In general, we can say that Christian rituals are meaningful to the extent that people know what they point to in the past, that people celebrate what is real for them in the present and that people affirm what they point to in the future. The more important, significant and cherished these past, present and future dimensions are for people, the more the ritual symbolizes and celebrates what is sacred for them. That makes it more meaningful for them. The Catholic sacraments are ceremonies that point to what is sacred, significant and important for Christians. Nevertheless, Protestants have ceremonies that are similar to Catholic sacraments, for example, weddings and ordinations.
Sacraments are celebrations of Christian tradition , of Christian life and of Christian hope .
They share the dimensions of past, present and future that give ordinary celebrations meaning. Sacraments, though, are no ordinary celebrations. They are special occasions for experiencing God's saving presence. It is important for people to be in touch with what the sacraments celebrate if the rituals are to be as meaningful as possible for them. Sometimes people who participate in a sacramental celebration do not fully appreciate one or another of the dimensions of a sacrament's meaning.