DAY 126
CHALLENGE
“The Church has a superstitious understanding of the sacraments, believing that performing them will bring about their effects ex opere operato (‘by reason of the work having been performed’).”
DEFENSE
The Church doesn’t hold that merely performing the external actions of the sacraments will bring about their effects.
Suppose a group of actors put on a play in which one character is baptized. Though water may be applied with the correct words (Matt. 28:19), the actor playing that character is not truly baptized. The reason is the actor baptizing him is just pretending to do so. He doesn’t have the intention to do what the Church does. Therefore, merely performing the external ritual of a sacrament does not bring about its effects.
But when the minister of a sacrament does intend to do what the Church does, God’s promise to give his grace is engaged. The teach- ing that the sacraments work ex opere operato mean that their efficacy rests on God’s promise, not on the worthiness of the minister.
This is in contrast to the view that the sacraments work ex opere operantis (“by reason of the work of the one working”; see Catholic Encyclopedia, s.v. “Sacraments”), which means that the minister would need to be personally worthy (not in a state of mortal sin) to be able to perform the sacraments. This view was held in the 400s by the schis- matic movement known as Donatism.
Upholding the orthodox view, Augustine argued that the unworthiness of the minister does not affect the validity of the sacrament, and so, for example, baptism could be validly received from a heretic or a schismatic (see his On Baptism, Against the Donatists).
The faithful thus need not worry that the sacraments they have re- ceived might be invalid because of the unworthiness of the minister. Their efficacy rests on God’s promise.
On the other hand, to receive the sacraments fruitfully, the faithful must be open to God’s grace. If they are unrepentant of mortal sin then they create a barrier that prevents the sacraments from communi- cating sanctifying grace. In such cases, they would still be received val- idly (e.g., an unrepentant person intending to be baptized, confirmed, or married would validly receive the sacrament but would not receive sanctifying grace until he repents).
TIP
For the Catechism’s summary of this teaching, see CCC 1127–28.