} Latin word “Sacramentum” translated in Greek as

“Mysterion”, traceable to the Hebrew word “sod”

which means heavenly council.

} Biblical Background (Pre-exilic)

} Old Testament: Semitic belief in an assembly of
heavenly beings that decided the fate of the
world. (Job 1:6-12;Ps. 82:1). This idea is
expressed in the story of creation of Gen. 1:26.
The decisions of the council were made known to
the people by the prophet through vision.
} (Post exilic)
} The persian word Raz alongside sod to
express the concept of mystery.
} In Daniel 2, Raz is used 8x to refer to
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and its symbolic
content.
} According to Sirach, God’s secrets are like the
vicissitudes of life and the working of the
providence, are beyond human knowledge.
} Synoptic Gospels
} Jesus speaks of the revelation of the
mysteries of the Kingdom only to his
followers. Parable of the sower (Mt. 13:11)
} Pauline concept:
} This mystery was hidden before but now
revealed to those who believe in the risen
Christ. (Col. 1:25-26)
} Sacramentum for him, is a species of the family
of symbols belonging to the divine things, and
which have to do with the realm of the sacred.
} Augustine defines sign as something which apart
from its appearance to the senses, causes us to
think of something more. The connection
between sign and what is signified can either
natural of arbitrary.
} Among the symbols, Augustine gives pride of
place to the word. Because in it the thing
symbolizes manifests itself of itself.
} Neo-platonist
} Augustine thought that every object is
composed of two parts which are very
different from, oppose to each other. A
purely timeless, spiritual and unchanging part
and a material, temporal and transitory part.
The timeless, spiritual and unchanging part
should be the object of enjoyment and the
material, temporal and transitory part are
merely to be used.
} Perversion can only be corrected through
conversion by the salvific action of Christ.
These saving events are called Sacraments
because they are regarded as signs to make
possible the return of the rebellious humanity
to its Creator.
} In a sacrament, Jesus himself acts in and
through the ritual. Jesus is the one who:
1. Offers new life
2. Forgive sins
3. Gives his own body and blood
4. Heals
5. Unites
6. Consecrates
} Through the work of the Holy Spirit, the
transforming grace of Christ’s actions is poured
into the hearts of those who are participating.
} So a sacrament does more than just symbolizes a
spiritual reality- a sacrament actually makes the
spiritual reality present at the place and time that
the sacrament is celebrated.
} Our term used to described this reality is
efficacious: the sacrament effect change in us
and in the world because God’s power, not our
own.
} Grace is the religious name we give to the
free and undeserved gifts we received from
God.
} Grace is the experience we have of being
loved as a child of God.
} The love we received, in all its various forms,
empowers us to live lives of love ourselves, in
service to God and others.
} In the biggest sense, Jesus Christ is the
sacrament of salvation because God’s gift of
grace has its fullest expression in the saving
actions of Jesus’ life, death and Resurrection.

} In the same way, the Catholic Church is also

like a sacrament, because it is the symbol and
living witness of all that God revealed through
Christ.
} The seven official sacraments of the Catholic
Church are rooted in two things:
} 1. The life and Ministry of Jesus Christ, and
} 2. The tradition of the Catholic Church- The
Church’s wisdom, teaching, and practice
handed down through the ages under the
guidance of the Holy Spirit.
} The seven sacraments help us remember that
Christ is the sacrament of salvation, which we
experience through the life of the Church.

} Through the seven sacraments, we remember

the life, ministry, and message of Jesus, and
celebrate anew his risen presence among us.