Bro. Aren I.

Bejasa, OSJ December 3, 2018

Article Report
History of the Sacraments

I.
“Sacramental living is a spirituality in which
our awareness of that which is
beyond the immediate and obvious nourishes our being,
our thinking, and our doing.
Thinking, being, and doing are not separate parts
of our existence but rather are bound together
in the matrix of mystery which relates us
with other com-pan-ions on our way and with God.”

“Sacramental Living: A Distinctive Spirituality”

By: Dwight W. and Linda J. Vogel

The authors begin their article by describing Dwight’s childhood experience. It was the
wonderful sceneries of the farm, the smell of the bread being baked and the fascination of the
surrounding that makes it a once in a lifetime opportunity. That moment also became a traumatic
experience for him because he had first-hand experience on the death of his grandfather. These
experiences were labeled as matrix of memories: “bread, a broken body, shed blood, death”, it
became the foundation of their article regarding the spirituality of the sacramental living. The
whole article is composed of five topics that encompass their personal experience of the so-
called sacramental living. The topics are Learning to See: The Sacrament of the Ordinary, Re-
membering: the Sacrament Story, Community: The Sacrament of com-pan-ions, Liturgy:
Sacraments as Life-transforming Rituals and Sacramental Living: A Matrix of Mystery.

The authors raised the peculiarity of Sacramental Living and Distinctive Spirituality and
yet a brilliant connection was made after seeing the difference of the two. After presenting the
image of his experiences (Childhood memories) they were able to develop it into a new matrix of
meaning, it is not a simple experience of death that is being related to Eucharist but
interpenetrating it with each other in order to use it in everyday life and the future. The term
spirituality was narrowed into Christian spirituality in which it deals with the nourishment of
self, the way of thinking, how an individual do things and the empowerment of a faithful for
discipleship. For the term sacrament, they quoted St. Augustine by defining it as a sacred sign or
a visible word. They added that in sacrament, “a reality beyond our immediate apprehension is
perceived by our senses. What we perceive is a sign of something more than what is immediately
at hand”. After elaborating the two main ideas, they supported it by five sub-topics to support
their claim. In order for a Christian faithful to understand Sacramental living and Distinctive
spirituality, one must learn: to see the things around; the ability to remember the stories in life;
the need of companions for sharing; the sacraments as life-transforming rituals and all of these
became part of everyday living that gives new meaning in the understanding of Christian life.

The understanding of the sacramental living extends beyond the sacraments. To call
something sacramental is to recognize it as “unusually transparent experience” that reveals a
much deeper reality. It only points to, but participates in, that reality. “Living sacramentally is
being in touch with sources for spirituality which he lie beyond or beneath or within what
appears to our senses.

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Bro. Aren I. Bejasa, OSJ December 3, 2018
Article Report
History of the Sacraments

II.

A one-time reading of my chosen article is not enough to understand somehow its main
points. As I repeatedly read the article, a small light was lit in my darkened mind about the
sacramental living and distinctive spirituality. I did not experience a traumatic death encounter in
my life but I do have some little experiences that can be interpenetrated on sacraments. If I were
to ask about my favorite part on our everyday prayers, I will be choosing the examination of
conscience. During this moment, I am able to see my own actions, not just on everyday life but
seeing it in a bigger picture. Especially, at this moment of my life being a student of theology
and a temporary professed brother I can understand my identity. The present situation I have
gave me a clear comprehension of myself. There can be some doubts and questions on my
chosen life but I knew to myself that this is part of a bigger picture of my life, if I will be
disregarding this aspect then something will lack on seeing the wholeness of my life.

As I try to ponder my life experiences, I am trying to find out the reason why at my early
age I have been serving the Church as an altar server and becoming a seminarian. One thing I
have found out on remembering my personal story is the motivation of my mother when I am
trying to figure out on what vocation I will embrace. The inspiration given to me by my family
became the corner stone of my life because I have learned to love it and live on it. Everyone in
this world has their own story and I have my own, every time I am given a chance to speak in
front of young people to discuss careers and choosing appropriate course for them I always tell
them my vocation story. It is not to brag but to let them know that in reality there is a person who
has this kind of story that can be used to transform other’s life.

Part of our weekly schedule is to have a Bible sharing and in order to share there should
be companions. At the age of twelve I was trained to share in small groups and as I continue my
formation in the seminary the group is getting bigger and bigger until such time that I was given
that opportunity to speak in front of thousands of people and share to them my experiences. I
trying to point out here is the importance of the companions who will listen to my sharing
because it will be senseless if sharing is not present on our relation to our companions. As a
religious, I have understand that I must live in a community life and being in a community means
that I should be sharing my stories in life. It is not to boast on them but to encourage them to do
the same and to develop myself to become a good person by relating to others.

Going back to the sacraments, I was able to see the gradual change happened to me as I
jumped on different stages of formation in the seminary. The sacrament of the Holy Eucharist
can attest to my maturity because when I was still in the minor seminary I cannot reconcile the
meaning why we have Mass every day. As I enter our college seminary, my prefect told me that
the Holy Eucharist is like an air in which, I cannot breathe if I will not have it. suddenly, my
personal take on the Mass became deeper when I finished my novitiate because I have
understand that this is my life and I must have it in order for me to continue my life. The
everyday experience of the Eucharist can be an ordinary activity for other people but for me it is
like my food that gives energy to do the things I must do. It only shows that this everyday
activity slowly changes me to become a new person, a person who does not only understand but

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Bro. Aren I. Bejasa, OSJ December 3, 2018
Article Report
History of the Sacraments

a person who accepts the reality of Christian life being a religious and future minister to the flock
of the Lord.

All of these seeing in life, remembering the stories in life, sharing it with others the
personal stories in life and the experiences used to transform oneself in life are called matrix of
mystery. This matrix of mystery became a spirituality that gives awareness of that which is
beyond the immediate and obvious nourishes my being, my thinking and my doing. The way I
think, my being and how I do things in life are not separate part of my existence but rather are
bound together in the matrix of mystery which relates me with the other people and with God.
The most wonderful realization that the article has given to me is when I understand their point
on sacramental living that it extends beyond the sacraments. It made me recognize the “an
unusually transparent experience” like my vocation story, my life in the seminary, my view on
the formation in the seminary and the present situation I am into. The article revealed to me the
deeper reality of sacramental living by not simply pointing it to the experience of the sacraments
but participating to that genuineness of the sacraments. This participation enables me to being in
touch with the sources of spirituality that transcends to my senses.

Lastly, to conclude my reflection on this revelatory article that is about sacramental living
and distinctive spirituality. I saw myself once again as person who does the usual things of being
a religious seminarian. For me my life is simply performing my everyday task and by
conforming on what the seminary formation demands on me. For the past months this has been
my view in religious life but looking beyond, I do those things for so many years is not simply to
perform good or conform. The article reminded me to become more and not to have more in life.
This Caritas quotation has been a constant reminder for me to do things as it is but to become an
extraordinary person on doing my responsibility.