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SacramentsAs Bernard Cooke (1994) notes, for many centuries, sacraments were what "structured people's lives and experiences" (p. 6). The celebration of the holy mysteries (the concept that is denoted by the word sacrament) gave meaning and purpose to the lives of individual Christians as they united themselves to their Church and through that institution to their God, Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who instituted the sacraments. Christ's institution of the sacraments was a way for Him to continuously come to His faithful followers throughout the centuries and throughout their lives. The mysterious nature of this arrangement, of this institution was a feature of their confection. In fact, the mysterious nature of the sacraments is reflective of Christ's own mysterious nature, as depicted by Rausch (2017). Both are similar in that each requires an act of faith on the part of the follower. One must have faith in Christ to share with Him in the Eternal Sacrifice, just as one must have faith to share in the graces received through the sacraments.
Rausch (2017) reflects on the mystery of Jesus when he states that "the death of Jesus raises a host of questions, some historical, others theological...
6). The same way in which Christ's death raises these questions, the sacraments also raise questions -- historical, theological and personal questions. As Rausch points out, the historical reasons for Christ's death are easily enough assigned. The theological reasons can be understood in the light of the Old Testament (the putting to death of the Old Prophets), the Suffering Righteous One. The personal reasons are also there in the Gospels: the fulfillment of the mission of Jesus Himself, as enunciated at the Last Supper, is the most obvious explanation.
Likewise, the sacraments appear to be tied to this mission of Christ. The sacrament of marriage is instituted at the wedding feast in Cana -- one of the "nature miracles" that occurred when Christ turned water into wine to celebrate a marriage and effectively give His blessing on the institution (ch. 5). The mystery of Christ, who proclaimed to His mother that it was not yet His time, took on a new shade when He performed this miracle. It was as though Christ were stepping out of hiding for one of the first times since His childhood and revealing His power at this marriage celebration, uniting His own glory…
Sacraments and Learning Having a Catholic background but not being particularly religious, I learned a lot from this course about the history of the Church's use of sacramentals and sacraments, rituals and symbols. Whereas before, I was somewhat aware of these without really understanding their significance or their origins, now I can appreciate what they mean and how they developed out of cultural and historical practices. What I expected to learn
Many may call this pragmatism, and by following in the path of Christ, even unknowingly, is to embrace pragmatism is one's life. Sara Miles spent her time among the poorest people on the planet, similar to Christ's instruction that performing acts of kindness to the "least of these my brothers, you did it to me." (Matt. 25:40) So when she finally decided to enter a Episcopal church and celebrate the
Scholars like Borg, Crossan, Meier, and Sanders reach into Torah or into Gnostic and other extracanonical traditions such as Greek novels to draw comparisons and contrasts. The range is comprehensive, from Greco-Roman sources to Jewish and other Mediterranean sources. Often the picture of Jesus that emerges is a construction based on social-scientific and literary trends. There have been some important findings. For one, Jesus is understood more politically, proclaiming the
Book Chapter: A Theology of Communion for the Contemporary Catholic Parish Introduction The study of ecclesiology is the study of how the Christian church, the ever-expanding body of believers, has evolved over time to respond to new political and social realities. Ecclesiology also takes into account the way organizational structures, hierarchies, and roles within the church have changed and reflect the nuances of a cultural milieu or historical epoch. In addition to
..if you really want the Christ and truly love him, there is nothing that will prevent his coming and taking up his abode with you provided your love for him manifests..." through loving inner spirit of Christ instead only the outside. One may appear to be a Christian yet the Lordship of Christ in the life of the Christian means that present is love, compassion and forgiveness for others. The
Jesus' Teachings, Prayer, & Christian Life "He (Jesus) Took the Bread. Giving Thanks Broke it. And gave it to his Disciples, saying, 'This is my Body, which is given to you.'" At Elevation time, during Catholic Mass, the priest establishes a mandate for Christian Living. Historically, at the Last Supper, Christ used bread and wine as a supreme metaphor for the rest of our lives. Jesus was in turmoil. He was