Swear to God : The Promise and Power of the Sacraments

The most solemn, majestic, and beautiful gifts that Jesus Christ gave to the world are His sacraments. He endowed them with unprecedented and unparalleled power—power to change lives, save souls, and share God’s very life. The sacraments are the ordinary means by which God directs the course of each human life and all of world history. The Church celebrates seven sacraments: baptism, Eucharist, confirmation, matrimony, holy orders, confession, and anointing of the sick. Each was established by Jesus for the sake of salvation. When Jesus spoke of the sacraments, He made clear that they were essential: Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God (Jn 3:5) . . . unless you eat of the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you have no life in you (Jn 6: 53). In Swear to God , Dr. Scott Hahn explores the richness of Christ’s sacraments—their doctrine, history, symbols, and rituals. Drawing upon the Bible and the Church’s tradition, he shows how God’s covenants—with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David—became the driving forces in history. When Jesus came to fulfill all these covenants, He established a new covenant, with greater power than ever before. Christians are God’s children now. Joined to Christ by baptism, we can already share in the eternal life of the Trinity, a life we hope to know fully in heaven. But heaven is with us, even now, in the sacraments. Publisher's Description: Scott Hahn Argues That Every Society--be It Nation, Neighborhood, Family, Or Church--is Held Together By The Power Of Personal Commitments. When We Really Want To Change Our Lives, When We Want To Make Love Endure, We Mark The Transition By An Oath. That's What People Do On Their Wedding Day, On The Day They Become Citizens, On The Day They Enter The Military, Or On The Day They Assume Public Office. The Words We Say Bind Us To A Course Of Action. But The Most Powerful Oaths Of All Are Those That Mark The Christian Sacraments. In Swear To God, Hahn Restores The Connection Between Sacred Words And Human Action, Promises And Commitment. As In His Previous Bestsellers, Hahn Draws On The History Of Ancient Israel, The Gospels, The Writings Of The Early Church, And The Lives Of The Saints. He Shows How God's Covenant--the Promises He Made To Adam, Noah, Abraham, And Moses--became The Driving Force In History. When Jesus Fulfilled All These Oaths, He Established A New Covenant, With Its Own Sacrifices, But With Greater Power Than Ever Before. In The Church's Sacraments--such As Baptism, Reconciliation, Holy Communion, Matrimony--each Individual Enters The Covenant And Swears The Oath. In Doing So, Each Individual Calls Down A Blessing Or A Curse. If Western Society Is Eroding, Perhaps It Is Because We, As A People, Have Not Kept Our Covenants With God. Swear To God Helps Us To Break Out Of That Cycle, Forever! A Bore, I Swore -- Signs And Mysteries -- Sacrements In The Scriptures -- As High As Seven -- What's The Big Idea?: The Meaning Of Covenant (and Everything Else) -- Do You Solemnly Swear?: Sacraments As Covenant Oaths -- When Words Are Deeds -- The Engine Of History -- Trust And Treachery -- To Tell The Truth -- Sunday Swearing -- Sex, Lies, And Sacrements -- The Sacred Realm Of Risk -- Real Presences -- Stretching Toward Infinity. Scott Hahn. Includes Bibliographical References.