Thousands of sacraments?

[gerryran]

I heard someone say recnetly that there were thousands of sacraments in addition to the seven. In fact, he said, every person is a sacrament. Can the word sacrament be used that broadly and, if so, is there a modifier that should be used when refering just to the seven. Thank you.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

gerryran:

I heard someone say recnetly that there were thousands of sacraments in addition to the seven. In fact, he said, every person is a sacrament. Can the word sacrament be used that broadly and, if so, is there a modifier that should be used when refering just to the seven. Thank you.

We do use the word sacrament to mean something that represents or is a “sign” of something else. We speak of the Seven Sacraments or Instituted Sacraments in a different way. They are Actions of Christ given to us through physical things.

 

[JimG]

Whoever said that was using the word “sacrament” in a much more expansive manner than one would normally use the word. Normally, it just refers to the seven sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Annointing, Marriage, and Holy Orders.

One could use the word in a looser manner; to say that every person is a sacrament might simply mean that every person could be a means of grace for others. That might be by way of giving good example to others. But, that’s not ex opere operato. It’s not instituted by Christ, and it doesn’t give grace every single time.

If a person is using the word in a non-standard way, they ought to clarify what they mean.

 

[batteddy]

The Church often refers to herself as the “supreme sacrament of salvation”…so “sacrament” can have broader meanings that are used.

But I wouldn’t have said there were thousands “besides the seven” as if they were of the same essence and character as those seven. As if they were on the same level as the Seven Sacraments, as properly understood.

 

[steve99]

batteddy:

The Church often refers to herself as the “supreme sacrament of salvation”…so “sacrament” can have broader meanings that are used.

But I wouldn’t have said there were thousands “besides the seven” as if they were of the same essence and character as those seven. As if they were on the same level as the Seven Sacraments, as properly understood.

There are actually nine sacraments.
The first one is Christ
The second is the Church, which is why as batteddy says above the Church speaks of herself as a sacrament. The seven are correctly speaking the “Seven Sacraments of the Church”.
I suggest the “thousands” that someone referred to are sacramentals, although I would think that thousands is rather exaggerated.