| Year Levels Focus: | The sacraments are celebrations of God’s Spirit in our lives. Sacraments empower Christians in ministry and service. (TCREK029) |
| Aims: |
|
| Content Statement: |
Refer to specific content about essential elements, symbols, symbolic actions/words in teacher background on unit planner. See GNFL P - 6 Sacraments Essential Elements, Symbols, Symbolic Actions/Words Resource Document Signs of God’s loving presence i) in all of life ii) in the actions of Jesus: i) Students will be offered opportunities to deepen understanding that people and the world around us are signs of the presence of God. ii) They will be supported to see how Jesus, who is the greatest Sacrament, used words, actions and elements of the world (with his hands to bless and strengthen; with his breathing of his Spirit,) to communicate God’s loving presence. Sacramental aspects of God’s presence in and through the essential elements, symbols, symbolic actions/words: Students will explore how Jesus’ actions of conferring his Spirit and strengthening his followers for mission and service are present in the Sacraments of the Church. i) Students will explore the Sacrament of Confirmation as one of the three Sacraments of Initiation, the confirming of Baptism (Initiation). They will investigate symbols of the Holy Spirit: fire, wind, oil, peace (dove). ii) They will identify the essential elements of the Rite of Confirmation and explore the symbols, symbolic actions/words of the Sacrament of Confirmation. iii) Students will investigate the Sacrament of Confirmation as an important outpouring of the Holy Spirit as is found in the Pentecost account in Acts of the Apostles. They will explore the stories of the Spirit’s action in the lives of followers of Jesus who witness/ed and serve/d. The Spirit’s action in the Sacraments: Students will reflect on God’s presence and action in the Sacrament of Confirmation . They will identify how the Spirit binds Christians more firmly to Christ, empowers them to live the Good News and continue the work of Jesus. Being signs of God’s presence for others: Students will identify links between the Sacrament and living with God and others. They will consider how to be living witnesses to the presence of the living Jesus. |
“Sacrament” is traditionally defined as a sign that is itself what it signifies. A sacrament is not a mere representation, therefore, but is, in some sense, itself the very thing it represents, just as, for example, a hug not only signifies affection: it is affection. Sacraments not only show God’s love: they are that love in visible and concrete form.
Every sacrament has four inseparable parts to it:
- it is an ordinary, earthly reality
- that points beyond itself
- making that to which it points truly and revealingly present in itself
- thereby transforming those who receive it
To properly understand the Church’s sacraments we must start with Christ as the “sacrament of God”, and with the Church as the “sacrament of Christ”. Christ himself is the “sacrament of God” because he is the sign (of God) that is itself what it signifies (he is God), and transforms us who receive him (we become the Body of Christ, and so one-with-God). Just as Christ points to God and makes God’s presence real, transforming those who receive him, so the Church is a sacrament that points to Christ and makes his presence real, transforming the world that receives it. In the same way the seven sacraments of the Church point to the Church’s own real nature as the Body of Christ. These seven sacraments realise the Church’s true nature as Christ’s Body.
The Church has “seven” sacraments because seven is the biblical number of completeness, or “perfection”. In the Catechism they are grouped in three categories:
A. Sacraments of Initiation:
(1) Baptism
(2) Confirmation
(3) Eucharist
B. Sacraments of Healing:
(4) Anointing of the sick
(5) Reconciliation
C. Sacraments of Commitment in the Service of Communion:
(6) Holy Matrimony
(7) Holy Orders
The seven sacraments of the Church are celebrated liturgically. The word “liturgy” means “public work”, and so refers to the actual celebration of the sacraments ritually, in a public way and for the sake of the world. The word “ritual” refers to a repeated and communally understood set of meaningful actions, which is the way in which we celebrate the Church’s sacraments liturgically.
In GNFL this understanding of sacraments is developed with these theological emphases:
- Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist are called sacraments of initiation.
- They initiate us (lead us into) the mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection, which reveals to us that God is the communion of love we call Trinity.
- Therefore they also lead us into the mystery of the Church, the community of all those who believe in Christ and know themselves as loved by God.
- It is through these sacraments that the Church becomes Christ’s earthly presence, his own sacrament.
- The sacraments of healing, that is, Reconciliation and Anointing, are about enabling us to remain baptised, confirmed, united.
- They heal evil done (sin), through Reconciliation, and evil suffered (sickness), through Anointing.
- Reconciliation brings us back into right relationship with God, which begins the healing process of bringing us back into right relationship with other people, the world and even our own inner self.
- Anointing unites us in our suffering with the suffering Christ (the “anointed one”), revealing the potential transformation of suffering into holiness and wholeness, into compassion and love.
- The sacraments of commitment in the service of communion, that is, Holy Matrimony and Holy Orders, are there to remind us that our freedom is to grow in love in commitment and service.
- Holy Matrimony celebrates the life-giving nature of particular love, showing us that God loves us and invites us to love God with the spousal love that gives birth to life in the world.
- Holy Orders celebrates the self-giving nature of love as service to all humanity, thus revealing God’s universal love for all in order to rightly order all things towards their ultimate good: union with God and one another in God.
URL link to Theological Conversation chapter (PDF).
- God’s Holy Spirit is active in people and in the world around us.
- Sacraments are sacred gifts of God that, through Christ, celebrate God’s presence and grace.
- Through the Sacraments, the Risen Christ nourishes us for ministry and service.
- A Sacramental Church nourishes and celebrates key moments of our lives.
The sacraments are ritual celebrations of God’s Spirit in our lives. Sacraments empower Christians in ministry and service. (TCREK029)
Refer to specific content about essential elements, symbols, symbolic actions/words in teacher background on unit planner.
See GNFL P - 6 Sacraments Essential Elements, Symbols, Symbolic Actions/Words Resource Document
Signs of God’s loving presence i) in all of life ii) in the actions of Jesus:
i) Students will be offered opportunities to deepen understanding that people and the world around us are signs of the presence of God.
ii) They will be supported to see how Jesus, who is the greatest Sacrament, used words, actions and elements of the world (with his hands to bless and strengthen; with his breathing of his Spirit,) to communicate God’s loving presence.
Sacramental aspects of God’s presence in and through the essential elements, symbols, symbolic actions/words:
Students will explore how Jesus’ actions of conferring his Spirit and strengthening his followers for mission and service are present in the Sacraments of the Church.
i) Students will explore the Sacrament of Confirmation as one of the three Sacraments of Initiation, the confirming of Baptism (Initiation). They will investigate symbols of the Holy Spirit: fire, wind, oil, peace (dove).
ii) They will identify the essential elements of the Rite of Confirmation and explore the symbols, symbolic actions/words of the Sacrament of Confirmation.
iii) Students will investigate the Sacrament of Confirmation as an important outpouring of the Holy Spirit as is found in the Pentecost account in Acts of the Apostles. They will explore the stories of the Spirit’s action in the lives of followers of Jesus who witness/ed and serve/d.
The Spirit’s action in the Sacraments:
Students will reflect on God’s presence and action in the Sacrament of Confirmation . They will identify how the Spirit binds Christians more firmly to Christ, empowers them to live the Good News and continue the work of Jesus.
Being signs of God’s presence for others:
Students will identify links between the Sacrament and living with God and others. They will consider how to be living witnesses to the presence of the living Jesus.
TCREI010
With guidance, identifying questions about religious ideas, events or rituals, and considering our theories, thoughts and feelings in relation to the Christian worldview (TCREI010)
- developing probing questions about the limits of our understanding of God’s infinite and absolute goodness, truth and beauty
- reflecting on why and how we should respect others and care for our planet
- exploring how the Holy Spirit inspires us to act in our families, society, Church and world
- wondering about the mysterious ways in which God constantly surprises and challenges us
TCREI011
Being familiar with stories of the Old and New Testaments and the many ways they and other media tell stories and use words and symbols to help us discover meaning (TCREI011)
- identifying and defining terms used in Scripture and the Catechism to make a graffiti wall
- comparing and contrasting parallel Gospel narratives (in Matthew, Mark and Luke) to identify how and why they are alike and how and why they are different
- developing glossaries of terms and definitions used when understanding the sacraments
- interpreting Scripture passages (using commentaries) where Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray (i.e., as models of how to pray rather than as formula prayers)
TCREI012
Communicating religious or spiritual ideas and information in a variety of ways: oral, graphic, written, multi-modal (TCREI012)
- discussing issues of social justice, human rights, and personal ethics, and their implications for Christians today
- using critical commentaries, analysing the message and meaning of the Beatitudes, and their implications for our own lives
- creating a Beatitude Calendar for the season of Lent or Advent: for every day, one positive action of wholehearted love for God and neighbour, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, peacemaking, honesty, fairness, nonviolence, justice
- expressing something of the invisible/unknowable mystery of God through one of the arts (musical, visual, performative, etc.)
TCRED010
Making personal or group observations, naming ideas and questions that are important for living as persons and/or communities in a local or global context (TCRED010)
- presenting contrasting views on a global issue, e.g., poverty in the world today, slavery, climate change
- investigating and writing reflectively about the implications of trading fairly for rich countries like Australia and for poor countries like East Timor
- using reputable media, chronicling stories of good news where people demonstrate human kindness and compassion for others
- identifying impoverished communities that need prayerful solidarity, advocacy and material support, e.g., after a natural disaster or war
- exploring how the Exodus story reveals God’s love as something very concrete, practical and even political
TCRED011
Weighing up competing values and choices and making a contribution to dialogue about worthwhile principles for living responsibly locally or globally (TCRED011)
- examining competing values in the classroom, the community or the nation, and dialoguing and naming core principles for a just society
- listening to Scripture, and identifying an imperative to act with compassion towards others
- considering alternative views about the rights of the child, and identifying what it would mean to treat all children (including the unborn) justly and compassionately
TCRED012
Personally and collectively exploring options and commitments that could gain improved outcomes in local or global contexts and, where possible, taking some form of action (TCRED012)
- setting goals and making commitments, personally and collectively (as a class or school)
- addressing bullying in the classroom or the school and implementing strategies to deal with it
- drawing up an agreement (“covenant”) with each other as a class or school by identifying actions, attitudes and beliefs (i.e., “rules”) that give direction, security and protection for everyone
- faithfully observing some simple and helpful spiritual practices, e.g., daily meditation and prayer, periods of silence and stillness, deep and active listening to each other
By the end of Year 6, students can acknowledge the constant goodness of God, reflect on and identify his action in their lives in the light of Scripture, and identify ways to respond to his love for all of life. They can explain how Jesus Christ, Son of God, sent by the Father, offers hope to the world and describe how the Church, empowered by the Holy Spirit, is to be a sign of life, hope, reconciliation and service. They can recognise the movement of the Holy Spirit in various forms of Christian prayer and worship, in the sacraments and in the lives of those who witness to the Reign of God through ministry and service. They can identify the sacrament of Confirmation and describe its ritual elements as a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit that empowers Christians to live justly. They can recognise that the Catholic Church shares in their search for knowledge and understanding about God with other faiths.
Students can develop appropriate questions and, using a range of communication forms, present their ideas and understandings. They can reflect on, discern about, develop and enact courses of action in response to issues that they identify to be important locally or globally.