The Meaning Of Sacred Action

Sacred actions, however they may be named, have been significant in every worship tradition. This article examines the history and meaning of such actions as they have functioned in the Christian community. The Hebrew Scriptures tell the story of God's saving action on behalf of God's people. God bound God's self to a covenant to save the people of God. With Christ a new covenant of the kingdom of God dawned. Christians were those who believed that the covenant promises of God were now being fulfilled in the mystery of Christ. Christ was the new oath (sacramentum), the new covenant. Hebrew religious rituals, in a similar manner as Hebrew theology, were transformed into Christian rituals or sacred actions. The term sacred action in this article refers to the relation established between the activity of Christ and the baptized community in its celebration of the liturgies of the sacraments. Even during Jesus' public ministry, his disciples were becoming aware that Jesus was bringin…