respond

Question 2: Describe your own observances of the sacred or those of your family or close friends.

I come from a Roman Catholic family. Throughout my life I have observed the way the Sacred reality is performed in church as well as in my family. The concept of the sacrament is the pattern my family follows, it “emphasizes the presence of the sacred through aspects of material reality and stresses the role of priests” (Cunningham & Kelsay, 2013, p. 39). Growing up I remember attending church with my parents and observing each part of Mass. Mass was not just about standing and sitting a few times while listening to the priests—it called for involvement with sacred rituals such as the Holy Communion. During this part of Mass, sacred objects such as “bread and wine, set apart through prayer and consecrated by a priest, serve as the principle symbols in the reenactment of the sacrificial death of the Christ” (Cunningham & Kelsay, 2013, p. 45). I observed that not every person would receive the Eucharist, which leads me to my next topic of sacramental observance.

Sacred people are important in the Roman Catholic church. Priests take a major role: aside from leading Mass they also preform the role of a confessor. Priests serve as intercessors between God and the congregation: “Every Catholic is required to confess all his or her mortal (serious) sins before receiving communion” (Credo, 2016). There is no such thing as the perfect person, but there is however the will to strive to be the best version of ourselves every day. My family members are not perfect; they may have to repent a few times a year, but what I notice is that in any troubling situation they mention the Lord’s name to help them say kind words and think kind thoughts. For example, if my mom tells me about someone that gave her a hard time throughout her day she addresses that person as a kind person. In doing so she is practicing the sacred teachings of the Lord.

In the beginning I touched on the objects seen inside the Church. There are some objects that are in my home symbolizing the sacred. My mom has always been a huge devotee to the Virgin Mary ever since she was a little girl. There are many portraits of the Virgin Mary all around the house—there is even one on my bedside. To my mom, the Virgin is a sacred symbol of safeguard and gratitude because She has always taken care of her since my mom was a child. In reference to the sacred place, we also have the Bible on display with a small station for Holy Water, in our home this area is, “set apart for worship or sacred rituals” (Cunningham & Kelsay, 2013, p. 48). Throughout the year my mom leaves the Nativity set on display in observance of the sacred time the Lord began his journey: “Creation is the beginning of the story, the incarnation is the midpoint, and, in the end, Christ “will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his Kingdom will have no end” (Cunningham & Kelsay, 2013, p. 51). Jesus has yet to complete his journey; by leaving the Nativity set on display it keeps everyone in my home on track to be the best Roman Catholic we can until He returns.

In conclusion, each Roman Catholic family chooses to uniquely observe the Sacred. As I mentioned earlier my mother is a firm believer in the Virgin; reflecting through the many Virgin Mary portraits around the house. Other Roman Catholics show their observation of the Sacred through their own unique ways.

Resources

Cunningham, L. & Kelsay, J. (2013). The Sacred Quest:  An Invitation to the Study of Religion

(6th ed.). Boston, MA:  Pearson Education.

penance. (2016). In P. Lagasse, & Columbia University, The Columbia encyclopedia. New York