Dist. 9, Art. 2, Q. 1
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 9
Articulus II. De manducatione in comparatione ad malos.
Consequenter quantum ad secundum articulum quaeritur de manducatione in speciali sive de manducatione malorum. Et circa hoc quaeruntur quatuor.
Primo quaeritur, utrum mali sumant veraciter corpus Christi.
Secundo, utrum ille qui est in peccato ex certa scientia, manducet damnabiliter.
Tertio, utrum semper mortaliter peccet.
Quarto quaeritur, utrum peccet damnabiliter qui corpus Domini dat ei quem scit esse peccatorem.
Quaestio I. Utrum mali sumant veraciter corpus Christi.
Et quod mali sumant corpus Christi veraciter, videtur:
1. Quia ipse est in speciebus individualiter1: ergo cum sumant species, sumunt verum corpus Christi.
2. Item, in baptismo qui tantum exterius abluitur et nihil interius accipit nullo modo baptizatur: ergo si mali rem interiorem aliquam non percipiunt, nullo modo percipiunt Sacramentum; sed percipiunt Sacramentum2: ergo etc.
3. Item, aeque effugit Dominus peccatum consecrantis, ut manducantis; sed non subtrahit se propter peccatum consecrantis3: ergo nec propter peccatum manducantis.
4. Item, non magis est nobilis Filius Dei in carne humana quam in propria natura; sed in propria natura non effugit malum hominem, immo etiam in quolibet est: ergo nec in humanitate.
5. Item, ratione videtur: quia Christus secundum suam veritatem non est cibus ventris, sed mentis, ut dicit Magister4 et Sancti: ergo cum non intret mentem peccatoris nec ventrem, videtur ergo, quod peccator nullo modo sumat.
6. Item, summe sapiens nihil facit indecens; sed indecens et inordinatum est, quod tam nobile corpus intret in tam vile hospitium: ergo etc.
7. Item, quod Christus patitur, se sumi a peccatore, aut est opus iustitiae, aut misericordiae; iustitiae non, quia peccator non est dignus5; misericordiae non, quia misericordia facit quod homini salubrius est: ergo cum omne quod Deus facit, sit misericordia et veritas; videtur, quod peccator nullo modo sumit.
Contra:
1. Sapientiae primo6: Spiritus sanctus disciplinae effugiet fictum; sed non magis est mundus Spiritus sanctus quam Christus: ergo et Christus effugit fictum sive malum.
2. Item, Sapientiae primo7: In malevolam animam non introibit sapientia nec habitabit in corpore subdito peccatis: si ergo corpus peccatoris est tale, non ergo introducit Christum.
3. Item, Exodi decimo sexto8, manna scaturiebat in vasis eorum qui indebite colligebant: ergo si veritas debet respondere figurae, cum Christus non compatrescat, saltem abscedit.
Conclusio.
Mali vere sumunt corpus Christi, sed sine unione in corpore mystico.
Respondeo: Dicendum, quod, sicut tangit Magister in littera9, aliqui voluerunt «dicere, corpus Christi verum a malis non sumi», quia non decet tantam maiestatem et carnem tam sanctam et puram in corpus peccatis subditum introire. Unde volebant dicere, quod corpus Christi verum a speciebus abscederet, ex quo peccator ipsum labiis et ore polluto contingeret. — Sed quoniam hoc in errorem ducit et manifeste est contra auctoritates Sanctorum:
communiter tenent doctores fideles tanquam certitudinaliter verum, quod in re media10, quae est corpus Christi verum, non est differentia inter iustum et impium; quia ipse Dominus utrisque se offert nunc, sicut pro omnibus se obtulit in cruce. — Sed quantum ad ultimam, scilicet unitionem in corpore mystico, multum refert, quia boni recipiunt inde fructum, mali non, immo potius damnum. — Unde concedendum, quod recipiunt rem Sacramenti quae est corpus Christi verum, quod natum est de Virgine, quod pependit in cruce, quod a mortuis resurrexit et est in caelis.
Ad 1. 2. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod Spiritus sanctus effugit, et sapientia11; dicendum, quod illud intelligitur quantum ad effectum gratiae gratum facientis, non quantum ad substantiam.
Ad 3. Ad illud quod obiicitur de manna, dicendum, quod illud praefigurabat malum, quod consequuntur suscipientes indigne12, non aliquid, quod sit circa Sacramentum.
Ad 4. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod est cibus mentis, non ventris; dicendum, quod hoc non dicit, quia non inferatur in ventrem, sed quia non cibatur, quia non digeritur corporaliter Christi caro, ut exinde alimentum ad membra singula dirigatur, sicut carnales discipuli intellexerunt; sed veraciter reficitur bonus. Sed peccator quidem, licet verum Sacramentum recipiat, spiritualiter non reficitur; sicut fictus baptizatur, sed tamen non abluitur interius.
Ad 5. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod indecens est, quod intret in peccatorem; dicendum, quod decentissimum13 et summae misericordiae et dignationis est; et quamvis indecens videatur esse maiestati, non tamen Christi humilitati, ob quam in cruce decentissime fuit. Praeterea, non inquinatur propter hoc, nec etiam est in ipso peccatore, nisi quia est in speciebus sanctissimorum symbolorum.
Ad 6. Ad illud quod obiicitur, utrum sit misericordiae etc.; dicendum, quod misericordiae. — Quod obiicitur, quod est recipienti malum; dicendum, quod sicut Dei benignitas occasionaliter ratione duritiae peccatoris convertitur in iram; sic in proposito, licet sit misericordia, tamen peccator in iram convertit, sicut dicitur ad Romanos secundo14: An ignoras, quod benignitas Dei etc.
Of the article-level scholion only section III (Quaestio I communiter solvitur), keyed to this Quaestio I, is rendered here; sections I and II are general / keyed to Quaestiones II–III and belong with those chunks.
III. Quaestio I communiter solvitur, ut dicatur, tum peccatori occulto et in occulto petenti tum peccatori publico quocumque modo petenti denegandam esse communionem. Hanc regulam Alex. Hal., loc. cit. a. 3. § 1, et S. Thom. in Comment. (hic a. 5. quaestiunc. I.) respectu peccatoris occulti in occulto exigentis extendunt etiam ad casum, quando «sacerdos peccatum alicuius, qui eucharistiam petit, sciat per confessionem, vel alio quolibet modo». Sed S. Thom. in Sum. (loc. cit. a. 6.) ita loquitur, ut adhaerere videatur nunc communi sententiae, quod confessarius post confessionem scientia per confessionem acquisita nullatenus uti possit ad communionem denegandam, etiam si sit solus cum solo confesso. — Reiicienda omnino est obsoleta priscorum opinio, quod in pluribus casibus hostia non consecrata dari debeat loco consecratae; quam opinionem Guliel. Antissiodor. (Sum. loc. cit. q. I.) in genere quidem reprobat, sed pro uno solo casu concedit, suis principiis non constans.
Praeter locos citt.: Scot., in locis collectis apud Hieronym. de Montefortino, tom. IV. p. III. q. 80. a. 6. — Petr. a Tar., loc. cit. a. 4. — Richard. a Med., hic a. 3. q. I. — Durand., hic q. 5. — Dionys. Carth., hic q. 6.
---
Article II. On the receiving [of the Eucharist] in comparison to the wicked.
Consequently, as regards the second article, inquiry is made concerning the receiving in particular, that is, concerning the receiving by the wicked. And about this four things are asked.
First, it is asked whether the wicked truly receive the body of Christ.
Second, whether one who is in sin from certain knowledge eats damnably.
Third, whether he always sins mortally.
Fourth, it is asked whether he sins damnably who gives the body of the Lord to one whom he knows to be a sinner.
Question I. Whether the wicked truly receive the body of Christ.
And that the wicked truly receive the body of Christ, it seems:
1. Because he himself is in the species individually1: therefore since they receive the species, they receive the true body of Christ.
2. Likewise, in baptism he who is only outwardly washed and receives nothing inwardly is in no way baptized: therefore if the wicked do not perceive any inward reality, they in no way perceive the Sacrament; but they do perceive the Sacrament2: therefore etc.
3. Likewise, the Lord flees the sin of the one consecrating equally as that of the one eating; but he does not withdraw himself on account of the sin of the one consecrating3: therefore neither on account of the sin of the one eating.
4. Likewise, the Son of God is not more noble in human flesh than in his own nature; but in his own nature he does not flee the evil man, indeed he is even in each one: therefore neither in his humanity.
5. Likewise, it seems by reason: for Christ according to his truth is not the food of the belly, but of the mind, as the Master4 and the Saints say: therefore since he enters neither the mind of the sinner nor the belly, it therefore seems that the sinner in no way receives.
6. Likewise, the supremely wise one does nothing unbecoming; but it is unbecoming and disordered that so noble a body should enter into so vile a lodging: therefore etc.
7. Likewise, that Christ suffers himself to be received by a sinner is either a work of justice or of mercy; not of justice, because the sinner is not worthy5; not of mercy, because mercy does what is more salutary for man: therefore since everything that God does is mercy and truth; it seems that the sinner in no way receives.
On the contrary:
1. Wisdom, chapter one6: The holy spirit of discipline will flee the deceitful; but the Holy Spirit is not more pure than Christ: therefore Christ too flees the deceitful or evil one.
2. Likewise, Wisdom, chapter one7: Into a malicious soul wisdom will not enter, nor dwell in a body subject to sins: if therefore the body of the sinner is such, then it does not bring Christ in.
3. Likewise, Exodus, chapter sixteen8, the manna swarmed in the vessels of those who gathered it unduly: therefore if the truth ought to correspond to the figure, since Christ does not rot, at least he departs.
Conclusion.
The wicked truly receive the body of Christ, but without union in the mystical body.
I respond: It must be said that, as the Master touches upon in the text9, some wished «to say that the true body of Christ is not received by the wicked», because it is not fitting that so great a majesty and flesh so holy and pure should enter into a body subject to sins. Hence they wished to say that the true body of Christ would depart from the species, as soon as the sinner touched it with polluted lips and mouth. — But since this leads into error and is manifestly against the authorities of the Saints:
the faithful doctors commonly hold as certainly true, that in the middle reality10, which is the true body of Christ, there is no difference between the just and the impious; because the Lord himself now offers himself to both, just as he offered himself for all on the cross. — But as regards the ultimate, namely the union in the mystical body, it matters much, because the good receive fruit from it, the wicked do not, but rather harm. — Hence it must be granted that they receive the reality of the Sacrament which is the true body of Christ, which was born of the Virgin, which hung on the cross, which rose from the dead and is in heaven.
To the first and second. To that which is objected, that the Holy Spirit flees, and wisdom11; it must be said that this is understood as regards the effect of sanctifying grace, not as regards the substance.
To the third. To that which is objected concerning the manna, it must be said that it prefigured the evil that those receiving unworthily incur12, not anything that pertains to the Sacrament.
To the fourth. To that which is objected, that it is the food of the mind, not of the belly; it must be said that he does not say this because it is not borne into the belly, but because it is not eaten as food, because Christ's flesh is not digested bodily, so that thence nourishment may be directed to the individual members, as the carnal disciples understood; but the good man is truly refreshed. But the sinner indeed, although he receives the true Sacrament, is not refreshed spiritually; just as the deceitful man is baptized, but nevertheless is not washed inwardly.
To the fifth. To that which is objected, that it is unbecoming for him to enter into a sinner; it must be said that it is most becoming13 and of the highest mercy and condescension; and although it may seem unbecoming to majesty, yet not to the humility of Christ, for which he was most becomingly on the cross. Moreover, he is not defiled on this account, nor indeed is he in the sinner himself, except because he is in the species of the most holy symbols.
To the sixth. To that which is objected, whether it is of mercy etc.; it must be said that it is of mercy. — As to what is objected, that it is an evil to the recipient; it must be said that just as God's kindness is occasionally turned into wrath by reason of the sinner's hardness; so in the matter at hand, although it is mercy, yet the sinner turns it into wrath, as is said to the Romans, chapter two14: Do you not know that the kindness of God etc.
Only section III (Quaestio I commonly solved), keyed to this Quaestio I, is rendered; sections I–II are general / keyed to Quaestiones II–III.
III. Quaestio I is commonly solved as follows: that communion is to be denied both to a hidden sinner asking in secret and to a public sinner asking in whatever manner. Alex. Hal. (loc. cit. a. 3. § 1) and St. Thomas in his Commentary (here a. 5. little-question I.), with respect to a hidden sinner demanding in secret, extend this rule even to the case when «the priest knows the sin of someone who asks for the Eucharist through confession, or by any other means». But St. Thomas in the Summa (loc. cit. a. 6.) so speaks that he seems now to adhere to the common opinion, that a confessor, after confession, can in no way use the knowledge acquired through confession to deny communion, even if he is alone with the one who has confessed alone. — Wholly to be rejected is the obsolete opinion of earlier writers, that in several cases an unconsecrated host ought to be given in place of a consecrated one; which opinion Guliel. Antissiodor. (Sum. loc. cit. q. I.) reproves in general, but concedes for one single case, being inconsistent with his own principles.
Besides the places cited: Scot., in the places collected in Hieronym. de Montefortino, vol. IV, p. III, q. 80, a. 6. — Petr. a Tar., loc. cit. a. 4. — Richard. a Med., here a. 3, q. I. — Durand., here q. 5. — Dionys. Carth., here q. 6.
---
- 1Cfr. d. 10. p. 1. n. 1. q. 1. seq. — Codd. L M U indivisibiliter.Cf. d. 10, p. 1, n. 1, q. 1 ff. — Codd. L M U read indivisibiliter.
- 2Cfr. I. Cor. 11, 27, de quo hic in lit. Magistri, c. 2. Explicationem arg. dat Alex. Hal., S. p. IV. q. II. m. 2. a. 2. § 2: Quantumcumque sit malus, si secundum intentionem Ecclesiae suscipiat baptismum, suscipit characterem baptismalem; a simili videtur in proposito, quod quantumcumque sit malus aliquo modo sumit huius Sacramenti rem. Cfr. supra d. 4. p. 1. a. 2. q. 1. in corp.Cf. 1 Cor. 11:27, on which here in the text of the Master, c. 2. Alex. Hal. gives the explanation of the argument, S. p. IV, q. II, m. 2, a. 2, § 2: However evil one may be, if he receives baptism according to the intention of the Church, he receives the baptismal character; by a similar reasoning it seems in the matter at hand, that however evil one may be, he in some way receives the reality of this Sacrament. Cf. above d. 4, p. 1, a. 2, q. 1, in the body.
- 3Cfr. supra pag. 178, nota 2.Cf. above p. 178, note 2.
- 4Vide infra d. 13. a. 1. q. 1. et 4.See below d. 13, a. 1, q. 1 and 4.
- 5Cod. aa addit tanto munere. In fine arg. sola Vat. sumat.Cod. aa adds tanto munere. At the end of the argument the Vatican edition alone has sumat.
- 6Vers. 5.Verse 5.
- 7Vers. 4.Verse 4.
- 8Vers. 20: Et scatere coepit vermibus atque computruit. — Pro scaturiebat edd. scatebat; cfr. supra pag. 178, nota 2.Verse 20: And it began to swarm with worms and rotted. — For scaturiebat the editions read scatebat; cf. above p. 178, note 2.
- 9Hic in lit. c. 2, ubi etiam afferuntur testimonia Patrum, ad quae paulo inferius S. Bonav. recurrit.Here in the text, c. 2, where the testimonies of the Fathers are also adduced, to which a little further on St. Bonaventure recurs.
- 10Vide supra lit. Magistri, d. VIII. c. 7, et ibid. Comment. p. II. a. 2. q. 1. Locc. citt. agitur etiam de re ultima, de qua paulo inferius. — Post pauca verbis se obtulit edd. interserunt tunc.See above the text of the Master, d. VIII, c. 7, and ibid. the Commentary p. II, a. 2, q. 1. In the places cited the ultimate reality is also treated, on which a little further on. — Shortly after, to the words se obtulit the editions insert tunc.
- 11Edd. cum uno alteroque cod. et de sapientia. — De solut. cfr. hic lit. Magistri, c. 2. verba Gregorii.The editions, with one or another codex, read et de sapientia. — On the solution cf. here the text of the Master, c. 2, the words of Gregory.
- 12Glossa ordinaria apud Strabum in Exod. 16, 20: Manna computresceret et vermibus scateret, id est poenam eis aeternam generabit.The ordinary Gloss in Strabus on Exodus 16:20: That the manna should rot and swarm with worms, that is, it will engender eternal punishment for them.
- 13Plures codd. et ed. 1 decentissime (decentissimae).Several codd. and ed. 1 read decentissime (decentissimae).
- 14Vers. 4: An... ignoras, quoniam benignitas Dei ad poenitentiam te adducit?Verse 4: Or... do you not know that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? ---