what three things constitute a sacrament

What is the Sacrament of PENANCE?

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Penance is the sacrament by which sins committed after Baptism are forgiven through the absolution of the priest.

Penance prompts the sinner to detest his sins, and incites him to offer satisfaction for them, and to amend his life in the future.

1. Penance has the three essentials of a sacrament.

(a) It is a sensible sign; i.e., the words of absolution and the act of confession.

Our Lord promised to give Peter the power to forgive sins, saying to him, “And whatever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19). Christ later made the same promise to the other Apostles, saying, “Amen, I say to you whatever you bind on earth shall be bound also in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed also in heaven” (Matthew 18:18).

(b) It was instituted by Jesus Christ on the First Easter Sunday night.

On the first Easter Sunday night, Our Lord fulfilled His promise to give His Apostles the power to forgive sins. Jesus appeared to His Apostles and said: “Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, I also send you.” When He had said this, He breathed upon them and said to them: “Receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained” (John 20:21-23).

(c) It confers grace. It is the way by which after Baptism sanctifying grace is restored to the penitent who has committed mortal sin.

2. On the part of the penitent, the sacrament of Penance includes three distinct acts:

(a) contrition or sorrow for his sins;

(b) confession or telling them to the priest; and

(c) satisfaction or performance of the penance imposed by the priest.

A penitent is absolved IF he confesses his sins with sorrow, makes a resolution to atone for them, and promises to amend his life.

3. The practice of confession and sacramental remission of sin has been continuous in the Church from the beginning, though the manner of administering this sacrament has evolved through the centuries.

In the writings of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, in the very first centuries of the Christian era, the faithful are often advised and exhorted to confess their sins. St. Augustine says, “It is not enough that one acknowledge his sins to God, from whom nothing is hidden; he must also confess them to a priest, God’s representative.”

St. John said in encouragement: “My dear children, these things I write to you in order that you may not sin. But if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the just” (1 John 2:1).

Which are the Sacraments that can be RECEIVED ONLY ONCE?

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The sacraments that can be received only once are Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Orders.

  • These three sacraments confer an official and permanent status within the Church; they are different participations in the priesthood of Christ.

1. This is because these sacraments imprint on the soul a spiritual mark or character, which consists in a special dedication to Christ. This mark is indelible, and is not effaced by anything, not even mortal sin. It will be borne by the soul for all eternity, for its greater glory if in heaven, and for its greater shame if in hell.

  • A priest will be known as a priest forever, by the mark on his soul, whether he be in heaven or in hell.

2. Holy Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick and Matrimony leave no indelible mark, and may be received more than once.

  • Anointing of the Sick may be received only once in the same sickness. Matrimony cannot be repeated until one of the parties dies. The more often Penance and Holy Eucharist are received, the better for the soul.

What is the difference between Sacraments OF THE DEAD and the Sacraments OF THE LIVING?

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Sacraments of the dead have for their chief purpose to give the supernatural life of sanctifying grace to souls spiritually dead through sin. Sacraments of the living have for their chief purpose to give more grace to souls already spiritually alive through sanctifying grace.

1. The sacraments of the dead are Baptism and Penance. They restore souls dead in sin to the life of sanctifying grace.

  • These sacraments increase sanctifying grace when received by one already in the state of grace. Thus when a person receiving absolution in the sacrament of Penance only has venial sins, he receives an increase in sanctifying grace.

2. The sacraments of the living are Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders and Matrimony. To souls already spiritually alive through sanctifying grace, these sacraments give more grace.

  • It is sacrilege to receive the sacraments of the living if one is in the state of mortal sin. The sacramental grace that should be obtained is suspended until the person recovers the state of grace. 

FROM WHOM do the Sacraments receive their power to give grace?

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The sacraments receive their power to give grace from God, through the merits of Jesus Christ.

  • The sacraments are actions of Christ: through the visible rite, it is He Who sanctifies us, just as truly as when He said to Mary Magdalene, “Thy sins are forgiven.”

1. Each sacrament possesses the power from God to make the soul of the recipient holy and pleasing to Him. This supernatural power is termed sanctifying grace.

  • Sanctifying grace is abiding and permanent and lost only by mortal sin. The sacrament that first gives this grace is Baptism. The sacrament that restores this grace to those who have lost it by sin is Penance. The other sacraments give an increase of sanctifying grace.

2. Each sacrament also gives a grace proper to itself, a special effect on the soul, distinct from the effects of other sacraments; this is called sacramental grace.

  • Sacramental grace consists in divine help towards the fulfillment of the duties imposed by the particular sacrament. For example, the sacramental grace of Matrimony gives a right to the assistance of God in fulfilling the duties of the married state.

3. If received with the proper dispositions, the sacraments always give grace.

  • They derive their efficacy from Christ; consequently they give grace of themselves, as long as we have the right dispositions.  

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HOW MANY Sacraments are there?

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There are seven sacraments:

  1. Baptism
  2. Confirmation
  3. Holy Eucharist
  4. Penance
  5. Anointing of the Sick
  6. Holy Orders
  7. Matrimony

There are seven sacraments and only seven, no more no less, for the simple reason that Our Lord instituted seven. These seven sacraments are a gift of love from the Son of God, a gift for which He paid His very life.

1. A sacrament administered to anyone against his will is invalid, and will have no sacramental effect.

  • One of the requisite dispositions for receiving a sacrament is the desire and will to receive it. For infants and those who do not have the use of reason, the intention is supplied by the Church. We take their consent for granted or at the word of their sponsors.

2. Ceremonies, although not necessary for the validity of the Sacraments, are used in their administration, in order to make the occasions more solemn and meaningful, and to increase the devotion of the recipient.

  • Our Lord Himself used ceremonies, as when He spat upon clay and moistened with it the eyes of a blind man.

What is A SACRAMENT?

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A sacrament is an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace.

Thus there are three things absolutely necessary to constitute a sacrament:

  1. institution by Christ;
  2. an outward sign, and
  3. power to give grace.

1. Only Christ instituted the sacraments, because only God can endow signs with the power to give grace.

  • From the teaching of the Church, from tradition, and from Holy Scripture, we know that Christ instituted the seven sacraments. All the schismatic Eastern churches that separated from the Catholic Church in the early years of the Christian era continue to recognize the same seven sacraments that the Church does. The Church has no power to institute sacraments.

2. An outward sign is something perceived by the senses. The external thing or action is called the matter, and the formula of words, the form, of the sacrament.

  • For example, we see the water used in baptism; we hear the words pronounce as the water is poured. These are sensible signs perceived by the senses of sight and hearing.

3. The sacraments signify the graces they actually give. Thus the washing in Baptism signifies the inward washing of the soul from sin. The sacraments always give the graces they signify, provided the recipient puts no obstacles.

  • It is principally through the sacraments that we obtain the grace of God. They are channels by which grace enters our souls, to give them divine life and to nourish them.

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The sacraments are “actions of Christ.” By them His grace enters our soul to give it divine life and to nourish it.

The sacraments derive their efficacy from Christ, by Whose merits we possess them. They do not derive any merit from the person administering them. Good medicine is good regardless of the druggist or physician.