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, éta Ekaristi, Pangakuan, Kawinan, Orders, jeung Pangurapan nu gering.
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, salaku conto, 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 (tingali Injil Yohanes, 3:5, jeung Kalakuan 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 (deui, tingali John 3:5; 9:7; Kalakuan para Rasul, 8:37; Paul urang Letter to Titus 3:5; or Peter’s Surat munggaran 3:20 – 21); as well as oil (ningali ka Injil Markus 6:13, atawa nu Surat James 5:14); liat (tingali John 9:6); garments (Tandaan 5:25 atawa Lukas 8:43); and even handkerchiefs (ningali ka Kalakuan para Rasul 19:11-12).
God’s grace is transmitted through other sensible things, oge, such as Mary’s voice and Peter’s shadow (ningali ka Injil Lukas 1:41, 44, jeung Kalakuan para Rasul 5:15, masing-masing).