Sacraments

II. Symbols remind us of stories.  A. They can be ___stories (sacramentals).  B. They can be ___. ___ stories take on a ____when we ___them.

II. Symbols remind us of stories (cont.)  C. Each of these ritual events or holidays has a ___, but at their core, they have a ___ which we have learned about over time by experiencing their ___.  How did you learn to celebrate birthdays. Christmas?

III. Rituals involve symbols and symbolic actions to name meaning.  A. A Symbol is a ___, physical reality that represents an ___reality. A symbol is a “___.”  Wedding ring –  Flag –  Adolf Hitler –  Mother Teresa of Calcutta –  Fire –  Water –

III. Rituals involve symbols and symbolic actions to name meaning (cont.)  B. Rituals are ___, ___actions that have ___meaning for a ___or ___.  done in a ___way every time  All these actions communicate ___and have real ___to affect us if we put our ___into them.  Downside: ___, ___  Graduation –  Birthday –

I. Sacraments  A. All of life is ___; ___is revealed to us in ___ways.  B. ___ are times when we experience God’s grace: ___. 

I. Sacraments  C. As Catholics we believe that God is present and active as grace in a special, intense way in the official rituals of the church called the ___. These are the ___points for the Catholic Christian life.  D. A sacrament is a special, ___when God’s grace is ___focused and given to people, creating a ___in them if they are ___to it.  E. Sacraments are powerful ___rituals that celebrate the ___of grace that occur for people in everyday life.

II. ___ is the Sacrament of God: The perfect sign of God’s presence with us  A. Jesus is the means by which God has ___everything God is to us humans in a concrete, ___way.  ___.  Catholics believe that the ___dwells with us in the church, ___us, making us ___, and enabling us to be ___in the world.

III. The ___is the Sacrament of Jesus: outward, physical expression of the Risen Lord  A. The church is the way that people can ___and ___and ___Jesus concretely in the world today.  B. The church’s members ___Jesus’ ___love by  1. ___God’s love for all  2. ___the lost and forsaken  3. ___the hungry in body and soul  4. ___the sinner, etc.

Root of the Sacraments  Catholics believe that the sacraments are rooted ___in the life and teaching of ___  Some of life’s moments are sacramental because of the ___Jesus put on them, ___ because he specifically ___them

Roots of the Sacraments  Introduced people to new life and baptized himself (___)  Shared the power of the Spirit with others and sent the Spirit to be with his followers forever (___)  Sacrificed himself out of love and gave his body and blood to others (___)

Roots of the Sacraments  Forgave people’s sins (__)  Healed people’s illnesses (___)  Was faithful to his God and taught the sacredness of being faithful in marriage (___)  Ministered to people’s spiritual needs and called specific persons to help minister to people’s spiritual needs (___)

Sacraments of Initiation  Celebrate a person’s ___and lifelong growth in the church  Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation

Sacraments of Healing  Celebrate and make real for us the ___ministry of Jesus  Anointing of the Sick, Reconciliation

Sacraments in Service of Communion  Celebrate two different life ___, or ways of living out Jesus’ ___to build the ___  Marriage, Holy Orders