Power of the sacraments

[wuppas]

in beginning to teach rcia as a layperson, i find it hard to explain the power and importance of the sacraments apart from faith and scripture. i always get replies from protestant converts that they get everything they need from faith and scripture and they then ask what specifically do the sacraments add apart from faith and scripture alone. any answer i give is always replied with "but we get that with faith and or scripture. how do i explain the power of the sacraments and why they are necessary
thanks
marc

 

[Deacon_Tony560]

Scott Hahn has a new book on the Sacraments-very good . Last night on EWTN there was a very good discussion with Hahn and other professors at Franciscan University.

Deacon Tony

 

[Didi]

We receive sacramental grace from the sacraments; grace that is sorely needed in order to be faithful and “fight the good fight.”

Jesus knew how hard it was to live on earth and remain faithful, so He gave us the great gifts of the sacraments to help us. They are truly gifts.

God wants to shower us with grace, but we have to ask for it, we have to seek it. The sacraments are one very special way of receiving His grace.

The sacraments were foreshadowed in the Old Testamned by things that symbolized grace. When Christ came, He did not do away with the symbols, He supernaturalized them, energizing them with grace, making them more than symbols.

 

[MaryAgnes]

To use the title of Joseph Martos’ book … the Sacraments are the Doors to the Sacred!
Sacrament, as a sign, points to something beyond itself–It is a visible sign of an invisible reality. Through the Sacraments we really encounter Christ!

 

[JimG]

Well, they can’t get Jesus’ body and blood in the Real Presence from faith and scripture. All the faith and scripture reading in the world will not make Jesus truly present, body and blood, soul and divinity. Only the Eucharist does that.

Faith and scripture alone will not make a marriage valid and sacramental. Only the sacrament of Matrimony does that.

Faith and scripture alone is not sufficient to forgive sins. (With the exception of perfect contrition—but the sacrament of Penance is the ordinary means that Jesus gave us for the forgiveness of sins.)

Faith and scripture alone will not bring one into a new life in Christ–Baptism initiates that.

Sacraments work. Or in more formal terms, the effect what they signify.

 

[TOME]

Wuppas, this is just my opinion, however, I think your class my be asking the right questions at the wrong time. This may help you understand what I mean.

Before, looking for scriptural refrences to “prove” the Sacraments, I think you should discuss what exactly is a Scarament (s). They should understand that inorder to understand what a sacrament is they should understand the Nature of the Church. I am sure, based of Paul’s teachings on the Church, there should be no denying that the Church is the Mystical Body of Christ - through the Church, Christ is present and active here and now. The Church is the “visible” sign of Christ’s presence.

The Catechism, puts it much better than I can, but Vat II taught that Christ is present and working through the Church. A Sacrament, then, is a Symbolic (Visible), Saving act of Christ, in and through the Church. Christ saving actions are made visible through the actions of the Church.This includes those 7 specific actions of Christ through the Church - the 7 Sacraments.

This “Sacramental” understanding of the Church,in general and our Living Faith Response in particular, is crucial in their understanding of what they would be initiated into through the RCIA. God/Christ becomes incarnate in and through the Church’s and our actions (and 'God forbid, this means ‘Good Works’).

If your class comes to this understanding about the sacramental nature of the Church, and this is constantly re-enforced, I think it may be easier to present the “Biblical Proof” when studying each of the 7 Sacraments.

Finally, I think you may also remind your class that not everthing Christians believe are found spicifically in Scripture in Chapter and Verse. More often than not, God’s revelation (That is how God reveals himself and His Nature) comes to us gradually and is realized not only through the Scriptures but through the Church’s liturgical life, Studies, Councils, teachings - all part of the Church’s Apolostolic Tradition. Should your class have some difficulties with this (which is only natural given their back groung and life experiece) talk about the Sacrament of Baptism and its relationship to our understanding of the Trinity (a word not found in the Bible but believed by most Christians and all Catholics).