The Sacramentality of the Church. What is a Sacrament? An outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace Baltimore Catechism –A visible sign of the invisible.

The Sacramentality of the Church

What is a Sacrament?An outward sign

instituted by Christ to give grace

Baltimore Catechism

– A visible sign of the invisible grace of salvation in Christ…

– Celebrated in ritual,

– Lived in witness.

Sacraments are outward signs of inward grace,

instituted by Christ for our sanctification

(Catechismus concil. Trident., n.4, ex S. Aug. "De Catechizandis rudibus").

Grace (gratia, Charis), in general, is a

supernatural free gift of God to us for our eternal

salvationGrace signifies the good will, benevolence of our

creatorIt designates every favor which proceeds from this benevolence and, every

gratuitous gift (donum gratuitum,

beneficium).

The economy of grace is eternally replenished through

Christ’s salvific act.“But when the kindness and generous

love of God our savior appeared, not because of any righteous deeds we

had done but because of his mercy, he saved us through the bath of rebirth

and renewal by the holy Spirit, whom he richly poured out on us through

Jesus Christ our savior, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life.

This saying is trustworthy. I want you to insist on these points,

that those who have believed in God be careful to devote themselves to good

works; these are excellent and beneficial to

others.” (Titus 3:4-8)

SIGN - points to something else so clearly that it makes the reality of that which it points to present.

SYMBOL - is a sign consisting of two parts, in such a way that the whole is only visible when the two halves are brought together.

In the symbol, the visible reality of the whole is present although in its entirety it

remains invisible.

The symbol then is the whole reality as it regards the

symbolized.

The Church is a sign,

but not only a sign; in herself she is also the fruit

of redemption. The sacraments are means of

sanctification; the Church, instead,

is the assembly of the persons sanctified;

thus, she constitutes the purpose of the saving action

(cf. Eph 5:25-27).

With these clarifications, the term "sacrament" can be applied to the Church.

The Church has sacramental nature:

Like the seven sacraments,

the Church is a visible and efficacious sign of God's presence

and grace which brings salvation

to the human raceAccording to Vatican II, "the Church, in Christ, is in the nature of sacrament - a sign and instrument,

that is, of communion with God and of unity among all

men" (Lumen Gentium, n. 1).

The text just quoted about the Church as "sacrament" is found in the Constitution

Lumen Gentium in the first chapter, which is entitled:

"The Mystery 'of the Church"

(De Ecclesiae mysterio).

Therefore, the explanation of this

sacramentality which the Council attributes to the Church must be sought

in the context of mystery

("mysterium").

The Church is a divine mystery because the divine design for humanity's salvation is

realized in her,

"the mystery of the kingdom of God"

revealed in the word and very life of Christ.

This mystery was revealed by Jesus first of all to the Apostles:

"The mystery of the kingdom of God has been granted to

you. But to those outside everything comes in

parables"

(Mk 4:11).

The meaning of the parables of the kingdom is first

realized in a fundamental way through the mystery of

the incarnation.

It finds its fulfillment in the period between the

Passover of Christ's cross and resurrection

and Pentecost in Jerusalem,

where the Apostles and the members of the first community received the baptism of the Spirit of

truth.

At the same time the eternal mystery of the divine plan for

the salvation of humanity was given

its visible form as the Church,

the new People of God.

The letters of Paul express this in a particularly explicit and

effective way. In fact, the Apostle proclaims Christ

"according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret for long ages but

now manifested" (Rom 16:25-26).

"The mystery hidden from ages and from generations past,

but now manifested to his holy ones, to whom God chose to make known

the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles;

it is Christ in you, the hope for glory"

(Col 1:26-27):

“This is the mystery revealed to comfort hearts, to give instruction in love,

to achieve a full understanding of the

richness which it contains”(cf. Col 2:2).

At the same time the Apostle asks the Colossians to pray

"that God may open a door to us for the word,

to speak of the mystery of Christ",

hoping for himself "that I may make it clear,

as I must speak" (Col 4:3-4).

If this divine mystery, or the mystery of humanity's salvation

in Christ, is above all the mystery of Christ,

it is, however, intended "for human beings".

Indeed, we read in the letter to the Ephesians:

"This mystery was not made known to human beings in other generations as it

has now been revealed to his holy Apostles and prophets by the Spirit,

that the Gentiles are co-heirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the

promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel.

Of this I became a minister by the gift of God's grace that was granted me in accord with the exercise of his power"

(Eph 3:5-7).

This teaching of Paul is taken up again and re-proposed by Vatican II,

which said: "Christ, lifted up from the earth, has drawn all men to

himself (cf. Jn 12:32).

Rising from the dead (cf. Rom 6:9)

he sent his life-giving Spirit upon his disciples and through him set up his Body which is

the Church as

the sacrament of salvation" (Lumen gentium, n. 48).

And again: "All those, who in faith

look towards Jesus, the author of salvation

and the principle of unity and peace, God has gathered

together and established as the Church,

that she may be for each and everyone the visible sacrament of this saving

unity" (Lumen gentium, n. 9).

Therefore, the eternal initiative of the

Father, who conceives the saving

plan which was revealed to humanity and accomplished

in Christ, is the foundation of the

Church's mystery. In the Church,

through the work of the Holy Spirit,

the mystery is shared with human beings,

beginning with the Apostles.

By this sharing in the mystery of Christ,

the Church is the Body of Christ.

The Pauline image and concept of

"Body of Christ" express at the same time the truth of the Church's

mystery and the truth of her visible

character in the world and the history of

humanity.

The Holy Spirit is source of truth and life-giving principle of the identity of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church

The Holy Spirit is also the source and principle of

the sacramental life through which the

Church: – draws the strength of

Christ, – participates in His

holiness, – is nourished by His grace, – and grows and advances

on her journey towards eternity.

The Sacramentality of the ChurchThe Holy Spirit, who is

at the origin of the incarnation of the

Word, is the living source of

all the sacraments instituted by Christ and at work in the Church. It is precisely through the sacraments that He

gives people "new life,"

associating the Church to Himself as His

coworker in this saving action.

The organic connection between the Church as Sacrament and the

individual sacraments is especially close and essential in

regard to the EucharistInasmuch as the Church (as sacrament) celebrates the

Eucharist, the Eucharist realizes the Church

and makes her present. The Church is expressed in the

Eucharist, and the Eucharist makes the Church.

Especially in the Eucharist the Church is and becomes ever

more fully the sacrament " communion with God"

(cf. Lumen gentium, n. 1)