As the name implies, the Sacraments are sacred rites instituted in the Church by Jesus. Properly speaking, there are seven Sacraments in the Catholic faith: Baptisan, Konfirmasi, itu Ekaristi, Pengakuan, Perkawinan, Orders, dan Pengurapan Orang Sakit.
Through the Sacraments believers receive God’s grace through material things like water, bread, wine and oil.
The Sacraments may be understood as outward signs that convey the grace they signify. Water, Misalnya, signifies cleanliness and life. By the grace of God, the waters of Baptism actually cleanse the soul of sin and fill it with divine life (melihat Injil Yohanes, 3:5, dan Kisah Para Rasul, 2:38). The Sacraments are patterned after the Incarnation, in which God, a spiritual being, took on human flesh–and the invisible one became visible.
The idea of grace being transferred through material things is a Biblical concept.
In the New Testament alone, we see water used in this way (lagi, melihat Yohanes 3:5; 9:7; Kisah Para Rasul, 8:37; milik Paulus Letter to Titus 3:5; or Peter’s Surat pertama 3:20 – 21); as well as oil (lihat Injil Markus 6:13, or the Surat Yakobus 5:14); tanah liat (melihat Yohanes 9:6); garments (Tanda 5:25 or Lukas 8:43); and even handkerchiefs (lihat Kisah Para Rasul 19:11-12).
God’s grace is transmitted through other sensible things, juga, such as Mary’s voice and Peter’s shadow (lihat Injil Lukas 1:41, 44, dan Kisah Para Rasul 5:15, respectively).