the seven sacraments: christ’s saving grace and action

THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS:

CHRIST’S SAVING GRACE AND

ACTION

OBJECTIVES

• explain that God works through persons and material realities;

• live out the sacramental celebration in free moral thoughts, words and deeds by receiving the sacraments with proper disposition and with faith;

OBJECTIVES

• praise God in Jesus and the Holy Spirit and to celebrate the seven Sacraments in faith and in love.

THAT WE MAY BE ONE

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Cite line/s from the song that touched you the most?

What are the significant symbols used in the video? How do these symbols help deliver the message?

Did the song provide a better glimpse of the real meaning of Sacraments?

Sacred Scriptures

I READ, I PONDER

Historical Background: The Roman system of “tax farming”

made tax collectors especially despised. The Romans wanted to collect as much tax as they could without tying up their own personnel. So they recruited locals

and gave them a percentage of what was collected. The more they could

wring/twist out of the people, the more they could keep.

So these blood-suckers profited off their countrymen’s misfortune

http://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/library_article/280/zacchaeus___look_who_s_coming_to_dinner.html

THE STORY OF ZACCHAEUS (LK. 19:1-10

Historical Background: Zacchaeus should have known that there was no hope for him. After

all, he had done a particularly good job of extorting money from his

countryman, for Luke 19:1 says he was a wealthy man.

http://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/library_article/280/zacchaeus___look_who_s_coming_t

o_dinner.html


But when Jesus came to Jericho, Zacchaeus just had to “see what he

was like.” The tug/pull that Zacchaeus felt inside was the grace

of God drawing him to his Son. Chances are that God wished to draw others to come out into the street and see the Savior of the

world. But many probably were just too busy. For them it was just

business as usual.


THE STORY OF ZACCHAEUS (LK. 19:1-10)

Zacchaeus, on the other hand, not only dropped what he was doing,

but went to great lengths to respond to this inner prompting of grace. He had a hard time seeing,

for he was “small of stature.” So he tried to run in front of the crowd,

and ultimately climbed a sycamore tree to get a good view of the

celebrity.



Jesus had never met him, but called him by name: “Zacchaeus, hurry down, for I mean to stay at your

house today.” To understand how shocking this was, consider that Jews made themselves ritually

impure by entering the house of a public sinner. But this, of course,

was not any Jew. A sinner could not make Him impure. Rather, He

would purify the sinner. http://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/library_article/280/zacchaeus___look_who_s_coming_t

o_dinner.html


Jesus saw past Zacchaeus’ crimes to his heart, which was open to the grace that prompted him to climb that tree. Inviting himself to the tax-collector’s home meant

an offer of forgiveness, mercy, acceptance by God.



People knew this, and were stunned. They began to

grumble. But Zacchaeus “stood his ground.” He was

determined not to lose his chance at redemption. He

instinctively knew that accepting Jesus into his home

meant that his life had to change.

.http://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/library_article/280/zacchaeus___look_who_s_coming_to_dinner.html


His wealth had come at the expense of his people.

Clinging to it would mean letting Jesus go. He had to

choose. “I give half my belongings, Lord, to the poor. If I have defrauded anyone in the least, I pay him back

fourfold.”.http://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/library_article/280/

zacchaeus___look_who_s_coming_to_dinner.html


Salvation came to Zacchaeus not by his initiative, but by

God’s. Grace moved him out to the street and up the tree. And

the offer to do lunch together was pure grace.

.http://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/library_article/280/zacchaeus___look_who_s_coming_to_dinner.html


For Zacchaeus, it was a no-brainer. What he had to give up

was nothing compared to what he was being offered. Is the choice

as clear to you?.http://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/library_article/280/

zacchaeus___look_who_s_coming_to_dinner.html


Actions of Faith1. He climbed a tree.2. Say “YES” (yes to a

relationship with Christ)3.Let this relationship change

your life.

SUMMARY

Climb the tree of Humility

Know your “small”Know your God.

Salvation is a relationship with God.

CHALLENGE

Do you think we need to say “YES” or develop a

relationship with Christ before we receive the

sacraments?OR

Do we need to say “YES” or develop a relationship with Christ before we can be a

Sacrament to others?

Video: EscalatorWhat do you do when bad things happen to you?Or what do you do when bad things happen to someone?

Don’t be stucked! God gives you all the reasons/means to move! Be God’s instrument! Be a Sacrament!

• Jesus Christ is calling His followers to be His signs to the world.

• Our good deeds must draw attention to God, not to ourselves.

• Be more prayerful and discerning to be able to follow the promptings of the indwelling Spirit in us and become authentic signs of God’s presence to others.

Catechism for Filipino Catholics, 1531

“Sacraments are saving symbolic acts or visible signs, arising from

the ministry of Christ and continued in, by and for the

Church, which, when received in faith, fashion us into likeness to

Christ in His Paschal Mystery, through the power of the Holy

Spirit.”

JESUS is the PRIMORDIAL SACRAMENT-grounded directly in Christ-it is Christ in origin and presence

CATECHISM FOR FILIPINO CATHOLICS, 1524

CHURCH is the FOUNDATIONAL SACRAMENT-it is by and for the Church

Sacraments- (Latin word sacramentum means "a sign of the sacred”) -symbolic acts, that is, performative word events-like Jesus’ own ministry of words and deeds-real happening that make present the spiritual reality they express (CFC 1521)

Symbols- are important in every aspect of our

lives, for all interpersonal human life depends on symbols-our family relationships, our friendships, our social

and cultural ties.

SACRAMENTS communicate

• through TOUCH, (anointing, laying on hands, washing, embracing), through

• GESTURES (standing, kneeling, bowing, sitting), and

• through WORDS (proclaimed, listened to, spoken and responded to)

What are the three classifications of the Sacraments?

How are the stages of human development

paralleled to the 7 sacraments?

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS TAUGHT THAT HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IS MARKED BY SEVEN STAGES WHICH PARALLEL THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS.

1. We are born: Baptism

3. We grow: Confirmation2. We are fed: Holy Eucharist

4. We need healing: Penance

6. We need family: Matrimony5. We recover: Anointing of the Sick

7. We need leaders: Holy Orders

The sacraments actually confer the grace that they signify.

• God adopts us as His children through Christ in Baptism;

• Christ seals and strengthen us in Confirmation;

• He nourishes us with His Body and Blood in the Holy Eucharist;

• He reconciles us with the Father in the Holy Spirit in the sacrament of Reconciliation;

• He gives us strength and patience to bear sufferings in the sacrament of Anointing;

• He binds in faithful love the couple in Matrimony, and

• He consecrates men for service in Holy Orders.

_________________________________________• The sacraments are effective whenever they are

properly carried out and worthily received.• It is Christ’s love that makes the sacraments

effective.

How do you become an effective symbol

of God's loving grace to your family,

school, and parish.

• Why do you think the sacraments are saving symbolic acts or visible signs of the Risen Christ in the Church?

• Reflect on what you have done to make Christ visible and tangible in your life. Set a goal and develop an action plan for becoming a more effective sign of Christ’s presence in your family, school and parish.

• Reflect on the significant points learned in the lesson, especially the blessings and favors Jesus has given. Compose prayers praising God for His blessings and favors.

SUMMARY

Make a simple recall of our discussion by identifying first the

key terms and come up with meaningful statements about your understanding of the sacrament.

How can we understand better something that is not easy to understand?

• By connecting it with something we already know quite well

• Jesus would put the Analogy in a Story and come up with a PARABLE.

• Create a parable to explain the sacraments.

Closing prayer

THANK YOU!

the seven sacraments: christ’s saving grace and action

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