The sacraments make present efficaciously

  • Thread starter Thread starter CyrilSebastian
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
C

CyrilSebastian

Guest
In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraph 1084 mentions:
By the order of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit they (the sacraments) make present efficaciously the grace that they signify.

Please explain the efficaciously of the sacraments.
 
The dictionary definition of efficacious is “having the power to produce a desired effect.” So what the Church is saying is the sacraments have the power to actually do what they symbolize.

For example, the water of baptism symbolizes God cleansing us from our sins, but at the same time, it actually DOES cleanse us from our sins. It’s not just an outward sign of something that’s already happened. It has real power.

That’s why the Church calls them efficacious. They’re not just symbols, they really do something in us. They give us grace.

Does that make sense?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top