General outline of lessons:
Lesson 1: introduction of the general concept of sacraments. What they entail, and the general belief attributed to them.
Lesson 2: the sacrament of baptism and its relevance in the church
Lesson 3: the sacrament of Eucharist. The general concept of this sacrament and its associated ceremonial practices and its relevance
Lesson 4: the sacrament of reconciliation. The meaning of this sacrament. The understanding of its symbolism and its relevance
Lesson 5: the sacrament of confirmation. The relevance of this sacrament to the church, its associated ceremonial practices and its general meaning and value to the church
Lesson 6: the sacrament of marriage. The implications of this sacrament both social and spiritual, its relevance and the time in which it is undertaken.
Lesson 7: the sacrament of holy orders. The meaning of this sacrament, who takes this sacrament, what it entails and its relevance to the church.
Lesson 8: the sacrament of anointing the sick. The activities involved in this sacrament, why it is necessary and why the church highly encourages it.
The Roman Catholic Church’s definition of the sacrament is effective signs of grace, which Christ himself instituted, and then he entrusted them to the church. Through these signs of grace, divine life is thereby dispensed to all the faithful that that partake in activities, which involve the notation of sacraments. Sacraments are celebrated through visible rights, and it is widely believed that these rights signify grace and enable the partakers to attain the graces associated with each sacrament. It is a wide belief among a vast number of faithful that the various sacraments tend to bear fruits in the spirits of those who partake and receive them with all the dispositions that are required. Teachings of the church claim that the effects of the various sacraments are manifest just by the mere fact of being administered, a person’s holiness, or firmness of belief notwithstanding. However, it is also taught that the lack of proper and adequate disposition of the recipient might hamper the effectiveness of a sacrament in that person thus hinder the reception of grace affiliated with that particular sacrament. The church also terms sacraments as a prerequisite for salvation since it is a mode of dissemination of grace that was in the most divine manner instituted by Jesus Christ himself (Gabriel, 2005). Through each sacrament, Christ bestows a particular grace affiliated with each particular sacrament. An example the forgiveness of all sins committed, acceptance into the church of Christ and consecration involving a certain particular service.
The Latin word sacramentum means a sign that alludes to that which is sacred. The Roman Catholic Church has seven sacraments in the form of ceremonies that clearly point out what is considered sacred, essential for Christianity, and significant for spiritual growth. These ceremonies are considered special occasions in which the saving presence of God is felt.
The first sacrament in the Roman Catholic Church is baptism. This sacrament can be undertaken either as an infant or an adult and it signifies one’s commitment to living and abiding by the laws of God. It is a form of initiation into the church and the Christian community as a whole and only after undertaking, this sacrament is one truly considered a fully-fledged member of the church who is fully dedicated to abiding by and enact the laws of God (Martos, 2003).
The second sacrament is that of Eucharist. This sacrament serves two purposes as it is considered both a meal and a sacrifice. It is believed to be a meal in the actual presence of Jesus Christ who is considered the head of the table during this meal. It is also widely believed that enactment of this sacrament involves the reception of Christ’s blood and his body as well. This is alluded to spiritual nourishment, moving closer and closer to God.
The third sacrament in the Roman Catholic Church is that of reconciliation.it is also in particular instances called penance. This sacrament has three main and cardinal elements, which are celebration confession and conversion. Confession involves the confessing of all of one’s transgressions to a priest who acts as a mediator between the confessor and God. The confessor confesses to the priest who in turn intercedes on behalf of the confessor and seeks for forgiveness. The act of confessing all of one’s sins to a priest is considered the ultimate act of atonement and a true testimony that one is fully repentant of their transgressions (Baker, 2005). Through the undertaking of this sacrament, it is believed that the faithful find unconditional forgiveness for their sins that only God can offer.
Because of this reception of forgiveness and mercy the faithful are expected to act in kind with regard to their fellow man and forgive any vile transgressed upon them either intentionally or unintentionally.
The fourth sacrament in the Roman Catholic Church is that of confirmation. This sacrament is considered mature and is thus mostly undertaken by adults. It is considered the next major spiritual step after baptism. It is somewhat a sacrament inclined towards initiation much like baptism. It is believed that through the undertaking of this sacrament one receives all of the gifts of the Holy Spirit as the disciples of Jesus received them. This sacrament is usually associated with full commitment to the church and unwavering commitment to God.
The fifth sacrament is that of marriage. This involves the joining in holy matrimony of a man and a woman in the presence of the public and the presence of God. It is a public sign of commitment and a statement that one is truly ready to totally and unconditionally give themselves to their spouse. It is a ceremony that seeks God’s divine union of the husband and the wife under the terms accepted both by God and the community at large. This sacrament alludes to the strong family values engraved in the Roman Catholic Church and strong family values affiliated with God’s.
The sixth sacrament is that of holy orders. It is also called the sacrament of ordination. This sacrament involves the ordaining of priests as leaders mainly spiritual in the church. This sacrament involves the priests taking oaths and vowing to dispense their priestly duties with the highest levels of diligence. The priest also vows to the life of proclaiming the gospel and bringing holiness to the people.
The seventh sacrament is that of anointing the sick. This is mainly a ritual involving healing not only physical healing but also spiritual healing and mental healing. This sacrament is also known as extreme unction or last rites.
References
CabieÌ, R. (2005). The sacraments (New ed.). Collegeville, Minn.: Liturgical Press.
Martos, J. (2003). The Catholic sacraments. Wilmington, Del.: M. Glazier.
Schillebeeckx, E. (2004). Christ, the sacrament of the encounter with God. New York: Sheed and Ward.
Baker, R. (2005). The book of common prayer and administration of the sacraments and other rites and ceremonies of the Church of England. London: Printed by Robert Barker, and by the assignees of John Bill.
