Participation in the Sacramental Life of the Church - Essay Example

Participation in the sacramental life of the Church Sacrament is an important rite in Christianity whose importance encompasses the creation of the actual doctrines of Christian. The etymology of the word shows a close connection to Ecclesiastical Latin in which the word sacrāmentum, refers to the oath of allegiance that soldiers took. The oath of allegiance in the Roman military was a legally binding oath that elicited lifelong obligation to the service. The oath thus marked the beginning of a new life for the soldier. The same applies to the Christianity since it marks the beginning on a new relationship with God through unification with the body of Christ. Both baptismal and ministerial sacraments as offered by priests therefore is the surest means through which Christ, who is the head of the church, redeems the earth as the discussion below portrays. In the Roman Catholic Church for example, sacrament is a rite comprising of seven sacraments all of which have a pattern of consistency in the creation of a cohesive Christian community. The rites begin with the baptism of an individual into the faith. The second rite is the Eucharist, which is both a meal and a sacrifice typifying the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Also known as the Communion, Eucharist helps develop the identity of oneness thus enhancing the creation of a cohesive Christian community (Chauvet 121). The sacrament of reconciliation presents conversion, confession and celebration of the Christian community. Such is a strategic feature that enhances the reception of all creation since it targets everyone. The sacrament portrays the welcoming attitude of the faith. The other sacraments include confirmation, marriage, holy orders and anointing of the sick. The seven rites provide an effective structure for the operation of the church thus the infiltration of the Holy Spirit. This enhances the creation of a cohesive Church thus the redemption of all the creation. Sacrament is a holy covenant that God made with humans. As such, it presents the only sacred opportunity for man to develop a relationship with God through the son. God sealed the covenant between Him and humans by sacrificing his son Jesus. This portrays the sanctity of the covenant. Baptismal and ministerial sacraments administered by priest are therefore a way of reminding people of the holy covenant that exists between humans and God. The ceremonies are special ways of reliving the covenant. During the sacramental ceremonies, the priests read particular verses of the bible that explains the essence of sacrament in the Christian faith. By sacrificing His son, God enhanced the fulfilment of the scripture thus paving way for the coming of the Holy Spirit. The spirit lives with man to date and offers guidance through Christianity. Such are systematic structures in the faith that enhance further fulfilment of the scripture into prosperity. God therefore maintains a close relationship with man sowing to the existence of appropriate mechanisms for humans to interact with Him. Additionally, such structures provide appropriate way of building a unified Christian community thus enhancing the redemption of humans. The Roman Catholic explain that sacrament is the “efficacious sign of Grace”. God instituted the grace through His son Jesus Christ and entrusted the church with the grace. Such is a vital explanation that explains the sequential relationship that exists between humans and God. Christ instituted the grace by offering himself as a sacrifice. This provides an equally effective infrastructure for the dispensation of the divine Christian life. Sacramental grace should therefore bring the communion of Christians through the church. By sharing the grace of God through the rite of sacrament, the church sustains the covenant. Through the sacrament, God portrays a degree of selflessness and mercy to humankind. While the sacrifice sustains the covenant, humans must foster the faith through constant replenishment of their life in Christ. This way, Christianity becomes a universal community that shares similar values and remains united in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Through the graces that each of the seven sacraments in Catholic offers, humans should bear fruits. This forms root for the manifestation of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. As explained earlier, Christianity is a lifelong commitment that begins with the initiation during baptism. Consistency in the faith coupled with the elaborate elements of the sacrificial covenant between God and humans leads to the production of fruits of the faith. Such fruits as love and joy are features of the divine life that God offers through the church. Such fruits sustain the Christian community thus making it easier for the redemption of everyone. The redemption of is a mandate of the church. As explained earlier, sacrament is the “efficacious sign of grace” that God instituted through Christ before entrusting on the church. As such, the church should grow thus enhancing the dispensation of the divine life to the whole world. This validates pastoral work in church. Pastoral work is one sure way of growing the church thus creating a global Christian community, one that shares and enjoys the fruits of the Holy Spirit. The success of the pastoral work in church thus influences the redemption of humans on earth. Catechism in the Anglican Church offers yet an interesting yet fundamental definition of sacrament. The definition explains that sacrament is "an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace given unto us, ordained by Christ himself, as a means whereby we receive the same and a pledge to assure us thereof" (Barker 77). This definition combines both the powerful of the sacramental grace and result of an intimate unity that exists between Christians and the Holy Trinity. God offered grace to the Christian. The death of Jesus presented the sacrificial aspect of the covenant that presented the grace. Humans must therefore show the grace to others as well. “…forgive us our sin as we forgive those who sin against us…” is a powerful line in the Lord’s Prayer that portrays human’s willingness to show grace as dictated by the sacrament. This validates the claim that sacrament is an outward and visible sign of the grace of God. Forgiveness, humility, love and joy are some of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Such are outward and visible signs of God’s grace. Additionally, sacrament creates an intimate unity with the trinity. The trinity refers to God the father, the son and the Holy Spirit. The covenant introduced a new relationship between human and the trinity. The new relationship is personal. After initiation into Christianity through baptism, every Christian develops a personal relationship with God. Jesus descended into earth and lived like humans. As such, he experienced the challenges that face humans. His death at the cross-marked the new covenant. Additionally, it paved way for the Holy Spirit to descend and live with humans to date. As such, a Christian forms an intimate covenant with God by acknowledging the sacrifice of Jesus Christ then begins a new life with the Holy Spirit. Sacrament therefore offers an appropriate way of showing the results of the relationship that humans create with the trinity (Barker 45). As explained earlier, fruits of the Holy Spirit are the probable results. By sharing such results, the Christian community expands since they should entice even non-believers into the faith. Pastoral work forms a large platform for the sharing of the fruits of the Holy Spirit thus grows the Christian faith. This way, the church creates a large yt cohesive Christian community that enhances the redemption of humans. Sacrament shows that the use of matter and form is vital in offerings. In fact, people should always offer their most valuable assets in order to receive blessings. Sacraments are rites that mark the covenant that God formed with humans. God loves humans. As such, he offers his only son to die thus seal the covenant. Such a valuable sacrifice is a fundamental portrayal in the Christian faith (Osborne 66). One that Christianity continues to preach in order to encourage the development of selflessness among Christians. The results of the intimate relationship rely in the adoption of the teachings and doctrines of the faith. The need for the redemption of the whole world requires the creation of a global Christian faith, one in which people share both the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirits. However, in order to identify and share both the gifts and fruits of the holy spirits, humans must exhibit a level of selflessness only achieved through offertory. In retrospect, sacrament offers an effective means for the Christ to redeem humans. It enhances the growth of the church through consistent pastoral work. Sacraments signify God’s grace. God entrusted humans with the grace a feature that makes it the responsibility of the believer to spread the faith by upholding the values that God introduced when he offered his only son as a sacrificial matter. This way, God dispenses divine life to humans. However, the definition and discussion of the sacrament portrays an extensive rite that requires the active participation of the believers. As discussed earlier, God entrusted humans with the grace. As such, every believer must share the grace with others; both believer and non-believers. This enhances the creation of a global and cohesive Christian faith, one that facilitates God’s redemption of humans. Works cited Barker, Clive. Sacrament. , 1997. Internet resource. Chauvet, Louis M. Symbol and Sacrament: A Sacramental Reinterpretation of Christian Existence. Collegeville, Minn: Liturgical Press, 1995. Print. Osborne, Kenan B. Sacramental Theology: A General Introduction. New York: Paulist Press, 1988. Print. Read More