Uwagi teologa na temat sakramentaliów

Abstract

The concept of ‘sacramentals’ dates back to the clarification of the concept of sacrament in the 12th century. The Second Vatican Council in the liturgical Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium (numbers 60 and 61) explained what is meant by sacramentals. Sacramentals have their origin in Judaism. All blessings concerned a rich and long life, which for the believer was nothing other than participation in the life of God. The Old Testament knows plenty of stylised blessings. Even in the New Testament, the deepest desire for blessing for participation in the life of God has remained. From this biblical foundation, a number of consecrations and blessings developed in Christianity. The new Catholic Canon Law of 1983 sees the difference between sacraments and sacramentals in the fact that sacramentals do not operate by virtue of the salvific work of Jesus Christ actualized (ex opere operato), but by virtue of the intercession of the Church (ex opere operantis Ecclesiae) (Codex Iuris Canonici 1983, can. 1166). In tradition, sacramentals are distinguished into consecrations and blessings. Consecration meant that people, things or places are removed from their profane destination and are symbolically oriented only to God. Blessing meant the prayer of the Church for a salvific intervention of God on the one who is blessed. Sacramentals are liturgical actions with the fundamental structure of the epiclesis (or anamnesis and epiclesis). If things or places are involved in this dialogic event between God and men, then concern for the things of creation is expressed, but also the faith that all the good things of creation together with men glorify God present among them.