SEMI-DETAILED LEARNING PLAN ON THEOLOGY

Topic: INTRODUCTION TO THE SACRAMENTS

Grade level: GRADE 10
Duration: 30-40 MINUTES

I. OBJECTIVES

At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:

 Discuss the Church’s definition of the Sacraments

 Remember significant sacramental moments in one’s life
 Develop appreciation for the sacraments as God’s gift of love
 Create the habit of attending and receiving the sacraments

II. PROCEDURE

A. Motivation

Sharing: Memes

Memes are ways for us to share a thought without writing so much on

Social Media. It creates an impact for the browsers and usually has
entertainment, thought, or shock value.

The learning facilitator will show images of memes and ask for the
student’s opinions.

i. Curb Your Enthusiasm credits

ii. Jose Mari Chan
iii. Cassie You Do Note

Questions: have you seen them on Facebook? When do you see them?
What do they mean?

B. Linkage

Today’s lesson is related to the sharing that you have just given. This is
related in the sense that our topic for today concerns visible signs –
tangible signs – of God’s movement in our lives.

C. Discussion

SACRAMENT – Defined as “sensible signs instituted by Christ, by means

of which the graces of Holy Spirit are communicated to us. (Fr. Spirago)
Another definition from the Baltimore Catechism:

“A Sacrament is an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace.”

1. Outward sign

Since sacraments are tangible and sensible, the Church ordained that
for a sacrament to be called a sacrament, these four marks (or signs)
should be present:

a. Matter – This refers to the instruments that the Church uses to

confer the sacraments (St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa
Theologica).
e.g. In the Eucharist, the matter is bread and Wine. In Marriage,
the matter is the nuptial (marital) blessing.

b. Form – These are the words in which the Church confers the
grace that Our Lord gives us. For example, in the Sacrament of
Baptism, the form is “N., I baptize you in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirt.” In the sacrament of
Penance, the form is “I absolve you from your sins in the Name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

c. Minister – This refers to God’s servants (people) who ask God

and pray that He bestow the graces effected by the Sacrament.
They are called “ministers” (from the Latin word “ministrare”
meaning to serve or to wait upon) because they serve God and
His people. For instance, the ordinary minister of the Sacrament
of Holy Orders is the bishop, and the ordinary minister of the
Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is the priest.

d. Intention – This refers to the mindset or internal disposition of

ministers whenever they confer the sacrament. The Church only
require for ministers to to have the intention of doing what the
Church does, i.e. to confer grace through the sacrament.

2. Instituted by Christ

The sacraments are instituted (or established) by Jesus Christ. The

Church didn’t make these up, and these were passed on to us by the
apostles. There are bible verses that support the fact that Jesus
Himself established these sacraments.

The Sacrament of Penance was mandated by Jesus when He said to

the apostles “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive they are
 forgiven them, and whose sins you retain, they are retained.” (Jn.
20:22-23).

There are other examples which will be discussed in the next lessons.
3. To give grace

Grace is defined as “... the favor, the free and undeserved help that
God gives us to respond to His call to become children of God,
adopted sons, partakers of the divine nature and of eternal life.” (CCC
1996)

There are two types of graces that we receive in the sacraments:

a. Sanctifying Grace – The grace that makes us pleasing before
God; the grace that makes our souls pure and without the stain
of sin; and

b. Actual Grace – The graces that lead us to a life of God and a life
of loving God above all things and loving our neighbor for the
sake of God.

Divisions of the sacraments

There are Seven (7) sacraments divided into three (3) categories. They
are divided according to their function in our life as Christians.

1. The Sacraments of Initiation – They are called such because these

sacraments initiate us into a life with God through Sanctifying Grace.
These are:
a. Baptism
b. Confirmation
c. Holy Eucharist

2. The Sacraments of Healing – These are called such because these

give healing in both soul and body, thus restoring us to God’s
friendship. These are:
a. Penance and Reconciliation
b. Anointing of the Sick

3. Sacraments of Commitment – These are sacraments that call people

(vocation) to a life of commitment to love God through either celibate
ministry to His people or the life of married people raising families for
God. These are:
a. Holy Orders
b. Matrimony

D. Output
 Answer the following questions for reflection:

1. What are symbols of God’s love that I see around me?

2. What are the important parts of my life that God made visible the signs
of His love?
3. What for me is the meaning of the sacraments? Why is it important for
me to receive them?
4. How can I be further disposed interiorly and exteriorly in receiving
God’s graces in my life?
5. How can I share God’s love to others? How can I be a “sacrament” to
others?

Write down your answers in your journal. Due on Friday.

III. References

1. Catechism of the Catholic Church

2. Catechism for Filipino Catholics
3. Liturgy for the People of God vol. 3: Sacraments and Other Things
Liturgical (Fr. Charles Miller, CM. St. Pauls Publications, 2003)
4. The Catechism Explained (Fr. Francis Spirago, TAN Books, 1999)
5. The Baltimore Catechism no. 3 (Catholic Book Bublishing Co., 2009)

IV. Teaching tools and strategies

a. Learning plan and teacher’s outline and notes

b. Laptop
c. LCD Projector
d. Chalk-and-board talk
e. Reflective questions

Prepared by:

Mr. Paolo Miguel R. Cobangbang

Instructor