The Church as a Sacrament

Mar 24, 2017

Q: Why is the Catholic Church a sacrament? – A.A., Wiaga, Ghana
A: “775. ‘The Church, in Christ, is like a sacrament — a sign and instrument that is, of communion with God and of unity among all men.’ The Church’s first purpose is to be the sacrament of the inner union of men with God. Because men’s communion with one another is rooted in that union with God, the Church is also the sacrament of the unity of the human race. In her, this unity has already begun, since she gathers men ‘from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues’; at the same time, the Church is the ‘sign and instrument’ of the full realisation of the unity yet to come.

“776. As sacrament, the Church is Christ’s instrument. ‘She is taken up by him also as the instrument for the salvation of all,’ ‘the universal sacrament of salvation,’ by which Christ is ‘at once manifesting and actualizing the mystery of God’s love for men.’ The Church ‘is the visible plan of God’s love for humanity,’ because God desires ‘that the whole human race may become one People of God, form one Body of Christ, and be built up into one temple of the Holy Spirit.”

Therefore, as the Catechism says, the concept of the Church as sacrament is analogous, and does not mean that it is an eighth sacrament.

Seeing the Church as a sacrament helps us to have a clearer grasp of the seven sacraments within the framework of the Church itself. We can perceive more clearly how the effects of sacramental participation go beyond the individual’s relationship with God and increase the sanctity of the entire body.

This concept also clarifies such classic dictums as “The Church makes the Eucharist and the Eucharist makes the Church.” The Eucharist, and in a way the Church’s entire sacramental and liturgical life, engage in a continual interaction. Christ’s fundamental saving action reaches the individual through the Church and her sacraments and, at the same time, the individual’s positive embrace of this saving action sanctifies and builds up the Church.

The spirituality that derives from assimilating this fundamental communion in Christ is shared by all members of the Church and — since the Church is also sacrament for the world, with each and every human being. They can lead us to understand that every good action we perform, and also our less positive actions, has effects that are way beyond our immediate circle and not only extend from “the rising of the sun to its setting,” but can reach heaven itself through the communion of saints. --Answered by Legionary of Christ Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy and dean of theology at the Regina Apostolorum university.

Continued from last week