Sacraments of Initiation - Sessions 12-14
In this blog post, I will go over what we have discussed in both classes on the topic of the Sacraments of Initiation (RCIA & Adult Religious Ed which meets on Wednesdays & Adult Rel Ed/First Communion which meets on Sundays.) I've used two different PowerPoint presentations for both days because our focus was different; so I'll sum them up here.
First of all and as a reminder, a sacrament is an outward sign of God's grace. It is not just what we do for God but more importantly what God does for us. The Seven Sacraments in which we celebrate in the liturgy were instituted by Jesus. In other words, God calls us nearer to Him, we respond to His call in faith and He further blesses us with His 'grace' through the sacraments.
So who can receive the sacraments? Anyone who asks for it. It is good to remember that God does not impose Himself on anyone. So one key word to remember is Freewill, a gift that was freely given to us by God Himself.
However, before we can ask for the sacraments, we must be willing to prepare ourselves & do our best to understand what we are receiving first. As it says in the Acts 2: 36-41, Peter first preached the Good News then the people were baptized.
First of all and as a reminder, a sacrament is an outward sign of God's grace. It is not just what we do for God but more importantly what God does for us. The Seven Sacraments in which we celebrate in the liturgy were instituted by Jesus. In other words, God calls us nearer to Him, we respond to His call in faith and He further blesses us with His 'grace' through the sacraments.
So who can receive the sacraments? Anyone who asks for it. It is good to remember that God does not impose Himself on anyone. So one key word to remember is Freewill, a gift that was freely given to us by God Himself.
However, before we can ask for the sacraments, we must be willing to prepare ourselves & do our best to understand what we are receiving first. As it says in the Acts 2: 36-41, Peter first preached the Good News then the people were baptized.
- Explained more in the next paragraph... Before receiving any other sacrament, we first receive Baptism. In the case of a child being baptized, the parents respond on behalf of their child and attend Baptismal classes along with the chosen Godparents.
- Once baptized, the 'Baptized Person' can request for other sacraments.
The Sacrament of Initiation
The Sacraments of Initiation are Baptism, Confirmation & Eucharist. These three sacraments unites us God and the Church. Among many reasons, they are meant to strengthen us and to help us grow deeper in faith, hope and love of God and His Church.- The first sacrament we receive is the Sacrament of Baptism; whether as a child or as an adult. No other sacraments can be received without Baptism. "Holy Baptism is...the gateway to life in the Spirit..., and the door which gives access to the sacraments." (CCC 1213). Through this sacrament, we become members of God's family & are welcomed into the Church. We are cleansed of original sin and any sin we commit before receiving the sacrament.
- The second Sacrament of Initiation is the Sacrament of Confirmation. Confirmation seals our baptismal promises. This sacrament is also called the Sacrament of the Holy Spirit. "This seal of the Holy Spirit marks our total belonging to Christ, our enrollment in his service for ever." (CCC 1296) The effects of receiving this beautiful sacrament are, among others as noted in the Catechism of the Catholic Church 1. An Outpouring of the Holy Spirit as it happened on the day of Pentecost on the Apostles 2. It increases & strengthens the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us (CCC 1303)
- The third Sacrament of Initiation is the Sacrament of the Eucharist.The Eucharist is the Sacrament of sacraments. It is the very heart of our faith. We come together (in Communion) to remember that Christ has died for us and as our Lord has commanded us: "Take and eat, this is my body..." (Mt. 26:26)
Here are the links to the videos that were shown in class:
Sacrament of Baptism
Sacrament of Confirmation
Sacrament of the Eucharist
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