Pars 6, Cap. 11
Breviloquium · Pars VI: De medicina sacramentali
Capitulum XI. De integritate unctionis extremae.
De Sacramento unctionis extremae hoc in summa tenendum est, quod ipsa est Sacramentum exeuntium ex hac vita, praeparans et disponens ad sanitatem perfectam; valet etiam ad delenda venialia et ad recuperandam sanitatem praesentem, si infirmo expediat. — Ad huius autem Sacramenti integritatem requiritur oleum simplex, sed consecratum, vocalis expressio orationum, inunctio infirmi in septem partibus determinatis, scilicet in oculis, auribus, naribus, labiis, manibus, pedibus et lumbis. — Nec debet istud Sacramentum dari nisi adultis et postulantibus, imminente periculo mortis, et hoc per manum et ministerium sacerdotis. — Ex quo colligitur, quod inter hoc Sacramentum et confirmationem est differentia septiformis, scilicet in efficacia, materia, forma, suscipiente, dante, loco et tempore6.
Ratio autem ad intelligentiam praedictorum haec est: quia principium nostrum reparativum, Verbum p. 277 scilicet incarnatum, nos reparat in quantum mediator Dei et hominum, homo Christus Iesus1; et in quantum Iesus habet salvare, in quantum autem Christus, unctus, habet unctionis gratiam in alios derivare: hinc est, quod ipsius est in Sacramentis suis unctionem membris suis tribuere salutarem. Quoniam autem anima ad hoc, quod perfecte sanetur, indiget triplici genere sanitatis, scilicet ad strenuitatem actionis, ad suavitatem contemplationis et ad felicitatem comprehensionis; et prima est intrantium in aciem Ecclesiae, secunda est praesidentium in eadem, quorum est alios erudire, et tertia est exeuntium de eadem per mortem: hinc est, quod non solum unctionem sacramentalem instituit Dominus in confirmatione, verum etiam mediam in ordine pontificali et extremam, imminente periculo mortis.
Quoniam igitur « finis imponit necessitatem his quae sunt ad finem2 »; hinc est, quod secundum exigentiam huius finis debet hoc Sacramentum operari, debet etiam integrari, suscipi et dispensari. — Primum igitur, quia huius Sacramenti operatio debet regulari a fine; et finis est, quia introductum est ad salutem felicitatis perpetuae facilius et expeditius consequendam; et hoc fit per devotionem sursum levantem et per exonerationem a culpis venialibus et aliis sequelis, quae deorsum deprimunt: hinc est, quod Sacramentum istud efficaciam habet et ad devotionem excitandam et ad venialia dimittenda et ad peccatorum scoriam facilius abolendam. Et quia pluribus infirmis expedit adhuc vivere ad suorum cumulum meritorum; hinc est, quod Sacramentum istud et animam vigorando in bono et exonerando a malo frequenter etiam alleviat a morbo. Et hoc est quod dicit beatus Iacobus3, quod oratio fidei salvabit infirmum, et si in peccatis fuerit, dimittentur ei.
Rursus, quia huius Sacramenti institutio debet esse secundum exigentiam finis; et hic est acquisitio spiritualis salutis per remissionem culparum; et haec salus respicit sanitatem et munditiam conscientiae interioris, secundum quam iudicat ille iudex caelestis: hinc est, quod in hoc Sacramento debet esse oleum simplex et consecratum, quia sanctitatem et nitorem designat in habitaculo conscientiae4. — Quia vero super illam salutem mortalis homo non habet potestatem; hinc est, quod oratio et forma vocalis exprimitur per verbum deprecativum ad impetrandum gratiae donum. — Et quoniam anima infirmitates spirituales contrahit in corpore secundum quatuor virtutes ipsius corporis regitivas, scilicet sensitivam, interpretativam, generativam et progressivam; hinc est, quod membra his virtutibus deservientia sunt inungenda. Quia igitur quinque sunt membra deservientia quinque sensibus, scilicet oculi visui, aures auditui, nares olfactui, manus tactui et os gustui et etiam alii virtuti, scilicet interpretativae, et pedes deserviunt progressui, et lumbi generationi — quia genitalia indignum et pudendum est contrectari et etiam nominari — hinc est, quod inunctio debet fieri in septem locis praedictis, ut sic disponatur homo per hoc Sacramentum ad plenitudinem sanitatis per deletionem omnis venialis peccati.
Postremo, quia istius Sacramenti susceptio a fine dependet; et finis est velocior transitus ad caelum per depositionem oneris5 venialium et conversionem mentis ad Deum: ideo non debet dari nisi adultis, qui venialiter peccant; nec aliquibus nisi petentibus, qui devotione sursum eriguntur; nec aliquibus nisi in periculo constitutis et quasi in transitu ad alium statum. — Et quia hoc Sacramentum est periclitantium; et tamen habet materiam sacram, scilicet oleum consecratum: hinc est, quod propter periculum evitandum communiter committi debet sacerdotibus, et propter consecrationem olei non est nisi a consecratis manibus contrectandum.
Ex variatione igitur finis in confirmatione et unctione extrema oritur diversitas in efficacia, in materia et in forma, in loco et in tempore, in suscipiente et in dispensante: in efficacia, quia illud Sacramentum disponit ad melius6 agonizandum, hoc ad celerius evolandum; in materia, quia illud in oleo permixto balsamo, hoc vero in oleo puro; in forma, quia illud in indicativa, hoc vero in deprecativa; in loco, quia illud in fronte, hoc vero in multiplici parte; in tempore, quia illud in sanitate, hoc autem in aegritudine; in suscipiente, quia illud non solum adultis, verum etiam parvulis, hoc vero tantum adultis; in dante, quia illud ab episcopis, hoc autem a sacerdotibus quibuscumque. Et haec omnis diversitas a fine procedit, quia, sicut claruit, diversitas in finibus proximis diversitatem introducit in his quae ad fines illos habent finaliter ordinari.
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Chapter XI. On the integrity of extreme unction.
Concerning the Sacrament of extreme unction this must be held in summary: that it is the Sacrament of those departing from this life, preparing and disposing them to perfect health; it avails also for blotting out venial sins and for recovering present health, if it be expedient for the sick man. — Now for the integrity of this Sacrament there is required oil that is simple, but consecrated, the vocal expression of prayers, the anointing of the sick man in seven determined parts, namely in the eyes, the ears, the nostrils, the lips, the hands, the feet and the loins. — Nor ought this Sacrament to be given save to adults and to those requesting it, when the danger of death is imminent, and this through the hand and ministry of a priest. — From which it is gathered that between this Sacrament and confirmation there is a sevenfold difference, namely in efficacy, matter, form, recipient, giver, place and time6.
Now the reason for the understanding of the aforesaid is this: since our reparative principle, the Word namely p. 277 incarnate, repairs us inasmuch as he is the mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus1; and inasmuch as he is Jesus it belongs to him to save, but inasmuch as he is Christ, the anointed, it belongs to him to derive the grace of unction into others: hence it is that it belongs to him in his Sacraments to bestow upon his members a saving unction. But since the soul, in order that it be perfectly healed, needs a threefold kind of health — namely for the strenuousness of action, for the sweetness of contemplation and for the felicity of comprehension; and the first is of those entering into the battle-line of the Church, the second of those presiding in the same, whose office is to instruct others, and the third of those departing from the same through death: hence it is that the Lord instituted not only the sacramental unction in confirmation, but also the middle one in the pontifical order and the last one, when the danger of death is imminent.
Since therefore « the end imposes necessity upon those things which are for the end2 »; hence it is that according to the exigency of this end this Sacrament ought to operate, and ought also to be made entire, to be received and to be dispensed. — First then, since the operation of this Sacrament ought to be regulated by the end; and the end is that it was introduced for attaining more easily and more expeditiously the salvation of perpetual felicity; and this comes about through devotion lifting upward and through disburdening from venial faults and from the other consequences which press downward: hence it is that this Sacrament has efficacy both for exciting devotion and for dismissing venial sins and for abolishing more easily the dross of sins. And because for many sick persons it is expedient to live yet longer for the heaping up of their merits; hence it is that this Sacrament, both by invigorating the soul in good and by disburdening it from evil, frequently also relieves it from disease. And this is what blessed James says3: that the prayer of faith shall save the sick man, and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him.
Again, since the institution of this Sacrament ought to be according to the exigency of the end; and this is the acquisition of spiritual salvation through the remission of faults; and this salvation regards the health and the cleanness of the interior conscience, according to which that heavenly judge judges: hence it is that in this Sacrament there ought to be simple and consecrated oil, because it signifies sanctity and brightness in the dwelling-place of conscience4. — But because over that salvation mortal man has no power; hence it is that the prayer and the vocal form is expressed through a deprecative word, for obtaining the gift of grace. — And since the soul contracts spiritual infirmities in the body according to the four powers of that body which govern it, namely the sensitive, the interpretative, the generative and the progressive; hence it is that the members serving these powers are to be anointed. Since therefore there are five members serving the five senses — namely the eyes sight, the ears hearing, the nostrils smell, the hands touch and the mouth taste, and also another power, namely the interpretative — and the feet serve progression, and the loins generation — since it is unworthy and shameful that the genitals be handled and even named — hence it is that the anointing ought to be made in the seven aforesaid places, so that man may thus be disposed through this Sacrament unto the fullness of health through the blotting out of every venial sin.
Lastly, since the reception of this Sacrament depends upon the end; and the end is a swifter passage to heaven through the laying down of the burden5 of venial sins and the conversion of the mind to God: therefore it ought not to be given save to adults, who sin venially; nor to any save to those asking for it, who are raised upward by devotion; nor to any save to those established in danger and as it were in passage to another state. — And because this Sacrament is of those in peril; and yet it has a sacred matter, namely consecrated oil: hence it is that, for the sake of avoiding danger, it ought commonly to be committed to priests, and, on account of the consecration of the oil, it is not to be handled save by consecrated hands.
From the variation therefore of the end in confirmation and in extreme unction there arises a diversity in efficacy, in matter and in form, in place and in time, in the recipient and in the dispenser: in efficacy, because that Sacrament disposes one to contend better6, this one to fly away more swiftly; in matter, because that one is in oil mixed with balsam, but this one in pure oil; in form, because that one is in the indicative, but this one in the deprecative; in place, because that one is on the forehead, but this one on manifold parts; in time, because that one is in health, but this one in sickness; in the recipient, because that one is not only for adults but also for infants, whereas this one only for adults; in the giver, because that one is by bishops, but this one by priests whatsoever. And all this diversity proceeds from the end, because, as has become clear, diversity in proximate ends introduces diversity in those things which have to be ordered finally to those ends.
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- 6De hoc cap. vide IV. Sent. d. 23. per totam.On this chapter see IV Sent. d. 23, throughout.
- 1Epist. I. Tim. 2, 5. — Subinde respicitur Matth. 1, 21: Vocabis nomen eius Iesum; ipse enim salvum faciet populum suum etc. Hebr. 1, 9: Propterea unxit te Deus etc.Epistle I Tim. 2:5. — Thereupon Matt. 1:21 is referred to: Thou shalt call his name Jesus; for he shall save his people etc. Heb. 1:9: Therefore God hath anointed thee etc.
- 2Secundum Aristot., II. Phys. text. 88. seqq. (c. 9.).According to Aristotle, Physics II, text 88 and following (c. 9).
- 3Cap. 5, 15: Et oratio fidei salvabit infirmum, et alleviabit eum Dominus, et si in peccatis sit, remittentur ei.Chapter 5:15: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick man, and the Lord shall relieve him; and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him.
- 4Cfr. supra pag. 273, nota 4.Cf. above, p. 273, note 4.
- 5Ita permulti codd. et 2; aliae edd. et M omnium. Inferius post in periculo F K M O addunt mortis, et pro communiter, quod nonnulli codd. omittunt, F habet convenienter.So very many codices and edition 2; the other editions and M read omnium. Below, after in periculo, F, K, M, O add mortis; and for communiter, which some codices omit, F has convenienter.
- 6B C E H L T virilius.B, C, E, H, L, T read virilius. ---