IiSakramente

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: Ubhaptizo, Isiqinisekiso, i Umthendeleko, Ukuvuma izono, Umtshato, Orders, kwaye i Ukuthanjiswa kwabagulayo.

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, umzekelo, 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 (bona IVangeli kaYohane, 3:5, kwaye i IZenzo zabaPostile, 2:38). The Sacraments are patterned after the Incarnation, in which God, a spiritual being, took on human fleshand 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 (kwakhona, bona UYohane 3:5; 9:7; IZenzo zabaPostile, 8:37; kaPawulos ileta eya kuTito 3:5; or Peter’s First Letter 3:20 – 21); as well as oil (bona i IVangeli kaMarko 6:13, or the Ileta kaYakobi 5:14); clay (bona UYohane 9:6); garments (Phawula 5:25 okanye ULuka 8:43); and even handkerchiefs (bona i IZenzo zabaPostile 19:11-12).

God’s grace is transmitted through other sensible things, ngokunjalo, such as Mary’s voice and Peter’s shadow (bona i IVangeli kaLuka 1:41, 44, kwaye i IZenzo zabaPostile 5:15, ngokulandelelanayo).

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