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: Rubhabhatidzo, Simbiso, the Chidyo, Kureurura, Matrimony, Orders, uye Kuzodzwa kwevanorwara.
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, semuyenzaniso, 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 (maona Evhangeri yaJohani, 3:5, uye Mabasa avaApostora, 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 (zvakare, maona Johani 3:5; 9:7; Mabasa avaApostora, 8:37; ZvaPauro Tsamba kuna Tito 3:5; or Peter’s Tsamba Yokutanga 3:20 – 21); as well as oil (onai Vhangeri raMako 6:13, kana kuti Tsamba yaJames 5:14); ivhu (maona Johani 9:6); garments (Mark 5:25 kana Ruka 8:43); and even handkerchiefs (onai Mabasa avaApostora 19:11-12).
God’s grace is transmitted through other sensible things, zvakare, such as Mary’s voice and Peter’s shadow (onai Evhangeri yaRuka 1:41, 44, uye Mabasa avaApostora 5:15, zvichiteerana).