Dist. 12, Part 2, Art. 2, Q. 2
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 12
Quaestio II. Utrum habenti libertatem accedendi sit melius frequentare, an tarde accedere.
Secundo quaeritur de habente libertatem accedendi, quid sit ei melius, frequentare, an tarde accedere. Et quod frequentare, videtur:
1. Quia in primitiva Ecclesia, secundum quod dicitur Actuum secundo1, quotidie communicabant: ergo si optime fuit ab Apostolis instituta, videtur, quod eorum exemplo melius sit quotidie communicare.
2. Item, ostenditur auctoritate Domini2: Dominus enim docuit nos orare et petere quotidie panem supersubstantialem, et alius Evangelista nominat ipsum quotidianum; et Ambrosius dicit: « Panis iste quotidianus est; quotidie accipe, ut quotidie tibi prosit »: ergo videtur auctoritate Domini et Ambrosii quod quotidie sit melius.
3. Item, ratione videtur: quia hoc Sacramentum est in remissionem venialium; sed semper peccamus venialiter: ergo debemus quotidie accipere. Et hoc est quod dicit Ambrosius3: « Cum sanguis Christi effunditur, in remissionem peccatorum effunditur; semper ergo accipere debeo, quia semper pecco ».
4. Item, alia ratione videtur: quia Sacramentum illud auget in homine virtutem et caritatem; sed quanto haec magis augentur, tanto melius est homo dispositus, et quanto melius dispositus, tanto frequentius debet accedere: ergo a primo ad Sacramentum hoc semper est accedendum.
Contra: 1. Augustinus, de Ecclesiasticis Dogmatibus4: « Quotidie Eucharistiam accipere nec laudo nec vitupero »; sed si semper deberet percipi, laudaret: ergo etc.
2. Item, Augustinus5: « Quid paras dentem et ventrem? Crede tantum, et manducasti »: ergo nulla est utilitas in accipiendo corporaliter, quia, si aliqua esset utilitas, male ergo diceret Augustinus: « Quid paras dentem et ventrem »? quia diceretur ei: propter utilitatem.
3. Item, ratione videtur: quia possibile est manducare spiritualiter non accedendo, et non est ibi periculum; sed accedendo, nisi homo sit bene paratus, est periculum6: ergo si via securior est eligenda, tunc ergo raro est communicandum sacramentaliter et saepe spiritualiter.
4. Item, gloria Dei nostro commodo est praeferenda; sed qui dimittit accedere propter Sacramenti dignitatem principaliter dat gloriam Deo, qui autem accedit propter Sacramenti efficaciam attendit proprium commodum: ergo melius facit qui cessat, quam qui accedit.
Iuxta hoc quaeritur de diversitate institutionis, quia, secundum quod dicitur de Consecratione, distinctione secunda7, Anacletus instituit, quod quandocumque venirent ad Ecclesiam; Fabianus, quod ter in anno; Soter Papa, quod in Coena Domini; et Decretalis dicit, quod semel in anno.
Conclusio. Frequens sumtio eucharistiae bona est recipienti eam cum mundo corde et caritate ardente; sed frigido expedit raro accedere; medio modo se habenti convenit modo accedere modo abstinere.
Respondeo: Dicendum, quod si quis semper esset paratus, semper utile esset hoc Sacramentum recipere, ut scilicet haberet habitaculum mundum et spiritualiter comederet hunc cibum cum honore et devotione. Quia igitur tempore Ecclesiae primitivae erant mundi per baptismi innocentiam et caritate ardentes per donationem Spiritus sancti; ideo congruebat eis quotidie communicare8. — Quia vero postmodum caritas refriguit9, et per peccata munditia baptismalis ut in pluribus perdita est; relictum fuit iudicio et conscientiae uniuscuiusque, ut reciperet, quando se dispositum videret, ne aliter manducaret ad suam damnationem. — Et quia homines inceperunt fieri negligentes; oportuit, ut iterum institueretur a Summo Pontifice frequentatio. — Sed quia frequentabant multi et non bene se praeparabant; instituit Fabianus, ut tribus anni solemnitatibus, in quibus homines melius parantur et quas desiderabilius exspectant, communicarent, scilicet Natali, Paschate et Pentecoste. — Et quia homines adhuc processu temporis in his tribus temporibus negligenter se praeparabant; ideo hoc ad extremum est ad Pascha reductum, quod praecedit tempus praeparationis, scilicet Quadragesima.
Si ergo quaeritur, utrum expediat frequentare alicui; dicendum, quod si se videat esse in statu Ecclesiae primitivae, laudandum est quotidie communicare; si autem in statu Ecclesiae finali, utpote frigidum et tardum, laudandum est, quod raro; si autem medio modo, medio modo se debet habere, et aliquando debet cessare, ut addiscat revereri; aliquando accedere, ut inflammetur amore; quia tali hospiti debetur honor, debetur et amor; et tunc secundum illam partem, secundum quam viderit se melius proficere, ad illam magis declinet, quod homo solum experientia discit10. — Omnes igitur rationes ad primam partem intelliguntur, salva debita praeparatione, quae in paucissimis est ut semper.
1. Ad illud quod obiicitur in contrarium, quod Augustinus non laudat, sed relinquit conscientiae; dicendum, quod hoc dicit, quia quibusdam, ut tactum est, magis est utile frequentare, quibusdam autem raro; quia maiorem efficaciam, credo11, recipit homo in una Missa vel manducatione cum bona praeparatione, quam in multis, si non se praeparet diligenter.
2. Ad aliud dicendum, quod illud dicit Augustinus, non quia manducatio sacramentalis non sit fructuosa, sed contra illos qui carnaliter hunc cibum spiritualem comedebant, quia nullum fructum reportabant.
3. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod securius est; dicendum, quod quamvis istud sit securius, tamen illud est utilius: quia, sicut plus prodest baptismus sanguinis et fluminis quam sanguinis tantum12; sic plus manducatio spiritualis, quando coniuncta est sacramentali, quam quando est per se.
4. Ad aliud dicendum, quod uterque dat gloriam Deo, et qui manducat cum reverentia, et qui ex reverentia dimittit. Sicut enim dicit Augustinus13 et centurio Dominum honoravit, cum noluit, quod domum eius intraret; et Zachaeus, qui in domum introduxit14.
La. Pro hac quaestione scholion proprium non habetur; vide scholion ad praecedentem quaestionem (a. 2, q. 1), in quo Art. II totus pertractatur. Cfr. textum infra ad obiectum 4, ubi ipse magister remittit: « Vide scholion ad praecedentem quaest. »
En. This question has no scholion of its own; see the scholion to the preceding question (a. 2, q. 1), in which the whole of Article II is treated. Cf. the text below at the fourth reply, where the master himself refers [the reader]: "See the scholion to the preceding question."
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Question II. Whether for one having the liberty of approaching it is better to frequent [communion] or to approach rarely.
Secondly, it is asked, concerning one having the liberty of approaching, what is better for him, to frequent [communion] or to approach rarely. And that [it is better] to frequent [it], it seems:
1. Because in the primitive Church, according to what is said in Acts the second [chapter]1, they communicated daily: therefore, if it was established in the best way by the Apostles, it seems that, by their example, it is better to communicate daily.
2. Likewise, it is shown by the authority of the Lord2: for the Lord taught us to pray and ask daily for the supersubstantial bread, and another Evangelist names it the daily [bread]; and Ambrose says: "This bread is daily; receive it daily, that it may daily profit you": therefore it seems by the authority of the Lord and of Ambrose that [to communicate] daily is better.
3. Likewise, by reason it seems so: because this Sacrament is for the remission of venial [sins]; but we always sin venially: therefore we ought to receive daily. And this is what Ambrose says3: "When the blood of Christ is poured out, it is poured out for the remission of sins; therefore I ought always to receive, because I always sin."
4. Likewise, by another reason it seems so: because that Sacrament increases in a man virtue and charity; but the more these are increased, the better disposed is the man, and the better disposed, the more frequently he ought to approach: therefore from the first [principle] this Sacrament is always to be approached.
On the contrary: 1. Augustine, On Ecclesiastical Dogmas4: "To receive the Eucharist daily I neither praise nor blame"; but if it ought always to be received, he would praise [it]: therefore, etc.
2. Likewise, Augustine5: "Why do you prepare the tooth and the belly? Only believe, and you have eaten": therefore there is no utility in receiving bodily, because, if there were any utility, then Augustine would speak ill [in saying]: "Why do you prepare the tooth and the belly"? since it would be said to him: on account of the utility.
3. Likewise, by reason it seems so: because it is possible to eat spiritually without approaching, and there is no danger there; but in approaching, unless a man be well prepared, there is danger6: therefore, if the safer way is to be chosen, then communion is to be made rarely sacramentally and often spiritually.
4. Likewise, the glory of God is to be preferred to our own advantage; but he who forgoes approaching on account of the dignity of the Sacrament gives glory to God principally, whereas he who approaches on account of the efficacy of the Sacrament attends to his own advantage: therefore he does better who refrains than he who approaches.
Alongside this it is asked concerning the diversity of the institution, because, according to what is said On the Consecration, distinction two7, Anacletus instituted that [communion be received] whenever they came to the Church; Fabian, that [it be received] three times in the year; Pope Soter, that [it be received] on the Lord's Supper [Maundy Thursday]; and the Decretal says, that [it be received] once a year.
Conclusion. The frequent receiving of the Eucharist is good for one who receives it with a clean heart and burning charity; but for the cold one it is expedient to approach rarely; for one who is in a middle state it is fitting now to approach, now to abstain.
I respond: It must be said that, if anyone were always prepared, it would always be useful to receive this Sacrament, namely so that he might have a clean dwelling-place and might spiritually eat this food with honor and devotion. Since therefore in the time of the primitive Church [people] were clean by the innocence of baptism and burning with charity through the gift of the Holy Spirit; therefore it was fitting for them to communicate daily8. — But because afterwards charity grew cold9, and through sins the baptismal cleanness was for the most part lost; it was left to the judgment and conscience of each one to receive when he saw himself disposed, lest otherwise he should eat unto his own damnation. — And because men began to become negligent; it was necessary that frequentation be again instituted by the Supreme Pontiff. — But because many frequented [it] and did not prepare themselves well; Fabian instituted that they communicate on the three solemnities of the year, on which men are better prepared and which they await more longingly, namely at the Nativity, at Easter, and at Pentecost. — And because men, still in the course of time, prepared themselves negligently on these three occasions; therefore this was at last reduced to Easter, which is preceded by a time of preparation, namely Lent.
If therefore it is asked whether it is expedient for someone to frequent [communion]; it must be said that, if he sees himself to be in the state of the primitive Church, it is to be praised to communicate daily; but if [he sees himself] in the final state of the Church, as being cold and slow, it is to be praised [to communicate] rarely; but if [he is] in a middle way, he ought to conduct himself in a middle way, and sometimes ought to refrain, that he may learn to revere; sometimes to approach, that he may be inflamed with love; because to such a guest honor is owed, and love is owed; and then, according to that part by which he sees himself to profit better, let him incline more to that [part], which a man learns only by experience10. — All the arguments, therefore, are understood [as applying] to the first part, saving the due preparation, which is in very few [persons] as [if it were] always [present].
1. To that which is objected to the contrary, that Augustine does not praise but leaves [it] to the conscience; it must be said that he says this because, for some, as has been touched on, it is more useful to frequent [communion], but for some [to do so] rarely; because, I believe11, a man receives greater efficacy in one Mass or eating with good preparation than in many, if he does not prepare himself diligently.
2. To the other it must be said that Augustine says that, not because sacramental eating is not fruitful, but against those who were eating this spiritual food carnally, because they brought back no fruit.
3. To that which is objected, that it is safer; it must be said that, although that be safer, nevertheless the other is more useful: because, just as the baptism of blood and of water profits more than [the baptism] of blood alone12; so spiritual eating [profits] more when it is joined to the sacramental [eating] than when it is by itself.
4. To the other it must be said that both give glory to God, both he who eats with reverence, and he who out of reverence forgoes [it]. For as Augustine says13, the centurion too honored the Lord when he was unwilling that he should enter his house; and [so did] Zacchaeus, who brought [him] into his house14.
La. Pro hac quaestione scholion proprium non habetur; vide scholion ad praecedentem quaestionem (a. 2, q. 1), in quo Art. II totus pertractatur. Cfr. textum infra ad obiectum 4, ubi ipse magister remittit: « Vide scholion ad praecedentem quaest. »
En. This question has no scholion of its own; see the scholion to the preceding question (a. 2, q. 1), in which the whole of Article II is treated. Cf. the text below at the fourth reply, where the master himself refers [the reader]: "See the scholion to the preceding question."
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- 1Vers. 42. et 46.Verses 42 and 46. [Acts 2:42, 2:46.]
- 2Matth. 6, 11; Luc. 11, 3. — Verba Ambrosii habentur in V. de Sacram. c. 4. n. 25. Cfr. Serm. 84. in appendice sermonum August. (alias 28. de Verbis Domini) n. 3, et hic lit. Magistri, c. 4.Matthew 6:11; Luke 11:3. — The words of Ambrose are found in On the Sacraments V, c. 4, n. 25. Cf. Sermon 84 in the appendix to the sermons of Augustine (otherwise 28, On the Words of the Lord) n. 3, and here [in] the text of the Master, c. 4.
- 3Libr. IV. de Sacram. c. 6. n. 28: Si, quotiescumque effunditur sanguis, in remissionem peccatorum effunditur, debeo semper accipere, ut semper mihi peccata dimittantur. Qui semper pecco semper debeo habere medicinam.Book IV On the Sacraments c. 6, n. 28: If, whenever the blood is poured out, it is poured out for the remission of sins, I ought always to receive, that my sins may always be forgiven me. I who always sin ought always to have the medicine.
- 4(Gennadius) c. 23. Vide hic lit. Magistri, c. 6.(Gennadius) c. 23. See here [in] the text of the Master, c. 6.
- 5In Ioan. Evang. tr. 25. n. 12. Vide supra lit. Magistri, d. IX. c. 1.On the Gospel of John, tractate 25, n. 12. See above [in] the text of the Master, d. IX. c. 1.
- 6Vide supra pag. 294, nota 3.See above p. 294, note 3.
- 7Can. Peracta consecratione (10.), omnes communicent, qui noluerint ecclesiasticis carere liminibus. Sic enim Apostoli statuerunt [cfr. Can. Apostol. 8.], et sancta Romana tenet Ecclesia. — Fabian., C. Etsi non frequentius (16.), saltem in anno ter laici homines communicent, nisi forte quis maioribus quibuslibet criminibus impediatur; in Pascha videlicet et Pentecoste et Natali Domini. — Soter, C. In Coena Domini (17.) a quibusdam perceptio eucharistiae negligitur etc. — Decretalis Omnis utriusque sexus vide in corp. quaest. praeced.The canon Peracta consecratione (10.): let all communicate who would not be deprived of the thresholds of the Church. For thus the Apostles ordained [cf. Apostolic Canons 8], and the holy Roman Church holds [it]. — Fabian, canon Etsi non frequentius (16.): at least three times in the year let lay people communicate, unless perhaps anyone be impeded by any of the greater crimes; namely at Easter and Pentecost and the Nativity of the Lord. — Soter, canon In Coena Domini (17.): by some the reception of the Eucharist is neglected, etc. — For the Decretal Omnis utriusque sexus, see in the body of the preceding question.
- 8Vide art. praeced. q. 1.See the preceding article, q. 1.
- 9Respicitur Matth. 24, 12: Refrigescet caritas multorum.Reference is made to Matthew 24:12: "The charity of many shall grow cold."
- 10Cfr. August., Epist. 54. (alias 118.) c. 3. n. 4, ex qua refert C. Quotidie (13.) § 1, de Consecrat. d. 2: Dixerit quispiam, non quotidie accipiendam eucharistiam, alius affirmet, quotidie; faciat unusquisque quod secundum fidem suam pie credit esse faciendum etc. Vide infra solut. ad 4.Cf. Augustine, Letter 54 (otherwise 118) c. 3, n. 4, from which the canon Quotidie (13.) § 1, On the Consecration d. 2, reports: "Let one say that the Eucharist is not to be received daily, let another affirm [it should be received] daily; let each one do what according to his own faith he piously believes is to be done," etc. See below, the solution to [objection] 4.
- 11Codd. FGUbb ut credo, Vat. cum aliquot codd. legit credo, quod recipiat.Codices FGUbb [read] ut credo, the Vatican [edition] with several codices reads credo, quod recipiat.
- 12Vide supra d. 4. p. II. a. 1. q. 2. et dub. 3. — Plurimi codd. perperam fluminis pro fluminis. In fine solut. Vat. addit solum.See above d. 4. p. II. a. 1. q. 2. and dub. 3. — Very many codices wrongly [read] fluminis for fluminis. At the end of the solution the Vatican [edition] adds solum.
- 13Epist. 54. (alias 118.) c. 3. n. 4: Neque enim litigaverunt inter se, aut quisquam eorum se alteri praeposuit, Zachaeus et ille centurio, cum alter eorum gaudens in domum suam susceperit Dominum [Luc. 19, 6.], alter dixerit: Non sum dignus, ut intres sub tectum meum [Matth. 8, 8.]: ambo Salvatorem honorificantes diverso et quasi contrario modo; ambo peccatis miseri, ambo misericordiam consecuti. Cfr. Serm. 62. (alias 6. de Verbis Domini) c. 1. n. 3. — Pro honoravit cod. 1 honorificavit.Letter 54 (otherwise 118) c. 3, n. 4: "For neither did they quarrel among themselves, nor did either of them set himself before the other, Zacchaeus and that centurion, when one of them rejoicing received the Lord into his house [Luke 19:6], the other said: I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof [Matt. 8:8]: both honoring the Savior in a different and as it were contrary way; both wretched in their sins, both having obtained mercy." Cf. Sermon 62 (otherwise 6, On the Words of the Lord) c. 1, n. 3. — For honoravit codex 1 [reads] honorificavit.
- 14Vide scholion ad praecedentem quaest.See the scholion to the preceding question.