking, modeled on the way of Jesus Christ, and lived within a communitynot individualistically.

2. Three terms that highlight the counter-cultural quality of Christian marriage

a. Assiduous supposing: the diligent striving for an ideal; we strive for a goal that is beyond us, imperfect as we are

b. Generativity: the desire to pass on life; essential for healthy people

c. Obedience (audire = to listen): not subservient, but listening attentively to one another, the way Jesus listened to his Father.

D. Beware, e.g., Wives be submissive to your husbands. (Eph 5)

1. Adam = humanity (collective noun)

2. Ish/ishah = man / woman (singular)

E. The wedding ceremony

1. Problem: The wedding ceremony suffers from crass commercialization.

a. Marriage has been made a commodity: something bought/sold/traded



b. The hype of a lavish event: the fairy tale wedding, forcing people into debt, overwhelming others.

c. It seems that its all about the bride (Bridezilla). Its not about you, but what God is doing through you for the Church: this sign. Again: This is the way God loves us.

III. The Ritual of Marriage

A. Procession: bride and groom together, with family, attendants, ministers vs. giving the bride away (a Roman custom).

B. The Word

1. Sacred Scripture focuses on the theme of married love: the covenant.

2. Preaching should open the Sacred Scripture for us here and now.

3. No eulogy for the couple, i.e., focusing on themselves.

C. The Rite

1. Three questions

2. Consent from the bride and groom followed by ministers statement

3. Rings: blessing and exchange

4. Blessing of Bride and Groom

D. To love another person is to see the face of God. (Les Misrables)

1. Through marriage we gain a glimpse of how God loves us: fully, freely, and forever.

2. Marriage shows us the way of Gods love, which is why it is a sacrament.



REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Why is marriage a sacrament?

2. Discuss the notion of the covenant of marriage.

3. We read in Ephesians 5:22-23, Wives be submissive to your husbands. Should this be understood as a divine decree for the subordination of wives to their husbands?

4. Discuss the significance of the bridal procession, distinguishing between the instruction of the Church and the popular custom.



Topic 10: Holy Orders: Continuing the Call to the Lord in

Service to the Church

I. Why do we call this sacrament Holy Orders?

A. We celebrate the ordination of a deacon, a priest, or a bishop. They are all ordained for service to the Church. We respect them as leaders and rely upon them as servants of the Christian

community.

B. But why do we call it OrdersHoly Orders?

C. Simply put, it has to do with the ordering of the Church. And it is through the very ordering of the Church that we find an efficacious sign pointing to the presence of Christ among us.

D. A community, in order to survive, needs order, an order that comes from wise leaders and faithful followers.

II. Scripture

A. Jesus chose disciples to carry on His mission. He called many people together, taught them, and ministered to them.

B. But He chose several specific individuals to follow Him. (Thats what disciple means: follower.)

C. In fact, this was His first act after leaving the desert to begin His ministry. Remember how He walked along the shore of Galilee and singled out several men; He called them to follow Him.

He chose twelve, representing the twelve tribes of Israel.

1. The number is significant: it shows a continuity of the covenant which God had established originally through Abraham with Israel.

2. And it is with the twelve tribes that we find the roots of the priesthood.

3. The twelve tribes were formed by the twelve sons of Jacob.

a. The tribe of Levi was designated to serve as the priests for the whole nation. As priests, they had three purposes.

i. First, they served as prophets or preachers, i.e., they served to interpret Gods will for them.

ii. Second, to keep the tradition alive, they instructed the Israelites in the history and the ways of their people.

iii. Third, they offered sacrifices to atone for the sins of the people.



D. So, a priesthood emerged from the tribe of Levi. The apostles (the word means one who is sent) were good Jewish men. They would have inherited this notion of priesthood.

1. After Jesus resurrection and ascension, they then went about ordering the Church.

2. For example, they maintained the number twelve: with the suicide of Judas Iscariot, they chose a successor, Matthias.

3. Then they set out to distant lands, spreading the good news, and forming Christian communities.

4. Afterwards, they wrote letters, the epistles, to maintain the faith and practice of these communities.

5. And when their work took them away from their home communities, and their people were deprived of basic care, they appointed deacons to feed the poor and care for the needy.

E. In this way, the ministry of Jesus Christ continues through the ordering of the community. In the ordering of the church community, several positions were recognized.

1. Episkopoi (think episcopal): overseer. This is the root of the bishops today.

2. Presbyter, or elder. This is the priest.

3. Diakonoi, or servant. This is the deacon.

F. There were other orders as well.

1. St. Paul, in his First Letter to the Corinthians, talks of apostles/prophets/teachers/miracle workers/healers/administrators/people who speak in tongues.

2. These people exhibited a charism, i.e., a power believed to be given to them by God, and they were expected to use this charism for the greater good of the community.

III. Tradition and unity

A. Tradition (tradere = to hand on, over)

1. The handing on of a body of knowledge, customs, and beliefs from one generation to another

2. Challenge: keeping the tradition alive

3. The early Church met with issues/problems that Jesus did not specifically address (e.g., Council of Jerusalem), so the apostles had to interpret Jesus teaching for the particular

situation.

4. The role of the bishops today: teachers for the local church/diocese; keeping the tradition alive as it grows/evolves.

5. J. Pelikan: tradition (the living faith of the dead) vs. traditionalism (the dead faith of the living)



6. One step backward before taking two steps forward

B. Unity

1. Jesus prayed for the unity of His followers (cf. John 17, May they be one.).

2. Paul described the community as the Body of Christ. For example, Eucharist Prayer III, praying for the Church:

Be pleased to confirm in faith and charity

your pilgrim Church on earth,

with your servant, Benedict our Pope,

and N. our Bishop, the Order of Bishops, all the clergy,

and the entire people you have gained for your own.

IV. What is the relationship of the priest to the Christian community?

A. The priesthood of the baptized

1. 1 Peter 2:9: You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, Gods own people that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his

marvelous light.

2. Baptismal rite: As Christ was anointed priest, prophet, and king, so may you live always as a member of His body.

B. Homily from the Ordination Rite:

It is true that God has made his entire people

a royal priesthood in Christ.

But our High Priest, Jesus Christ,

also chose some of his followers

to carry out publicly in the Church

a priestly ministry in his name.

C. The priest is called from the people of God.

1. The community recognizes this person as suitable for leadership, and we call him to this responsibility.

2. This is the vocation of ordained ministry.

D. The duties of the priest

1. Preaching: the most important duty of the priest

a. Decree on Ministry of Priests

b. Interpreting the will of God from the ancient text to our current situation

2. Presiding: celebrating the sacraments, e.g., the Eucharist, hearing confession, visiting the sick



a. The ordained minister helps to preserve the alteritythe otherness of our liturgy, e.g., vestments, language of the liturgy.

b. The liturgy is NOT something of our own doingsomething weve conjured up to please or appease Godrather, the Eucharist comes from God. Jesus Christ showed us how to

worship God, with bread and wine, and said, Do this. The priest mediates the presence

of Christ for the community. Christ is with us here and now.

3. Leading: by example and teaching

E. Priest Shortage

1. Offer support for priests and pray for vocations.

2. We will need to rely more upon the charisms of the faithful within the community. This may be a blessing in disguise.



REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Why do we call this sacrament Holy Orders?

2. Jesus chose twelve specific individuals to follow Him. Why is this number significant?

3. Describe the three positions in the early church: episkopoi, presbyter, and diakonoi.

4. Discuss the phrase priesthood of the baptized.



Topic 11: Preaching: Jesus Christ Is Present in His Word

I. Preaching is sacramental

A. Isaiah 50:4-5

1. The Lord has given me a well trained tongue that I might speak to the weary a word that will rouse them.

Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear,

and I have not rebelled, I have not turned back.

2. The preacher has been given a well trained tongue through prayer, study, and work among the people of God.

3. To rouse: to move, challenge, console, and cajole in order to receive the Word and respond to the Lord.

B. The sacramental provides an opportunity to encounter the Lord.

C. The four-fold presence of Christ in the liturgy:

1. Bread & Wine/Body & Blood

2. Minister

3. Assembly

4. Word proclaimed and preached

D. Three points

1. Purpose of preaching

2. Preparing to preach

3. Presenting the homily

II. The purpose of preaching

A. Augustines three-fold purpose of preaching

1. De Doctrina Christiana (On Christian Doctrine), Book IV (the first manual for preaching)

2. A certain eloquent man [read: Cicero] said, and said truly, that he who is eloquent should speak in such a way that he teaches, delights, and moves. . . . To teach is a necessity, to

please (or delight) is sweetness, to persuade (or move) is a victory.



3. A word about each:

a. Teach: to instruct on the Scripture and the Christian tradition, to expand and deepen our understanding of both, and to grow as members of the Church

b. Delight: to inspire (not entertain with jokes or personal, sentimental stories), to hear an old story in a new way

c. Move: feeling the need to respond to the Lord

i. Call and response, e.g., in fervent prayer, generous service, reflect/reform my lifestyle

ii. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. (Psalm 95:7-8)

B. Naming Grace

1. Naming Grace: Preaching and the Sacramental Imagination. Mary Katherine Hilkert, O.P., University of Notre Dame.

2. Grace: the presence of God

3. To name grace is to articulate how Christ is present to us here and now, from funeral to festival and throughout our daily lives.

C. The Living Word

1. Human speech can be profound.

2. Careless or vulgar speech cheapens our words, but words like, I love you, Im sorry, and This is my body, this is my blood are more than just words.

3. The Word is alive.

a. Dabar: word, a living entity vs. a spoken utterance, e.g., I give you my worda sign of character

b. God presents Himself as a living word: The word of God came to me. This Word is proclaimed and preached.

III. Preparation

A. Listening

1. . . . Morning after morning he opens my ear ...

2. E.g., Jesuit Diaconate ordination, St. Pauls, Harvard Square

3. The problem with most preachers is that they dont know when to sit down!

4. . . .sit down before they preachto pray and prepare.



5. Problem: many worry about what they can say about the Scripture, rather than what is the Scripture saying to them.

B. Challenge: saying something new about an old story, presented many times

C. Composition of place: locate yourself in the Scripture passage and engage the senses

1. Questions

a. What is the Scripture saying to me? (Challenging, comforting, etc.)

b. What is the Scripture saying to my congregation?

2. First rule of public speaking: know your audience. Who is in the congregation?

IV. Presentation

A. A good meal

1. A good speech is like a good meal: presentation is essential. If the food is not presented well, a good dinner could be disappointing.

2. For preaching, the homily may have a thorough exegesis and a clever application, but with a weak delivery, we may lose the good news.

B. Eloquence

1. The preacher needs a touch of eloquence.

2. Again, to quote Augustine: While the faculty of eloquence . . . is in itself indifferent, why should it not be obtained for the uses of the good in the service of the truth, (lest) the evil

usurp it for the winning of perverse and vain causes in defense of iniquity and error (DDC

IV:II:3).

C. Conviction: The congregation is listening for a holy person, not a brilliant theologian, nor a polished thespian, but a holy person, i.e., one who believes the message and conveys it well.

You really believe this!

D. Conversation: Find the right tone.

1. Homileo: conversation, albeit somewhat formal; engaging (between a casual chat and a classroom lecture)

2. E.g., Jesus parables, inspiring the crowds with His teaching, insightful yet accessible. He teaches with authority!

3. The same old message but in a new way

E. Basics

1. Make your sermon portable; have one clear idea for them to carry home.



2. Whats the good news? Do not wallow in the woes of society, and avoid the gospel of prosperity.

3. Is it Christian?

a. Seeing the world through Gods eyes

b. Paschal Mystery

c. Avoid pop psychology.

d. With personal stories: who will they remember?

F. A sample homily, Emmaus (Luke 24)

1. Jesus rehearsed the story of salvation with the two disciples confused by the rumors of the day.

2. He opened the story, making the connection between the prophets and the Son of God.

3. They recognized Him in the breaking of the bread.

4. Were not our hearts burning . . . ?

5. Filled with the good news, they ran to tell their friends.

6. Jesus opened the Scripture and they heard it in a new way.

7. Jesus spoke directly to them.

8. It became a sacramental moment: here they encountered God.

9. Jesus taught them, and they were inspired and moved to action.

10. We should preach like Jesus did.



REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Why may we consider preaching to be sacramental?

2. Discuss the three-fold purpose of preaching according to St. Augustine.

3. The sermon in the Liturgy of the Eucharist is called a homily. How should this term influence the style of preaching?

4. Discuss the method of prayer called composition of place.



Topic 12: Sacramentals: Extending the Table of the Lord

I. Review

A. The definition of sacraments (cf. CCC 1131): Sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. They

bear fruit for those with the required dispositions.

B. Sacramental System: God > Jesus Christ > Church > Seven Sacraments > Sacramentals

C. Sacramental Principle

1. All creation manifests the presence of God. The Creator is revealed in creation.

2. Hopkins, Gods Grandeur: The world is charged with the grandeur of God.

II. What are the Sacramentals?

A. Rituals

1. Praying the rosary

2. The Stations of the Cross

3. Ash Wednesday

4. Veneration of relics

5. Praying a novena

6. Walking in a procession or a pilgrimage, etc.

B. Objects

1. Palm (from Palm Sunday)

2. Rosary

3. Bible

4. Religious medals, etc.

C. Blessings

1. Of people on special occasions and objects for our use

2. E.g., blessing of an abbot or abbess for a monastery, consecration to religious life, blessing of a reader (lector), acolyte, or catechist


W W W . N O W Y O U K N O W M E D I

signs of god’s grace: a journey through the sacraments€¦ · thorough introduction to the seven...

Documents