IV. Des sacrements — Le 55e dimanche
The Ministry of the Sacraments
The administration of the sacraments is entrusted to those who hold the public office of teaching in the Church.
Who is responsible for baptizing and administering the Lord's Supper? Minister: Who is responsible for both baptizing and administering the Lord's Supper? Student: Those who have a public teaching role in the Church.1 Preaching the Word and distributing the sacraments go hand in hand. 367. M: Isn't there some definite proof of this?2 E: Yes indeed. Our Lord specifically charged his apostles to baptize, just as he charged them to preach (Matthew 28:19). And as for the Lord's Supper, he commands us all to observe it according to his example. He himself performed the office of a minister in order to give it to the others.
Guarding the Table
Ministers must exercise discernment to prevent the Lord's Supper from being dishonored by the participation of the openly unworthy.
The Lord's Supper: to whom it must not be given 368. M: But should pastors, as dispensers of the sacraments, admit everyone who comes forward without any discretion? E: Regarding baptism, since it is only administered to young children today, there is no need to discriminate.3 But regarding the Lord's Supper, the minister must be careful not to give it to anyone known to be entirely unworthy of it. 369. M: Why? S: Because that would pollute and dishonor the Sacrament.
Discerning Hidden Sin and Hypocrisy
The Church cannot exclude those whose wickedness is hidden, as even Judas was received by Christ until his betrayal was manifest.
Why Judas was received at the Supper 370. M: But our Lord received Judas there, no matter how wicked he was. C: His iniquity was still hidden, and although our Lord knew it, it wasn't yet known to everyone. 371. M: So what about the hypocrites, then? E: The minister can't exclude them as unworthy, but must wait until the Lord has revealed their wickedness.
The Necessity of Church Discipline
Exclusion from the table requires the formal judgment and order of the Church to protect the faithful and the honor of God.
372. M: And what if he knows some who are unworthy, or is warned about them? E: That isn't enough to exclude them, unless there is sufficient approval and judgment from the Church.4 373. M: So there must be some order and discipline regarding this?5 E: Yes indeed, if the Church is well ordered. This means people are appointed to watch for any scandals that might arise. And that these individuals, by the authority of the Church, forbid Communion to those who are in no way fit for it, and to whom it cannot be given without dishonoring God and scandalizing the faithful.
Read the original Latin
A qui appartient de baptiser et administrer la cène 366. M : A qui appartient-il tant de baptiser que d'administrer la cène? E : A ceux qui ont charge publique en l'Église d'enseigner. Car ce sont choses conjointes que de prêcher la Parole et distribuer les sacrements.
367. M : N'y en a-t-il pas certaine probation? E : Oui bien. Car notre Seigneur donne spécialement la charge à ses apôtres de baptiser, comme de prêcher (Matthieu 28:19). Et touchant la cène, il commande que tous la fassions à son exemple. Or il avait fait office de ministre pour la donner aux autres.
La cène, à qui ne doit être baillée 368. M : Mais les pasteurs qui sont dispensateurs des sacrements y doivent-ils admettre sans discrétion tous ceux qui s'y présentent? E : Touchant du baptême, parce qu'aujourd'hui on ne l'administre qu'à petits enfants, il n'est point métier de discerner. Mais de la cène, il faut bien que le ministre regarde de ne la bailler à un homme qu'on connaît en être du tout indigne.
369. M : Pourquoi? E : Parce que ce serait polluer et déshonorer le sacrement.
Pourquoi Judas a été reçu à la cène 370. M : Mais notre Seigneur y a bien reçu Judas, quelque méchant qu'il fût. E : Son iniquité était encore cachée, et combien que notre Seigneur la connût, si n'était-elle pas notoire à tous.
371. M : Que sera-ce donc des hypocrites? E : Le ministre ne les peut exclure comme indignes, mais doit attendre que le Seigneur ait révélé leur méchanceté.
372. M : Et s'il en connaît quelques-uns indignes, ou qu'il en soit averti? E : Cela ne suffit point pour les exclure, sinon qu'il y ait approbation suffisante et jugement de l'Église.
373. M : Il faut donc qu'il y ait quelque ordre et police sur cela? E : Voire, si l'Église est bien réglée. C'est qu'on députe personnages pour veiller sur les scandales qui pourraient être. Et qu'iceux, en l'autorité de l'Église, interdisent la communion à ceux qui n'en sont nullement capables, et auxquels on ne la peut donner sans déshonorer Dieu et scandaliser les fidèles.
Notes
- 1 ↩"charge publique" names official public office/commission in the Church, not a private personal burden.
- 2 ↩French 'probation' here means proof/evidence of the claim just stated (that public teaching charge and sacramental administration belong together), not a trial period.
- 3 ↩«il n'est point métier de discerner» is an older French idiom meaning there is no call or necessity to exercise discernment; rendered as «there is no need to discriminate».
- 4 ↩French «approbation suffisante et jugement de l'Église» names formal church authorization and judgment, not the minister’s private opinion alone; rendered as “sufficient approval and judgment from the Church.”
- 5 ↩French police here is early modern ecclesiastical polity/discipline (church order), not civil police.
Catechism of the Church of Geneva (Le catéchisme de l'Église de Genève) companion
Rule yourself daily, not just on retreat
Chosen Portion turns the mirror into a daily practice — a short reading and examining question each morning before you lead anyone.
Chosen Portion makes the mirror daily: the ruler-formation questions this collection preserves become a two-minute morning examination in the app.
- A daily formation reading drawn from centuries of counsel to those in authority
- One pointed examination question a day — two minutes, before the meetings start
- Track your practice over weeks and watch the examined life become a habit