Ex Opere Operato

Ex opere operato, normally translated "the work by the work," or, as more specifically defined in The Catholic Catechism, "by the very fact of the action's being performed," has always been the cornerstone of Catholic sacramental thinking.

The Catechism goes on the say, "the sacrament is not wrought by the righteousness of either the celebrant or the recipient, but by the power of God." This is a quote from Thomas Aquinas.

Perhaps we can trace its being applied to the Donatist - (11th paragraph), controversy, when the Donatists said that those who turned from the faith during persecution were not valid ministers of the sacraments.

The Catholics countered that validity of the sacraments does not depend on the state of the priest, but is "ex opere operato."

CONVERSATIONS ON CATHOLIC MESSAGE BOARDS

I posted the following message: "On March 3, 1547 the Council of Trent defined as a matter of faith the number and names of the sacraments, and that these alone were instituted by Christ to produce grace ex opere operato, meaning that, provided there is no obstacle in the way, every sacrament properly administered conveys the grace intended. (Our Sunday Visitor Catholic Encyclopedia, page 849)

A priest made this statement on television: "We get out of this sacrament what we put into it,' June 26, 1998 2 pm, Redemptorist Pastoral Commission, What Catholics Believe.

Are these views consistent?"

First Answer by a Priest

Yes, they are because besides working ex opere operato (by the work worked, i.e. by its proper administration) they also work ex opere operantis (by the work of the worker, i.e. by the disposition of the one receiving it.)

If we describe a Sacrament as a beautifully wrapped package containing something priceless, that is the ex opere operato. God is guaranteeing an offer of a deepening of our relationship with Him. If I never open the package, ex opere operantis, while God is giving me something priceless, I fail to take advantage of it. Therefore the disposition of the one receiving a Sacrament affects the "use" we make of the gift.

Second answer by a priest

Common sense tells me they can be consistent views. It may not seem so, because, you might conclude that if every sacrament conveys the grace intended, you must get out what is intended, not what you put in. There is one qualifier here, however. The first statement says every sacrament conveys the grace intended as long as there are no obstacles. The second statement says you get out what you put in. Well, assume not "putting in" is an obstacle. Then you will see that the first statement makes sense.

Third answer by a priest

Yes, the two statements CAN be consistent, if one understands the priest's statement in the way he most likely intended it. He was probably speaking about the proper spiritual preparation for receiving the sacraments and the dispositions of soul in the recipient. The ex opere operato statement refers to the manner in which the sacraments produce sanctifying grace, while the priest was probably referring to the 'amount' (degree, intensity - I know of no word that adequately describes an increase in sanctifying grace) of grace one receives from the sacraments.

The same Council in its decree on justification (sanctity, holiness, sanctifying grace) of Jan 13, 1547 in Chapter 7 states that one receives justification each one according to his own measure, which the Holy Spirit distributes to everyone as he wills [1 Cor 12:1 11], and according to each one's own disposition and cooperation, [DS 799, DS 1529] Although the Council mentions in this passage the sacrament of Baptism only, it is the common opinion of theologians that this is true of all the sacraments. Therefore the theologians commonly teach that the same sacraments of themselves confer equal grace upon those equally disposed but unequal grace upon those unequally disposed. It is logical to believe that those who prepare themselves to receive the sacraments with a greater love of God and neighbor, with a greater sorrow for past sins, with a firmer disposition to avoid sin in the future, with a greater submission to God's will, and with an inner purpose of carrying out God's will in everything - that they will receive greater grace from the sacrament than those with lesser dispositions of soul.

An Individual's Response

Fr. Robert said, "it is logical to believe that those who prepare themselves to receive the sacraments with a greater love of God and neighbor, with a greater sorrow for past sins, with a firmer disposition to avoid sin in the future, with a greater submission to God's will, and with an inner purpose of carrying out God's will in everything - that they will receive greater grace from the sacrament than those with lesser dispositions of soul."

Peculiar, since those are exactly the ones who need grace least. Why wouldn't God pour His grace most fully on those who are in danger, who are wandering, or whose dispositions are likely to lead them astray? God loves them all equally. Wouldn't He lavish help and attention upon those who need it most?

Scripture Contradicted

The Bible says, "Where sin abounds there grace does more abound (Romans 5:20)," so the fullness of Grace (supposedly received from the sacraments) should be given to the greatest sinner.

The priests all say the opposite, and say that the reception of the fullness of grace depends not on ex opere operato, but on those that prepare themselves to receive the sacraments with a greater love of God and neighbor, with a greater sorrow for past sins, with a firmer disposition to avoid sin in the future, with a greater submission to God's will, and with an inner purpose of carrying out God's will in everything .

The Truth of the Matter

The truth is that sacraments cannot give Grace, as they depend on the involvement of a finite human being and upon the dispositions of the recipient. The Bible is very clear - For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:8,9).