Module 1.2 : Church as Sacrament

Sacrament

• experiencing and discovering God’s active presence in the ordinary

  • bakas (Filipino)

    • a mark, a sign, a symbol, an imprint, a trace, or a stamp

    • points to a reality that happened in the past

    • can be an indicator of the present (bakas ng mukha)

    • points to the future as well since we’re challenged to look back to the past in order to be guided in the future (e.g. wars remind us to make peace with our enemies)

Church as Bakas

• through a community of believers, god’s Kingdom is made visible

• we are sacraments of God’s graciousness

• through the church, jesus dispenses His grace by menas of actions, objects, and words

• seeks to bring christ to the people and the people back to God

Social Realities

• A lot of social realities are happening today that are being continued to be solved:

  • the impending economic and food crisis

  • crisis in education

  • continuing armed conflict

  • human rights violations and accountability

  • climate change emergency

Becoming “Bakas”

• God is hiding in the world; our task is to let God be present through our actions

“The church is not a museum for saints, but a hospital for sinners.”

Questions to Reflect:

• wWhat is my responsibility to my neighbor?

• How do I provide for the common good?

• How is the world a better place because of my presence?