Lesson 8 –
How Do Sacraments Cause Grace?

The three sacramental steps illustrate how Christ in the sacraments moves and perfects us in a dynamic transformation in His life.

The sacramental rite signifies the past work of Christ, who instituted each sacrament and now gives grace and the virtues in the sacraments. That step 1 springs us to step 2, which involves some sort of prolonged or even permanent configuration to Christ or presence of Christ. Finally, steps 1 and 2 jointly spring us to step 3, which is a particular grace, life in Christ.

Course Reading

Summa Theologiae III q. 62, a. 2 | St. Thomas Aquinas

Summa Theologiae III q. 62, a. 4 | St. Thomas Aquinas

Excerpt from the Summa Theologiae III q. 62, a. 2:

…just as the virtues and gifts confer, in addition to grace commonly so called, a certain special perfection ordained to the powers' proper actions, so does sacramental grace confer, over and above grace commonly so called, and in addition to the virtues and gifts, a certain Divine assistance in obtaining the end of the sacrament. It is thus that sacramental grace confers something in addition to the grace of the virtues and gifts.

Course Listening

The Sacraments in General: Grace of the Sacraments | Fr. Thomas Joseph White, O.P.

Hope on Earth: The Sacraments of Jesus Christ | Fr. Dominic Langevin, O.P.