THE PRINCIPLE

OF
SACRAMENTALITY

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 Objectives
At the end of the lesson, the students are
expected to:

1.To understand the meaning of principle of

sacramentality, and four levels of
sacramentality

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 Objectives
2. To imbibe and develop a sacramental
perspective and spirituality, which is to be
able to see, find, and love God in all
things and all things in God.

3. To practice daily affirmation of God’s

presence through love and compassion to
the poor.

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 ‘Heart of the Ocean’ necklace

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 Signs and symbols
• Signs point to another
visible reality.
• Symbols are special
signs which point
beyond themselves to
an unseen reality.
• They share in the
power of that which
they point, and thus
“make present” that
reality.
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 Instruments, signs and symbols
• Symbols make us
present to one
another in human
communication and
make God present
to us in the depth of
religious
symbolism.

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 Sacramentality: Etymology
• Derived originally from Greek mysterion =
deep and secret purposes (mystery) of
God’s work in the world through Jesus
Christ
• Later translated to Latin sacramentum =
something sacred, or holy.
• Sacramentality indicates that through the
created universe, we enter into a close
relationship with God; we experience the
mystery of God’s presence.
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 Sacramental Principle: Basis

The Sacramental
Principle is based on
the need for the
divine and the
human to encounter
and communicate
one another.

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 Sacramental Principle: Basis

In principle, everything
is capable of embodying
and communicating the
divine. There is no finite
instrument which God
cannot put to use.

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 Sacramental Principle: Basis

Humans, on the other

hand, have nothing else
apart from the finite
instruments to express
their response to God’s
self-communication.

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 What is the sacramental principle?

The Sacramental
Principle refers to the
use of finite and human
instruments, of visible
signs and symbols, to
make possible (real)
God’s encounter and
communication with
humanity.

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 What is the sacramental principle?

The Divine reaches the

human through finite
instrument which the
human can experience
and understand. The
invisible spirit is
“visibilized” through
visible signs and
symbols.
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 What is the sacramental principle?

The human reaches the

Divine through the only
finite instruments they
have.

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 4 Levels of Sacramentality
1. Jesus as the Primordial Sacrament
2. Church as the Fundamental Sacrament
3. Seven Ritual Sacraments
4. All else as Sacraments of God’s
Presence

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 1. Christ the Incarnate Word as the
Primordial Sacrament
As Primordial Sacrament,
Christ as the Incarnate
Word (Jn. 1:14 – “the
Word became flesh”) is
God Himself reaching and
being present to the
human.

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1. Christ the Incarnate Word as the
Primordial Sacrament
Some Scriptural Basis:
a. Jn. 14:7 – “If you really
knew me, you would know
my Father also. From this
point on, you know him;
you have seen him.”
b. 1 Tim 2:5 – “God is
one. One is the mediator
between God and men,
the Christ Jesus.”

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1. Christ the Incarnate Word as the
Primordial Sacrament
In the Old Testament,
God’s revelation was
granted “inchoatively”
(initially) to the Israelites
through the prophets, In
the New Testament,
God’s revelation to
humanity was perfected,
made universally and
definitive in Jesus Christ.
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 2. The Church as the
Fundamental Sacrament
1) GOD’S PRESENCE:
The Church is the visible sign
of God’s abiding presence in
the world. In God’s universal
plan of salvation (1 Tim 2:4),
God willed the birth of the
Church as His instrument in
carrying out his plan of
salvation and proclaiming the
good news to all peoples.
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 2. The Church as the
Fundamental Sacrament
2) HUMAN RESPONSE:
The Church is also the
visible sign of a person’s
union with Christ, who is
mediator between God and
man. The invisible reality of
being united with Christ is
made visible (manifest) in
being part of the Body of
Christ, the Church.
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 3. The Seven Ritual Sacraments

Each of the 7 sacraments

is the personal saving act
of the risen Christ Himself,
realized in the visible form
of an official act of the
Church.

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 3. The Seven Ritual Sacraments
The seven [ritual]
sacraments touch all the
stages and important
moments of Christian life,
give birth and increase
(initiation), healing, mission
(service and communion)
to the Christian's life,
forming an organic whole
with the Eucharist as
unique.
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 3. The Seven Ritual Sacraments

There is a certain
resemblance between
the stages of natural life
and the stages of the
spiritual life.

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 3. The Seven Ritual Sacraments
Parallel between the stages of our natural, physical/
social life and those of our Christian spiritual life:
Physical Birth/ Baptism (Spiritual
Generation Birth/ Regeneration)
Confirmation
Growth/Maturity (Strengthened by the
Holy Spirit)
Physical Nourishment Eucharist
Physical & Reconciliation &
Psychological Healing Anointing
Community Realities of Matrimony and
Family Life and Leadership Holy Orders
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 4. All other things as Sacraments
of God’s Presence
Since the reality of God
is mirrored in the world,
all human life, activity,
events and history, as
well as nonhuman life,
constitute the arena
wherein God’s presence
may be discerned and
experienced.
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 4. All other things as Sacraments
of God’s Presence

God’s grace, the

presence and activity of
God and the
transformation of life
which this brings about,
is at loose in the world.

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 Personal Integration

1)There is a need to
develop a spirituality of
gratitude.
• Before you go to sleep at
night, make it a habit to
review and thank God for
all the gifts and blessings
you received from Him
during the whole day.

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 Personal Integration
2) One of the best ways
to affirm God’s presence
today is to show our
love and compassion to
the poor and
marginalized.
• Example: Doing the
corporal works of mercy.

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 Assignment: Journal
1. Do I take time to pause, be aware of, and
thankful for God’s presence and
influence in my life? Why or why not?
2. What is one concrete thing I resolve to
do which can help me be more aware of
and grateful for God’s gift of love and
presence in me, in others, and in our
environment?

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 END
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 Tad Guzie on
“What is a Sacrament?

"A sacrament is a
festive action in
which Christians
assemble to celebrate
their lived experience
and to call to heart
their common story. “

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 Tad Guzie on
“What is a Sacrament?
“The action is a symbol
of God’s care for us.
Enacting the symbol
brings us closer to one
another in the Church
and to the Lord who is
there for us"
(The Book of Sacramental Basics, Paulist
Press, Mahwah, NJ, 1981, p. 53)

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