Symbols, Sacraments, and Paschal Mystery

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Symbols, Sacraments, and Paschal Mystery

• This chapter explores how natural and human
  signs can take on religious meaning within the
  context of worship and our relationship with God.
• This chapter provides a background for
  understanding how the sacraments are symbols of
  the Paschal mystery and further develops an
  understanding of the role of the Holy Trinity in
  liturgy and sacraments.

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Signs and Symbols

• Signs most of them have only one meaning.
• Symbols always mean more than one thing.
• Ex. The color red symbolize fire, love, anger,
  blood, and so on.
• A sign becomes a symbol when more than one
  meaning is associated with it.

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Natural signs

• Communication between humans is characterized by
  signs and symbols- by language, gestures, and
  actions.
• Signs and symbols in the natural world can reveal
  to us the existence of God. These have become
  part of our way of communicating with God.

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• Church symbolic actions that express a
  relationship with God.
• People of all cultures communicating with God in
  their native language.
• Using gestures as kneeling, sitting, and
  standing.
• People speaking, singing

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Signs of the Covenant

• One of the ways God established his covenant with
  the people of Israel was through signs and
  symbolic actions with religious meaning.
• Consecration of priest, prophets, and kings with
  anointing of oil and laying on of hands
  sacrifices and, above all, the Passover.
• Read page 33and underline.

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Remembering the Covenant

• The liturgy celebrates the Paschal mystery of
  Christ his life, death, resurrection, and
  ascension.
• Our liturgical signs and symbols help us remember
  Gods presence and covenant with us.

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• Anamnesis means to remember
• This prayer involves recalling Gods saving
  actions as heard in the Word and prayers of the
  liturgy.
• Epiclesis means to summon, or to invoke.
• In the Eucharist the priest calls upon the Father
  to send the Holy Spirit so that the bread and
  wine may become Body and Blood of Christ.

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The Sacraments

• Sacrament outward sign instituted by Christ to
  give grace.
• The sacraments both instruct the faithful by
  words and actions and also nourish, strengthen,
  and express faith for everyone taking part in
  the celebration.
• For this reason they are called
• 1. Sacraments of Christ
• 2. Sacraments of the Church

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• Sacraments of Faith
• Sacraments of Salvation
• Sacraments of Eternal life

• Sacraments of Christ
• By the words and actions of Jesus / rooted
  through his public ministry and draw their saving
  power from the Paschal mystery of his death and
  resurrection.
• Sacrament of the Church
• The apostles continued this tradition and laid
  the foundation for the ordained ministry of the
  bishop, priest, or deacon who celebrates the
  sacraments today, in the place of Jesus himself.

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• The three sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation,
  and Holy Orders leave a sacramental character
  or seal that remains with those who receive
  them for the rest of their life. They are never
  to be repeated.
• Sacraments of Faith
• Two ancient Latin sayings summarize what we mean
  by the description sacraments of faith
• Lex orandi, lex credendi means the Church
  believes as she prays.
• Ex opere operato means by the very fact of the
  action being performed.
• Catechesis Greek word means to echo. The
  process of instruction and preparation for the
  sacraments in which a person is made ready to
  echo Gods Word in their own life.

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• Sacraments of Eternal Life
• In the celebration of the Sacraments we, believe
  the
• Church already receives the guarantee of her
  inheritance
• and even now shares in everlasting life.

• The Role of the Trinity in the Liturgy and the
  Sacraments
• God the Father of all Creation God the Father is
  recognized as the source and end of all
  blessings. Its through the Word of God we receive
  the blessings and gifts of the Holy Spirit.
• The Son of God, Jesus Christ Jesus is really and
  sacramentally present in the liturgy. He is
  present in the priest, in the proclamation of the
  Word, in the gathered assembly that makes up the
  Body of Christ, and in the Eucharist.

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• Each liturgy relives the Paschal mystery in
  Jesus, making Christ present and alive to each
  age believers.
• The Holy Spirit the presence and activity is
  vital in every liturgical and sacramental
  celebration.
• prepares the Church to encounter
  Jesus.
• recalls and makes Christ present to the
  faith of the assembly.
• unites the Church to the life and mission
  of Christ.