The document discusses the significance of sacraments in Christianity. It notes that there are generally considered to be seven sacraments across various Christian denominations, with the Eucharist being the most important. The sacraments are defined as symbolic signs and summaries of Christian faith and doctrine. In particular, the Eucharist signifies the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The document explores the Eucharist and other sacraments in depth, examining their roles as signs of faith, revelation, and communication from God.

1. Commini 1
David Commini
Professor Lisa Gieger
Religion 123
23 June 2013
The Significance of a Sacrament
The Church has a certain number of sacraments that are administered. In the Roman
Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Church this number is seven, whilst in the Eastern
Orthodox Church it is said that anything the Church does is sacramental. In all three churches
there are seven sacraments in common; Baptism, Confirmation (called Chrismation in the
Orthodox Church), The Eucharist (Holy Communion), Anointing of the Sick (Holy Unction),
Holy Matrimony, Holy Orders (Priesthood), and Penance (Confession). The sacraments, by their
very virtue, are both signs and symbols of the Church.
Webster's Online Dictionary defines a symbol thusly, “:an authoritative summary of faith
or doctrine:creed.” with a second definition of, “: something that stands for or suggests
something else by reason of relationship, association, convention, or accidental
resemblance; especially : a visible sign of something invisible <the lion is a symbol of courage>”
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/symbol?show=0&t=1372031647). So right away
we can see that a sacrament, as a symbol, is a summary – and sign - of the Christian faith. This
fact can be seen especially in the Eucharist wherein Christians believe the bread and wine to be
the body and blood of Jesus Christ. The Eucharist is the reason that the Orthodox go to the
Divine Liturgy because, “The Eucharist is the most distinctive event of Orthodox worship
because in it the Church gathers to remember and celebrate the Life, Death, and Resurrection of
Christ and, thereby, to participate in the mystery of Salvation.” (Fitzgerald) And according to the
Catechism of the Catholic Church, “The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries

2. Commini 2
and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in
the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself,
our Pasch.” (Pual)
Webster's Online Dictionary also defines a sign as, “a motion or gesture by which a
thought is expressed or a command or wish made known.” (http://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/sign) According to Mueller, Tertullian, “developed the notion that a
scaramentum is a sign that sanctifies because it is efficacious, meaning that the sign produces an
intended effect or that it is effective.” (Mueller 191) The Eucharist is a sign of the Christian
Church, and St. Ignatius even goes so far as to call those who do not hold to the Eucharist
heretics, “They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they confess not the
Eucharist to
be the flesh of our Saviour Jesus Christ, which suffered for our sins, and which the Father, of
His goodness, raised up again. Those, therefore, who speak against this gift of God, incur
death in the midst of their disputes.” ("AnteNicean Fathers" 192) Obviously, the Eucharist is the
sign by which to judge whether a church can be labeled “Christian.”
Along with being signs and symbols of the Christian faith, sacraments are signs of
revelation and mystery. The very word “sacrament” comes from the Latin word “sacramentum”
which is equivalent to the Greek word “mysterion” meaning, “something hidden or secret”
(Mueller 190), this is also where the word “mystery” originates. The Eucharist is quite a mystery
as it is the literal blood and body of Jesus whilst also being bread and wine. Even more
mystifying is that the original Eucharist – which was when Jesus was still alive – was also the
literal blood and body of Jesus. This mystery is just as awe-inspiring today when it is realized
that the Eucharist signifies not only the death and resurrection of Jesus, but also His second
coming. Truly, “The Eucharist is a celebration of faith which touches not only the mind but also

3. Commini 3
the emotions and the senses.” (Fitzgerald)
As previously mentioned, all other sacraments point to the Eucharist. It is for this reason
that the Orthodox Church treats all things done as a sacrament, “The Eucharist, the principal
sacrament mystery of the Orthodox Church, is not so much a text to be studied, but rather an
experience of communion with the Living God in which prayer , music, gestures, the material
creation, art and architecture come into full orchestration.” (Fitzgerald)
The reason of the Divine Liturgy is the Eucharist. Liturgy means the work of the people,
and is a unifying experience which is emphasized by St. Ignatius, “Take ye heed, then, to have
but one Eucharist. For there is one flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and one cup to [show forth ] the unity of His blood; one altar; as there is one bishop, along
with the presbytery and deacons, my fellow-servants: that so, whatsoever ye do, ye may do it
according to [the will of] God.
” ("AnteNicean Fathers" 175) Rev. Thomas Fitzgerald states, “The Divine Liturgy is properly
celebrated only once a day. This custom serves to emphasize and maintain the unity of the local
congregation. The Eucharist is always the principal Service on Sundays and Holy Days and may
be celebrated on other weekdays” (Fitzgerald) St. Justin Martyr also hits on the unity of the
Church and the Eucharist,
“Then we all rise together and pray, and, as we before said, when our
prayer is ended, bread and wine and water are brought, and the president in like manner
offers
prayers and thanksgivings, according to his ability,
and the people assent, saying Amen; and
there is a distribution to each, and a participation of that over which thanks have been given,
and to those who are absent a portion is sent by the deacons.” (“AnteNicean Fathers”

4. Commini 4
368)
Mueller states, “sacraments, like symbols, strive to accomplish the difficult task of
communicating spiritual reality.” (Mueller 192) In the Eucharist we see the difficult reality that
what is to our eyes bread and wine is also blood and flesh. We see the gifts transfigured
(Fitzgerald) into the blood and body of Christ, we acknowledge His death and His resurrection,
and we hope in the coming salvation brought about by all of the above.
The bread and wine can be seen as the signs of the Eucharist, as stated in the Catechism
of the Catholic Church, “Thus in the Offertory we give thanks to the Creator for bread and
wine,152 fruit of the "work of human hands," but above all as "fruit of the earth" and "of the
vine" - gifts of the Creator. the Church sees in the gesture of the king-priest Melchizedek, who
"brought out bread and wine," a prefiguring of her own offering.” (Pual) The bread and wine
both come together to form the symbol of the Eucharist. St. Justin Martyr in his First Apology
says,
“For not as common bread and common drink do we receive these;
but in like manner as Jesus Christ our Saviour, having been made flesh by the Word of
God,
had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so likewise have we been taught that the food
which
is blessed by the prayer of His word, and from which our blood and flesh by transmutation are
nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh.
For the apostles, in the memoirs composed by them, which are called Gospels, have thus
delivered unto us what was

5. Commini 5
enjoined upon them; that Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, said, “This do
ye in
remembrance of Me, this is My body; "and that, after the same manner, having taken
the cup
,
and given thanks, He said, "This is My blood; "and gave it to them alone.
” ("AntiNicean Fathers" 368)
As seen in all of the above paragraphs, the sacraments all come together as signs and
symbols to convey important truths. Not all Christian churches recognize seven sacraments, and
some even go so far as to only call them ordinances (as I can recall the Southern Baptists doing),
but those important truths are still present, albeit not fully. These sacraments convey a message
of a faith and a creed to the rest of the world; these sacraments are a flashing sign that point the
way to salvation for the world. These sacraments convey a message that implies the absolute
fullness of faith.
Lastly, the sacraments are not just mere signs and symbols that convey what Christians
believe and hold dear, but sacraments are communications from God. (Mueller 187). In the
Eucharist we see that God is telling us that He gave us his only Son to die for us. We see God
telling us that Christ has defeated death and has now made it possible for us to do the same and
spend eternity with Him in His kingdom. We see can see God telling us that all things are
possible; He can turn water into wine, and He can turn bread and wine into flesh and blood. If
there were room and time, one could delve so deeply into the theological meaning of the
Eucharist that the whole of the Nicene Creed could be gleamed therein. Sadly, there is not
enough room in the world to delve that deep into the most wonderful of sacraments.

6. Commini 6
Works Cited
AntiNicean Fathers. I. Peabody, Massachussets: Hendrickson Pub., 1994. 174-368. Print.
Fitzgerald, Rev. Thomas. "The Holy Eucharist."www.goarch.org. Greek Orthodox Archdiocese
of America , n.d. Web. 23 Jun 2013. <http://www.goarch.org/ourfaith/ourfaith7077>.
Mueller, J.J. . Theological Foundations Concepts and Methods for Understanding Christian
Faith. Revised and Expanded. Minnesota: Anselm Academic, 2011. 187-210. Print.
Pual, J. L. Catechism of the Catholic Church. Roman Curia, 1993. Web.
<http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM>.

7. Commini 6
Works Cited
AntiNicean Fathers. I. Peabody, Massachussets: Hendrickson Pub., 1994. 174-368. Print.
Fitzgerald, Rev. Thomas. "The Holy Eucharist."www.goarch.org. Greek Orthodox Archdiocese
of America , n.d. Web. 23 Jun 2013. <http://www.goarch.org/ourfaith/ourfaith7077>.
Mueller, J.J. . Theological Foundations Concepts and Methods for Understanding Christian
Faith. Revised and Expanded. Minnesota: Anselm Academic, 2011. 187-210. Print.
Pual, J. L. Catechism of the Catholic Church. Roman Curia, 1993. Web.
<http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM>.