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To Catholics - what is the purpose of the sacraments?

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  • #1

    To Catholics - what is the purpose of the sacraments?

    I've been listening to some lectures on the sacraments on the Thomistic Institute podcast but I'm still not entirely sure what the purpose of them as a class is. I get they're a means of grace but how do they differ from wise council or teaching? I get the impression it is something to do with the relationship between faith and works but i'm not exactly sure how. Any responses would be much appreciated.
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  • #2
    If I may offer an Orthodox point of view....

    The sacraments (not limited to 7) are where heaven and earth intersect. They are grace acting on humanity. I'm not sure what they have to do with wise counsel or teaching other than the wise counsel or teaching being Spirit-led.
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    • #3
      Originally posted by Physiocrat View Post
      I've been listening to some lectures on the sacraments on the Thomistic Institute podcast but I'm still not entirely sure what the purpose of them as a class is. I get they're a means of grace but how do they differ from wise council or teaching? I get the impression it is something to do with the relationship between faith and works but i'm not exactly sure how. Any responses would be much appreciated.
      As you point out, a means of grace. Christianity is an incarnational faith, the "spiritual" was made manifest through the material. So it follows that the Lord uses the material things, we can learn of the Lord and the faith directly from the Lord, but the usual way is to learn of faith through other persons, and grow in the faith through interacting with a community (church, Christian discussion, or Christian internet boards). It is the natural world being used by our Lord.

      I think your question here ultimately focuses on grace itself, more so than sacraments. Grace is available to all, but we are not all equally prepared to receive. Both faith and works interact to help us be prepared to receive grace, being receptive is not automatic, but is something we must strive for.

      The whole of life is ordered around sacraments (and sacramentals). We are born, get sick, and die; we enter the married secular vocation or religious vocation; we sin and need to repent and be healed.

      The sacramental view was probably the biggest difference for me in outlook between the Protestant and the Catholic outlook. But it was one which ultimately made sense to me. It is not "magic", any more than the whole of the faith is magic.

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Physiocrat View Post
        I've been listening to some lectures on the sacraments on the Thomistic Institute podcast but I'm still not entirely sure what the purpose of them as a class is. I get they're a means of grace but how do they differ from wise council or teaching? I get the impression it is something to do with the relationship between faith and works but i'm not exactly sure how. Any responses would be much appreciated.
        http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_cs...m/p2s1c1a2.htm

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        • #5
          @Rushing Jaws and Simplicio-

          Thanks for the explanations.

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