Author: lbailey5

I found “Introduction to Sacramental Theology” very informative as Father Jose Granados delves into sacramental theological understanding, emphasizing the everlasting presence of Christ’s flesh within the sacramental life of the Church. Foundational is his quote, “Having reached the summit of his journey, Jesus interpreted his work from the perspective of the offering of bread and wine, which he identified with his body and blood given up for mankind. In this way he shed light on the meaning of every human life: it is before all else life in the flesh and, more precisely, life situated in the world, open to brethren, grateful to the creator.”¹ Granados asserts that the Son of God, having assumed human flesh, never abandoned it. This statement, a foundational principle for the Church Fathers, encapsulates the enduring bond between Christ’s humanity and the human family, evoking a sense of awe and wonder at the divine mystery. Granados tells us, “The seven sacraments are anchored in Jesus, who instituted them; this is an article of faith.”²

At the heart of Granados’ assertion lies the theological truth of the Incarnation, the Logos taking on human flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. This sacred act signifies an irrevocable union between the eternal and the temporal, the holy and the human. Granados emphasizes that Jesus’ flesh, inseparably united to his divine nature, was not discarded after his earthly ministry but ascended into heaven. This ascended flesh, seated at the right hand of God, represents not only Jesus’ humanity but also encompasses the entirety of human existence, our flesh, shared by all members of the human family. Granados makes the point, “Jesus instituted the Eucharistic rite at the precise moment of his life, to which historical criticism bears witness in its main features. This rite is framed in the Jewish Passover meal; Jesus performs an act of remembrance that gathers up within it the history of the people of Israel from the creation of the world. All of this shows us that the institution of this sacrament is not reduced to an isolated moment: it expands its hours to embrace the whole journey of Jesus, from Father to the Father.”³ Granados extends this understanding further by asserting that Jesus did not abandon our collective humanity either. In the sacraments, particularly the Eucharist, Jesus’ flesh becomes present and continues interacting with human flesh. Granados explains, “This finding invites us to go back from baptism to the Eucharist, for the latter contains the body of Jesus, surrendered to the Father for many in order to reestablish communion.”⁴ This presence of Christ is not merely symbolic but substantial and transformative, offering hope and inspiration amid human experiences from love to suffering. Through these sacraments, we can find the strength to transform our lives and renew our world.

By declaring the ongoing presence of Christ’s flesh in the sacraments, Granados asks us to recognize the sacramental economy (“the communication of the fruits of Christ’s death and resurrection through the sacraments”⁵) as a profound expression of the Incarnation’s ongoing reality. In celebrating the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, believers encounter the living Christ, who sanctifies and elevates human experiences. This encounter occurs not in abstraction but within our human bodies, relationships, and the material world. We can quote Granados saying, “A sacrament, as the previous chapter showed us, goes beyond the limit of the celebration. For when the believer receives the character, his very person is assimilated to the sacrament and therefore so will his every act be.”⁶

Granados’ theological vision of the sacraments as encounters with the embodied Christ is particularly relevant today. One key for Granados, “This work accomplished by Christ in the rite, by the very form in which it is structured (opus operatum), opens his action to all mankind through the generations, and constitutes the communal framework for Jesus to accomplish the gift of himself (opus operantis).”⁷  In an era marked by secularism, skepticism, and detachment from traditional religious practices, Granados’ emphasis on the sacramental encounter with Christ’s flesh resonates with the yearning for authentic human connection and transcendent meaning, offering hope in a world often characterized by fragmentation and alienation. Granados’ imagery offers a holistic vision of human existence, affirming the significance of bodily experiences and relationships. Our culture is often dominated by virtual interactions and immaterial communication through all our platforms. The sacraments provide a real encounter with the divine presence within the physicality of human life. These facts can be hard to resonate with contemporary individuals unless they seek deeper connections and a sense of grounding in our frenetic pace, which causes alienation. In addition, Granados’ theological perspective underscores the sacraments as transformative encounters that transcend individual subjectivity. Our society continues to be dominated by individualism and relativism; the sacramental encounter with Christ’s flesh offers a communal and objective reality grounded in the divine. Through the flesh of Christ, believers participate in a shared experience of grace and communion, transcending personal boundaries and fostering solidarity within the human family. I really appreciate that the Catholic Church challenges the prevailing cultural norms and offers a counter-cultural vision of communal solidarity and standards while reminding us that we are not alone in our journey. Granados makes this point when he says, “The link between the sacraments and human action is strengthened when these are associated not only with faith, hope, and charity but also with the cardinal virtues.”⁸ This prescription for life is what all human beings are looking for, whether they realize it or not. Humans experience anxiety and spiritual hunger; the sacraments offer a meaningful manifestation of divine presence and a pathway to encounter the sacred within our ordinary lives. Through the Eucharist, believers partake in the mystery of Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection, finding hope and redemption.

In conclusion, Father Jose Granados’ theological reflection on the perpetual presence of Christ’s flesh in the sacraments is a clear vision of sacramental theology rooted in the Catholic Church’s belief in the Incarnation. By emphasizing the sacraments as encounters with the embodied Christ within the meaningful realities of human existence, Granados gives a pathway to answer the yearnings of modern people for authentic connection, communal solidarity, and transcendent meaning through the flesh of Jesus through participation in the Eucharist. In a culture characterized by secularism and fragmentation, Granados’ theological outlook offers a meaningful invitation to encounter the living Christ in all the sacraments, where divine grace intersects with humans, transforming lives and renewing the world. This is our Christian hope.⁹

1. Granados, Jose, Introduction to Sacramental Theology, 2016, (136) ↩︎
2. Granados, Jose, Introduction to Sacramental Theology, 2016, (109) ↩︎
3. Granados, Jose, Introduction to Sacramental Theology, 2016, (110) ↩︎
4. Granados, Jose, Introduction to Sacramental Theology, 2016, (289) ↩︎
5. CCC 1076 ↩︎
6. Granados, Jose, Introduction to Sacramental Theology, 2016, (295 ↩︎
7. Granados, Jose, Introduction to Sacramental Theology, 2016, (307) ↩︎
8. Granados, Jose, Introduction to Sacramental Theology, 2016, (319) ↩︎
9. https://sites.nd.edu/lee-bailey/2024/04/18/flesh-of-jesus/ ↩︎

In the book, “Meeting Christ in the Sacraments,” O’Neill beautifully gives us an image of how the Eucharist is an invitation to deepen our union with Christ. He presses at its core the Eucharist, which is not just a ritual or a symbol; it’s a sacred encounter with the living Christ, an opportunity to experience His love in a tangible and transformative way. This sacrament, along with the others, comes from the grace of God. O’Neill tells us, “The Council of Trent defines that the sacraments of the new law contain the grace which they signify and confer grace on those that place no obstacle to it.”¹ This can only be experienced completely by fully accepting this spiritual gift. Referring to St. Thomas, O’Neill makes sure we are aware that,  “if the recipient approaches the sacrament worthily he will infallibly receive an increase of grace.”²

The Eucharist at Mass as an experience is far more meaningful than anything else I have ever encountered. It is almost impossible to describe. This starts for me after the sign of peace between members is exchanged. The Holy Spirit takes hold, and the next thing I know, I find myself full of indescribable joy, standing in line, surrounded by the hushed reverence of fellow worshippers. As I approach the altar to receive the Eucharist, I can feel the body and blood of Christ near me as my body is being prepared to receive this most blessed sacrament. My eyes get moist as I enter a heightened sacred moment, a divine communion that transcends the physical and touches the very essence of my soul. This immediate increase in grace lasts until I return to my pew, kneel for my prayer, and each person completes this union in the Church. I find myself full of emotion at this point as my wife and I squeeze each other’s hands in a celebration that no one can see. O’Neill lets us know, “It is a fitting consequence of this that through the instrumentality of His sacred and precious blood, we receive the bread and wine as a life-giving blessing.  He should be in some sense united to our bodies.”³ From my experience, O’Neill is clearly on point here.

From the book, O’Neill reminds us that the Eucharist is like a banquet hosted by Christ Himself as we partake in one bread, making us one body. Specifically, O’Neill tells us, “Because all Christians eat this one body, they form one body.”⁴  With arms open wide, Christ invites us to partake in His presence, feast on His love, and be nourished spiritually. It is not about consuming bread and wine; it’s about consuming the essence of Christ’s being and allowing it to fill us with grace and strength for our faith journey. Union with Christ is the meaning of His sacrifice, as O’Neill refers to in scripture.  “This is the meaning of His ascension. It makes Him in His humanity a life-giving spirit.”⁵

But the invitation doesn’t end there. O’Neill emphasizes that the Eucharist allows us into a richer relationship with Christ, a union characterized by intimacy, trust, and love. Just as the bread and wine are transformed into the body and blood of Christ, so too are we transformed by our communion with Him. We should see this through our actions as we move forward with our lives. As we are drawn into deeper communion with Christ and one another, we are interconnected as members of the Christian community called to love and support one another on our shared journey of faith. This means in the Eucharistic invitation that we are challenged to see Him in the faces of those we meet, to serve Him in the least among us, and to carry His light into a world desperate for hope and redemption. So, the next time you approach the altar to receive the Eucharist, remember it’s not just a symbol or routine gesture. It’s an opportunity through grace to encounter the living Christ, to be transformed by His love, and to journey deeper into the mystery of faith. It’s an opportunity to open your heart and say “yes” to the divine invitation to union with Christ. Christ is the host, eagerly awaiting our arrival. With arms outstretched in love and welcome, He invites us to join Him at the table to taste and see the goodness of His presence. In the bread and wine, we find the “real presence “of Christ, offering Himself to us in the most intimate way imaginable. O’Neill makes the point, “For the Church, accordingly, which is instituted to apply to men the fruits of Calvary, the central aspect of the Eucharist is that it contains the body of Christ, the created source of all grace.”⁶ At the heart of our desire for the Eucharist lies a deep longing for connection with God, one another, and the divine mystery that transcends our understanding. O’Neill writes, “Grace and charity imply always in the faithful on earth a desire for the Eucharist.”⁷

From the moment of our creation, we are wired for communion. It’s woven into the very fabric of our being. We long to be known and loved, to belong to something greater than ourselves. I believe O’Neill beautifully captures this innate human desire for connection and fulfillment and reveals how the Eucharist speaks directly to that longing. The Eucharist satisfies our hunger for God. Deep within each of us is a spiritual hunger, a yearning for the divine presence. It’s a tangible reminder that God is not distant or aloof but intimately present, nourishing us with His grace and sustaining us with His love. O’Neill describes how the Eucharist is a mystical encounter, a moment of union with Christ that transcends time and space. It’s a sacred exchange of love, a marriage feast where Christ offers Himself to us completely, and we, in turn, offer ourselves to Him. His quote, “Biblical theology correctly insists that our union with Christ, our conformity to His mysteries, is not purely ethical, but involves a vital union with Christ.”⁸

I want to close this blog with joyous news: as you approach the altar to receive the Eucharist,  remember that you are not just receiving a slice of bread or a taste of wine. You are receiving Christ, who offers Himself out of boundless love. It’s an invitation to encounter the living Christ, to be transformed by His grace, and to journey ever deeper into the mystery of His love immediately and throughout your life.

1.  O’Neill, Meeting Christ in the Sacraments, 1991 (119) ↩︎
2. O’Neill, Meeting Christ in the Sacraments, 1991 (124) ↩︎
3. O’Neill, Meeting Christ in the Sacraments, 1991 (170) ↩︎
4. O’Neill, Meeting Christ in the Sacraments, 1991 (168) ↩︎
5. 1st Corinthians 15:45 (24) ↩︎
6. O’Neill, Meeting Christ in the Sacraments, 1991 (170) ↩︎
7. O’Neill, Meeting Christ in the Sacraments, 1991 (174) ↩︎
8. O’Neill, Meeting Christ in the Sacraments, 1991 (50) ↩︎

Nature and Grace

According to my understanding of Henri De Lubac’s book, “Nature and Grace,” humans are part of the natural world, which means we are subject to its limitations and temptations. However, De Lubac highlights a crucial aspect of human existence: our capacity for transcendence through Jesus Christ. While we are rooted in the natural order, we long for something beyond ourselves, a yearning or calling to be one with the divine. This tension between our natural inclinations and our supernatural aspirations forms a key point of De Lubac’s book. He points out that while we are part of nature, we are also called to participate in the divine life, transcend our natural limitations, and aspire to be one with God.

In exploring nature and grace, De Lubac acknowledges grace’s presence within the world. Nevertheless, while God created the earth and called it good, man exists in a sinful world created from the original Fall. Because of sin, nature and grace operate in different places; on opposite sides, one exists in nature (created), and the other is the supernatural (grace). The result is that the grace of God must penetrate every aspect of human beings, accepted through our own free will, to cleanse us of our sinful ways. This is no mere generally graced world. This is salvation, the meaning of everything.

We cannot achieve the supernatural independently, so we see some output worthy of discussion. The first such consequence is humility. When we look at man’s elevation through grace, Fr. Teilhard De Chardin tells us correctly, “This is more than a simple union; it is a process of transformation during which all that human activity can do is prepare itself and accept, humbly.” ¹ This allows us to believe in what is not born on this earth or universe, something not of this world; as God seeks to come to us, we can humbly welcome Him. Christianity’s very DNA is made of a nature of humility. It is our way of life. This allows us to recognize how incomplete we are as creatures. This welcomed humility also lets us realize we are dependent on God. 

Another consequence of this supernatural act poured out for us is the constant presence of this “mystery.” Man is being saved by grace, which has no natural explanation. To quote De Lubac, “Christian faith can be, and history shows that it was indeed, the promoter of reason;  but it is not a science or a revealed philosophy; such expressions are devoid of meaning.” ² This means the mystery of grace belongs to a higher order. Early Christians realized the need to conceptualize in as precise a realization as possible so as not to lose the true scope of this gift. This was done to ensure the “mystery” was not hijacked by others who wanted it for their purposes. In this book, De Lubac says, “Our Fathers in the faith, the main authors of the great trinitarian and Christological definitions, were above all wary of sacrilegious curiosity.” ³ This meant that at all costs, we must protect the faith. 

Our next recognized outcome is “transformation.” Revelation tells us, “Behold, I make all things new!” ⁴ Christianity itself is transformational. To experience Christ, we must be transformed through the sacraments. The Holy Spirit must come and consume our very being. This is the only way we can become new creatures and shed the skin we used to possess. We must be transformed into His image. Man cannot make the supernatural elevation to God. Only His divine love can bridge the abyss that exists between us. Since we have this yearning for God’s gifts deep inside us, we can claim with joy that God sent His son Jesus for our salvation, and as a result, the natural and supernatural have been combined. The sacraments achieve this combination to complete us despite our nature. This sanctifies us, allowing us to be one with God and our Christian community. The sacraments do matter.

De Lubac’s insights don’t stop there. He makes clear the difference between liberation and salvation. Salvation is clear enough as we do not argue about Christ’s death and resurrection; the matter gets murky when we discuss man’s liberation. This can mean many things depending on the context. Liberation can be fully human in its meaning as society sees it. For our purposes, we see man as liberated from sin through Jesus Christ. The Church’s proper role is as the messenger of this meaning of liberation and Christ’s salvation. To quote De Lubac, “This law applies to the entire human race as well as to each of its members; and this liberation is, In Christ our Redeemer, the work of God’s grace.” ⁵ 

The significance of the sacraments is clear within De Lubac’s framework. While we get this gift of grace, the sacraments serve as pivotal moments of encounter with God’s divinity, offering us meaningful avenues for experiencing and participating in the divine life. They are not merely symbolic gestures but critical signs through which God communicates His grace to us in a supernatural and transformative manner.

De Lubac’s insights help us understand the sacraments more deeply and appreciate their significance in light of the tension between nature(our state) and grace (God’s love). While the world is in chaos, the sacraments continue to be concrete in their ability to navigate the mystery of the divine life, offering us opportunities to encounter and participate in that grace in a profound and transformative way.

I want to end with a meaningful thought De Lubac offers at the end of the book: “Let us conclude that a Christianity which offers man something less than making him God is too modest…In the struggle for man in which we are engaged, such an answer is insufficient.” ⁶ We must never forget our place as sinners and these keywords from the Lord’s prayer: “Forgive us our trespasses and deliver us from evil…” ⁷ This is our Christian hope.

1. De Lubac, Nature and Grace, (55) ↩︎
2. De Lubac, Nature and Grace (66) ↩︎
3. De Lubac, Nature and Grace (67) ↩︎
4. De Lubac, Nature and Grace, (81) Revelation 21:5 ↩︎
5. De Lubac, Nature and Grace, (160) ↩︎
6. De Lubac, Nature and Grace, (172) ↩︎
7. De Lubac, Nature and Grace, (173) ↩︎

The Easter Vigil and the Sacraments

I am so excited to share in the start of your Christian journey. This is such a special time when you will experience so many blessings. I know you were recently initiated into the Christian faith through the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and, most importantly, the Eucharist. Jean Danielou states in “The Bible and the Liturgy,” “In the Christian initiation which took place during Easter Vigil, baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist formed one whole, constituting the introduction of the new Christian into the Church.”¹ I wanted to spend time with you today on this sacred occasion of the Easter Vigil to highlight a few points. Your journey to this moment has been filled with prayer, reflection, and preparation. Now, as you emerge from the waters of baptism, infused with the gift of the Holy Spirit through confirmation and welcomed to the incredible blessings at the table of the Lord in the Eucharist, you embark on a new chapter in your Christian life. In reflecting upon the significance of these three sacraments, we must look into their meaning and the transformative power they hold for the rest of your Christian life in this world. We will be using insights and wisdom from Danielou to prepare you for this exploration.

First, let us look at the sacrament of baptism, where you have been cleansed from sin and reborn into a new life in Christ. Danielou reminds us of the biblical imagery associated with baptism, most notably the crossing of the Red Sea by the Israelites, which symbolizes liberation from bondage and the beginning of a journey toward the Promised Land.² Similarly, your baptism marks a release from the harshness of sin and the start of a pilgrimage toward Christian hope. Danielou uses this vivid imagery made clear by Gregory of Nyssa, “The soul, in taking off the tunic of skin with which it was clothed after the fall, opens itself to the Word by taking away the veil from its heart, that is to say, the flesh. And by flesh, I mean the old man who must be taken off by those who desire to wash themselves in the bath of the Word.”³ As Danielou makes clear, baptism starts us on a lifelong participation in the paschal mystery, wherein you are united with Christ in his death and resurrection. This baptismal serves as both a tomb and womb.⁴  Danielou tells us, “These white garments signify at once purity of soul and incorruptibility of body.”⁵ Therefore, let the waters of baptism be a constant reminder of your identity as a beloved child of God, called to live joyfully according to His Word and be a witness through your life to the transformative power of Christ’s love in you. 

Next, let us turn our attention to the sacrament of confirmation, wherein you received the gift of the Holy Spirit to strengthen and empower you for this mission in Christ. You have been anointed with the sacred oil that reaches back to the Old Testament. Danielou tells us, “Anointing was, in the Old Testament, the rite by which priests and kings were consecrated.”⁶ He also reminds us of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles at Pentecost, empowering them to proclaim the Gospel fearlessly and to establish the Church as the body of Christ in the world. Like the kings and priests of old, the sacrament of confirmation equips you with the gifts of the Holy Spirit to live boldly as disciples of Christ, bearing witness to his love and truth in a world in which we can endure the darkness and despair that awaits us all because of sin. Moreover, confirmation seals and confirms the grace of baptism, deepening your union with Christ and his Church. Just as the Holy Spirit emboldened the apostles to proclaim the Logos to all nations, so too are you called to be an ambassador for Christ, spreading his message of salvation to the ends of your reach. Therefore, let the blessings of the Holy Spirit, which include wisdom, fortitude, prudence, piety, justice, temperance, and fear of the Lord, guide and sustain you in your faith journey, empowering you to be a tool of God’s mercy, fulfilling your mission to spread grace in the world.

Finally, let us discuss this most important sacrament of the Eucharist, wherein you partake of the actual body and blood of Christ, nourishing your soul and uniting you more closely with the Lord and his mystical body, the Church. I want to touch on the three parts of The Eucharist briefly. We have the preparation, which is now called the offertory. Next, we have the prayer of thanksgiving said over the bread and wine, which is the Eucharistic sacrifice. And third, there is the actual disbursement of the consecrated Host to the faithful at communion.⁷ Danielou reminds us of the profound significance of the Eucharist as a sacrificial banquet, wherein Christ gives himself as the Paschal Lamb, whose flesh is divine food and whose blood is divine drink. This is where the world will challenge you, including other Christian faiths; do not let yourself be deceived, as the Eucharist is the real presence of Christ. I urge you to cling to this truth; by receiving the Eucharist, you will enter into communion with Christ and one another, becoming living members of His body, the Church. Furthermore, the Eucharist is a sample of the heavenly banquet, wherein all the faithful will be united in perfect communion with God for all eternity. Therefore, let the receiving of the Eucharist be the source and peak of your Christian life now, nourishing you with the grace and strength you need to persevere in faith and fulfill Christ’s mission for you.

In conclusion, as you reflect upon these gifts brought to us through the sacraments in your Christian life, may you be grateful for the abundant grace and mercy bestowed upon you by our Trinitarian God. May these sacraments serve as a constant reminder of your role as a beloved child of God, empowered by the Holy Spirit to live as disciples of Jesus Christ in the world. May the partaking of the Eucharist nourish you on your faith journey, leading you to feel ever closer to the life everlasting that is Christian hope prepared for all the faithful in the kingdom of heaven.

1. Danielou, Jean, The Bible and the Liturgy (127) ↩︎
2. Danielou, Jean, The Bible and the Liturgy (86) ↩︎
3. Danielou, Jean, The Bible and the Liturgy (39) ↩︎
4. Danielou, Jean, The Bible and the Liturgy (47) (49) ↩︎
5. Danielou, Jean, The Bible and the Liturgy (49) ↩︎
6. Danielou, Jean, The Bible and the Liturgy (114) ↩︎
7. Danielou, Jean, The Bible and the Liturgy (127) Summary of the Eucharistic rite by Danielou ↩︎

Sacramental Universe 

After reading Bouyer’s Cosmos, Catholics treating the sacraments as a right of passage need to hear this story of caution on several of his points concerning separation from the sacramental universe. This topic is necessary because religion and the faithful tend to fade in evolved societies like the United States. We can see this everywhere today in the Catholic community. Not a day goes by that I do not run into a Catholic and invite them to Mass to experience the Liturgy. They most always decline and say, “Oh, my parents go, but I do not.” I respond, “You said you were Catholic,” and they say, “Ya, but I don’t go to Mass it has no meaning to me.” Bouyer is right that these people are more concerned about this life than the next one. He goes on to explain what forms this takes. Christians start to view, for example, the sacraments as more magic than encounters with God. They lose sight of how worldly creatures communicate with God through the images God has made clear in His word. The macro view of a sacramental life has been lost for many. This manifests itself as Mass becomes a mere performance and symbolic gestures to be completed to these willfully blind people. When they need God, they believe that He can be summoned on demand to fix their problems instead of maintaining an actual relationship with Christ through the Liturgy of the Word and Eucharist. Bouyer tells us, “ The only unpardonable sin is thus a failure to acknowledge this action of the Spirit through Jesus, which is the world’s only hope of salvation.”¹    

We should note that societies have always been in the presence of mysteries from ancient times through today. Bouyer goes to great lengths to show the development from myth to mystery to clarity as presented as images in the Bible where meaning is clear. Even though science or wisdom seeks to solve these mysteries, scientists typically generate more questions than answers. This leads to an ever-increasing form of a desacralized society as humans believe they have a clearer picture of how things work which leads to a falling away from Christ until needed. To be clear, humans suffer when they decide that ritual can produce an outcome from God on demand (magic).  To quote Bouyer, “And when magic becomes confident, its unfailing result is not only to destroy religion, even when religious forms are most carefully preserved, but also destroy itself through its own victory.”² 

The next caution for today’s society is the desire for money to replace the need for the sacraments. The problem humans face in present times is very similar to the problem of the 15th century that kicked off the reformation and counter-reformation. Bouyer makes the point that the success of society starts to turn people away from God based on a false security that relies on a bourgeois(middle-class) life where people see worth based on money. This thinking is all around us today. Christianity, however, has a way of standing firm, demanding that the resurrection of Jesus through the mystery of the cross makes us realize the material possessions of this world have little meaning as we prepare for the world to come. Humans should reject the trappings of this world and remain disciplined in their actions.³ Bouyer continues that through the 18th century, with the advent of industrialization, Christianity fell into this lust for mammon. His quote, “Under this influence, strengthened by the development of scientifically based techniques which conversely held science in thrall, there would be a trend, starting in the eighteenth century with the industrial revolution, to consider the world simply as a source of sense satisfactions.”⁴ Humans started to view everything in a zero-sum gain, leading to harsh predatory practices to acquire more. This inevitably leads to our inability to see the world in a transcendent way where we stop contemplating the universe through the Trinity. Further, humans have continued to destroy many of God’s gifts on this planet so they can live a more comfortable life. Humans have set themselves on a path of destruction through their appetites. Bouyer makes the point this hunger does nothing but make us enslaved people to material things instead of servants to God and the cosmos He created. He points out this is never more evident than in our treatment of the environment and the consequences like extreme weather patterns, pollution, and accelerated extinction of species. Bouyer stated, “Indeed, it is a problem of our own inner disintegration, together with the deterioration of the world, which we have brought about.”⁵ This leads society to view humans in the same way as they have the environment where people become things to control and possess. As we turn away from God and fail to realize there is more to gain than things, this inevitably leads to man’s death with nowhere to go but the abyss. 

Fortunately, there is an answer through a Eucharistic and Liturgical revival. This book makes the point that we must never forget Christ is our entry into a universal cosmos and that we experience union with Him through a sacramental life. These traditions (sacraments) are not just rites of passage but part of the liturgical life Christ calls us to lead. This is the key to Christian hope, where one unionizes with God and other believers, becoming part of the body of Christ. This unfolds a sacramental universe and the ability to change human beings by joining with Christ.

In summary, the sacramental universe is a profound link to a spiritual realm embedded in the rich history of Christian traditions. These are not just rites of passage but the only way for earthly creatures to interface with God. Bouyer writes, “Appearing with Christ, and descending with him from the side of the Father, will be his eternal Bride, the eschatological Church, the redeemed, saved and glorified cosmos.”⁶ Understanding the roots of Judaism and Christianity is crucial in appreciating the power of this connection. Christianity transcends mere written words; it embodies a living pronouncement, where the logos took the form of a man to save us from eternal damnation. We must be present and act, where the past is rediscovered, and the future approaches. This mystery of faith asserts that each day incorporates the deeds of Christ, accomplished long ago by reconciling humanity to Him, with the outcomes present in ourselves. Jesus Christ’s actions unveil our true purpose, and the Christian journey involves internalizing through the sacraments so we may realize the benefits of this joyful mystery. We must  “rediscover the world in God, whose Love produced, redeemed and adopted it.”⁷ . Colossians 27 gives us a good sense about this mystery.  “To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”⁸ 

1. Cosmos, Bouyer, Louis, 1982, Les Editions du Cerf (89) ↩︎
2. Cosmos, Bouyer, Louis, 1982, Les Editions du Cerf (118) ↩︎
3. Cosmos, Bouyer, Louis, 1982, Les Editions du Cerf (121) A point Bouyer wanted to make so I summarized his thought. ↩︎
4. Cosmos, Bouyer, Louis, 1982, Les Éditions du Cerf (122) ↩︎
5. Cosmos, Bouyer, Louis, 1982, Les Éditions du Cerf (123) ↩︎
6. Cosmos, Bouyer, Louis, 1982, Les Éditions du Cerf (123) ↩︎
7. Cosmos, Bouyer, Louis, 1982, Les Editions du Cerf (181) ↩︎
8. Holy Bible,  New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition, Colossians 1:27 ↩︎

The question of whether we need the sacraments is an interesting one. I was brought up protestant and converted to Catholicism around four years ago. This topic is a hotly debated item among family members who are not Catholic. 

This blog will consist of a conversation with Pieper and Ratzinger on the need for the sacraments. Can one explain why the sacraments are unique, as Pieper claims? My answer would be yes. The sacraments are a necessary part of Christian life. Getting this message across to all Christians might be difficult, but not without merit. The sacraments are where humans’ historical presence intersects with the divine. My protestant family members would say no. You only need the bible and prayer. Based on these articles, I will support my claim in this blog as I understand it. Both authors focus on where and how one enters into communion with God, which needs the sacraments as they were revealed to us over time.

Joseph Ratzinger brings a historical perspective that bases most of his argument on the sacraments being genuine encounters with Christ. “To receive the Christian sacraments means to enter into the history proceeding from Christ with the belief that this is the saving history that opens up to man the historical context that truly allows him to live and leads him into his true uniqueness, into unity with God that is his eternal future.” (163)¹ In like fashion, Pieper also believes in the direct encounter between God and man through the real presence of God, which has a profound transformative effect on the human being’s spiritual journey through this experience. Ratzinger does not see the sacraments as symbolic or a remembrance but as how Christians participate in a union with the risen Christ. The human experience is horizontal, while the sacraments provide the “vertical dimension of human existence” (164)²

Ratzinger leans more on traditions in the Catholic Church’s theology. This tradition sees the sacraments as a mystery that allows humans real spiritual experiences. These sacraments are instruments by which God uses grace in union with us. These are not lowly symbols, as some would have us believe, but a reality that believers experience. Pieper similarly understands the sacraments in this way. Each sacred act imparts a meaningful grace in direct response to the human interaction with God through the sacrament, which is transformative on one’s spiritual journey. Pieper quotes the Vatican Council, stating, “The liturgy itself is a sacred action surpassing all others.” (46)³. “The summit of all Church activity and the fount from which all her powers flow” (46)⁴

The bonds of the Christian community are strengthened through the sacraments, according to Ratzinger, with a critical emphasis on the Eucharist. (167)⁵  Humans do not experience the sacraments alone but with the Body of Christ. Ratzinger emphasizes we are a communion of followers of Christ. Pieper also stresses the communal part of the sacraments. Participating in such rituals is a public matter that strengthens the Church. This creates a sense of belonging for church members and the larger Christian body.

Again, Ratzinger sees the sacraments historically⁶ (traditions), which ties modern Christians with early Christians. Christ established these rituals and, through apostolic succession, bonded us together across the ages. Every Catholic is connected through this meaningful link to the origins of Christianity. Pieper also agrees with Ratzinger on this point and allows modern Christians to be rooted in the Christian faith through this narrative.⁷ Sacred places, acts, and times have been meaningful throughout history and remain so regardless of desacralization that is prominent today. 

It is important to note that through the sacraments, one enters the Church and gets one’s Christian identity. The sacrament of baptism (160) marks a person as a member of Jesus’ Church, Ratzinger notes, by letting “the waters of death pass over him so as to enter into a new beginning that started with Christ.”⁸ This person has been cleansed of sin as they embark on their new journey. Pieperr comes at it from a salvation perspective where God has a particular mission in sacred places where sacred people take sacred actions through the sacraments that are not ordinary on behalf of the community of believers. This can be symbolic, a physical partaking, or a spiritual action in a communal setting. This has a quality of faith to it, which brings transformative meaning to our reality.  

The big question one needs to understand is not if the sacraments are required but how to communicate this to non-Catholics. This can be extremely difficult. However, Pieper takes the better path, if only slightly, in my opinion. Defining what is sacred⁹ (14-15) (26) and how the sacraments tie into our historical experience can win the day. The protestants made a colossal mistake throwing out the sacraments whereby they claimed they were merely performative or a remembrance in most cases. The rejection that man can be purely spiritual in his relation to God goes against the purpose of Jesus’ coming to Earth. Humans are not ghosts as in C.S. Lewis’s “The Great Divorce” and, as such, must experience Christ physically and spiritually. Pieper’s explanation of the Eucharist being shared in a human way is critical. God determines the selection and how he will be present for us. Humans are entirely dependent on Him for the time and place. Ratzinger adds to the validity with his observation that The Eucharist links us to the historical life of Christ, which manifests itself in “Bread” (167)¹⁰ for us. 

I denote slight differences between Ratzinger and Pieper. These could only be seen as nuanced emphasis rather than competing views. Ratzinger focuses on the sacraments as a historical part of the liturgy. In slight contrast, Pieper focuses more on the ritual aspect (what is sacred and what is not) and its transformative symbolic power in our lives. Another slight example might be Ratzinger’s focus on the apostolic nature of the sacraments, whereas Pieper seems to emphasize how sacred places, actions, and people connect us to the sacraments.

In summary, while both theologians contribute significantly to the theological conversation on the sacraments, they enrich the broader theological understanding. Christians of all stripes may resonate with various aspects of each theologian’s perspective, shaping one’s understanding and experience of the sacraments in one’s Christian journey. As understood by Ratzinger and Pieper, the sacraments continue to be an integral part of Christian life, enriching the encounters with the divine, conveying God’s grace, and contributing to forming Christian identity within the context of the Church’s tradition. 

The sacraments are one of the hardest things to understand, and this blog does not claim to be an expert in any way. One must read the material often to understand the writer’s intent. From researching both authors, I found they both are credible sources with many fantastic liturgical observations. Ratzinger, who became a Pope, stands the test of time as a prolific writer and theologian with whom I am most familiar. See you at Mass.

1. Ratzinger, Joseph, Theology of the Liturgy (163) ↩︎
2. Ratzinger, Joseph, Theology of the Liturgy (164) ↩︎
3. Pieper, Josef, In Search of the Sacred (46) ↩︎
4. Pieper, Josef, In Search of the Sacred (46) ↩︎
5. Ratzinger, Joseph, Theology of the Liturgy (167) ↩︎
6. Ratzinger, Joseph, Theology of the Liturgy (163) “For indeed, man is historically determined, from the ground up; it is precisely his essence to be historical.” ↩︎
7. Pieper, Josef, In Search of the Sacred (34-35) “First: the first Christian communities never saw themselves as exclusive clubs; anybody was welcome to join.” ↩︎
8. Ratzinger, Joseph, Theology of the Liturgy (160) ↩︎
9. Pieper, Josef, In Search of the Sacred (14-15)(26) ↩︎
10. Ratzinger, Joseph, Theology of the Liturgy (167) ↩︎