MEETING JESUS IN

THE SACRAMENTS
CHAPTER 2
WHAT HAPPENS IN THE
SACRAMENTS

Celebrating our
Redemption
Redemption: to recover ownership by paying a sum;
to set free or ransom

Redemption is the action of

Jesus Christ whereby he paid
the price of his own death on
the cross to save us from sin
In the liturgy (the work of the people) we actually
participate in the events of the Paschal Mysterythe
power of the Holy Spirit makes these events (which
happened only once historically) present and real for us.

The liturgy is the way Christ

communicates the fruits of the
Paschal Mystery, our Redemption,
until he comes again.

Christ Acts Through the

Sacraments
Pentecost forever
changed the
Apostles.
After the Holy Spirit
came to them, they
became enlivened,
rejuvenated, and
filled with courage.

Christ Acts Through the

Sacraments
The Apostles entrusted
others to carry on their
work of teaching, baptizing,
serving, and building up the
Church.
Through an unbroken chain
of this apostolic
succession, todays Church
can trace a continuous line
of leadership back to the
days of the Apostles.

God the Father:

Source and Goal
of the Liturgy

God the Father is the

source of the
blessingsdivine
life-giving actions
that are both word
and giftwe receive
from the liturgy.
God acts firstwe
act in response by
giving him worship
and accepting his
Word as the truth.

The Work of Christ

in the Liturgy
Christ acts through the
sacraments to
communicate his grace
and is always present in
the Church:
In the minister of the
sacrament.
In the Word, since it is
Christ who speaks when
the Scriptures are read at
the liturgy.
When the Church prays
and sings and is gathered
in his name.
In the Eucharistic species,
his own Body and Blood.

The Holy Spirit

Prepares Us to Meet
Christ in the Liturgy

The Holy Spirit

prepares us for Christ
He enables the
Church to understand
the Old Testament as
the preparation for the
New.
He prepares us to
encounter Jesus in the
liturgy.
He serves as living
memory of the
Churchanamnesis.

Introducing the Seven

Sacraments
The Churchs entire liturgical life revolves around
the Sacrifice of the Eucharist and the other
sacraments
Baptism
Confirmation
Eucharist
Penance and Reconciliation
Anointing of the Sick
Holy Orders
Matrimony

Introducing the Seven

Sacraments
Christ instituted each of the
sacraments while he was on
earth.
Each sacrament is rooted in
and based upon the Paschal
Mystery.

Christ gave the Church

authority to determine which
rituals would be sacraments
and what the rituals
themselves would consist
of.

The Sacraments
of Faith

The mission of the

Church to evangelize
to bring the Good News
of Jesus Christ to
otherswas always a
sacramental one.
The faith of the Church
saying yescomes
before the faith of the
believer.
Lex orandi, lex
credendi

Graces of the Sacraments

The sacraments confer the
grace they signifyex opere
operato, by the very action
being performed.
The fruits of the sacrament
depend on the disposition of
the one who receives them.

Marana tha: O Lord, come

Union with the Trinity, which
we will only experience fully
after death, begins to live in
us now through the
sacraments.

Celebrating the
Churchs Liturgy
We celebrate the sacraments because
they are acts of divine worship.

Sacraments are celebrations that are

woven from signs and symbols.

Who Celebrates
the Liturgy?
THE LITURGY IS
AN ACTION OF
THE WHOLE
CHRISTHEAD
AND BODY
IT IS THE WHOLE
COMMUNITY
UNITED WITH ITS
HEAD THAT
CELEBRATES

How Is the Liturgy

Celebrated?
Signs and Symbols
Words, actions, and objects that
express the meaning of each sacrament

FORM

MATTER

How Is the Liturgy

Celebrated?
People saying and
doing the same thing
at the same time is a
sign of unity.
Word of God, especially in
the Liturgy of the Word
Liturgical singing and
music
Sacred images, or icons

Liturgical Traditions
The mystery of Christ
is so rich that it is
celebrated by several
liturgical traditions
Certain elements of
the liturgy are
adapted to the
cultures of diverse
peoples

Earthly Signs
Used by Jesus
WATER

OIL

BREAD

HUMAN TOUCH

When Is the Liturgy

Celebrated?
The liturgy is structured around Sundaythe
first day of the week.
Catholics are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on
Sundays and other holy days of obligation.

When we celebrate the liturgy, we are brought

into the presence of the Paschal Mystery.

Preparing for the

Incarnation of
Jesus Christ
The Incarnation is marked
during Advent and Christmas.
Advent: coming
We remember the centuries of
people who waited with faith
and hope that Gods promise
to send a Savior would one
day be fulfilled.
We celebrate our own
anticipation of the Second
Coming of Christ at the end of
time.
Christmas on December 25
Jesus is the true Son of God
and Light of the World

Focusing on
the Paschal
Mystery
The Paschal Mystery is marked
during Lent and Easter
Lent: springtime
Easter Triduum: most sacred
days of the Church YearHoly
Thursday, Good Friday, Holy
Saturday
Easter: passover
During the season of Easter,
the Church reads accounts of
the Resurrection appearances
of Christ
Celebrates the Ascension and
ends with Pentecost

Marking
Ordinary Time
Ordinal: numbered
The liturgical periods
between Easter and
Advent, and Christmas
and Lent
The purpose is to
teach Christians how
to follow Jesus in
everyday, ordinary life

Mary
The Church Year also
includes the feasts of
Marythe perfect
model of Christian
discipleship
Advocate
Helper
Benefactress
Mediatrix

The Sanctoral
Cycle

The feasts of saints

found throughout the
year on the Churchs
liturgical calendar
They have suffered
and have been
glorified with Christ

Liturgy of the Hours

The public prayer of the Church that makes
holy the entire course of the day and night;
also called the Divine Office

The Church at Prayer

What is prayer?
the raising of ones mind and heart to God or
the requesting of good things from God

Prayer is founded on humility and comes from the heart, our

hidden center . . . the place of decision . . . the place of truth . . .
the place of encounter . . . the place of covenant
Vocal Prayer
Meditation
Contemplative Prayer

Where Is the
Liturgy
Celebrated?
Jesus is not limited to one
placethe whole earth is
consecrated to Jesus
However, Catholics
construct buildings for
divine worshipchurches
In churches, you will most likely
find:
Altar table
Tabernacle
Chaircathedra
Ambo
Aumbry
Baptistery
Reconciliation room

Churches have an eschatological

last thingssignificance

St. Katharine Drexel

Founder of the Sisters of
the Blessed Sacrament
Her true mission: to
evangelize Native
Americans and African
Americans into the Catholic
Church for the Salvation of
their souls
My sweetest joy is to be in
the presence of Jesus in
the Blessed Sacrament.