1. Chapter 9: The Sacraments
Sources of life that flow from the side of Christ

2. While on earth Jesus instituted or started the Sacraments to share his divine life with us and help us reach Heaven
Def. of Sacrament = efficacious sign of grace, instituted by Jesus and entrusted to the Church, by which divine live is given to us through the Holy Spirit – CCC 1131

3. There are 7 Sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders and Matrimony

4. Each Sacrament gives us the grace we need to love God and be holy
Word Sacrament from Latin sacramentum, meaning the initiation oath of soldiers into the army
Sacraments are our initiation rites into the Church

5. Purpose of Sacraments is to sanctify us, build up the Church, the body of Christ, and give worship to God

6. Sacraments also nourish, strengthen and express faith
Each Sacrament is associated with 3 calls
A call to personal holiness
A call to worship
A call to a correct moral attitude and life

7. Sacraments come from Jesus’ ministry on Earth
Paschal Mystery is source because it’s the source of our salvation

8. Church was instituted by Jesus Christ to give us His graces
Church is sacramental key that opens door to all Sacraments and ultimately to Heaven

9. Jesus gives us the Sacraments and his Church in a sensible and visible way
Sacraments use outward symbols and signs to show inward graces being received
The signs of the Sacraments actually cause the grace in our lives
Water of Baptism, oil of Confirmation, bread and wine of Eucharist
Sign of each Sacrament indicates the New Covenant with God

10. Every Sacrament has signs, words, symbols and ritual actions
Words are called the form
Actions or objects are the matter
Form and matter make up the substance of the Sacrament

11. We need the Sacraments
Before Adam and Eve sinned we did not need them – after this original sin they became necessary for our salvation
God chose the Sacraments because of
Human nature – signs appeal to our human nature
Human sinfulness – they apply a spiritual remedy for our sins through sensible signs
Human inclinations – apply sensible sanctified signs to enable us to avoid sin in the future

12. Sacraments also have social value
Give us charity to live in community and binds us together as one Church
Sacraments also set us aside as worshippers of God
Marks us as God’s children

13. Every Sacrament gives us grace
Sanctifying grace – grace which heals our human nature wounded by sin by giving us a share in the life of the Trinity
Makes us adopted children of God and heirs to Heaven
Sacraments connect us to God, pull us higher than our earthly life and allow us to share in God’s life
Actual grace = supernatural help from God to do good and avoid evil for the purpose of saving souls
We receive from Jesus’ life, death and Resurrection the power to fight sin

14. Sacraments mark us as followers of Christ
3 Sacraments imprint a perpetual character or mark on the soul = indelible spiritual mark
Like a stamp that cannot be removed or erased
Received in Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Orders
Sacramental Character
Configures us to Christ
Distinguishes us perpetually from those who don’t have the mark
Disposes us to cooperate with grace

15. Ministers of the Sacrament
Jesus Christ is the principal minister of God in the Sacraments
Since Jesus is no longer on earth he uses secondary, visible ministers to give us the Sacraments = ministers of the Church
To confer/give a Sacrament the minister must intend what Christ wants and use the proper form and matter words and actions)
Minister stands in place of Christ

16. We are changed – we reflect the image of Christ in our being
Sacraments make us new creatures in Christ – we become more like Christ each time we receive a Sacrament
We are changed – we reflect the image of Christ in our being