Thesis

                                                                     THESIS NO.17

            The performance of rituals is a means of being purified, obtaining social acceptance in a community and fulfilling religious prescriptions. The seven sacraments are christian rituals instituted by Jesus (ND 1311) conferring grace ex opere operato (by the performance of the rite itself) (ND 1318).

PROBLEM

            Here the problem is concerning the sacraments, the character or nature and the source of their generation,their function, the type or the kind of their effect, and finally their place in the frame of comparative religions.

INTRODUCTION ACCORDING TO FR. EROLL

            Revelation takes place in Jesus christ and we have to respond to it in faith. Jesus christ is the ultimate part of revelation in our world of meaning. It is not just at notional level, but experience level too. This world of meaning is a experience. Sacrament contains the world of meaning in christ for us. Sacrament symbolizes the christian world of meaning. Symbol is as rich as its context. Symbols must have context. Context is the life we live. Every symbol is to live a life of love. Our love for community for brothers is the symbol of our love to God.

            Rituals have three-fold functions. Firstly, it is for purification. It purifies us from all obstacles. Secondly, ritual gives social acceptance in community. One is identified with the community. Thirdly, one accepts the values of that particular religion. The person agrees to abide by the rules and norms of that particular community.

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

            We have different types of ritual. Ritual challenges us to identify the values in the community. As there are different jati/dharma, there are different rituals in India. Rituals explain different meaning. Meaningfulness change according to different communities. Rituals are also caste-bound; not all the rituals are same in all the Hindu communities.

   Celebrations are part and parcel of human existence. A child that is conceived in the mother's womb gives rise to an occasion for celebration. So the celebration started by birth continues till the end. Celebration implies a community because it can not be thought in isolation. These celebrations take forms in symbols of rituals created by the community, according to its customs and culture (i.e., sociological construct). So every human society has some form of celebration or the other, similarly in all the religions like Christianity, Hinduism, Islam have their celebrations according to different stages of human life. They are the expressions of life. The tools used are the sacraments, rites, rituals & samskaras,through a meaningful celebration.

            Human society is characterized by change (at individual and  community level). Evolving  changes are like birth, puberty, marriage, death etc; and these changes are seen from a point of reference which are essential, central & efficacious in our lives at the point of crisis, in order to cope up or living one's life.

            Myth is a dramatic narrative that interprets the reality.  Often myths are peculiar to each culture. Rituals is a gesture, action. As such it does not have meaning, but absorbs meaning from the myth or words which are said during that ritual. So ritual is the celebration of that myth in our lives. "It is the stylized action of the dramatic myth" which brings out the meaningfulness of the myth.

Ritual:  Rituals are stylized actions in a community which express its way of life.  They are culturally defined sets of behavior i.e., symbolic dimension of human behavior.  Normally ritual is understood as religious activity in which people engage when they worship.  They strengthen the individual or community at its commitment to  the inner reality symbolized by the external gestures eg.  smile, handshake etc. It also expresses the points at which the transcendence of God is acknowledged in human life.  Ritual is a basic human need for a kind of self-expression, we cannot avoid them, we can only reject specific traditional rituals by substituting new and different rituals for them.  Ritual is a symbolic action.  It  employs a certain number of fixed actions  each of which transmits a single or less definite meaning.  It is made up of a prescribed formula,  structure and material.

There are four elements in ritual:  Symbols,  consecration,  repetition,  and remembrance.

Ritualism: When the meaning and meaningfulness of a particular rite has long been divorced from the prescribed action or observance then a rite becomes ritualism.

Functions of Rituals: Ritual inserts a person into a community with instruction, also it gives social identity. Transcendent spirituality is also present in some rituals ( e.g. Vedic marriage ). According to Panikkar the reading from the Rg Veda during vedic marriage speaks of the firmness of marriage and this is very similar to christian norm of indissolubility of marriage. Another important aspect of ritual is that it always engages a person's freedom ( except perhaps in "infant baptism" and it is reasonable because through infant baptism a child does get a social identity and later when grown up he/she is free to decide to follow any religion ).  Given in the community; gives identity to the individual;  recognizes the personhood of the individual; enables the individual to  cope with the different and varied situations; acts by producing a  change in the pattern of  relationship in a community.

             Hindu samskaras are purificatory rites/ceremonies to incorporate a person in a community. Firstly they are performed to ward off evil influences or to pacify certain superhuman forces (deities). Secondly the effects of it, is for material benefits (like get children, prosperous life,etc.) or for removal of ritual impurities/evil ( after child birth and so on) or for social benefits. More about samskaras I will refer when I compare them with sacrament in the last paragraph.

A Bird's Eye-view Of Hindu Rituals

(1) Naming ceremony - inserts a person into a community also give social acceptance. (2) Feeding ceremony - gives social acceptance. (3) Echomimia - is in view of attaining spiritual realization also it gives social status to a person of a particular caste. (4) Marriage - to attain social acceptance, also gains spiritual significance.  (5) Funeral ceremony - gives social acceptance. Ritual Bath - taking bath in Ganges purifies and washes a person's sins. Forty days fast and pilgrimage to Sabarimala (or to any Holy place) is to purify one's sins, to gain spiritual realization thus it attains religious significance.

Ritual Celebrated In Christian Economy:  Sacrament simply does not bring about holiness unless there is also an acceptance on the part of the recipient. In christianity, it is always communion event, stress is on social realization. whereas samskaras stress self- realization ( except Grahasta, the other three - Brahmacharya, Vanaprastha, sanyasa - stress the true identity of a person not in a community but in loneliness ). This remains a mystery. In christianity, sacrament of the sick, for example, shows the communitarian inclusiveness, yet supported by the community. The whole community is in solidarity with the sick person.

            Every religion is the expression of the experience of God. It talks always in religious rituals. A ritual is the link between the person, the community and the absolute.

Religious Significance Of Rituals

            People in India use many types of rituals in order to purify their lives of evil influence (e.g.,  Hindus taking bath  in river Ganges) to obtain social acceptance within classes \ caste (e.g., pilgrimage).

            The rites of a particular religion enable its adherents to express their conscious identity as members belonging to a particular religious affiliation.  But the identity of religious community is preserved in its founding and foundational  myths.  Therefore it is correct to speak of rites as constituting prescribed actions or ceremonies through which the myths of  the community are embraced by the individual members.

            By fully participating in a ritual, the members of the group affirm the community of 'their existence' and at the same time identify the life of their group with that of the antecedent group, from whom the ritual has descended to them. Every ritual act of a group is to this extent a reconciliation with the group and re-establishment of continuity with its own history as a group. Therefore we can say that a myth is a dramatic narrative which interprets the world of a believing community and a rite as a stylized action which celebrates the myth in the lives of the members of a community.

SACRAMENTS

            Any object, any person, anything that is somehow brought to God and people in contact, could be called a sacrament.

            Def:     "Sacrament is a symbolic celebration of the revelation which has been accumulated, experienced, assimilated, shared and lived by a community; in order to affirm, deepen & invite others to participate in the revelation."

Sacrament is that reality through which the divine is perceived to be disclosed and communicated and through which our human response to the divine assumes some measure of form & structure.

            In Christianity we understand sacraments as symbolic rites which manifest God's grace in man and in the world. They are the means through which man encounters God. They are the privileged means by which the mystery of the salvation becomes for every age a tangible and living reality. Through them the Christ event becomes effective and real. Therefore sacraments are symbols of the presence of God in the midst of man and in the world. They are the means through which man can appropriate the grace of God. (ND 359).

            They are rites of incorporation into the church, in which Christ is drawing men and women, more fully under the influence of his redeeming grace and his saving mission. Jesus becomes the sacrament of the Father. Since he is no more the visible manifestation of God, after his ascension, the church continues the mission of Jesus and makes present the risen Lord, to the people today, through the sacraments. Sacraments are moments of grace made visible and concrete in a sacramental ritual, as man's response to God's revelation. To receive sacraments, one should grasp the meaning of God's grace existentially and in such a way, that receiving it, is believable. Therefore mere reception of sacraments existential participation is meaningless.

Why 7 Sacraments?

            Sacraments are not inventions but the conclusions from what was found in Church's tradition and scripture. Number 7 was set down in the 12th c. It was the result of theological reflection. Number 7 is the symbol of perfection in the biblical understanding and also in Jewish background.  Seven sacraments are seven particular stages of human growth. The 7 sacraments flow from Jesus who is the first sat of our encounter with God and from the Church which is the sat of Jesus.The 7 sacrament are:

            Baptism which is the celebration of faith and hope in the community of salvation in Christ who enables us to suffer with him and share the mission to bring the good news to all.

            Confirmation is to strengthen the individual for the apostolate of the word.

            Eucharist nourishing the community by the word and what is symbolized by this meal of eating and drinking.

            Penance the church and the individual christian are in constant need of purification and conversion, and be real transformative instruments.

            Matrimony sign of God's love for us.

            Priesthood ministry of service to the people of God.

            Anointing giving strength in difficult situations.

Sacraments Are Instituted By Jesus Christ (ND 1311)

Historical background of the problem

            The council of Trent (1547), devoted its 7th session to the doctrine of sacraments  because Luther came with doctrine of merit. He attacked the church for simony act and using sacrament for money making. So it was a felt need at that time to officially elaborate the sacraments. The cannons are mostly directed against the errors of Luther who reduced their number to three and later to two ( Eucharist & Baptism). The cannons affirm that seven sacraments are instituted by Christ excluding the possibility of mediate institution.

            Sacraments may give indications as regards Baptism (Mt.28:18), Eucharist (Mt.26:26; Mk.14:22; Lk.22:19) and penance (Jn.20:23) as intended by Christ. `Orders' may have been implied in the command to perpetuate Eucharist. For the rest we have only a general justification in Sacraments which state that all powers of sanctification is from Xt. The apostles considered themselves as ambassadors and dispensers of salvation (2Cor. 5:20). Church has claimed the rights to change the rite of sacraments, but never claimed to have been instituted by Christ. To oppose them Trent asserted that all seven sacraments are instituted by Christ. However it says nothing of the immediacy of the institution. The teaching of Trent can be upheld by saying that the `substance' of specific grace of sacraments was immediately established by Christ. The matter and form of the rites is left to the church to determine in accordance with the pastoral needs. Rahner says: Christ founded the Church with the sacramental nature and the sacraments are not anything external to her. They are not established separately and entrusted to her administration, but are essential manifestations of her nature. From experience and exercise the Church has found seven human situations in which she needs to express her concern for the salvation of its members.

Present Understanding

            The church explicitly affirms the statements of Trent and says that all the sacraments are instituted by Christ and they are seven neither more nor less(ND 1311). But Gospel may give indications as regards Baptism (Mt;28;19), Eucharist (Mt;26,26, Mk;14:22, Lk;22:19) and Penance (Jn;20:23) as intended by Christ.We shall answer this question in ecclesiological context. Vat.II does not say anything about the institution of the sacraments.

            These cannons indicate the orthodox position of the church. There are different cannons-dogmatic and disciplinary. Numbering of sacraments is not dogmatic but it is disciplinary. It is not a matter of faith.

            The cannon indicates on the intimate relationship between sacramental celebration and Jesus Christ. Today it is not necessary to hold that Jesus himself consciously and deliberately instituted each of the seven sacraments. We do not see juridical institution of all the sacraments in the Gospels. Some theologians hold that it was the apostles who correctly interpreting the mind of Jesus instituted some of the sacraments. Rahner would say " In so far as God willed the church, he also willed the sacraments."The church as the basic sacrament is the saving community willed by God. So Jesus is directly responsible for the sacraments. It is revealed through the church - the group of persons that continued to witness Christ event in the world. The sacraments would then constitute the different rituals/rites which the community celebrates in order to realize her identity and carry out her mission of sanctifying and liberating men and women so that they may be constituted into a community of justice, peace and fellowship.

Ex Opere Operato: Historical Background

            The term literally means 'the work that is done' or 'by the performance of rite'. It is a technical expression of the dogma of the sacraments of the church.

            The sacrament cause grace by the very act of ritual. This was against the view of Luther, who held that the grace of the sacraments depend on the faith of the recipient (ex opere operantis) In this background the Council of Trent promulgated the doctrine of Sacraments.

            In spite of this rich import within itself Ex opere operato led to various uses. Sacrament is reduced to mechanical, magical ritualism. This gave rise to meticulous and scrupulous observance of the rubrics.

Opere Operato ND 1318

            In addition to the fiducial faith (salvation by faith alone) another factor, i.e., over stress of the minister's role, also forms the background for this. It was around the 13th c. when priest were not leading so holy life, there was a tendency for the faithful to flock to holy priests for the reception of a sat. This implied that its validity or efficacy of grace depended on the worthiness of the minister.

            In this two dimensional context of faith danger, Trent by its doctrine of `Ex opere operato' affirms that faith does not suffice without the sacraments and that the worthiness of the minister does not matter for the validity or efficacy of the sacrament.

            The code signifies that there must be someone to signify to the person who receives. It is the community rite. Communitarian aspect is stressed (according to Fr. Erol).

Theological Reasons The main reason is the understanding that the sacraments are primarily works of God(opus Operatis). It is God through Jesus Christ and the Church that has instituted the sacraments. Therefore the sacraments are acts of the Church. Since the minister represents the Church his worthiness or holiness does not matter as far as the grace of the sacraments is concerned.

The Role of the Minister The minister need not be holy. But he needs to have the intention of doing the work of the Church. And he should celebrate a sacrament according to the rite and prescription laid down by the Church (ND 1321).

            By the performance of the act itself, even though this phrase has over the years, acquired a sense of magic, the intention behind it is sound. In fact there is no magical import in the sacramental efficacy. It is true that the term implies that grace is transmitted by the very celebration of the rite itself by the very work done. This is meant only to preserve it intact.

Sacraments are Encounters with Christ

            Sacraments represents symbolically the meaningfulness of Jesus' proclamation in particular situation (proclamation of the Word). In its celebration, the rite expresses the prophetic, communitarian and saving aspects of Jesus' proclamation. At the same time, it suggests and invites from the part of the recipient, acceptance, a deeper commitment in faith and programme of ortho-praxis. In other words, the recipient in the sacramental rite is asked to identify with the church's celebration so that the sacramental moment of his/her life, the saving significance of the Christ-event may be manifested.

How Do We Understand Today?

            When we consider the holiness of the minister and the significance of the sacraments it is good to view them from two different angles: theologically And Pastorally.  When we argue theologically, the minister of a sacrament need not be holy for the sacrament to be worthy and sacred, because acts through him irrespective of his personal worthiness.  But from the pastoral perspective it is also necessary that the minister of the sacrament leads a holy life.  Being a spiritual leader of the people it is expected of him to live a life worthy of his position.  However we should keep in mind the following four points of the Church's stands in this regard.

Christ As The Original Sacrament: God revealed his love through Christ; so He is the original sacrament. When the Jews put Christ to death, their deed was evil, but his death was approved and willed by God. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the first instance where the rite  produces its effect. So Christ experience is the foundation of sacraments.

The Role Of The Church: The church is the continuation of Christ. The church is officially entrusted to witness Christ. So it is the duty of the church to re-live the experience in a human situation. So the primary person is not the individual but the Church through her rites symbolizes salvation to the recipient.

The Role Of Recipient: The individual is assured that the grace of salvation is present and available in and through this sign. The appropriation of sacramental grace depends on "the dispositions of the recipient". A fruitful reception always requires a conscious act of the will on the part of recipient. The fruitfulness depend on the individual in the sense to what extend he is ready to accept the community and lice out his responsibility.

            The sacraments do not cause grace magically. Magic is a mechanical action; there is no personal experience. God's sovereignty and freedom are implicitly denied in magic. Magic is always in the context of materialism. Where as sacraments are free acts of God, and they are free act of yours. They work only to the extent that we bring faith and devotion to them .

NOT ASKED IN THE THESIS JUST FOR KNOWLEDGE SAKE

Are Sacraments Necessary For Christian Living (ND 1314)?

            To the extent rites are integral of human life, sacraments as symbolical rites, celebration of the self-expression of the community and self-awareness, evocators towards a true celebration of life in all its aspects and fullness, in them both the christological and ecclesial dimensions are integrated. It can be said that sacrements are necessary for christian living. But, whether or not seven and only seven are necessary is a somewhat different question. But we cannot say that 7 sacraments are absolutely necessary for Christian living (ND1314) because people live a good christian life even without receiving all of them. For e.g. sat of matrimony or priesthood is not taken by everybody yet people live good Christian life. Perhaps, these 7 are necessary means of growth and maturation in day to day Christian living.

(Sacraments Are Efficacious Signs Of Grace (ND 1316)

            Efficacious means producing the desired effect e.g.- the grace in baptism would mean that we are cleansed from sin. The efficacious sign of that grace would be ritual washing with water in other words washing is an exterior sign which manifests an inner reality that is sin is being removed. Sacrament are efficacious sign of grace. It is a symbolic reinforcement of our process of self realization. Role of the Church in the celebration of sacraments It is the Church which has been entrusted with the official witnessing to the XT event in any specific and particular areas of human existence. Hence it is not the individual recipient who is the primary source of valid sacramental activity but the church who through her rites symbolizes salvation to the recipient. Further, the church's celebration of the sat is not flawed by the personal, moral disposition of the minister.)

Rite, Rituals and Ritualism

            A rite/ritual is a solemn ceremony or observance which is present in the religions. By participating  in it, a believer i able to identify with his/her religion more deeply and also construct a more humanizing existence. the rite denotes an action that is religious in its import. It symbolizes what human life is called to expres8s in each of its different areas and at the same time it affirms one's link with the transcending God through the symbolic action.

            Rites are the rule of conduct that prescribe how of a person behaves in the presence of the sacred or sacred objects. In other words rites symbolizes what human life is called to express in each of its different areas(like birth, puberty, marriage death etc.). Rite is a stylized action. It is approved by the community. Rites come to rescue in the most privileged situation, eg.death. Every ritual is  a stylized action. We have social, religious political and civic rituals.

            (Rite is set in a particular anthropological context. Rite operates upon three elements: 1. Values - The values present in the tradition are reconciled. The values are communicated from Sacred Scriptures through readings/actions; 2. Relationship - relationship in the community is defined. 3. Responsibility - It confers stable duties constant with in a community, family responsibility, community expectations are involved. When any rite or ritual disregards these three elements, it becomes empty or meaningless).

            Myth is a dramatic narrative which interprets a reality. It engages its hearers and they are drawn into being participants in the action of a mythic story. the narration is meant to affect the lives of the hearers. Today Myth would be defined as a dramatic narrative which interprets a world of a believing community, and a rite as stylized action which celebrates the myth in the lives of the members of a community. And Symbol is that which gathers life's experience into a core; symbol is that to which we are drawn; symbol is that in which we are involved; Symbol is that which brings our fullest identity, realization and it leads to transformation. symbol always reveals an aspect of reality it symbolizes. Sacrament os the symbolic rite of the church.

Sacraments and Samskaras

            Samskaras signify action by the which something is brought to a special degree of excellence. As such it designates a certain number of Brahminic rites meant to purify and consecrate the life of a hindu. So Samskara can be defined as consecratory rites which sanctify the life of a Hindu at its various stages.

Similarities : Both are primarily religious symbolic celebration, have cultural aspects of a community. Both have fixed forms and matter. Both give an identity to an individual. Both effect transformation.

Differences:

                            Samskaras

Individual concerns

No event, only principles

Priest is an absolute necessity

Secular rites (cultural) man and community

            Sacraments

Community concern

Christ event

Minister is not absolutely necessary

Religious: man and God

Dialectic and vertical

            Samskaras come closer to the sociological understanding of the smts. They are the celebrations of the Hindu community. Perhaps samskaras may be understood more as secular rites with the preponderant focus on the community and the society.

            When we consider the place of samskaras in Hinduism we need to make deliberate attempt to see Hinduism as a communitarian religion though individual quest for salvation is emphasized profusely. The individualistic quest which makes of religion a kind of spiritual insurance company against punishment after death is not uncommon among Xtians either. It is undeniable fact that the samskaras helped in the refinement and purification of human life, facilitated the development of personality, imparted sanctity and recognized the worth of human body, blessed not only spiritual and material aspirations of man, and ultimately prepared humans for exit from this world with fulfilment of having coped with this worldly complexities with courage and determination. Among the chief functions of the samskaras include the celebration of important life events, assurance of community support, handing over of responsibility of an adult and removing evil influences together with finding a place for oneself in the vast universe.

            Today more and more people find lesser and lesser reasons to celebrate samskaras and smts. The emphasis in community celebrations give an added yoke on their backs. Why this phenomena does arise? As the progress of time and civilizations occurred lack of a well balanced instruction and motivating education must have kept us far away from the ideal. In any case Hindu samskaras and Xtian smts have many sociological and spiritual elements merging one upon another.

                                                                       APPENDIX

Sacraments In The Theology Of The Fathers

Among the Church Fathers we have the following:

Tertulian:         Who was the first to use the word `sacramentum'.Sat is something visible,concrete and it is expressed in one's commitment to Christ.

Augustine:       Affirmed that smts are the action of Xt and hence they are validly celebrated even though the minister is apostatized.

T. Aquinas:      The symbolic aspect of smts is highlighted through his understanding of causality. God is the principal cause and the ceremonies and persons-the ministers of the smtal action are the instrumental cause. Both these produce an effect by signifying grace.

C.of Florence: explains that the smts are made up of matter and form (word used by the minister) and the minister. All three elements constituting together the smtal action.

C. of Trent:     Affirms that the 7 smts are instituted by Xt, but without excluding the possibility of the `mediate institution' as held by some Catholic theologians. Trent also affirms that grace is conferred by the performance of the rite itself (Ex opere operato ND 1318).

Vat II:             The smtal doctrine of Vat II is deeply christocentric, while at the same time stressing the ecclesial dimension of the smts. The smts draw their power from the paschal mystery (SC 61). The Council purposely avoids the controversial phrase `Ex opere operato'. It is replaced by the concept of Christ presence and action. Vat II insists on the role of faith. On the part of Church, they are communal acts of worship. As to the recipient of the sat it is necessary that the faithful come to it with proper disposition that their minds should be attuned to their voices, and that they should co-operate with divine grace lest they receive it in vain (SC 11). The sat has validity and does not depend on the moral state of the minister.

Jesus - The First Sacrament

            Jesus is the mystery of God's love and kindness for mankind. He is the efficacious sign and symbol of God's self -sacrificing love for us. His passion, death, resurrection and glorification, point to the reality that sin and death have been conquered and that we have access to the Father and eternal life. He is the first sat for the whole world.In him the invisible God has been made visible in history and time, to give himself fully to man. He is the incarnate and humanized salvation.

Church As A Sacrament

            As Christ is the sat of God, so Church is the sat of Christ. The Church makes present Christ to men who comes later in time and continues the salvific work of Christ.Thus Church is a visible and historical reality containing an invisible reality operating in it, a mysterious and efficacious way. Church is the general sat as it is the sign and means of all man's salvation. Church is the official witness of God's presence. It is the basic sat for those baptized.

Sacrament And Sacramentals

            Sacramentals are determined rites established by the Church, which do not make up part of the 7 smts, but having the similar structure. Church uses these rites to obtain spiritual effects and material effects. They were established not by Christ but by the Church. They are the signs of the Church's faith, for e.g., holy water, benediction etc.

            Then we also have the popular devotions which are composed and practised by the common people in the Church. They seems to be quite appealing to a vast majority of the faithful and are celebrated by the communities.  These popular devotions are the religious practices belonging to an innovative and creative people on the march rather than to a static and rule-bound community. It was especially after the Council of Trent which used signs and symbols rubrically, that were not understandable to the majority of the faithful, and that was not sensitive to the personal needs and cultural diversity of various people, that the devotional practices grew enormous.