The liturgical life of the Catholic community is based on seven sacraments, which is why it is important to know what the sacraments are, what they mean and when they should be performed. This is a topic that any believer of this faith should delve into.
What is a sacrament?
A sensitive and powerful symbol through which divine grace is remembered and declared. It is a word derived from Latin sacramentum, a word constructed in turn by the words I will sacra, which means to make holy and the suffix mentum, which means means for. In this sense, a sacrament is a means for the sanctification of the person. In Christianity there is a long sacramental tradition. If you want to know more about these topics you can read ¿how many miracles did Jesus?
Despite the fact that their only meaning in Christianity there are several different sacraments, these vary according to the branch of Christianity that is considered, despite this they all have two common ones that are baptism and the celebration of the Lord's Supper. Baptism is the sacrament through which the person opens himself to receive the grace of the Holy Spirit, with which he becomes, in turn, part of the body of believers in the church.
As far as the Lord's Supper is concerned, this is the reminder of the Lord's Last Supper. Christ, before his crucifixion, in this teaching is shared and an analogy is made of the act of sharing bread and wine. This symbolizes the sacrifice of Jesus, and its consumption expresses the new covenant for eternal life. This sacrament receives different names according to the denomination of Christianity: Holy Mass, Holy Office, Lord's Supper, worship, etc.
What are the sacraments of the church?
These sacraments were left in the teachings of Christ in his passage through this life, and entrusted them to his apostles, who in turn were responsible for propagating the faith. Through them it is hoped to attain divinity and eternal life. If you ask yourself, what are the sacraments? Well, these are: baptism, confirmation, Eucharist, penance, anointing of the sick, order and marriage.
In total there are seven, and the faithful fulfillment of it, throughout our lives as believers of faith, leads us along the path of Christian life. The sacraments are not simple requirements, it is necessary to have adequate preparation to carry out each one of them, its meaning must be known, and the responsibility that we acquire, as Christians, every time we take one of them, is not only an individual responsibility, it is a collective responsibility.
First Sacrament: Baptism
This is the sacrament with which life begins in Christianity. It receives the name of baptism, because it is associated with the rite with which the initiate is baptized; in this ritual the baptized is immersed in the death of Christ and resurrect with him “like a new creature”. It is also called “bath of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit”; e "illumination", the baptized becomes "Son of the light".
Second Sacrament: Confirmation
In the Old Coalition, the enlightened warned that the spirit of the father's son would rest upon the Messiah desired and above all of the messianic follower. All his time on this earth and the only mission of the son of God they unfold in a total relationship with the holy spirit. The apostles receive the holy spirit at Pentecost and announce "God's wonders".
They inform those initiated in the faith, the baptized, through the imposition of hands, the grace of the same son of God. Throughout the centuries, the temple has continued to live from the spirit and communicate it to its children. It can be seen as a way to confirm our faith in the Lord, since baptism is our parents' decision to educate us in the faith, and confirmation is our decision to continue on this path to eternal life.
Third Sacrament: Eucharist
Communion is the very immolation of humanity of the son of God in the apology of his passage through this land. This sacrament was instituted by him to remember his sacrifice for ever, until his next coming, the immolation of the Cross, thus believing the Church to be the memorial of his death and resurrection. It is a sign of unity, a bond of charity and an Easter banquet, in which Christ.
When asked what the sacraments are, it should be clarified that this one in particular is a kind of Christian celebration, in which the soul is filled with happiness and puts itself in favor with the Lord, and reminds us of the gift of eternal life. We must see the Eucharist as a mystery of faith and love, it is about the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and it is affirmed that when we receive Communion we receive the same Christ. This is why to receive communion we must be at peace with the Lord.
Fourth Sacrament: Confession
When we are baptized we are given the divine gift of new life in the grace of the Lord, this sacrament does not eliminate the weaknesses of the spirit, it does not eliminate the human propensity to sin, the son of God established this sacrament for the conversion of the baptized who have drifted away from it because of sin. To learn more about religious issues you can read Christian values.
Regarding the confession, two aspects must be clarified. First you have to understand why the presence of a religious is needed, an individual who can absolve faults through the sacrament of intercession. Secondly, this sacrament must be seen as a reconciliation with Christian life, on the way to eternal life. It is an admission that we are human beings, and that we also make mistakes, but we are willing to reconsider and improve.
Fifth Sacrament: Anointing of the Sick
When we talk about what the sacraments are, this one in particular is one of the most comforting for Christians. It is a community liturgical act, which must be carried out by a priest, it consists of anointing with sacred oil a faithful who has health problems, in danger of death or simply because of his age. This is a time when reconciliation and peace are necessary for the spirit of the good Christian, it is the opportunity to be at peace with God.
This sacrament has a very nourishing spiritual meaning, since it grants the afflicted or the elderly a special gift that strengthens them in the grace of the Lord, that comforts them in their discomfort, and thus prepares them for the encounter with the Lord. . With the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick (formerly known as Extreme Unction) the Church comes to the aid of her children, who are beginning to go through the process of leaving this life. This sacrament helps to enter into harmony to eternal life.
Sixth Sacrament: Holy Orders
The ordination of a priest is a sacrament, which consists of the act of consecrating the person as personnel at the service of the religious institution and of God. When you receive this sacrament you dedicate yourself completely and voluntarily to the service of the Lord. The sacrament of the order grants the title to carry out ecclesiastical acts that refer to the worship of God and the salvation of souls.
There are three levels of clerics: The bishopric, grants the integrity of the ordinance and makes the applicant a genuine descendant of the disciples and the offices of instructing, consecrating and governing are ceded to him; the presbyterate, configures the candidate to the Christ clergyman and good shepherd. He is able to act on behalf of Christ and administer divine worship; the diaconate confers on the candidate the disposition for service in the Church.
The sacrament of Holy Orders is that by which the management left by the son of God to his acolytes, continues to be practiced in the Catholic institution until the end of time. For the social shortages of the Church and the civil community, Jesus Christ instituted the Priestly Order and Marriage, ordered to the salvation of others; That is why they are known as sacraments at the service of the community.
Seventh Sacrament: Marriage
The nuptial community of man and woman, instituted and organized with its own legislation given by the son of God, is established by its very nature to the communion and welfare of the consorts, and to the propagation and education of children. Jesus teaches that, according to tradition, the marriage union is indissoluble, which God has united let no man separate. To learn more about these topics you can read parables of Jesus.
This sacrament is the guarantee and commitment to make the Christian community grow, forming families as propagators of the faith, it is the commitment of that union to go hand in hand through life following the teachings of the word, and working for good and in praise to the son of the Lord.