教會聖事
在基督徒之間,對於教會聖事有不同的概念。我將試著從以東正觀點來解釋這概念。
我們不能下定義說什麼是教會，正如我們不能定義什麼是生命,又如不能定義什麼是耶穌基督的身體。
但是我們可以描述。
教會在創世之前早已存在，是非受造者 ，(Heb 12,22-23你們乃是來到錫安山、永生 神的城邑，就是天上的耶路撒冷。那裡有千萬的天使，有名錄在天上諸長子之會所共聚的總會，有審判眾人的 神和被成全之義人的靈魂，) 教會的頭，天主的兒子始終存在。道也就是聖子創造了世界為了要道成肉身，成為所有.1Cor 8:6然而我們只有一位神，就是父，萬物都本於他，我們也歸於他.
Ephesians 4: 15我們凡事必須憑愛心依照真理而行，無論說話作人都要誠誠實實；在各方面都要追求長進，與我們的頭基督相連。
Rev 21: 22我未見城內有殿，因主 神─全能者和羔羊為城的殿。
Rev 21: 23那城內又不用日月光照；因有 神的榮耀光照，又有羔羊為城的燈。
萬物本於教會。上帝創造因為教會,因此宇宙所有一切將在此合一，教會的聖殿.
教會發展如下:
屬教會之眾天使
教會在天堂
以色列之教會
道成肉身與聖靈降臨
第二次再來及永生
教會是天主兒子的身體，藉由聖靈促成合一。每個人都有特殊的使命，每一個人都有特別的職務與作用,以更正確的獻祭參與聖事與神合一.
1Cor12: 14身體不是只有一個肢體，而是由許多肢體構成的.
1Cor12: 27你們就是基督的身體，而每一個人都是肢體。
1 Cor 12: 28神在教會所設立的：第一是使徒，第二是先知，第三是教師，其次是行異能的，再次是得恩賜醫病的，幫助人的，治理事的，說方言的
因此教會中最基本的聖事是聖禮儀。獻上一切及我們的生命,成為並活在神的兒子的身體。
這是神聖的身體因為身體的頭是耶穌基督。因為身體的血液不是我血液，而是天主兒子的血液。
在東正教神學區分，未被創造者(天主) 和受造物。受造物宇宙的存在是因未創造者的神能持續扶持讓受造物存在，賜福並給予世界生命，日益增強直到天國的來臨。在東正教並未視之為兩種分離的關係,如自然和超自然。
因此教會聖事並不是神奇的儀式。
教會聖事的結合有形及無形的東西在未被創造的神能之內，引導帶領宇宙至上帝，(maximos PG 90,744B) (Gregory Nyssa to the song of songs PG 44,885D)。祭司與信徒在儀式中必須瞭解合一是在受造物與未創造者中，在可見的及不可見中，皆指向最終原因就是上帝. ( maximus pros thalasion PG 90, 744B ) 若無這和諧,合一,結合可見與不可見的（這結果是從無到有的創造）我們就不會有教會聖事.
神和世界的關係不是道德的訓誡，而是通過未創造者神能（恩典）,散佈到宇宙不同的程次，因為受造物可以接收和接受.(John Damascus, orthodox faith 1,8 PG 94,821) 在這種關係下建立教會聖事。
教會聖事已預示在舊約並在新約中更趨完善（John Damaskous, dialexis sel 265 matsoukas)
教會聖事有末世論的意義。上帝准許他們生活在腐敗和死亡苦難的世界。神聖的共融，不朽的醫藥。末世論意味著我們對抗邪惡勢力，正如我們在啟示錄所讀過的, 藉著神的恩典，不但戰勝生理的死亡，最終成為屬神的活聖殿,這就是我們的使命。
這就是為什麼教會聖事開始的第一句禱文是 “願 聖父、聖子、聖靈神的國度受讚美” 天國已經臨在，但還未完全成就，然而在教會聖事在此處,在此時,未來亦臨在此.此刻是處在耶穌基督復活的國度 (不是耶穌存在2000年以前）,然而在未來,耶穌再來的榮耀中,是不滅的“記憶”如同在 1cor 11: 25-26 1Cor 11:25喫了餅以後，拿杯也照樣子；他說：『這杯是新的約，用我的血立的；你們每逢喝的時候，總要這樣行，來記念我。』。
祭司：所以，記得救主的這個誡命，和基督為我們所行的各種事蹟：十字架、墳墓、第三日的復活、升天，立王位在聖父的右邊， 和第二次光榮的再來（聖禮儀文本）
1 Cor 11: 26 你們每逢吃這餅,喝這杯,是表明主的死，直等到祂來。
教會聖事不僅只是儀式，是授予上帝恩典, 是延續生命及增長在上帝的兒子的身體，這就是教會和所有的受造物。教會聖事豐富了受造物,受造物藉由參與生命之神與恩典。
教會聖事是門及窗透著神之光，神的恩典臨到我們。
如同樹的樹枝，又如葡萄樹的葡萄。(KABASILA leitourgy explanation PG 150, 425 ,
教會是體現在聖事，這不是象徵的形式,而肢體屬身體歸於心，如樹的枝幹，如同主所說。因此，這不僅是一個比喻或象徵性的名稱，而是真實和本體耶穌基督的血與肉）
教會聖事不能脫離整體教會的身體,以及自然和歷史，跳脫這個世界的現實, 不能像變魔術的表演與行為。這就是為什麼在教會聖事我們有物品，屬於這世上的, 被轉變和聖化.（例如:在洗禮，我們有水或油，有麵包和酒的聖餐等等），這些事物藉由教堂的身體建構起。（這意味著在特定的地方教會,特定的時間，在教會聖事、 祭司、信徒等 … ）
教會聖事的必要性
地方教會，耶穌基督的身體、繼續不斷延續在教會五旬節聖靈降臨藉由宗徒的傳承，相同的信念
在現實的空間及時間（水，油，榮冠等…）
由人的自由意願接受教會聖事。
教會不能將教會聖事彼此分割。它們彼此相關。 被分為7種聖事（7是神聖的數字）開始在士林哲學時期,特別是湯瑪斯迪阿奎納和和羅馬天主教會的特土良會議(1545-1563) (13th century some monk Job)
———————————————————————-
從生物的誕生,我們進入上帝生命,但我們嘗試著昇華生命的中心，只為這世界。
因此當嬰孩出生時，祭司將會到醫院，給予新生兒與母親祝福）。
八天後祭司將再次祝福並取一個名字，如同耶穌在出生後八天取名。這並不是模仿。父母了解新生命的奧秘，更理解到嬰兒不是他們的財產，而是非常神聖的，是耶穌基督的形像潛在，而且必須是真正的耶穌的形像。
四十天後嬰孩將會正式帶入教會。祭司會祝福母親，祭司將嬰兒，如西面 抱著小嬰兒耶穌,然後他會朝向聖壇，祭司會以,西面相同的話說：
Luke 2:29 主啊！如今可以照你的話，釋放僕人安然去世； Luke 2:30 因我的眼睛已經看見你的救恩. Luke 2:31 就是你在萬民面前所預備的：Luke 2:32 一是照亮外邦人的光，又是你民以色列的榮耀。
這嬰兒是基督活的形像，我們如同小基督必須經歷教會聖事。
1洗禮：將要成為屬基督身體的成員,即教會,藉著聖靈的恩典,進入水中,他參與基督的死亡和復活, Colossians 2:12 你們既受洗與他一同埋葬，也就在此與他一同復活，都因信那叫他從死裏復活 神的功用.他改變存在的方法。現在他真正的父母不指血緣的，而是上帝父神。John 1:13 這等人不是從血氣生的，不是從情慾生的，也不是從人意生的，乃是從 神生的。1Peter 1:3願頌讚歸與我們主耶穌基督的父 神！他曾照自己的大憐憫，藉著耶穌基督從死裏復活，重生了我們，叫我們有活潑的盼望.
2 聖膏或堅信禮(堅振禮). 成為教會的新成員領受聖靈的恩膏。聖靈的恩典與禮物,給予新基督教徒。若未領受聖靈的恩膏不可能實現基督徒的生命。這是與兒子封印的關係.2 Cor 1:22 他又用印印了我們，並賜聖靈在我們心裏作憑據。若要啟動個人的祭司職分及屬天國信徒的成員。
3 聖餐：生命之源。真正的生命不是生理上的存活,這隱藏著腐敗,死亡以及極度的個人化。我們活著不是因為我們心臟持續的跳動。我們之活因著一種關係, 讓我們有不停止動力地成為神的兒子. (參與上帝的生命）藉著祂和其他的成員。並由聖靈的恩典,最單純食物,麵包和酒，上帝道成肉身的身體，一個新的存在方式,我們則參與這新的方式,以聖三的生活寫照，一體，神的兒子的主體,很多肢體,不是單獨的個體。
這也是我們的對上帝的奉獻與犧牲。教會的信徒不會獻上他個人的成就或是他的錢財,而是他自己的存在。是什麼讓他活著並非他健康的身體,而是與神的兒子和其他人的關係。生命成為一份禮物,成為上帝的恩典。這種犧牲被接納並不是以個體的，因為與上帝兒子連結因祂在十字架上獻上適當和聖潔的犧牲。
Ephesians 1: 10要照所安排的，在日期滿足的時候，使天上、地上、一切所有的都在基督裏面同歸於一。
基督徒甚至在每一日皆可領受聖餐，中國人和佛教人士特別闡揚並強調.無我
新的生活是永生,醫學和單純的生活從此是參與屬天的王國.不同的是未來不需要領受可見的麵包與酒,生命直接來自上帝 （約翰大馬士革exact orthodox faith 4,13，PG94，1152C 1153C)
4 神職人員:人類的生活目的是成為受造著的祭司。向神獻上一切和自己，來連結一切在兒子的身體。教會所有的信徒必須效力於他自己的祭司職務,特別是在聖禮儀中。1 Cor 12: 28 神在教會所設立的：第一是使徒，第二是先知，第三是教師，其次是行異能的，再次是得恩賜醫病的，幫助人的，治理事的，說方言的。獨一的祭司，神的兒子,祭司的職務屬崇高的禮物在不同等級和順序在聖禮儀中來服事，並使宇宙所有一切成為聖禮儀的一部分.主教、祭司、執事、信徒，每一位皆有自己的呼召,根據使徒的傳承。但他們必須一起服事。祭司不能單獨舉行任何教會聖事—–沒有任何人是高過或低於他人,全都是為了服事這無止盡神聖的禮儀。 (John Chrisostom , to 2corinth 18PG 61,527)
5悔改和告解:教會的生命並不是一個魔法的生命,是戰場。1 Timothy 6:12 你要為真道打那美好的仗，持定永生,…打這場仗要面對墮落,軟弱錯誤,傷痛.罪人並不會冒犯神,罪人是病了,受傷了,悔改是醫治的良藥,聖靈授予教會有寬恕的權柄。
祭司是悔改者的見證人,（在初代教會告解是在公眾前，在教會的身體內,但今日因為實際的原因只在祭司的面前),並不僅是寬恕赦罪還有屬靈方面忠告與引導，作為醫治這並不容易亦非魔法。
6 聖傅油禮為了病患:教會看待健康包括,身體和靈魂彼此影響。健康是上帝所賜的禮物，發生疾病也有它的含意，背起我們的十字架,參與宇宙萬物的痛苦。
因此根據 James5: 14你們中間有病了的呢，他就該請教會的長老來；他們可以奉主的名用油抹他,為他禱告。Jame 5:15出於信心的祈禱要救那病人,主必叫他起來；他若犯了罪，也必蒙赦免。
7婚姻是第一個教會聖事,在人類還未墮弱時就有婚配聖事。男人與妻子完美的結合,不可能藉由人類的方式達成縱使愛情也不能。聖靈的恩典促使兩人合為一體。 此外給予教會的氛圍,婚姻並不只是一個事件，而是關乎二人。Ephesians 5: 32 這是極大的奧祕：但我說關於基督與教會。
愛的果實超越人類的死亡、因愛創造新的生活,新生兒。婚姻是上帝給予得一份特別的禮物,與伴侶一起通往天國的道路。
———————————————
以下所敘述是因為學術影響力，雖然未編入教會七聖禮，但這些確實是教會聖禮。
按立修道士聖職:上帝還有另一個贈禮。獻上他的一生,拒絕遵循屬世的幸福的生活，全心全意為宇宙萬物祈禱這是修道士主要工作。與眾人分離是為了要祈禱眾人的合一。成為修道士也是一種犧牲奉獻,在死亡前為神先扼殺自我世俗的享樂.
教堂祝聖儀式:一個特定的地方，將成為天國的大門。一個適當的地方聚集在教會的身體，直到末了成為整個宇宙。我們指出,祭壇是建立在聖骸,殉道士提醒人體才是適當的屬神的殿。
水的祝聖儀式:水的媒介傳播聖靈的恩典,傳達到我們使用的每個物件，我們的工作,我們家,我們的辦公室, Colossians 3:11 … …惟有基督是包括一切，又住在各人之內。擊敗並戰勝魔鬼影響世界的能力。
葬禮及追悼紀念儀式:死亡在耶穌復活後稱為睡眠。教會身體裡的成員,這是如此神聖的聖禮，屬聖靈之器皿 ( 2 Cor 4:7 我們有這寶貝放在瓦器裏..) 我們以尊榮的祈禱，我們祝福下葬禮如此銷毀，與所有受造物交互混合，我們等待並期望復活。但是教會成員的身分在耶稣基督裡仍然存在，沒有任何因素能破壞這結合.(Romans 8:38 因為我深信無論是死，是生，是天使……是將來的事 Romans 8:39 ……都不能叫我們與 神的愛隔絕；這愛是在我們的主基督耶穌裏的)教會紀念這成員如同他還在世，因為在教會沒有死亡,因此仍然紀念他在聖禮儀中。Matthew 22:32他說：『我是亞伯拉罕的 神，以撒的 神，雅各的 神。』 神不是死人的 神，乃是活人的 神。」
去世後的40日我們為他祈求和平與安歇，請記住耶穌復活後,40天在世上獻上 煮過小麥種子象徵復活
每年的忌日，我們為他祈求。
每個星期六是獻給亡者。
Sacraments
There are different concepts of what is sacrament between Christians. I will try to explain the concept from the orthodox point of view.
We can not give a definition of what is the church as we cannot define what is life , as we cannot define what is the body of Jesus Christ.
But we can describe her. Church exists before the creation, is uncreated, (hebr 12,22-23) since the head of the church , the Son of god existed always. The Logos which is the Son created the world in order to take flesh, and to be everything . KJG 1 Corinthians 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father,, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ,, by whom are all things, and we by him. KJV Ephesians 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
KJV Revelation 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
KJV Revelation 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
church is all the creation. God creates because of the church, so all the universe will be the place of the unity, the temple of the church.
church evolves, as
Church of angels
The church in paradise
Church of the Israel,
Incarnation and the Pentecost
The second coming and eternal life.
Church is the BODY OF THE SON OF GOD, CONSTITUTED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. Everybody has a special mission, every one functions, does a special job or to same more accurate, offers, participates in the sacrament of the UNION WITH GOD…
KJG 1 Corinthians 12:14 For the body is not one member, but many.
KJV 1 Corinthians 12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
KJG 1 Corinthians 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing,, helps,, governments, diversities of tongues.
So the basic sacrament of the church is the Eucharist. Is to offer everything and our lives, and become and live as body of the Son of God.
This body is holy because the head of the body is Jesus Christ. Because the blood of this body is not my blood , but the blood of the son of god.
the orthodox theology distinguished between the uncreated (god) and the created. The created universe exists because the uncreated energy of god which keeps the things in existence, blesses and give life to the world , increasingly till the kingdom of heavens to come. The orthodox do not see 2 separate realities, supernatural and natural.
So the sacraments are not magic ceremonies.
The sacraments the unity of the visible and invisible things which are INSIDE THE uncreated energies of god, and guide and lead the universe to god.(maximos PG 90,744B) (Gregory Nyssa to the song of songs PG 44,885D). the acts of the priest and the believers must be understood in this unity of created and uncreated, the visible and the invisible, and as having reference point the ultimate Reason, which is God .(maximus pros thalasion PG 90, 744B) WITHOUT THIS HARMONY, UNITY, BOND OF VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE (which is a result of the creation from nothing ) WE CANNOT HAVE SACRAMENTS
The relationship between god and world is not moralistic, but through the uncreated energy (grace) of god, which spreads to the universe to different degrees, as the creatures can receive and accept.(John Damascus ,orthodox faith 1,8 PG 94,821) in this relationship are the sacraments established.
The sacraments are prefigured in the old testament and integrated in the new testament (John Damaskous, dialexis )
The sacraments have eschatological meaning. They grant God’s life in a world which suffers from corruption and death. The holy communion is medicine of immortality . Eschatology means that we fight against the evil powers as we see in revelation , and by the grace of god, conquer not only the biological death, but finally to become living temples of god, which is our destiny.
This is why all the sacraments start with the sentence ‘blessed is the kingdom of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit’ the kingdom already started but is not completed yet, but in the sacraments IS HERE, IS PRESENT, THE FUTURE IS HERE. The presence of the resurrected Jesus in his kingdom (not only of the Jesus 2000 years ago) but of the future, of the coming Jesus in his glory , is the ‘memory’ as it is in 1cor 11, 25-26 KJV 1 Corinthians 11:25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
司鐸：所以，記得救主的這個誡命，和基督為我們所行的各種事蹟：十字架、墳墓、第三日的復活、升天，立王位在聖父的右邊，和第二次光榮的再來(liturgy text)
KJV 1 Corinthians 11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.
Sacraments is not only the rites by which the grace of god is granted, but is the continuation of the life and the increase of the body of the Son of god, which is the church and the whole creation. The sacraments enrich the creation, and by them the creation participates to the grace and life of god.
Sacraments are DOORS AND WINDOWS BY WHICH THE LIGHT OF GOD, THE GRACE OF GOD COMES TO US.
THEY ARE LIKE THE BRANCES OF A TREE, OR THE GRAPES OF THE VINEGRAD.(KABASILA leitourgy explanation PG 150, 425 ,the church is manifested in the sacraments, which are not as symbols, but as are the members of the body to the heart, as the branches of the tree, as the Lord said. So it is not only an analogy or a symbolic name but reality and identity of the blood and flesh of Jesus christ )
The sacraments cannot be isolated from the totality of the body of the church, and of the nature and history, from this world reality , cannot be like a magic action. This is why in every sacrament we have THINGS, parts of this world that are transformed and sanctified.(for example in the baptism we have the water, or oil, or bread and wine for the holy communion etc)
And they are activated also by the body of the church. (which means that it is the particular local church, in the particular time acting the sacraments, the priests, the believers etc…
For the sacraments are necessary
The local church, the body of Jesus Christ, as continuation and unity in the church of Pentecost by the apostolic succession, and the same faith
The reality in this space and time (water, oil, crowns, etc…)
The free will of the people to accept the sacrament.
The church cannot isolate the sacraments. They are related parts of each other. The numbering as 7 (a sacred number) started in scholastic period , specially by Thomas di Aquino, and the roman catholic council of Trend((1545-1563)( 13th century some monk Job )
From the biological birth we enter to the life of god but we try to transfigure the life which is centered only to this world.
So when a baby is born, the priest will do to the hospital to bless the new baby and the mother.
After 8 days he will go again to bless and give a name, as Jesus took a name after 8 days. It is not only an imitation. The parents understand the mystery of the new life, understand that the baby is not their property, but something very holy, is potentially an image of Jesus Christ, and MUST be a real image of Jesus.
After 40days the baby will enter officially to the church. And the priest will bless the mother, and he will take the baby as Symeon did for the baby_Jesus, and he will present it in front of the altar to God, and he will repeat the same words that Symeon said:
KJG Luke 2:29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: KJG Luke 2:30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, KJG Luke 2:31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; KJG Luke 2:32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel..
The baby again is a living icon of Christ, and must be a small Christ as all of us by the sacraments.
Theology of childhood
1 Baptism: man becomes member of Jesus body, the church. By the grace of the holy spirit, and entering to the water, He participates to the death and resurrection of Christ, KJG Colossians 2:12 Buried with him in baptism,, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. He changes the way that exists. Now his real parents are not the biological ones but god the Father. KJG John 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. KJV 1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
2 Chrismation or confirmation. The personal Pentecost for the new member of the church. The gift and the grace of the Holy spirit , is given to the new Christian. Without this is impossible to fulfill the Christian life. It is the seal of sonship, KJG 2 Corinthians 1:22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. to activate the personal priesthood and membership of the kingdom of heavens of the believer.
3 Eucharist: the source of life. Of the real life which is not the biological life, which is under the corruption, death, and mainly individualization. We do not live because our individual heart is beating. We live BECAUSE of a relationship, that we become continually and dynamically members of the son of god (participate in the life of god) and by Him, members of each other. By the grace of the holy spirit, the most simple food, the bread and wine, becomes the body of the incarnated God, they exist with a new way, and we participate to this new way, living as pictures of the holy trinity, one body, the body of the Son of God, many persons, not individuals.
This is also our offering and sacrifice to God. The member of the church, does not offers his individualistic achievements or his money, but his existence. What makes him to be alive is not his good health, but the relationship with the son of god and the others. life becomes a gift, becomes grace of god. This sacrifice is accepted not as the sacrifice of an individual, but because is connected to the one proper and holy sacrifice that the Son of god offered on his cross.
KJV Ephesians 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
The Christian receiving the holy communion, even every day, activates what Chinese and specially Buddhists point out. The 無我
The new life is the medicine of immortality, and pure life, is the participation and kingdom of heavens from now on. The difference is that in the future there is no need to participate to the life of the Son of god by visible things as the bread and wine but directly (John of Damascus, exact orthodox faith, 4,13, PG94, 1152C-1153C)
4 Priesthood. Man’s purpose of life is to be a priest of creation. To offer everything to god, and himself also, to unite everything in the body of the Son. Every member of the church must activate his personal priesthood, specially in the liturgy.
KJG 1 Corinthians 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing,, helps,, governments, diversities of tongues. One and unique priest , the Son of God, grand the gift of priesthood in different degrees and orders to serve the divine liturgy and make all the universe part of the liturgy . bishop, priest, deacon, laity, everyone in his own call, according to the apostolic succession. But they must serve together. The priest cannot alone serve any sacrament ——- Nobody is higher or lower, all just SERVE this divine endless liturgy. (John Chrisostom , to 2corinth 18PG 61,527)
5 Repentance and confession. The life of church is not a magic life. Is a fight KJG 1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, ….this fight has falls, weakness mistakes, wounds. The sinner is not offender of god, is sick, wounded. The cure is the repentance, the forgiveness that the church grants by the power of the holy spirit. The priest is the witness of the repentance of the member, (the confession in the first church was in public , in the body of the church but today for practical reasons in front of the priest only) and grants not only the forgiveness but also the spiritual advice and guidance for the cure which is not easy or magical.
6 Holy unction for the sick. The church sees the health as total, body and soul influence each other. The health is a gift of god, and the sickness also has meaning, to curry our cross, to participate to the pain of the universe. So according to KJV James 5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:KJV James 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
7 Marriage is the first sacrament , before the fall. The perfect union of the man and wife is impossible by the human ways even by the human love. The grace of the holy spirit makes the 2 one flesh. Giving also the ecclesiastical dimensions , that the marriage is not only an event which concerns 2 people. KJV Ephesians 5:32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
And as a fruit of love the humanity surpass the death, the love creates new life, new kids. To be married is a special gift of god , a way to go to paradise together with somebody else.
The following because of the scholastic influence even they are not numbered in the 7 sacraments , they are sacraments indeed.
monastic ordination . but there is another gift of god. To dedicate to him all the life, to refuse to follow the blessed life in a society, and make your only job to pray for all your life for all the universe. To be separated from everybody and united with everybody in prayer. To
become a monk is also a sacrament, a death before the death for god.
Consecration of a church, where a certain place becomes a gate of heavens. A proper place for the gathering of the body of the church, till finally to become the whole universe. We point out that the altar is built on the holy relics, of martyrs to remind that the human body is the proper temple of god.
Great Blessing of the water. Spread the grace of the Holy spirit, by the water, to every object we use, our job, our house our office, KJV Colossians 3:11 …. but Christ is all, and in all. And defeat the power and the attempts of the devil to influence the world.
Burial and memorial service. The death after Jesus resurrection is called sleep. The body of the member of the church, which is so much consecrated by the sacraments, this vessel of the holy spirit, (KJV 2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels..) we honor by prayers, we bury by blessings so to dissolve, be intermixed by all the creation, waiting the resurrection which is our hope. But the identity of the member of the church as member of jesus Christ still exists, nothing can break this bond. (KJG Romans 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels,…….., nor things to come, KJG Romans 8:39 …… shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.) the church commemorates the member as he has alive, because for church there is no death, so still commemorates in the liturgy. KJG Matthew 22:32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.
After 40 days of the death we pray for him, for peace and rest, remembering that 40 days Jesus walked in the earth after the resurrection offering also a boiled wheat seeds as symbol of resurrection.
Every year, the date of death, we pray for him also.
Every Saturday is dedicated to the dead.
