Monday, November 01, 2004
The Seven Sacraments
Tonight's RCIA class is on Chapter 12: Celebrating the Paschal Mystery. Paschal refers to Christ's actions on Easter, his passion, death, resurrection and ascension. This chapter we study the Seven Sacraments. Sacrament can be defined as "an efficacious symbol" which means a symbol that causes what it represents... like the death of Jesus on the cross is a symbol of our salvation, but it is also the cause of our salvation... like Baptism represents our new life in the Christian community, but it also causes our new life in the Christian community.
The Seven Sacraments are: 1) Baptism, 2) Confirmation, 3) the Eucharist (Communion), 4) Reconciliation (Confession), 5) the annointing of the sick, 6) the holy orders (the ordination of priests and the like), and 7) matrimony (marriage). Is it any wonder that the Catholic Church is so against the concept of gay marriage? Which one of the other sacraments would you like the Government to change? What church wouldn't care if the government decided to change one of the tenets of its faith?
We'll also study the Liturgy of the Hours tonight. Which is a series of prayers and readings recited seven times over the course of 24 hours. Samples: Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, Night Prayer.
And for tomorrow (for calming oneself on election day): Morning, Evening, Night.
The Seven Sacraments are: 1) Baptism, 2) Confirmation, 3) the Eucharist (Communion), 4) Reconciliation (Confession), 5) the annointing of the sick, 6) the holy orders (the ordination of priests and the like), and 7) matrimony (marriage). Is it any wonder that the Catholic Church is so against the concept of gay marriage? Which one of the other sacraments would you like the Government to change? What church wouldn't care if the government decided to change one of the tenets of its faith?
We'll also study the Liturgy of the Hours tonight. Which is a series of prayers and readings recited seven times over the course of 24 hours. Samples: Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, Night Prayer.
And for tomorrow (for calming oneself on election day): Morning, Evening, Night.
