Last time in our series we reviewed the concept that in every liturgy “God is working.” We focused on “God” last time. This month we move to the next word in the sentence and we’ll unpack its meaning. 

 

In the fourth century a debate broke out among North African Christians. You see, the Romans came to town and gathered all the priests together and warned them that if they believed in Jesus they would certainly be martyred. Then they posed the life or death question: do you believe in Jesus? 

 

The priests, in a cowardly attempt to save their own necks, responded, no! Jesus who? We do not know the man of whom you speak – and the Romans left as the priests remained unscathed. Following this denial of discipleship the priests resumed their work as if nothing had happened. 

 

The North African Christian people were rightly angered, frustrated, deflated. How can you continue to be our priests when you denied Our Lord so publicly? 

 

This is where the heresy comes in. They believed that by the priests’ lack of fidelity they had lost or forfeited their ability to celebrate the sacraments. Because of their cowardice they had lost their “priestly powers,” if you will. 

 

St. Augustine and the Bishop of Rome at the time clarified that it is not by the holiness of the minister that the sacraments receive their efficacy but ex opera operato or, by the work worked. That is, Christ’s sacrifice for us on the Cross is what makes the sacraments valid. This has two very real, very applicable consequences for us. 

 

First, we never have to seek out a priest we like more than others. I can think of a great number of priests who are more pious, holy, faithful, zealous than myself. Nevertheless, you don’t get “more Jesus” from a host they consecrate than from a host I consecrate. According to spiritual physics, that’s just not how it works. Rather, Jesus is the one at work and the holiness of the minister is of peripheral value. (Which ought to make every priests breathe a deep sigh of relief!). 

 

Secondly, at every Mass we attend there are very important concerns — the music, the temperature, the sound system, the quality of the preaching, the beauty of the architecture, the nobility of the vestments, etc. All of that is of critical importance, but it takes a back seat to our Catholic understanding that in every liturgy, no matter our preference, no matter what, God is working.

 

Adoro Te Devote!