Into All Truth: What Catholics Believe and Why by Walsh Milton

Author:Walsh, Milton [Walsh, Milton]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Spiritual & Religion
ISBN: 9781586174866
Published: 2013-12-11T05:00:00+00:00

Sacraments and Liturgical Renewal

It is often observed that the liturgical life of Catholics changed radically after the Second Vatican Council. The discontinuity can be overstated: a perusal of the footnotes in the council documents and the Catechism demonstrates that the council fathers embraced the traditional Catholic understanding of the sacraments, especially as this was articulated by the Council of Trent. The originality of Vatican II consisted in rereading these traditional doctrines in a new context. Beginning in the late nineteenth century, significant advances were made in the understanding of the historical, patristic, and liturgical foundations of Christianity. These studies prompted a liturgical renewal in Catholicism throughout the twentieth century, nourished by the scholarly efforts of monastic communities and encouraged by the popes. The sacraments came to be viewed in their liturgical context, which in turn pointed to the mystery of the Church and Christ. The conciliar document on the liturgy expresses the broader vista in these words:

The purpose of the sacraments is to sanctify men, to build up the body of Christ, and, finally, to give worship to God; because they are signs they also instruct. They not only presuppose faith, but by words and objects they also nourish, strengthen, and express it; that is why they are called “sacraments of faith.” They do indeed impart grace, but, in addition, the very act of celebrating them most effectively disposes the faithful to receive this grace in a fruitful manner, to worship God duly, and to practice charity. It is therefore of the highest importance that the faithful should easily understand the sacramental signs, and should frequent with great eagerness those sacraments which were instituted to nourish the Christian life. (SC, no. 59)

Several points should be noted here. First, the Second Vatican Council reiterates the traditional Catholic doctrines that the sacraments presume faith, employ specific words and actions, and confer grace to make people holy. But whereas previously there was a tendency to view sanctification in individualistic terms, here it is connected to the ecclesial dimension of building up the Body of Christ. This communal perspective is balanced by a third stated purpose of the sacraments, the worship of God. I would suggest the word finally indicates not simply the last in a series, but the ultimate purpose: the sacraments make individuals holy, they build up the community, and most importantly, they glorify God. Thus the sacraments express our communion with God (they confer grace and they express worship), and they are both personal and communal (they make the recipient holy and they build up the Body of Christ). Lastly, the sign value of the sacraments is underscored. Whereas formerly questions about how the sacraments were celebrated dealt primarily with the requirements for validity, this legitimate concern is broadened to include the power of the elements and gestures to open people up to a more fruitful expression of their relationship with God and the rest of the Church. The words and actions of the liturgy should make their meaning clear to

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