[The work presented here is variously known as The Catechism of the Council of Trent, the Roman Catechism, or the Catechism of St. Pius V.
The first editions of the Catechism were printed without headings of any kind, and with hardly any break in the text beyond an occasional paragraph. This arrangement, however, appeared unsatisfactory to Pius V who therefore ordered that in subsequent editions the book should be divided into parts, chapters, and paragraphs. The divisions and headings in this text of the Catechism form no part of the original work and were supplied by the translators.
This translation used as its basis the Manutian text as reflected in the Maredsous edition of 1902, the fourth Roman edition of 1907 and the Turin edition of 1914. The purpose in the present version has been to reproduce the sense of the original as exactly as possible in clear, dignified, modern English.
The translation and preface are by John A. McHugh, O.P. and Charles J. Callan, O.P. (circa 1923).]
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Preface
ORIGIN
OF THE ROMAN CATECHISM
AUTHORITY
AND EXCELLENCE OF THE ROMAN CATECHISM
CATECHISM OF THE COUNCIL
OF TRENT FOR PARISH PRIESTS
INTRODUCTORY
The Necessity Of
Religious Instruction
Need of an
Authoritative Catholic Catechism
The Nature of this
Work
The Ends of
Religious Instruction
Knowledge Of Christ
Observance Of The
Commandments
Love Of God
The Means Required
for Religious Instruction
Instruction Should
Be Accommodated To The Capacity Of The Hearer
Zeal
Study Of The Word
Of God
Division of this
Catechism
How This Work Is To
Be Used
PART I : THE
CREED
Faith
Necessity Of Faith
Unity Of Faith
The Creed
Division Of The
Creed
ARTICLE I : "I
BELIEVE IN GOD, THE FATHER ALMIGHTY, CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH"
Meaning Of This
Article
"I
Believe"
Faith Excludes
Doubt
Faith Excludes
Curiosity
Faith Requires Open
Profession
"In God"
Knowledge Of God
More Easily Obtained Through Faith Than Through Reason
Knowledge Of God
Obtained Through Faith Is Clearer
Knowledge Of God
Obtained Through Faith Is More Certain
Knowledge Of God
Obtained Through Faith Is More Ample And Exalted
The Unity Of Nature
In God
The Trinity Of
Persons In God
"The
Father"
God Is Called
Father Because He Is Creator And Ruler
God Is Called
Father Because He Adopts Christians Through Grace
The Name Father
Also Discloses The Plurality Of Persons In God
The Doctrine Of The
Trinity
Practical
Admonitions Concerning The Mystery Of The Trinity
"Almighty"
Meaning Of The Term
Almighty"
Why Omnipotence
Alone Is Mentioned In The: Creed
Advantages Of Faith
In God’s Omnipotence
Not Three
Almighties But One Almighty
"Creator"
"Of Heaven and
Earth"
Creation Of The
World Of Spirits
Formation Of The
Universe
Production Of Man
"Of all Things
Visible and Invisible"
God Preserves,
Rules And Moves All Created Things
Creation Is The
Work Of The Three Persons
ARTICLE II :
"AND IN JESUS CHRIST, HIS ONLY SON, OUR LORD"
Advantages Of Faith
In This Article
Necessity Of Faith
In This Article
"Jesus"
"Christ"
"His Only
Son"
"Our
Lord"
Duties Owed To
Christ Our Lord
ARTICLE III :
"WHO WAS CONCEIVED BY THE HOLY GHOST, BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY"
Importance Of This
Article
First Part of this
Article:
"Who was
Conceived,'
"By the Holy
Ghost"
In The Incarnation
Some Things Were Natural, Others Supernatural
How To Profit By
The Mystery Of The Incarnation
Second Part Of This
Article: "Born Of The Virgin Mary"
The Nativity Of
Christ Transcends The Order Of Nature
Christ Compared to
Adam" Mary to Eve
Types and
Prophecies of the Conception and Nativity
Lessons which this
Article Teaches
Humility And
Poverty Of Christ
Elevation And
Dignity Of Man
Duty Of Spiritual
Nativity
ARTICLE IV :
"SUFFERED UNDER PONTIUS PILATE, WAS CRUCIFIED, DEAD, AND BURIED'"
Importance Of This
Article
First Part of this
Article: '"Suffered Under Pontius Pilate, was Crucified,,
"Suffered,"
"Under Pontius
Pilate"
"Was
Crucified"
Importance Of The
History Of The Passion
Figures And
Prophecies Of The Passion And Death Of The Saviour
Second Part Of This
Article: "Dead, And Buried"
Christ Really Died
Christ Died Freely
The Thought Of
Christ's Death Should Excite Our Love And Gratitude
Christ Was Really
Buried
Circumstances Of
Christ’s Burial
Useful
Considerations on the Passion
The Dignity Of The
Sufferer
Reasons Why Christ
Suffered
Christ Was
Delivered Over To Death By The Father And By Himself
The: Bitterness Of
Christ's Passion
Fruits Of Christ's
Passion
Christ’s Passion,
-- A Satisfaction, A Sacrifice, A Redemption An Example
Admonition
ARTICLE V : "HE
DESCENDED INTO HELL, THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE AGAIN FROM THE DEAD"
Importance Of This
Article
First Part of this
Article: "He Descended into Hell"
"Hell"
Different Abodes
Called Hell"
"He
Descended"
Why He Descended
into Hell
To Liberate The
Just
To Proclaim His
Power
Second Part of this
Article: "The Third Day He arose again from the Dead"
"He arose
Again"
"From the
Dead"
"The Third
Day"
"According to
the Scriptures"
Three Useful
Considerations on this Article
Necessity Of The
Resurrection
Ends Of The
Resurrection
Advantages Of The:
Resurrection
Signs Of Spiritual
Resurrection
ARTICLE VI :
"HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN, SITTETH AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD THE FATHER
ALMIGHTY"
Importance Of This
Article
First Part of this
Article: "He Ascended into Heaven"
"Into
Heaven"
"He
Ascended"
Second Part of this
Article: "Sitteth at the Right Hand of God the Father Almighty"
"At the Right
Hand"
"Sitteth"
Reflections on the
Ascension:
Its History
Greatness Of This
Mystery
Reasons Of The
Ascension
Results Of The
Ascension
Virtues Promoted By
The Ascension.
The Ascension
Benefits The Church And The Individual
ARTICLE VII :
"FROM THENCE HE SHALL COME TO JUDGE THE LIVING AND THE DEAD"
Meaning Of This
Article
"From Thence
He Shall Come"
"To Judge the
Living and the Dead"
Two Judgments
Reasons For General
Judgment
This Truth has
Rightly been made an Article of the Creed
Circumstances of
the Judgment:
The Judge
Signs Of The
General Judgment
The Sentence Of The
Just
The Sentence Of The
Wicked
Importance of Instruction
on this Article
ARTICLE VIII :
"I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY GHOST"
Importance Of This
Article
"Holy
Ghost"
"I Believe in
the Holy Ghost"
The Holy Ghost Is
Equal To The Father And The Son
The Holy Ghost Is
Distinct From The Father And The Son
"The
Lord"
"Life-Giver"
"Who
Proceedeth from the Father and the Son"
Certain Divine
Works are Appropriated to the Holy Ghost
Creation,
Government, Life
The Seven Gifts
Justifying Grace
ARTICLE IX : "I
BELIEVE IN THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH; THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS"
The Importance Of
This Article
First Part Of This
Article : "I Believe In The Holy Catholic Church
"Church"
Mysteries Which The
Word Church Comprises
Other Names Given
The Church In Scripture
The Parts of the
Church
The Members Of The
Church Militant
Those Who Are Not
Members Of The Church
Other Uses of the
Word "Church"
The Marks Of The
Church
"One'
Unity In Government
Unity In Spirit,
Hope And Faith
"Holy"
"Catholic"
Apostolic
Figures of the
Church
"I Believe the
Holy Catholic Church"
Second Part of this
Article: "The Communion of Saints"
Importance Of This
Truth
Meaning of
"The Communion of Saints"
Communion Of
Sacraments
Communion Of Good
Works
Those Who Share In
This Communion
Communion In Other
Blessings
ARTICLE X :
"THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS"
Importance Of This
Article
The Church Has the
Power of Forgiving Sins
Extent of this
Power:
All Sins That
Precede Baptism
All Sins Committed
After Baptism
Limitation of this
Power:
It Is Not Limited
As To Sins, Persons, Or Time
It Is Limited As To
Its Ministers And Exercise
Greatness of this
Power
Sin Can Be Forgiven
Only By The Power Of God
This Power
Communicated To None Before Christ
Sin Remitted
Through The Blood Of Christ
The Great Evil From
Which Forgiveness Delivers Man
Exhortation:
This Remedy To Be
Used
Abuse To Be Guarded
Against
ARTICLE XI :
"THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY"
Importance Of This
Article
"The
Resurrection of the Body"
The Fact of the
Resurrection:
Examples And Proofs
Derived From Scripture
Analogies From
Nature
Arguments Drawn
From Reason
All Shall Rise
The Body Shall Rise
Substantially the Same
Restoration Of All
That Pertains To The Nature And Adornment Of The Body
Restoration Of All
That Pertains To The Integrity Of The Body
The Condition of
the Risen Body Shall be Different
Immortality
The Qualities Of A
Glorified Body
Impassibility
Brightness
Agility
Subtility
Advantages of Deep
Meditation on this Article
ARTICLE XII :
"LIFE EVERLASTING"
Importance Of This
Article
"Life
Everlasting"
"Everlasting"
Life
Negative and
Positive Elements of Eternal Life
The Negative
The Positive
Essential Happiness
The Light Of Glory
The Beatific Vision
An Illustration Of
This Truth
Accessory Happiness
Glory
Honour
Peace
How to Arrive at
the Enjoyment of this Happiness
PART II : THE
SACRAMENTS
Importance Of
Instruction On The Sacraments
The Word
"Sacrament"
Definition of a
Sacrament
"A Sacrament
is a Sign"
Proof From Reason
Proof From
Scripture
"Sign of a
Sacred Thing" : Kind of Sign Meant Here
Natural Signs
Signs Invented By
Man,
Signs Instituted By
God
Kind of Sacred
Thing Meant Here
Other Sacred Things
Signified By The Sacraments
All The Sacraments
Signify Something Present, Something Past, Something Future:
A Sacrament
Sometimes Signifies The Presence Of More Than One Thing
Why the Sacraments
were Instituted
Constituent Parts
of the Sacraments
Ceremonies Used in
the Administration of the Sacraments
The Number Of The
Sacraments
Comparisons among
the Sacraments
The Author of the
Sacraments
The Ministers of
the Sacraments
Unworthiness Of The
Minister And Validity
Lawfulness Of
Administration
Effects of the
Sacraments
First Effect:
Justifying Grace
Second Effect:
Sacramental Character
How to Make
Instruction on the Sacraments Profitable
THE SACRAMENT OF
BAPTISM
Importance Of
Instruction On Baptism
Names of this
Sacrament
Definition Of
Baptism
Constituent
Elements Of Baptism
Matter of Baptism
Testimony Of
Scripture Concerning The Matter Of Baptism
Figures
Prophecies
Fitness
Chrism Added To
Water For Solemn Baptism
Form of Baptism
Words Of The Form
Essential And
Non-Essential Words Of The Form
Baptism In The Name
Of Christ
Administration of
Baptism
Institution Of
Baptism
Baptism Instituted
At Christ's Baptism
Baptism Made
Obligatory After Christ's Resurrection
Reflection
The Ministers of
Baptism
Bishops And Priests
The Ordinary Ministers
Deacons
Extraordinary Ministers Of Baptism
Ministers In Case
Of Necessity
The Sponsors at
Baptism
Why Sponsors Are
Required At Baptism
Antiquity Of This
Law
Affinity Contracted
By Sponsors
Duties Of Sponsors
Who May Not Be
Sponsors
Number Of Sponsors
Necessity of
Baptism
Infant Baptism:
It's Necessity
Infants Receive The
Graces Of Baptism
Baptism Of Infants
Should Not Be Delayed
Baptism Of Adults
They Should Not
Delay Their Baptism Unduly
Ordinarily They Are
Not Baptised At Once
In Case Of
Necessity Adults May Be: Baptised At Once
Dispositions for
Baptism
Intention
Faith
Repentance
Advantages To Be
Derived From These Reflections
Effects of Baptism
First Effect Of
Baptism: Remission Of Sin
Concupiscence Which
Remains After Baptism Is No Sin
Further Proof Of
The First Effect Of Baptism
The Second Effect
Of Baptism: Remission Of All Punishment Due To Sin
Baptism Does Not
Exempt From Penalties Of The Civil Law
Baptism Remits The
Punishment Due To Original Sin After Death
Baptism Does Not
Free Us From The Miseries Of Life
Baptism A Source Of
Happiness To The Christian Even In This Life
Third Effect Of
Baptism: Grace Of Regeneration
Fourth Effect Of
Baptism: Infused Virtues And Incorporation With Christ
Why The Practice Of
Virtue Is Difficult Even After Baptism
Fifth Effect Of
Baptism: Character Of Christian
Baptism Not To Be
Repeated
In Conditional
Baptism The Sacrament Is Not Repeated
Sixth Effect Of
Baptism: Opening The Gates Of Heaven
Effects Of Baptism
Foreshadowed In The Baptism Of Christ
Measure In Which
Those Effects Are Obtained
Ceremonies of
Baptism
Their Importance
Three Classes Of
Ceremonies In Baptism
Ceremonies That Are
Observed Before Coming To The Font: Consecration Of Baptismal Water
The Person To Be
Baptised Stands At The Church Door
Catechetical
Instruction
The Exorcism
The Salt
The Sign Of The
Cross
The Saliva
The Ceremonies
Observed After Coming To The Font
The Renunciation Of
Satan
The Profession Of
Faith
The Wish To Be
Baptised
The Ceremonies That
Follow Baptism: Chrism
The White Garment
The Lighted Candle
The Name Given In
Baptism
Recapitulation
THE SACRAMENT OF
CONFIRMATION
Importance Of
Instruction On Confirmation
Name of this
Sacrament
Confirmation is a
Sacrament
Confirmation is
Distinct from Baptism
Institution of
Confirmation
Component Parts of
Confirmation
The Matter
The Remote Matter
Of Confirmation Is Chrism
The Appropriateness
Of Chrism
Chrism To Be
Consecrated By The Bishop
The Form Of
Confirmation
Minister of
Confirmation
Sponsors at
Confirmation
The Subject of
Confirmation
All Should Be
Confirmed
The Proper Age For
Confirmation
Dispositions For
Receiving Confirmation
The Effects of
Confirmation
The Grace Of
Strength
Increase In Grace
Character Of
Soldier Of Christ
Ceremonies Of
Confirmation
The Anointing Of
The Forehead
The Sign Of The
Cross
Time When
Confirmation Should Be Conferred
The Slap On The
Cheek
The Pax
Admonition
THE SACRAMENT OF THE
EUCHARIST
Importance Of
Instruction On The Eucharist
Institution of the
Eucharist
Meaning of the Word
"Eucharist"
Other Names Of This
Sacrament
The Eucharist Is a
Sacrament Properly So Called
In What Respect The
Eucharist Is A Sacrament
How The Eucharist
Differs From All The Other Sacraments
The Eucharist Is
But One Sacrament
The Eucharist
Signifies Three Things
Constituent Parts
of the Eucharist
The Matter
The First Element
Of The Eucharist Is Bread
The Sacramental
Bread Must Be Wheaten
The Sacramental
Bread Should Be Unleavened
Unleavened Bread
Not Essential
Quantity Of The
Bread
The Second Element
Of The Eucharist Is Wine
Water Should Be
Mixed With The Wine
No Other Elements
Pertain To This Sacrament
Peculiar Fitness Of
Bread And Wine
Form Of The
Eucharist
Form To Be Used In
The Consecration Of The Bread
Not All The Words
Used Are Essential
Form To Be Used In
The Consecration Of The Wine
Explanation Of The
Form Used In The Consecration Of The Wine
Three Mysteries Of
The Eucharist
The Mystery of the
Real Presence
Proof From
Scripture
Proof From The
Teaching Of The Church
Testimony Of The
Fathers
Teaching Of The
Councils
Two Great Benefits
Of Proving The Real Presence
Faith Is
Strengthened
The Soul Is
Gladdened
Meaning of the Real
Presence
Christ Whole And
Entire Is Present In The Eucharist
Presence In Virtue
Of The Sacrament And In Virtue Of Concomitance
Christ Whole And
Entire Present Under Each Species
Christ Whole And
Entire Present In Every Part Of Each Species
The Mystery of
Transubstantiation
Proof From The
Dogma Of The Real Presence
Proof From The
Councils
Proof From
Scripture
Proof From The
Fathers
Why The Eucharist
Is Called Bread After Consecration
The Meaning of
Transubstantiation
Transubstantiation
A Total Conversion
A Consequence Of
Transubstantiation
The Mystery of the
Accidents without a Subject
Proof From The
Preceding Dogmas
Proof From The
Teaching Of The Church
Advantages Of This
Mystery
The Effects of the
Eucharist
The Eucharist
Contains Christ And Is The Food Of The Soul
The Eucharist Gives
Grace
The Grace Of The
Eucharist Sustains
The Grace Of The
Eucharist Invigorates And Delights
The Eucharist
Remits Venial Sins
The Eucharist
Strengthens Against Temptation
The Eucharist
Facilitates The Attainment Of Eternal Life
How The Effects Of
The Eucharist May Be Developed And Illustrated
Recipient of the
Eucharist
Threefold Manner Of
Communicating
Necessity Of
Previous Preparation For Communion
Preparation Of Soul
Preparation Of Body
The Obligation of
Communion
How Often Must
Communion Be Received?
The Church Desires
The Faithful To Communicate Daily
The Church
Commands; The Faithful To Communicate Once A Year
Who Are Obliged By
The Law Of Communion
The Rite of
Administering Communion
Why The Celebrant
Alone Receives Under Both Species
The Minister of the
Eucharist
Only Priests Have
Power To Consecrate And Administer The Eucharist
The Laity
Prohibited To Touch The Sacred Vessels
The Unworthiness Of
The Minister Does Not Invalidate The Sacrament
The Eucharist as a
Sacrifice
Importance Of
Instruction On The Mass
Distinction of
Sacrament and Sacrifice
The Mass Is a True
Sacrifice
Proof From The
Council Of Trent
Proof From
Scripture
Excellence of the
Mass
The Mass Is The
Same Sacrifice As That Of The Cross
The Mass A
Sacrifice Of Praise, Thanksgiving And Propitiation
The Mass Profits
Both The Living And The Dead
The Rites and
ceremonies of the Mass
THE SACRAMENT OF
PENANCE
Importance Of
Instruction On This Sacrament
Different Meanings
of the Word "Penance"
The Virtue of
Penance
Meaning Of Penance
Penance Proved To
Be A Virtue
The Steps Which
Lead Up To This Virtue
Fruits Of This
Virtue
Penance as a
Sacrament
Why Christ
Instituted This Sacrament
Penance Is a
Sacrament
This Sacrament May
Be Repeated
The Constituent
Parts of Penance
The Matter
The Form Of Penance
The Rites Observed
in the Sacrament of Penance
Effects of the
Sacrament of Penance
The Necessity of
the Sacrament of Penance
The Three Integral
Parts of Penance
Their Existence
Their Nature
Necessity Of These
Integral Parts
The First Part
of Penance
Contrition
The Meaning Of
Contrition
Contrition Is A
Detestation Of Sin
Contrition Produces
Sorrow
Names Of Sorrow For
Sin
Qualities of Sorrow
for Sin
It Should Be
Supreme
Sorrow For Sin
Should Be Intense
Sorrow For Sin
Should Be Universal
Conditions Required
for Contrition
Detestation Of Sin
Intention Of
Confession And Satisfaction
Purpose Of
Amendment
Reasons For These
Conditions
Forgiveness Of
Injuries
The Effects of
Contrition
Means of Arousing
True Contrition
The Second Part
of Penance
Confession
Necessity Of
Confession
Advantages Of
Confession
Definition Of
Confession
Confession
Instituted By Christ
Rites Added By The
Church
The Law of
Confession
Proof Of The
Obligation
The Age At Which
The Law Of Confession Obliges
At What Time The
Law Of Confession Obliges
The Qualities of
Confession
Confession Should
Be Entire
Sins Concealed
Sins Forgotten
Confession Should
Be Plain, Simple, Sincere
Confession Should
Be Prudent, Modest, Brief
Confession Should
Be Made Privately And Often
The Minister of the
Sacrament of Penance
The Usual Minister
The Minister In
Danger Of Death
Qualifications Of
The Minister
The Confessor Must
Observe The Seal Of Confession
Duties of the
Confessor towards Various Classes of Penitents
The Well Disposed
Should Be Exhorted To Thanksgiving And Perseverance
The Indisposed
Should Be Helped
Those Who Seek To
Excuse Their Sins Should Be Corrected
Those Who Are
Ashamed To Confess Their Sins Should Be Instructed
The Careless Should
Be Rebuked
The Unprepared Should
Be Dismissed Or Led To Good Disposition
The Pastor Should
Show The Wrong Of Human Respect
The Third Part
of Penance
Satisfaction
General Meaning Of
The Word "Satisfaction,"
Various Kinds Of
Satisfaction To God
Elements Of
Sacramental Satisfaction
Necessity Of
Satisfaction
Advantages of
Satisfaction
It Is Required By
God’s Justice And Mercy
Satisfaction Atones
To The Church
Satisfaction Deters
Others From Sin
By Satisfaction We
Are Made Like Unto Christ
Satisfaction Heals
The Wounds Of Sin
Satisfaction
Disarms The Divine Vengeance
Source of the
Efficacy of Satisfactory Works
Conditions for
Satisfaction
Works Of
Satisfaction Are Of Three Kinds
One Can Satisfy For
Another
Duties of the
Confessor as Regards Satisfaction
Restitution Must Be
Insisted On
Quantity And
Quality Of Penances Should Be Reasonable
Voluntary Works Of
Penance Should Be Recommended
Admonition
THE SACRAMENT OF
EXTREME UNCTION
Importance Of
Instruction On Extreme Unction
Names of this
Sacrament
Extreme Unction Is
a True Sacrament
Extreme Unction Is
But One Sacrament
Essential Parts of
Extreme Unction
The Matter Of
Extreme Unction
The Form Of Extreme
Unction
The Ceremonies Of
Extreme Unction
Institution of
Extreme Unction
The Subject of
Extreme Unction
The Subject Must Be
In Danger Of Death
The Danger Must
Arise From Sickness
The Person Anointed
Must Have Attained The Use Of Reason
Administration of
Extreme Unction
Dispositions for
the Reception of Extreme Unction
The Minister of
Extreme Unction
The Effects of
Extreme Unction
Admonition
THE SACRAMENT OF
HOLY ORDERS
Importance Of
Instruction On This Sacrament
Dignity of this
Sacrament
Requirements in
Candidates for Orders
Holiness,
Knowledge, Prudence
Divine Call
Right Intention
The Twofold Power
Conferred by this Sacrament
The Power Of Orders
Greatness Of This
Power
Names of this
Sacrament
Holy Orders Is a
Sacrament
Number of Orders
Tonsure
The Name
"Cleric"
Origin And Meaning
Of Tonsure
The Minor Orders
Porter
Reader
Exorcist
Acolyte
The Major Orders
Subdeacon
Deacon
Priest
Twofold Priesthood
The Internal
Priesthood
The External
Priesthood
Functions of the
Priesthood
Degrees of the
Priesthood
Priests
Bishops
Archbishops
Patriarchs
The Pope
The Minister of
Holy Orders
The Recipient of
Holy Orders
Qualifications for
the Priesthood
Holiness Of Life
Competent Knowledge
Canonical Fitness
Effects of Holy
Orders
Admonition
THE SACRAMENT OF
MATRIMONY
Importance Of
Instruction On This Sacrament
Nature and Meaning
of Marriage
Names Of This
Sacrament
Definition Of
Matrimony
Essence And Cause
Of Marriage
The Kind of Consent
Required in Matrimony
Mutual
External
Present
The Essence of
Marriage Constituted by the Consent
Twofold
Consideration of Marriage
Marriage As A
Natural Contract
Instituted By God
Marriage Is
Indissoluble By Divine Law
Marriage Not
Obligatory On All
The Motives And
Ends Of Marriage
Marriage Considered
as a Sacrament
Marriage Is A
Sacrament
Marriage before
Christ
It Was Not A
Sacrament
Before Christ
Marriage Had Fallen From Its Primitive Unity And Indissolubility
Christ Restored to
Marriage its Primitive Qualities
Unity Of Marriage
Indissolubility Of
Marriage
Advantages Of
Indissolubility
The Three Blessings
of Marriage
Offspring
Fidelity
Sacrament
The Duties of
Married People
Duties Of A Husband
Duties Of A Wife
The Law of the
Church on Marriage
The Rite To Be
Observed
The Impediments Of
Marriage
The Recipient of
Matrimony
Dispositions With
Which The Sacrament Is To Be Approached
Consent Of Parents
The Use Of Marriage
PART III : THE
DECALOGUE
Importance Of
Instruction On The Commandments
Motives for
Observing the Commandments
God Is The Giver Of
The Commandments
The Commandments
Were Proclaimed With Great Solemnity
The Observance Of
The Commandments Is Not Difficult
The Observance Of
The Commandments Is Necessary
The Observance Of
The Commandments Is Attended By Many Blessings
God's Goodness
Invites Us To Keep His Commandments
The Promulgation of
the Law
The People To Whom
The Law Was Given
Epitome Of Jewish
History
Lessons To Be Drawn
From Jewish History
The Time And Place
In Which The Law Was Promulgated
THE FIRST
COMMANDMENT : "I am the lord thy god, who brought thee out of the land
of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt not have strange gods before
me. Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing, nor the likeness of any
thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, nor of those things
that are in the waters under the earth. Thou shalt not adore them, nor serve
them. I am the lord thy god, mighty, jealous, visiting the iniquity of the
fathers upon the children, to the third and fourth generation of them that hate
me, and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my
commandments."
"I am the Lord
thy God"
"Who Brought
thee out of the Land of Egypt, out of the House of Bondage"
"Thou shalt
not have Strange Gods before Me"
The Above Words
Contain A Command And A Prohibition
What They Command
What They Forbid
Importance Of This
Commandment
Sins Against This
Commandment
Veneration And
Invocation Of Angels And Saints Not Forbidden By This Commandment
It Is Lawful To
Honour And Invoke The Angels
It Is Lawful To
Honour And Invoke The Saints
Objections Answered
The Honour And
Invocation Of Saints Is Approved By Miracles
The Above Words Do
Not Forbid All Images
They Forbid Idols
And Representations Of The Deity
They Do Not Forbid
Representations Of The Divine Persons And Angels
They Do Not Forbid
Images Of Christ And The Saints
Usefulness Of
Sacred Images
How The Sanction
Contained In The Above Words Should Be Proposed
Mighty
Jealous
Zeal In The Service
Of God
"Visiting The
Iniquity," Etc.
"And Showing
Mercy, Etc.
"Of Them That
Hate Me"
Of Them That Love
Me
THE SECOND
COMMANDMENT : "Thou shalt not take the name of the lord thy god in vain"
Why This
Commandment Is Distinct From The First
Importance Of
Instruction On This Commandment
Positive Part of
this Commandment
Various Ways Of
Honouring God's Name
Public Profession
Of Faith
Respect For The
Word Of God
Praise And
Thanksgiving
Prayer
Oaths
Meaning Of An Oath
Oaths Are
Affirmatory And Promissory
Conditions Of A
Lawful Oath
First Condition:
Truth
Second Condition:
Judgment
Third Condition:
Justice
Lawfulness Of Oaths
An Objection
Against Oaths
Negative Part of
this Commandment
Various Ways In
Which Cod's Name Is Dishonoured: False Oaths
Unjust Oaths
Rash Oaths
Oaths By False Gods
Irreverent Speech
Neglect Of Prayer
Blasphemy
Sanction of this
Commandment
THIRD COMMANDMENT :
"Remember that thou keep holy the sabbath day. Six days shalt thou
labour, and do all thy works; but on the seventh day is the sabbath of the lord
thy god; thou shalt do no work on it, neither thou nor thy son, nor thy
daughter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy beast, nor the
stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the lord made heaven and
earth, and the sea, and all things that are in them, and rested on the seventh
day; wherefore the lord blessed the seventh day and sanctified it."
Reasons For This
Commandment
Importance Of
Instruction On This Commandment
How The Third
Differs From The Other Commandments
How The Third Is
Like The Other Commandments
The Jewish Sabbath
Changed To Sunday By The Apostles
Four Parts Of This
Commandment
First Part of this
Commandment
"Remember"
Sabbath
"Keep
Holy"
Second Part of this
Commandment
"The Seventh
Day Is The Sabbath Of The Lord Thy God"
Other Festivals
Observed By The Jews
The Sabbath, Why
Changed To Sunday
Other Festivals
Observed By The Church
"Six Days
Shalt Thou Labour And Do All Thy Work"
Third Part of this
Commandment
Works Forbidden
Works Permitted
Why Animals Are Not
To Be Employed On The Sabbath
Works Commanded Or
Recommended
Motives for the
Observance of this Commandment
Reasonableness Of
This Duty
The Observance Of
This Commandment Brings Many Blessings
Neglect Of This
Commandment A Great Crime
THE FOURTH
COMMANDMENT : "Honour thy father and thy mother, that thou mayest be
long lived upon the land which the lord thy god will give thee."
Relative Importance
Of The Preceding And The Following Commandments
Importance Of
Instruction On The Fourth Commandment
The Two Tables Of
The Law
Explanation of the
Fourth Commandment: "Honour"
"Thy
Father"
Why Parents Should
Be Honoured
"And Thy
Mother"
Manner Of Honouring
Parents
Manner Of Honouring
Other Superiors
The Honour Due To
Bishops And Priests
The Honour Due To
Civil Rulers
'That Thou Mayest
be Long-lived," etc.
Reward Promised For
Observance Of This Commandment
Why This Reward Is
Not Always Conferred On Dutiful Children
Punishment For
Violation Of This Commandment
Duties of Parents
Towards their Children
Three Things To Be
Avoided By Parents
THE FIFTH
COMMANDMENT : "Thou shalt not kill"
Importance Of
Instruction On This Commandment
Two Parts Of This
Commandment
The Prohibitory
Part of this Commandment
Exceptions: The
Killing Of Animals
Execution Of
Criminals
Killing In A Just
War
Killing By Accident
Killing In
Self-Defence
Negative Part Of
This Commandment Forbids Murder And Suicide
Sinful Anger Is
Also Forbidden By The Fifth Commandment
Remedies Against
The Violation Of This Commandment
Positive Part of
this commandment
Love Of Neighbour
Inculcated
Charity To All
Commanded
Patience,
Beneficence And Mildness Commanded
Forgiveness Of
Injuries Commanded
How to Persuade Men
to Forgive Injuries
All We Have To
Endure Comes From God
Advantages Of
Forgiveness
Disadvantages Of
Revenge
Remedies Against
Hatred
THE SIXTH
COMMANDMENT : "Thou shalt not commit adultery"
The Position Of
This Commandment In The Decalogue Is Most Suitable
Importance Of
Careful Instruction On This Commandment
Two Parts Of This
Commandment
What this
Commandment Prohibits
Adultery Forbidden
Other Sins Against
Chastity Are Forbidden
Why Adultery Is
Expressly Mentioned
What this
Commandment Prescribes
Purity Enjoined
Reflections which
Help one to Practice Purity
Impurity Excludes
From Heaven
Impurity Is A
Filthy Sin
Adultery Is A Grave
Injustice
Adultery Is
Disgraceful
Impurity Severely
Punished
Impurity Blinds The
Mind And Hardens The Heart
means of practicing
purity
Avoidance Of
Idleness
Temperance
Custody Of The Eyes
Avoidance Of
Immodest Dress
Avoidance Of Impure
Conversation, Reading, Pictures
Frequentation Of
The Sacraments
Mortification
THE SEVENTH
COMMANDMENT : "Thou shalt not steal"
Importance Of
Instruction On This Commandment
This Commandment A
Proof Of The Love Of God Towards Us And A Claim On Our Gratitude
Two Parts Of This
Commandment
Negative Part of
this Commandment
Stealing Forbidden
Theft And Robbery
Forbidden
Various Names Given
To Stealing
Desire Of Stealing
Forbidden
Gravity Of The Sin
Of Stealing
The Chief Kinds Of
Stealing
Various Forms Of
Theft
Various Forms Of
Robbery
Positive Part of
this Commandment
Restitution
Enjoined
Who Are Held To
Restitution
Almsdeeds Enjoined
Inducements To Practice
Almsgiving
Ways Of Giving Alms
Frugality Is
Enjoined
Sanction Of This
Commandment
The Punishment Of
Its Violation
The Reward Of
Observing This Commandment
Excuses for
Stealing Refuted
The Plea Of Rank
And Position
The Plea Of Greater
Ease And Elegance
The Plea Of The
Other's Wealth
The Plea Of Force
Of Habit
The Plea Of
Favourable Opportunity
The Plea Of Revenge
The Plea Of
Financial Embarrassment
THE EIGHTH
COMMANDMENT : "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour"
Importance Of
Instruction On This Commandment
This Commandment
Should Call Forth Our Gratitude
Two Parts Of This
Commandment
Negative Part Of
This Commandment
"Against Thy
Neighbour"
False Testimony In
Favour Of A Neighbour Is Also Forbidden
"Thou Shalt Not
Bear False Witness"
All Falsehoods In
Lawsuits Are Forbidden
False Testimony Out
Of Court Is Forbidden
This Commandment
Forbids Detraction
Various Kinds Of
Detraction
This Commandment
Forbids Flattery
This Commandment
Forbids Lies Of All Kinds
This Commandment
Forbids Hypocrisy
Positive Part of
this Commandment
Judges Must Pass
Sentence According To Law And Justice
Witnesses Must Give
Testimony Truthfully
Lawyers And
Plaintiffs Must Be Guided By Love Of Justice
All Must Speak
Truthfully And With Charity
Inducements To
Truthfulness
How To Avoid Lying
Excuses for Lying
Refuted
The Plea Of
Prudence
The Plea Of Revenge
The Pleas Of
Frailty, Habit, And Bad. Example
The Pleas Of
Convenience, Amusement, And Advantage
THE NINTH AND TENTH
COMMANDMENTS : "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house: neither
shalt thou desire his wife, nor his servant, nor his hand-maid, nor his ox, nor
his ass, nor anything that is his."
Importance Of
Instruction On These Two Commandments
Why These Two
Commandments Are Explained Here Together
Necessity Of
Promulgating These Two Commandments
These Two
Commandments Teach God's Love For Us And Our Need Of Him
Two Parts Of These
Commandments
Negative Part
"Thou Shalt
Not Covet"
What Sort Of Concupiscence
Is Not Forbidden
What Sort Of
Concupiscence Is Here Prohibited
Two Kinds Of Sinful
Concupiscence
The Various Objects
We Are Forbidden To Covet
Thy Neighbour’s
House
"Nor His Ox,
Nor His Ass'
"Nor His
Servant
"Thy
Neighbour's"
Goods For Sale Not Included
Under This Prohibition
"His
Wife"
Positive Part
Detachment From
Riches Enjoined
The Desire Of
Heavenly And Spiritual Things Enjoined
Thoughts which Help
one to Keep these Commandments
Chief Ways in which
These two Commandments are Violated
PART IV : THE
LORD'S PRAYER
PRAYER
Importance Of
Instruction On Prayer
Necessity of Prayer
The Fruits of
Prayer
Prayer Honours God
Prayer Obtains What
We Request
Proof
Unwise And Indevout
Prayers Unheard
To Devout Prayer
And Dispositions God Grants More Than Is Asked
Prayer Exercises
And Increases Faith
Prayer Strengthens
Our Hope In God
Prayer Increases
Charity
Prayer Disposes The
Soul For Divine Blessings
Prayer Makes Us
Realise Our Own Needfulness
Prayer Is A
Protection Against The Devil
Prayer Promotes A
Virtuous Life
Prayer Disarms The
Divine Vengeance
The Parts Of Prayer
The Two Chief Parts
Of Prayer Petition And Thanksgiving
Degrees Of Petition
And Thanksgiving
The Highest Degree
Of Prayer: The Prayer Of The Just
The Second Degree
Of Prayer: The Prayer Of Sinners
The Third Degree Of
Prayer: The Prayer Of Unbelievers
The Lowest Degree
Of Prayer: The Prayer Of The Impenitent
What We Should Pray
For
Spiritual Goods
External Goods And
Goods Of Body
Goods Of The Mind
For Whom We Ought
to Pray
The Prayer Of
Petition Should Be Offered For All
Those For Whom We
Should Especially Offer Our Petitions: Pastors
Rulers Of Our
Country
The Just
Enemies And Those
Outside The Church
The Dead
Sinners
The Prayer Of
Thanksgiving Should Be Offered For All
Our Thanksgiving
Should Especially Be Offered: For The Saints
For The Blessed
Virgin Mary
To Whom We Should
Pray
To God
To The Saints
God And The Saints
Addressed Differently
Preparation for
Prayer
Humility
Sorrow For Sin
Freedom From
Violence, Anger, Hatred And Inhumanity
Freedom From Pride
And Contempt Of God's Word
Faith And
Confidence
Motives Of
Confidence In Prayer
Correspondence With
God's Will
Fraternal Charity
How to Pray Well
We Must Pray In
Spirit And In Truth
Mental Prayer
Vocal Prayer
Private And Public
Prayer
Those Who Do Nor
Pray In Spirit
Those Who Do Not
Pray In Truth
We Must Pray With
Perseverance
We Must Pray In The
Name Of Jesus Christ
We Must Pray With
Fervour, Uniting Petition To Thanksgiving
Fasting And
Almsdeeds Should Be Joined To Prayer
OPENING WORDS OF THE
LORD'S PRAYER
Importance Of
Instruction On These Words
"Father"
God Is Called
Father Because He Created Us
God Is Called
Father Because He Provides For Us
God's Care For Us
Is Seen In The Appointment Of Guardian Angels
How We Are Helped
By The Angels
God's Care For Us
Seen In The Love He Has Ever Shown To Man
God Is Called
Father Because He Has Granted Us Redemption
Duties We Owe Our
Heavenly Father
"Our"
Dispositions That
Should Accompany The Words, "Our Father": Fraternal Regard
Filial Confidence
And Piety
"Who art in
Heaven"
Meaning Of These
Words
Lessons Taught By
The Words, "Who Art In Heaven"
THE FIRST PETITION
OF THE LORD'S PRAYER : "HALLOWED BE THY NAME"
Why This Petition
Is Placed First
Object Of The First
Three Petitions
Hallowed Be Thy
Name
On Earth As It Is
In Heaven"
What Sanctification
of God's Name we should Pray For
That The Faithful
May Glorify Him
That Unbelievers
May Be Converted
That Sinners May Be
Converted
That God May Be
Thanked For His Favours
That The Church May
Be Recognised By All
What Sanctification
Of God's Name We Should Practice
THE SECOND PETITION
OF THE LORD'S PRAYER : "THY KINGDOM COME"
Importance Of
Instruction On This Petition
Greatness Of This
Petition
Necessity Of
Rightly Making This Petition
Motives For
Adopting The Necessary Means
"Thy
Kingdom"
The Kingdom Of
Nature
The Kingdom Of
Grace
The Kingdom Of
Glory
"Come"
We Pray For The Propagation
Of The Church
For The Conversion
Of Sinners
That Christ May
Reign Over All
Dispositions That
Should Accompany This Petition
We Should Prize
God's Kingdom Above All Things
We Must Realise
That We Are Exiles
We Must Labor To
Obtain God's Kingdom
Recapitulation
THE THIRD PETITION
OF THE LORD'S PRAYER : "THY WILL BE DONE"
The Relation Of
This Petition To The Previous One
Necessity Of This
Petition
Man’s Proneness To
Act Against God’s Will
Man’s Blindness
Concerning God’s Will
Man’s Weakness In
Fulfilling God’s Will
Remedy For These
Evils
Man's Passions
Rebel Against God's Will
"Thy
Will"
"Be Done"
We Ask That We May
Fulfil What God Desires Of Us
We Ask That We May
Not Yield To Our Own Inordinate Desires
We Ask That Our
Mistaken Requests Be Not Granted
We Ask That Even
Our Good Requests Be Granted Only When They Are According To God’s Will
We Ask That God May
Perfect In Us What His Grace Has Begun
We Ask That All May
Know God’s Will
"On Earth as
it is in Heaven"
This Petition
Contains an Act of Thanksgiving
The Dispositions
that should Accompany this Petition
A Sense Of Our Own
Weakness Of Will
Appreciation Of The
Dignity Of Doing God's Will
Resignation To
God’s Will
THE FOURTH PETITION
OF THE LORD'S PRAYER : "GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD"
The Relation Of The
Following Petitions To Those That Preceded
How To Pray For
Temporal Blessings
Means Of
Ascertaining Purity Of Intention In Offering This Petition
Necessity of the
Fourth Petition
Man Needs Many
Things For His Bodily Life
To Supply His
Bodily Wants Man Must Labor
Without God’s Help
Man’s Labor Is Vain
Inducements to Use
this Petition
"Bread"
We Ask For Temporal
Blessings
It Is Lawful To
Pray For Temporal Blessings
The Wants, Not The
Luxuries Of This Life Are Meant By The Word "Bread"
"Our"
"Daily"
"Give"
"us"
"This
Day"
The Spiritual Bread
Asked for in this Petition
The Word Of God Is
Our Spiritual Bread
Christ Is Our
Spiritual Bread, Especially In The Holy Eucharist
Why The Holy
Eucharist Is Called Our "Daily" Bread
Exhortations
THE FIFTH PETITION
OF THE LORD'S PRAYER : "AND FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS, AS WE FORGIVE OUR
DEBTORS"
The Importance Of
Explaining This Petition
Difference Between
This And The Preceding Petitions
Dispositions with
which this petition should be Offered
Acknowledgment Of
Sin
Sorrow For Sin
Motives For Sorrow
Over Sin: The Baseness Of Sin
The Consequences Of
Sin
Confidence In God's
Mercy
"Debts"
"Our"
"Forgive
Us"
"As we Forgive
our Debtors"
Necessity Of
Forgiveness
Reasons For
Forgiveness
This Petition
Should Not be Neglected
Those Unable To
Forget Injuries
Those Who Do Not
Love Their Enemies
How to Make this
Petition Fruitful
Penitential
Dispositions
Avoidance Of
Dangers Of Sin
Imitation Of
Fervent Penitents
Frequent Use Of The
Sacraments
Almsdeeds
The Spirit Of
Forgiveness
THE SIXTH PETITION
OF THE LORD'S PRAYER : "AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION."
Importance Of
Instruction On This Petition
Necessity of the
Sixth Petition
Human Frailty
The Assaults Of The
Flesh
The Temptations Of
The Devil
Audacity Of The
Demons
Number Of The
Demons
Malignity And Power
Of The Demons
Prayer Protects
Man's Weakness Against The Enemies Of His Soul
"Temptation"
"Lead us not
into Temptation"
Objects of the
Sixth Petition
What We Do Not Pray
For
What We Pray For In
This Petition
Dispositions which
should Accompany this Petition
Distrust Of Self
And Confidence In God
Remembrance Of The
Victory Of Christ And His Saints
Watchfulness
The Author of
victory over Temptation
The Rewards of
Victories over temptation
THE SEVENTH PETITION
OF THE LORD'S PRAYER : "BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL"
The Importance Of
Instruction On This Petition
Necessity Of This
Petition
How this Petition
should be Made
Our Chief Hope Of
Deliverance Should Be In God
We Must Confidently
Expect His Help
"From
Evil"
What We Do Not Pray
For
What We Do Pray For
"Deliver
Us"
Deliverance From
Satan Especially Asked For
Patience and Joy
under Continued Affliction
THE SEAL OF THE
LORD'S PRAYER
Necessity Of
Explaining The Conclusion Of The Lord's Prayer
fruits that Come at
the Conclusion of Prayer
Assurance That We
Have Been Heard
Fervour And
Illumination
Sweetness
Confidence And
Gratitude
Illustrations From
The Psalms
Meaning of the Word
"Amen"
First Explanation
Other Explanations
Of The Word "Amen"
Advantages of
Terminating our Prayer with this Word
ORIGIN OF THE
ROMAN CATECHISM
The Church at the Council of Trent, assembled
December 13, 1545, seeing the need of a uniform and comprehensive manual which
would supply parish priests with an official book of instruction for the
faithful, ordered the preparation of the work which has ever since been
variously known as the Catechism of the Council of Trent, the Catechism for
Parish Priests, the Roman Catechism, or the Catechism of Pius V. It was some
months, however, after the opening of the Council before mention was made of
any kind of catechism. This was during the fourth session, on April 5, 1546.
Eight days later the draft of a decree was read proposing that there be
published in Latin and in the vernacular a catechism to be compiled by capable
persons for children and uninstructed adults, "who are in need of milk
rather than solid food." The purpose of such a manual was to afford
instruction for beginners in the primary duties of a Christian life and to
prepare them for further and higher religious education. The idea met with
general approval, but as the Council was occupied with matters more pressing,
we hear nothing further about it until sixteen years later, in 1562. According
to some the question of the Catechism was brought up by St. Charles Borromeo
during the eighteenth session and a commission actually appointed on February
26, 1562. What is certain is that the Papal Legates, after a protracted
discussion, had named a committee before the end of that year; for on January
3, 1563, they informed the procurators of Charles IX and of Ferdinand I of the
existence of such a committee and assured them that work on the Catechism was
already under way. The principal members of this committee, besides its
president, Cardinal Seripandi, O. S. A., were Leonardo Marini, O. P.,
Archbishop of Lanciano, Egidio Foscarari, O. P., Bishop of Modena, Muzio
Calini, Bishop of Zara, and Francesco Foreiro, O.P. There were many other
collaborators, chief among whom were Michael Medina, a Franciscan, and
Christopher Sanctotisio, O. S. A., who assisted with the fourth and ninth
Articles of the Creed respectively; four French theologians to whom were
assigned the first four Commandments; the Dominicans, John de Luderna, Benedict
Herba, Eliseus Capys, and the Franciscan, Alphonsus Contreras, to whom were
given respectively the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth Commandments; a
theologian of Granada was entrusted with the last two Commandments of the
Decalogue. The following appear to have collaborated on the Sacraments: three
Flemish theologians, on Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist; Nicholas
Ormanetus, on the Sacrament of Penance; Peter Fernandez, O. P., on Matrimony;
Cosmas Damiani, Abbot of the Augustinian Canons Regular, on Orders; Arias
Montanus, on Extreme Unction. All those who had part in the work of the
Catechism were instructed to avoid in its composition the particular opinions
of individuals and schools, and to express the doctrine of the universal
Church, keeping especially in mind the decrees of the Council of Trent.
During the twenty-fourth session, the work on
the Catechism was brought to the attention of the Council itself, at a meeting
on September II, 1563. After various discussions a new plan was adopted.
Instead of a manual for children and uninstructed adults, it was decided to
prepare a much more extensive and more thorough work to be used by parish
priests in their instruction of the faithful. A final decree regarding such a
catechism was passed in a general meeting of November 2nd, of the same year,
wherein it was enjoined on all Bishops to see that the Catechism should be
faithfully translated into the vulgar tongue and expounded to the people by all
parish priests.
As the Council was about to close, the
Catechism committee, as it appears, were ordered to submit to the assembled
Fathers the work they had so far accomplished. This was done at the general
meetings between the 22nd and the 25th of November, and as the work was not
finished the Holy Father was requested to take charge of it and to see that the
Catechism was brought to completion and published. The manuscript was,
therefore, carried to Rome, and the work was continued with little delay.
Meanwhile Cardinal Seripandi died, and St. Charles Borromeo was appointed to
succeed him as president of the Catechism committee. On December 21, 1564,
Bishop Foscarari also died. To complete the work the new president enlisted the
services of several more theologians, such as Gabriel Paleotti and the
Portugese Statius.
In order that the literary style of the
Catechism might be in keeping with the sublimity of its doctrine, St. Charles
called to its service the greatest masters of the Latin tongue of that age.
These were Paulus Manutius, Giulio Pogiani, Cornelius Amaltheus, Silvius
Antonianus, and Pietro Galesini. When the work was finished a first revision of
the style was undertaken. The polishing of the first two parts was done by
Calini, who had already been engaged in the composition of the Catechism. The
third part was attended to by Galesini, and the fourth by Pogiani. This
revision seems to have been completed by the end of the year 1564. Early in the
following year, by order of St. Charles, who desired to secure absolute
uniformity in the style, a second literary revision of the entire work was made
by Pogiani.
Meanwhile Pius IV died and was succeeded on
January 17, 1566, by Pius V. One of the first acts of the new Pontiff was to
appoint a number of expert theological revisers to examine every statement in
the Catechism from the viewpoint of doctrine. Chief among these revisers were
Cardinal Sirlet and the two Dominicans, Thomas Manriquez and Eustachius
Locatelli. By July of that year the work on the Catechism was finished. But it
was not until the close of the year that it appeared under the title,
Catechismus ex decreto Concilii Tridentini ad Parochos Pii V Pont. Max. jussu
editus.
AUTHORITY AND
EXCELLENCE OF THE ROMAN CATECHISM
The Roman Catechism is unlike any other
summary of Christian doctrine, not only because it is intended for the use of
priests in their preaching, but also because it enjoys a unique authority among
manuals. In the first place, as already explained, it was issued by the express
command of the Ecumenical Council of Trent, which also ordered that it be
translated into the vernacular of different nations to be used as a standard
source for preaching. Moreover it subsequently received the unqualified
approval of many Sovereign Pontiffs. Not to speak of Pius IV who did so much to
bring the work to completion, and of St. Pius V under whom it was finished,
published and repeatedly commended, Gregory XIII, as Possevino testifies, so
highly esteemed it that he desired even books of Canon Law to be written in
accordance with its contents. In his Bull of June 14, 1761, Clement XIII said
that the Catechism contains a clear explanation of all that is necessary for
salvation and useful for the faithful, that it was composed with great care and
industry and has been highly praised by all, that by it in former times the
faith was strengthened, and that no other catechism can be compared with it. He
concluded then, that the Roman Pontiffs offered this work to pastors as a norm
of Catholic teaching and discipline so that there might be uniformity and
harmony in the instructions of all. Nor have the Sovereign Pontiffs in our own
days been less laudatory of the Catechism. Pope Leo XIII, in an Encyclical
Letter of September 8, 1899, to the Bishops and clergy of France, recommended
two books which all seminarians should possess and constantly read and study,
namely, the Summa Theologica of St. Thomas and "that golden book,"
the Catechismus ad Parochos. Regarding the latter work he wrote: "This
work is remarkable at once for the richness and exactness of its doctrine, and
for the elegance of its style; it is a precious summary of all theology, both
dogmatic and moral. He who understands it well, will have always at his service
those aids by which a priest is enabled to preach with fruit, to acquit himself
worthily of the important ministry of the confessional and of the direction of
souls, and will be in a position to refute the objections of unbelievers."
Likewise Pius X in his Encyclical Acerbo
nimis of April 15, 1905, declared that adults, no less than children, need
religious instruction, especially in these days. And hence he prescribed that
pastors and all who have care of souls should give catechetical instruction to
the faithful in simple language, and in a way suited to the capacity of their
hearers, and that for this purpose they should use the Catechism of the Council
of Trent Still more recently, on February 14, 1921, speaking in the name of
Benedict XV, Cardinal Gasparri, Papal Secretary of State, thus wrote to the
Archbishop of New York relative to the latter's Program for A Parochial Course
of Doctrinal Instructions, based on the Catechism: "It is superfluous to
add that the value of the work is enhanced by the fact that it has been planned
and executed in perfect harmony with the admirable Catechism of the Council of
Trent."
Besides the Supreme Pontiffs who have
extolled and recommended the Catechism, so many Councils have enjoined its use
that it would be impossible here to enumerate them all. Within a few years
after its first appearance great numbers of provincial and diocesan synods had
already made its use obligatory. Of these the Preface to the Paris edition of
1893 mentions eighteen held before the year 1595. In five different Councils
convened at Milan St. Charles Borromeo ordered that the Catechism should be
studied in seminaries, discussed in the conferences of the clergy, and
explained by pastors to their people on occasion of the administration of the
Sacraments. In short, synods repeatedly prescribed that the clergy should make
such frequent use of the Catechism as not only to be thoroughly familiar with
its contents, but almost have it by heart.
In addition to Popes, and Councils, many
Cardinals, Bishops and other ecclesiastics, distinguished for their learning
and sanctity, vied with one another in eulogizing the Catechism of Trent. Among
other things they have said that not since the days of the Apostles has there
been produced in a single volume so complete and practical a summary of
Christian doctrine as this Catechism, and that, after the Sacred Scriptures,
there is no work that can be read with greater safety and profit.
In particular, Cardinal Valerius, the friend
of St. Charles Borromeo, wrote of the Catechism: "This work contains all
that is needful for the instruction of the faithful; and it is written with
such order, clearness and majesty that through it we seem to hear holy Mother
the Church herself, taught by the Holy Ghost, speaking to us.... It was
composed by order of the Fathers of Trent under the inspiration of the Holy
Ghost, and was published by the authority of the Vicar of Christ."
Salmanticenses, the great Carmelite
commentators on St. Thomas, paid the following high tribute to the Catechism:
"The authority of this Catechism has always been of the greatest in the
Church, because it was composed by the command of the Council of Trent, because
its authors were men of highest learning, and because it was approved only
after the severest scrutiny by Popes Pius V and Gregory XIII, and has been
recommended in nearly all the Councils that have been held since the Council of
Trent."
Antonio Possevino, an illustrious Jesuit, and
the preceptor of St. Francis de Sales, said: "The Catechism of the Council
of Trent was inspired by the Holy Ghost."
In his immortal Apologia Cardinal Newman
writes: "The Catechism of the Council of Trent was drawn up for the
express purpose of providing preachers with subjects for their sermons; and, as
my whole work has been a defense of myself, I may here say that I rarely preach
a sermon but I go to this beautiful and complete Catechism to get both my matter
and my doctrine."
"Its merits," says Dr. Donovan,
"have been recognized by the universal Church. The first rank which has
been awarded the Imitation among spiritual books, has been unanimously given to
the Roman Catechism as a compendium of Catholic theology. It was the result of
the aggregate labors of the most distinguished of the Fathers of Trent, . . .
and is therefore stamped with the impress of superior worth."
Doctor John Hogan, the present Rector of the
Irish College in Rome, writes thus: "The Roman Catechism is a work of
exceptional authority. At the very least it has the same authority as a
dogmatic Encyclical, -- it is an authoritative exposition of Catholic doctrine
given forth, and guaranteed to be orthodox by the Catholic Church and her supreme
head on earth. The compilation of it was the work of various individuals; but
the result of their combined labors was accepted by the Church as a precious
abridgment of dogmatic and moral theology. Official documents have occasionally
been issued by Popes to explain certain points of Catholic teaching to
individuals, or to local Christian communities; whereas the Roman Catechism
comprises practically the whole body of Christian doctrine, and is addressed to
the whole Church. Its teaching is not infallible; but it holds a place between
approved catechisms and what is de tide."
We are enabled to realize from the foregoing
testimonies how invaluable is the treasure we possess in the Tridentine
Catechism. It is a Vade Mecum for every priest and ecclesiastical student. In
it the latter will find a recapitulation of all the more important and
necessary doctrines he has learned throughout his theological course; while to
the priest it is not only a review of his former studies, but an ever-present
and reliable guide in his work as pastor, preacher, counselor, and spiritual
director of souls. Moreover, to the educated layman, whether Catholic or
non-Catholic, who desires to study an authoritative statement of Catholic
doctrine, no better book could be recommended than this official manual; for in
its pages will be found the whole substance of Catholic doctrine and practice,
arranged in order, expounded with perspicuity, and sustained by argument at
once convincing and persuasive.
Finally, it can be said without fear of
exaggeration that there is no single-volume work which so combines solidity of
doctrine and practical usefulness with unction of treatment as does this truly
marvelous Catechism. From beginning to end it not only reflects the light of
faith, but it also radiates, to an unwonted degree, the warmth of devotion and
piety. In its exposition of the Creed and the Sacraments, while dealing with
the profoundest mysteries, it is full of thoughts and reflections the most
fervent and inspiring. The part on the Decalogue, which might well be called a
treatise on ascetical theology, teaches us in words burning with zeal both what
we are to avoid and what we are to do to keep the Commandments of God. In the
fourth, and last part o this beautiful work we have what is doubtless the most
sublime and heavenly exposition of the doctrine of prayer ever written.
The Roman Catechism is, therefore, a handbook
of dogmatic and moral theology, a confessor's guide, a book of exposition for
the preacher, and a choice directory of the spiritual life for pastor and flock
alike. With a view, consequently, to make it more readily available for these
high purposes among English-speaking peoples this new translation has been
prepared and is herewith respectfully submitted to its readers.
JOHN A. MCHUGH, O. P.
CHARLES J. CALLAN, O. P.
INTRODUCTORY
The Necessity Of Religious Instruction
Such is the nature of the human mind and
intellect that, although by means of diligent and laborious inquiry it has of
itself investigated and discovered many other things pertaining to a knowledge
of divine truths; yet guided by its natural lights it never could have known or
perceived most of those things by which is attained eternal salvation, the
principal end of man's creation and formation to the image and likeness of God.
It is true that the invisible things of God
from the creation of the world are, as the Apostle teaches, clearly seen, being
understood by the things that are made: his eternal power also, and divinity.
But the mystery which hath been hidden from ages and generations so far
transcends the reach of man's understanding, that were it not made manifest by
God to His Saints, to whom He willed to make known by the gift of faith, the
riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ, man
could by no effort attain to such wisdom.
But, as faith comes by hearing, it is clear
how necessary at all times for the attainment of eternal salvation has been the
labour and faithful ministry of an authorised teacher; for it is written, how
shall they hear, without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they be
sent?
And, indeed, never, from the very creation of
the world, has God, most merciful and benignant, been wanting to His own; but
at sundry times and in divers manners spoke to the fathers by the prophets, and
pointed out to them in a manner suited to the times and circumstances, a sure
and direct path to the happiness of heaven. But, as He had foretold that He
would give a teacher of justice to be the light of the Gentiles, that His
salvation might reach even to the ends of the earth, in these last days he hath
spoken to us by his Son, whom also by a voice from heaven, from the excellent
glory, He has commanded all to hear and to obey. Furthermore, the Son gave some
to be apostles, and some prophets, and others pastors and teachers, to announce
the word of life; that we might not be carried about like children tossed to
and fro with every wind of doctrine, but holding fast to the firm foundation of
the faith, we might be built together into an habitation of God in the Spirit.
Lest any should receive the Word of God from
the ministers of the Church, not as the word of Christ, which it really is, but
as the word of man, the same Saviour has ordained that their ministry should be
invested with so great authority that He says to them: He that hears you, hears
me; and he that despises you despises me. These words He spoke not only of
those to whom His words were addressed, but likewise of all who, by legitimate
succession, should discharge the ministry of the word, promising to be with
them all days even to the consummation of the world.
Need of an Authoritative Catholic
Catechism
But while the preaching of the divine Word
should never be interrupted in the Church, surely in these, our days, it
becomes necessary to labour with more than ordinary zeal and piety to nourish
and strengthen the faithful with sound and wholesome doctrine, as with the food
of life. For false prophets have gone forth into the world, to corrupt the
minds of the faithful with various and strange doctrines, of whom the Lord has
said: I did not send prophets, yet they ran; I spoke not to them, yet they
prophesied.
In this work, to such extremes has their
impiety, practiced in all the arts of Satan, been carried, that it would seem
almost impossible to confine it within any bounds; and did we not rely on the
splendid promises of the Saviour, who declared that He had built His Church on
so solid a foundation that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it, we
should have good reason to fear lest, beset on every side by such a host of
enemies and assailed and attacked by so many machinations, it would, in these
days, fall to the ground.
For - to say nothing of those illustrious
States which heretofore professed, in piety and holiness, the true Catholic
faith transmitted to them by their ancestors, but are now gone astray wandering
from the paths of truth and openly declaring that their best claims to piety
are founded on a total abandonment of the faith of their fathers - there is no
region, however remote, no place, however securely guarded, no corner of
Christendom, into which this pestilence has not sought secretly to insinuate
itself.
For those who intended to corrupt the minds
of the faithful, knowing that they could not hold immediate personal
intercourse with all, and thus pour into their ears their poisoned doctrines,
adopted another plan which enabled them to disseminate error and impiety more
easily and extensively. Besides those voluminous works by which they sought the
subversion of the Catholic faith - to guard against which (volumes) required
perhaps little labour or circumspection, since their contents were clearly
heretical - they also composed innumerable smaller books, which, veiling their
errors under the semblance of piety, deceived with incredible facility the
unsuspecting minds of simple folk.
The Nature of this Work
The Fathers, therefore, of the General
Council of Trent, anxious to apply some healing remedy to so great and
pernicious an evil, were not satisfied with having decided the more important
points of Catholic doctrine against the heresies of our times, but deemed it
further necessary to issue, for the instruction of the faithful in the very
rudiments of faith, a form and method to be followed in all churches by those
to whom are lawfully entrusted the duties of pastor and teacher.
To works of this kind many, it is true, had
already given their attention, and earned the reputation of great piety and
learning. But the Fathers deemed it of the first importance that a work should
appear, sanctioned by the authority of the Council, from which pastors and all
others on whom the duty of imparting instruction devolves, may be able to seek
and find reliable matter for the edification of the faithful; that, as there is
one Lord, one faith, there may also be one standard and prescribed form of
propounding the dogmas of faith, and instructing Christians in all the duties
of piety.
As, therefore, the design of the work
embraces a variety of matters, it cannot be supposed that the Council intended
that in one volume all the dogmas of Christianity should be explained with that
minuteness of detail to be found in the works of those who profess to treat the
teaching and doctrines of religion in their entirety. Such a task would be one
of almost endless labour, and manifestly ill suited to attain the proposed end.
But, having undertaken to instruct pastors and such as have care of souls in
those things that belong peculiarly to the pastoral office and are accommodated
to the capacity of the faithful, the Council intended that such things only
should be treated of as might assist the pious zeal of pastors in discharging
the duty of instruction, should they not be very familiar with the more
abstruse questions of theology.
The Ends of Religious Instruction
Hence, before we proceed to develop in detail
the various parts of this summary of doctrine, our purpose requires that we
premise a few observations which the pastor should consider and bear in mind in
order to know to what end, as it were, all his plans and labours and efforts
are to be directed, and how this desired end may be more easily attained.
Knowledge Of Christ
The first thing is ever to recollect that all
Christian knowledge is reduced to one single head, or rather, to use the words
of the Apostle, this is eternal life: That they may know thee, the only true
God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. A teacher in the Church should,
therefore, use his best endeavours that the faithful earnestly desire to know
Jesus Christ, and him crucified, that they be firmly convinced, and with the
most heartfelt piety and devotion believe, that there is no other name under
heaven given to men, whereby we must be saved, for he is the propitiation for
our sins.
Observance Of The Commandments
But since by this we know that we have known
him, if we keep his commandments, the next consideration, and one intimately
connected with the preceding, is to press also upon the attention of the
faithful that their lives are not to be wasted in ease and indolence, but that
we are to walk even as he walked, and pursue with all earnestness, justice,
godliness, faith, charity, patience, mildness; for He gave himself for us, that
he might redeem us from all iniquity, and might cleanse to himself a people
acceptable, a pursuer of good works. These things the Apostle commands pastors
to speak and exhort.
Love Of God
But as our Lord and Saviour has not only
declared, but has also proved by His own example, that the Law and the Prophets
depend on love, and as, according to the Apostle, charity is the end of the
commandment, and the fulfilment of the law, it is unquestionably a chief duty
of the pastor to use the utmost diligence to excite the faithful to a love of
the infinite goodness of God towards us, that, burning with a sort of divine
ardour, they may be powerfully attracted to the supreme and all-perfect good,
to adhere to which is true and solid happiness, as is fully experienced by him
who can say with the Prophet: What have I in heaven? and besides thee what do I
desire upon earth?
This, assuredly, is that more excellent way
pointed out by the Apostle when he sums up all his doctrines and instructions
in charity, which never falleth away. For whatever is proposed by the pastor,
whether it be the exercise of faith, of hope, or of some moral virtue, the love
of our Lord should at the same time be so strongly insisted upon as to show
clearly that all the works of perfect Christian virtue can have no other
origin, no other end than divine love.
The Means Required for Religious
Instruction
But as in imparting instruction of any sort
the manner of communicating it is of highest importance, so in conveying
religious instruction to the people, the method should be deemed of the
greatest moment.
Instruction Should Be Accommodated To The
Capacity Of The Hearer
Age, capacity, manners and condition must be
borne in mind, so that he who instructs may become all things to all men, in
order that he may be able to gain all to Christ, prove himself a dutiful
minister and steward, and, like a good and faithful servant, be found worthy to
be placed by his Lord over many things The priest must not imagine that those
committed to his care are all on the same level, so that he can follow one
fixed and unvarying method of instruction to lead all in the same way to
knowledge and true piety; for some are as new-born infants, others are growing
up in Christ, while a few are, so to say, of full maturity. Hence the necessity
of considering who they are that have occasion for milk, who for more solid
food, and of affording to each such nourishment of doctrine as may give
spiritual increase, until we all meet in the unity of faith, and of the
knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the age of
the fullness of Christ. This the Apostle inculcates for all by his own example
when he says that he is a debtor to the Greeks and to the Barbarians, to the
wise and to the unwise, thus giving all who are called to this ministry to
understand that in announcing the mysteries of faith and the precepts of life,
the instruction is to be so accommodated to the capacity and intelligence of
the hearers, that, while the minds of the strong are filled with spiritual
food, the little ones be not suffered to perish with hunger, asking for bread,
while there is none to break it unto them.
Zeal
Nor should our zeal in communicating
Christian knowledge be relaxed because it has sometimes to be exercised in
expounding matters apparently humble and unimportant, and whose exposition is
usually irksome, especially to minds accustomed to the contemplation of the
more sublime truths of religion. If the Wisdom of the eternal Father descended
upon the earth in the meanness of our flesh to teach us the maxims of a
heavenly life, who is there whom the love of Christ does not constrain to
become little in the midst of his brethren, and, as a nurse fostering her
children, so anxiously to wish for the salvation of his neighbours as to be
ready, as the Apostle says of himself, to give them not only the gospel of God,
but even his own life.
Study Of The Word Of God
Now all the doctrines in which the faithful
are to be instructed are contained in the Word of God, which is found in
Scripture and tradition. To the study of these, therefore, the pastor should
devote his days and his nights, keeping in mind the admonition of St. Paul to
Timothy, which all who have the care of souls should consider as addressed to
themselves: Attend to reading, to exhortation, and to doctrine, for all
Scripture divinely inspired is profitable to teach, to reprove, to correct, to
instruct injustice, that the man of God may be perfect, furnished to every good
work.
Division of this Catechism
The truths revealed by Almighty God are so
many and so various that it is no easy task to acquire a knowledge of them, or,
having done so, to remember them so well as to be able to explain them with
ease and readiness when occasion requires. Hence our predecessors in the faith
have very wisely reduced all the doctrines of salvation to these four heads:
The Apostles' Creed, the Sacraments, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord's
Prayer.
The part on the Creed contains all that is to
be held according to Christian faith, whether it regard the knowledge of God,
the creation and government of the world, or the redemption of man, the rewards
of the good and the punishments of the wicked. The part devoted to the Seven
Sacraments teaches us what are the signs, and, as it were, the instruments of
grace. In the part on the Decalogue is described whatever has reference to the
law, whose end is charity. Finally, the Lord's Prayer contains whatever can be
the object of the Christian's desires, or hopes, or prayers. The exposition, therefore,
of these four parts, which are, as it were, the general heads of Sacred
Scripture, includes almost everything that a Christian should learn.
How This Work Is To Be Used
We therefore deem it proper to inform pastors
that, whenever they have occasion, in the ordinary discharge of their duty, to
expound any passage of the Gospel or any other part of Holy Scripture. they
will find its subject-matter treated under some one of the four heads already
enumerated, to which they recur, as to the source from which their instruction
is to be drawn.
Thus, if the Gospel of the first Sunday of
Advent is to be explained, There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon,
etc., whatever regards its explanation is contained under the Article of the
Creed, He shall come to judge the living and the dead; and by embodying the
substance of that Article in his exposition, the pastor will at once instruct
his people in the Creed and in the Gospel. Whenever, therefore, he has to
communicate instruction and expound the Scriptures, he will observe the same
rule of referring all to these four principal heads under which, as we
observed, the whole teaching and doctrine of Holy Scripture is contained. As
for order, however, he is free to follow that which he deems best suited to the
circumstances of persons and time.
PART
I : THE CREED
Faith
In preparing and instructing men in the
teachings of Christ the Lord, the Fathers began by explaining the meaning of
faith. Following their example, we have thought it well to treat first what
pertains to that virtue.
Though the word faith has a variety of
meanings in the Sacred Scriptures, we here speak only of that faith by which we
yield our entire assent to whatever has been divinely revealed.
Necessity Of Faith
That faith thus understood is necessary to
salvation no man can reasonably doubt, particularly since it is written:
Without faith it is impossible to please God. For as the end proposed to man as
his ultimate happiness is far above the reach of human understanding, it was
therefore necessary that it should be made known to him by God. This knowledge,
however, is nothing else than faith, by which we yield our unhesitating assent
to whatever the authority of our Holy Mother the Church teaches us to have been
revealed by God; for the faithful cannot doubt those things of which God, who
is truth itself, is the author. Hence we see the great difference that exists
between this faith which we give to God and that which we yield to the writers
of human history.
Unity Of Faith
Faith differs in degree; for we read in
Scripture these words: O thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt; and Great
is thy faith; and Increase our faith. It also differs in dignity, for we read:
Faith without works is dead; and, Faith that worketh by charity. But although
faith is so comprehensive, it is yet the same in kind, and the full force of
its definition applies equally to all its varieties. How fruitful it is and how
great are the advantages we may derive from it we shall point out when
explaining the Articles of the Creed.
The Creed
Now the chief truths which Christians ought
to hold are those which the holy Apostles, the leaders and teachers of the
faith, inspired by the Holy Ghost' have divided into the twelve Articles of the
Creed. For having received a command from the Lord to go forth into the whole
world, as His ambassadors, and preach the Gospel to every creature, they
thought it advisable to draw up a formula of Christian faith, that all might
think and speak the same thing, and that among those whom they should have
called to the unity of the faith no schisms would exist, but that they should
be perfect in the same mind, and in the same judgment.
This profession of Christian faith and hope,
drawn up by themselves, the Apostles called a symbol; either because it was
made up of various parts, each of which was contributed by an Apostle, or
because by it, as by a common sign and watchword, they might easily distinguish
deserters from the faith and false brethren unawares brought in, adulterating
the word of God, from those who had truly bound themselves by oath to serve
under the banner of Christ.
Division Of The Creed
Christianity proposes to the faithful many
truths which, either separately or in general, must be held with an assured and
firm faith. Among these what must first and necessarily be believed by all is
that which God Himself has taught us as the foundation and summary of truth
concerning the unity of the Divine Essence, the distinction of Three Persons,
and the actions which are peculiarly attributed to each. The pastor should
teach that the Apostles, Creed briefly comprehends the doctrine of this
mystery.
For, as has been observed by our predecessors
in the faith, who have treated this subject with great piety and accuracy, the
Creed seems to be divided into three principal parts: one describing the First
Person of the Divine Nature, and the stupendous work of the creation; another,
the Second Person, and the mystery of man's redemption; a third, the Third
Person, the head and source of our sanctification; the whole being expressed in
various and most appropriate propositions. These propositions are called
Articles, from a comparison frequently used by the Fathers; for as the members
of the body are divided by joints (articuli), so in this profession of faith,
whatever is to be believed distinctly and separately from anything else is
rightly and suitably called an Article.
ARTICLE
I : "I BELIEVE IN GOD, THE FATHER ALMIGHTY, CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND
EARTH"
Meaning Of This Article
The meaning of the above words is this: I
believe with certainty, and without a shadow of doubt profess my belief in God
the Father, the First Person of the Trinity, who by His omnipotence created
from nothing and preserves and governs the heavens and the earth and all things
which they contain; and not only do I believe in Him from my heart and profess
this belief with my lips, but with the greatest ardour and piety I tend towards
Him, as the supreme and most perfect good.
Let this serve as a brief summary of this
first Article. But since great mysteries lie concealed under almost every word,
the pastor must now give them a more careful consideration, in order that, as
far as God has permitted, the faithful may approach, with fear and trembling,
to contemplate the glory of His majesty.
"I Believe"
The word believe does not here mean to think,
to suppose, lo be of opinion; but, as the Sacred Scriptures teach, it expresses
the deepest conviction, by which the mind gives a firm and unhesitating assent
to God revealing His mysterious truths. As far, therefore, as regards use of
the word here, he who firmly and without hesitation is convinced of anything is
said to believe.
Faith Excludes Doubt
The knowledge derived through faith must not
be considered less certain because its objects are not seen; for the divine
light by which we know them, although it does not render them evident, yet
suffers us not to doubt them. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of
darkness, hath himself shone in our hearts, that the gospel be not hidden to
us, as to those that perish.
Faith Excludes Curiosity
From what has been said it follows that he
who is gifted with this heavenly knowledge of faith is free from an inquisitive
curiosity. For when God commands us to believe He does not propose to us to
search into His divine judgments, or inquire into their reason and cause, but
demands an unchangeable faith, by which the mind rests content in the knowledge
of eternal truth. And indeed, since we have the testimony of the Apostle that
God is true; and every man a liar, and since it would argue arrogance and
presumption to disbelieve the word of a grave and sensible man affirming
anything as true, and to demand that he prove his statements by arguments or
witnesses, how rash and foolish are those, who, hearing the words of God
Himself, demand reasons for His heavenly and saving doctrines? Faith,
therefore, must exclude not only all doubt, but all desire for demonstration.
Faith Requires Open Profession
The pastor should also teach that he who
says, I believe, besides declaring the inward assent of the mind, which is an
internal act of faith, should also openly profess and with alacrity acknowledge
and proclaim what he inwardly and in his heart believes. For the faithful
should be animated by the same spirit that spoke by the lips of the Prophet
when he said: I believe; and therefore did I speak, and should follow the
example of the Apostles who replied to the princes of the people: We cannot but
speak the things which we have seen and heard. They should be encouraged by
these noble words of St. Paul: I am not ashamed of the gospel. For it is the
power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; and likewise by those
other words; in which the truth of this doctrine is expressly confirmed: With
the heart we believe unto justice; but with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation.
"In God"
From these words we may learn how exalted are
the dignity and excellence of Christian wisdom, and what a debt of gratitude we
owe to the divine goodness. For to us it is given at once to mount as by the
steps of faith to the knowledge of what is most sublime and desirable.
Knowledge Of God More Easily Obtained
Through Faith Than Through Reason
There is a great difference between Christian
philosophy and human wisdom. The latter, guided solely by the light of nature,
advances slowly by reasoning on sensible objects and effects, and only after
long and laborious investigation is it able at length to contemplate with
difficulty the invisible things of God, to discover and understand a First
Cause and Author of all things. Christian philosophy, on the contrary, so
quickens the human mind that without difficulty it pierces the heavens, and,
illumined with divine light, contemplates first, the eternal source of light,
and in its radiance all created things: so that we experience with the utmost
pleasure of mind that we have been called, as the Prince of the Apostles says,
out of darkness into his admirable light, and believing we rejoice with joy
unspeakable.
Justly, therefore, do the faithful profess
first to believe in God, whose majesty, with the Prophet Jeremias, we declare
incomprehensible. For, as the Apostle says, He dwells in light inaccessible,
which no man hath seen, nor can see; as God Himself, speaking to Moses, said:
No man shall see my face and live. The mind cannot rise to the contemplation of
the Deity, whom nothing approaches in sublimity, unless it be entirely
disengaged from the senses, and of this in the present life we art naturally
incapable.
Knowledge Of God Obtained Through Faith Is
Clearer
But while this is so, yet God, as the Apostle
says, left not himself without testimony, doing good from heaven, giving rains
and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. Hence it is
that the philosophers conceived no mean idea of the Divinity, ascribed to Him
nothing corporeal, gross or composite. They considered Him the perfection and
fullness of all good, from whom, as from an eternal, inexhaustible fountain of
goodness and benignity, flows every perfect gift to all creatures. They called
Him the wise, the author and lover of truth, the just, the most beneficent, and
gave Him also many other appellations expressive of supreme and absolute
perfection. They recognised that His immense and infinite power fills every
place and extends to all things
These truths the Sacred Scriptures express
far better and much more clearly, as in the following passages: God is a
spirit; Be ye perfect, even as also your heavenly Father is perfect; All things
are naked and open to his eyes; O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of
the knowledge of God! God is true; I am the way, the truth, and the life; Thy
right hand is full of justice; Thou openest thy hand, and fillest with blessing
every living creature; and finally: Whither shall go from thy spirit? or
whither shall I flee from thy face? If I ascend into heaven, thou art there; if
I descend into hell, thou art there. If I take my wings early in the morning,
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, etc., and Do I not fill heaven and
earth, saith the Lord?
Knowledge Of God Obtained Through Faith Is
More Certain
These great and sublime truths regarding the
nature of God, which are in full accord with Scripture, the philosophers were
able to learn from an investigation of God's works. But even here we see the
necessity of divine revelation if we reflect that not only does faith, as we
have already observed, make known clearly and at once to the rude and
unlettered, those truths which only the learned could discover, and that by
long study; but also that the knowledge obtained through faith is much more
certain and more secure against error than if it were the result of
philosophical inquiry.
Knowledge Of God Obtained Through Faith Is
More Ample And Exalted
But how much more exalted must not that
knowledge of the Deity be considered, which cannot be acquired in common by all
from the contemplation of nature, but is peculiar to those who are illumined by
the light of faith ?
This knowledge is contained in the Articles
of the Creed, which disclose to us the unity of the Divine Essence and the
distinction of Three Persons, and show also that God Himself is the ultimate
end of our being, from whom we are to expect the enjoyment of the eternal
happiness of heaven, according to the words of St. Paul: God is a rewarder of
them that seek Him. How great are these rewards, and whether they are such that
human knowledge could aspire to their attainment, we learn from these words of
Isaias uttered long before those of the Apostle: From the beginning of the
world they have not heard, nor perceived with the ears: the eye hath not seen
besides thee, O God, what things thou hast prepared for them that wait for
thee.
The Unity Of Nature In God
From what is said it must also be confessed
that there is but one God, not many gods. For we attribute to God supreme
goodness and infinite perfection, and it is impossible that what? is supreme
and most perfect could be common to many. If a being lack anything that
constitutes supreme perfection, it is therefore imperfect and cannot have the
nature of God.
The unity of God is also proved from many
passages of Sacred Scripture. It is written: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God
is one Lord; again the Lord commands: Thou shalt not have strange gods before
me; and further He often admonishes us by the Prophet: I am the first, and I am
the last, and besides me there is no God. The Apostle also openly declares: One
Lord, one faith, one baptism.
It should not, however, excite our surprise
if the Sacred Scriptures sometimes give the name of God to creatures. For when
they call the Prophets and judges gods, they do not speak according to the
manner of the Gentiles, who, in their folly and impiety, formed to themselves
many gods; but express, by a manner of speaking then in use, some eminent
quality or function conferred on such persons by the gift of God.
The Trinity Of Persons In God
The Christian faith, therefore, believes and
professes, as is declared in the Nicene Creed in confirmation of this truth,
that God in His Nature, Substance and Essence is one.- But soaring still
higher, it so understands Him to be one that it adores unity in trinity and
trinity in unity. Of this mystery we now proceed to speak, as it comes next in
order in the Creed.
"The Father"
As God is called Father for more reasons than
one, we must first determine the more appropriate sense in which the word is
used in the present instance.
God Is Called Father Because He Is Creator
And Ruler
Even some on whose darkness the light of
faith never shone conceived God to be an eternal substance from whom all things
have their beginning, and by whose Providence they are governed and preserved
in their order and state of existence. Since, therefore, he to whom a family
owes its origin and by whose wisdom
derived from human things these persons gave
the name Father to God, whom they acknowledge to be the Creator and Governor of
the universe. The Sacred Scriptures also, when they wish to show that to God
must be ascribed the creation of all things, supreme power and admirable
Providence, make use of the same name. Thus we read: Is not he thy Father, that
hath possessed thee, and made thee and created thee? And: Have we not all one
Father? hath not one God created us?
God Is Called Father Because He Adopts
Christians Through Grace
But God, particularly in the New Testament,
is much more frequently, and in some sense peculiarly, called the Father of
Christians, who have not received the spirit of bondage again in fear; but have
received the spirit of adoption of sons (of God), whereby they cry: Abba
(Father). For the Father hath bestowed upon us that manner of charity that we
should be called, and be the sons of God, and if sons, heirs also; heirs indeed
of God, and joint-heirs with Christ, who is the first-born amongst many
brethren, and is not ashamed to call us brethren. Whether, therefore, we look
to the common title of creation and Providence, or to the special one of
spiritual adoption, rightly do the faithful profess their belief that God is
their Father.
The Name Father Also Discloses The
Plurality Of Persons In God
But the pastor should teach that on hearing
the word Father, besides the ideas already unfolded, the mind should rise to
more exalted mysteries. Under the name Father, the divine oracles begin to
unveil to us a mysterious truth which is more abstruse and more deeply hidden
in that inaccessible light in which God dwells, and which human reason and
understanding could not attain to, nor even conjecture to exist.
This name implies that in the one Essence of
the Godhead is proposed to our belief, not only one Person, but a distinction
of persons; for in one Divine Nature there are Three Persons-the Father,
begotten of none; the Son, begotten of the Father before all ages; the Holy
Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the likewise, from all eternity
The Doctrine Of The Trinity
In the one Substance of the Divinity the
Father is the First Person, who with His Only-begotten Son, and the Holy Ghost,
is one God and one Lord, not in the singularity of one Person, but in the
trinity of one Substance. These Three Persons, since it would be impiety to
assert that they are unlike or unequal in any thing, are understood to be
distinct only in their respective properties. For the Father is unbegotten, the
Son begotten of the Father, and the Holy Ghost proceeds from both. Thus we
acknowledge the Essence and the Substance of the Three Persons to be the same
in such wise that we believe that in confessing the true and eternal God we are
piously and religiously to adore distinction in the Persons, unity in the
Essence, and equality in the Trinity.
Hence, when we say that the Father is the
First Person, we are not to be understood to mean that in the Trinity there is
anything first or last, greater or less. Let none of the faithful be guilty of
such impiety, for the Christian religion proclaims the same eternity, the same
majesty of glory in the Three Persons. But since the Father is the Beginning without
a beginning, we truly and unhesitatingly affirm that He is the First Person,
and as He is distinct from the Others by His peculiar relation of paternity, so
of Him alone is it true that He begot the Son from eternity. For when in the
Creed we pronounce together the words God and Father, it means that He was
always both God and Father.
Practical Admonitions Concerning The
Mystery Of The Trinity
Since nowhere is a too curious inquiry more
dangerous, or error more fatal, than in the knowledge and exposition of this,
the most profound and difficult of mysteries, let the pastor teach that the
terms nature and person used to express this mystery should be most
scrupulously retained; and let the faithful know that unity belongs to essence,
and distinction to persons.
But these are truths which should not be made
the subject of too subtle investigation, when we recollect that he who is a
searcher of majesty shall be overwhelmed by glory. We should be satisfied with
the assurance and certitude which faith gives us that we have been taught these
truths by God Himself, to doubt whose word is the extreme of folly and misery.
He has said: Teach ye all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; and again, there are three who give
testimony in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and these three
are one.
Let him, however, who by the divine bounty
believes these truths, constantly beseech and implore God and the Father, who
made all things out of nothing, and ordereth an things sweetly, who gave us
power to become the sons of God, and who made known to the human mind the
mystery of the Trinity -- let him, I say, pray unceasingly that, admitted one
day into the eternal tabernacles, he may be worthy to see how great is the
fecundity of the Father, who contemplating and understanding Himself, begot the
Son like and equal to Himself, how a love of charity in both, entirely the same
and equal, which is the Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son,
connects the begetter and the begotten by an eternal and indissoluble bond; and
that thus the Essence of the Trinity is one and the distinction of the Three
Persons perfect.
"Almighty"
The Sacred Scriptures, in order to mark the
piety and devotion with which the most holy name of God is to be adored,
usually express His supreme power and infinite majesty in a variety of ways;
but the pastor should, first of all, teach that almighty power is most
frequently attributed to Him. Thus He says of Himself: I am the almighty Lord
and again, Jacob when sending his sons to Joseph thus prayed for them: May my
almighty God make him favourable to you. In the Apocalypse also it is written:
The Lord God, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the almighty; and in
another place the last day is called the great day of the almighty God.
Sometimes the same attribute is expressed in many words; thus: No word shall be
impossible with God; Is the hand of the Lord unable? Thy power is at hand when
thou wiIt, and so on.
Meaning Of The Term Almighty"
From these various modes of expression it is
clearly perceived what is comprehended under this single word almighty. By it
we understand that there neither exists nor can be conceived in thought or
imagination anything which God cannot do. For not only can He annihilate all
created things, and in a moment summon from nothing into existence many other
worlds, an exercise of power which, however great, comes in some degree within
our comprehension; but He can do many things still greater, of which the human
mind can form no conception.
But though God can do all things, yet He
cannot lie, or deceive, or be deceived; He cannot sin, or cease to exist, or be
ignorant of anything. These defects are compatible with those beings only whose
actions are imperfect; but God, whose acts are always most perfect, is said to
be incapable of such things, simply because the capability of doing them
implies weakness, not the supreme and infinite power over all things which God
possesses. Thus we so believe God to be omnipotent that we exclude from Him
entirely all that is not intimately connected and consistent with the
perfection of His nature.
Why Omnipotence Alone Is Mentioned In The:
Creed
The pastor should point out the propriety and
wisdom of having omitted all other names of God in the Creed, and of having
proposed to us only that of almighty as the object of our belief. For by
acknowledging God to be omnipotent, we also of necessity acknowledge Him to be
omniscient, and to hold all things in subjection to His supreme authority and
dominion. When we do not doubt that He is omnipotent, we must be also convinced
of everything else regarding Him, the absence of which would render His
omnipotence altogether unintelligible.
Besides, nothing tends more to confirm our
faith and animate our hope than a deep conviction that all things are possible
to God; for whatever may be afterwards proposed as an object of faith, however
great, however wonderful, however raised above the natural order, is easily and
without hesitation believed, once the mind has grasped the knowledge of the
omnipotence of God. Nay more, the greater the truths which the divine oracles
announce, the more willingly does the mind deem them worthy of belief. And
should we expect any favour from heaven, we are not discouraged by the
greatness of the desired benefit, but are cheered and confirmed by frequently
considering that there is nothing which an omnipotent God cannot effect.
Advantages Of Faith In God’s Omnipotence
With this faith, then, we should be specially
fortified whenever we are required to render any extraordinary service to our
neighbour or seek to obtain by prayer any favour from God. Its necessity in the
one case we learn from the Lord Himself, who, when rebuking the incredulity of
the Apostles, said: If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say
to this mountain: Remove from hence thither, and it shall remove; and nothing
shall be impossible to you; and in the other case, from these words of St.
James: Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a
wave of the sea, which is moved and carried about by the wind. Therefore let
not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
This faith brings with it also many
advantages and helps. It forms us, in the first place, to all humility and
lowliness of mind, according to these words of the Prince of the Apostles: Be
you humbled therefore under the mighty hand of God. It also teaches us not to
fear where there is no cause of fear, but to fear God alone, in whose power we
ourselves and all that we have are placed; for our Saviour says: I will shew
you whom you shall fear; fear ye him, who after he hath killed, hath power to
cast into hell. This faith is also useful to enable us to know and exalt the infinite
mercies of God towards us. For he who reflects on the omnipotence of God,
cannot be so ungrateful as not frequently to exclaim: He that is mighty, hath
done great things to me.
Not Three Almighties But One Almighty
When, however, in this Article we call the
Father almighty, let no one be led into the error of thinking that this
attribute is so ascribed to Him as not to belong also to the Son and the Holy
Ghost. As we say the Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Ghost is God, and
yet there are not three Gods but one God; so in like manner we confess that the
Father is almighty, the Son almighty, and the Holy Ghost almighty, and yet
there are not three almighties but one almighty.
The Father, in particular, we call almighty,
because He is the Source of all being; as we also attribute wisdom to the Son,
because He is the eternal Word of the Father; and goodness to the Holy Ghost,
because He is the love of both. These, however, and similar appellations, may
be given indiscriminately to the Three Persons, according to the teaching of
Catholic faith.
"Creator"
The necessity of having previously imparted
to the faithful a knowledge of the omnipotence of God will appear from what we
are now about to explain with regard to the creation of the world. The wondrous
production of so stupendous a work is more easily believed when all doubt
concerning the immense power of the Creator has been removed.
For God formed the world not from materials
of any sort, but created it from nothing, and that not by constraint or
necessity, but spontaneously, and of His own free will. Nor was He impelled to
create by any other cause than a desire to communicate His goodness to
creatures. Being essentially happy in Himself He stands not in need of
anything, as David expresses it: I have said to the Lord, thou art my God, for
thou hast no need of my goods.
As it was His own goodness that influenced
Him when He did all things whatsoever He would, so in the work of creation He
followed no external form or model; but contemplating, and as it were
imitating, the universal model contained in the divine intelligence, the
supreme Architect, with infinite wisdom and power-attributes peculiar to the
Divinity -- created all things in the be ginning. He spoke and they were made:
he commanded and they were created.
"Of Heaven and Earth"
The words heaven and earth include all things
which the heaven's and the earth contain; for besides the heavens, which the
Prophet has called the works of his fingers, He also gave to the sun its
brilliancy, and to the moon and stars their beauty; and that they might be for
signs, and for seasons, and for days and years. He so ordered the celestial
bodies in a certain and uniform course, that nothing varies more than their
continual revolution, while nothing is more fixed than their variety.
Creation Of The World Of Spirits
Moreover, He created out of nothing the
spiritual world and Angels innumerable to serve and minister to Him; and these
He enriched and adorned with the admirable gifts of His grace and power.
That the devil and the other rebel angels
were gifted from the beginning of their creation with grace, clearly follows
from these words of the Sacred Scriptures: He (the devil) stood not in the
truth. On this subject St. Augustine says: In creating the Angels He endowed
them with good will, that is, with pure love that they might adhere to Him,
giving them existence and adorning them with grace at one and the same time.
Hence we are to believe that the holy Angels were never without good will, that
is, the love of God.
As to their knowledge we have this testimony
of Holy Scripture: Thou, my Lord, O king, art wise, according to the wisdom of
an angel of God, to understand all things upon earth.' Finally, the inspired
David ascribes power to them, saying that they are mighty in strength, and
execute his word; and on this account they are often called in Scripture the
powers and the armies of the Lord.
But although they were all endowed with
celestial gifts, very many, having rebelled against God, their Father and
Creator, were hurled from those high mansions of bliss, and shut up in the
darkest dungeon of earth, there to suffer for eternity the punishment of their
pride. Speaking of them the Prince of the Apostles says: God spared not the
angels that sinned, but delivered them, drawn by infernal ropes to the lower
hell, unto torments, to be reserved unto judgment.
Formation Of The Universe
The earth also God commanded to stand in the
midst of the world, rooted in its own foundation, and made the mountains
ascend, and the plains descend into the place which he had founded for them.
That the waters should not inundate the earth, He set a bound which they shall
not pass over; neither shall they return to cover the earth. He next not only
clothed and adorned it with trees and every variety of plant and flower, but
filled it, as He had already filled the air and water, with innumerable kinds
of living creatures.
Production Of Man
Lastly, He formed man from the slime of the
earth, so created and constituted in body as to be immortal and impassible,
not, however, by the strength of nature, but by the bounty of God. Man's soul
He created to His own image and likeness; gifted him with free will, and
tempered all his motions and appetites so as to subject them, at all times, to
the dictates of reason. He then added the admirable gift of original
righteousness, and next gave him dominion over all other animals. By referring
to the sacred history of Genesis the pastor will easily make himself familiar
with these things for the instruction of the faithful.
"Of all Things Visible and
Invisible"
What we have said, then, of the creation of
the universe is to be understood as conveyed by the words heaven and earth, and
is thus briefly set forth by the Prophet: Thine are the heavens, and thine is
the earth: the world and the fullness thereof thou hast founded. Still more
briefly the Fathers of the Council of Nice expressed this truth by adding in
their Creed these words: of all things visible and invisible. Whatever exists
in the universe, whatever we confess to have been created by God, either falls
under the senses and is included in the word visible, or is an object of mental
perception and intelligence and is expressed by the word invisible.
God Preserves, Rules And Moves All Created
Things
We are not, however, to understand that God
is in such wise the Creator and Maker of all things that His works, when once
created and finished, could thereafter continue to exist unsupported by His
omnipotence. For as all things derive existence from the Creator's supreme
power, wisdom, and goodness, so unless preserved continually by His Providence,
and by the same power which produced them, they would instantly return into
their nothingness. This the Scriptures declare when they say: How could
anything endure if thou wouldst not? or be preserved, if not called by thee?
Not only does God protect and govern all
things by His Providence, but He also by an internal power impels to motion and
action whatever moves and acts, and this in such a manner that, although He
excludes not, He yet precedes the agency of secondary causes. For His invisible
influence extends to all things, and, as the Wise Man says, reaches from end to
end mightily, and ordereth all things sweetly. This is the reason why the
Apostle, announcing to the Athenians the God whom, not knowing, they adored,
said: He is not far from every one of us: for in him we live, and move, and
are.
Creation Is The Work Of The Three Persons
Let so much suffice for the explanation of
the first Article of the Creed. It may not be superfluous, however, to add that
creation is the common work of the Three Persons of the Holy and undivided
Trinity, -- of the Father, whom according to the doctrine of the Apostles we
here declare to be Creator of heaven and earth; of the Son, of whom the
Scripture says, all things were made by him; and of the Holy Ghost, of whom it
is written: The spirit of God moved over the waters, and again, By the word of
the Lord the heavens were established; and all the power of them by the spirit
of his mouth.
ARTICLE
II : "AND IN JESUS CHRIST, HIS ONLY SON, OUR LORD"
Advantages Of Faith In This Article
That wonderful and superabundant are the
blessings which flow to the human race from the belief and profession of this
Article we learn from these words of St. John: Whosoever shall confess that
Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in him, and he in God; and also from the
words of Christ the Lord, proclaiming the Prince of the Apostles blessed for
the confession of this truth: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: for flesh and
blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven. For this
Article is the most firm basis of our salvation and redemption.
But as the fruit of these admirable blessings
is best known by considering the ruin brought on man by his fall from that most
happy state in which God had placed our first parents, let the pastor be
particularly careful to make known to the faithful the cause of this common
misery and calamity.
When Adam had departed from the obedience due
to God and had violated the prohibition, of every tree of paradise thou shalt
eat: But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat, for in
what day soever thou shalt eat of it, thou shalt die the death, he fell into
the extreme misery of losing the sanctity and righteousness in which he had
been placed, and of becoming subject to all those other evils which have been
explained more fully by the holy Council of Trent.
Wherefore, the pastor should not omit to
remind the faithful that the guilt and punishment of original sin were not
confined to Adam, but justly descended from him, as from their source and
cause, to all posterity. The human race, having fallen from its elevated
dignity, no power of men or Angels could raise it from its fallen condition and
replace it in its primitive state. To remedy the evil and repair the loss it
became necessary that the Son of God, whose power is infinite, clothed in the
weakness of our flesh, should remove the infinite weight of sin and reconcile
us to God in His blood.
Necessity Of Faith In This Article
The belief and profession of this our
redemption, which God declared from the beginning, are now, and always have
been, necessary to salvation. In the sentence of condemnation pronounced
against the human race immediately after the sin of Adam the hope of redemption
was held out in these words, which announced to the devil the loss he was to
sustain by man's redemption: I will put enmities between thee and the woman,
and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait
f or her heel.
The same promise God again often confirmed
and more distinctly manifested to those chiefly whom He desired to make special
objects of His favour; among others to the Patriarch Abraham, to whom He often
declared this mystery, but more explicitly when, in obedience to His command,
Abraham was prepared to sacrifice his only son Isaac. Because, said God, thou
hast done this thing, and hast not spared thy only-begotten son f or my sake; I
win bless thee, and I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the
sand that is by the sea shore. Thy seed shall possess the gates of their
enemies, and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because
thou hast obeyed my voice. From these words it was easy to infer that He who
was to deliver mankind from the ruthless tyranny of Satan was to be descended
from Abraham; and that while He was the Son of God, He was to be born of the
seed of Abraham according to the flesh.
Not long after, to preserve the memory of
this promise, God renewed the same covenant with Jacob, the grandson of
Abraham. When in a vision Jacob saw a ladder standing on earth, and its top
reaching to heaven, and the angels of God ascending and descending by it, as
the Scriptures testify, he also heard the Lord, who was leaning on the ladder,
say to him: I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac; the
land, wherein thou sleepest, I will give to thee and to thy seed. And thy seed
shall be as the dust of the earth. Thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to
the east, and to the north, and to the south; and in thee and thy seed all the
nations of the earth shall be blessed.
Nor did God cease afterwards to excite in the
posterity of Abraham and in many others, the expectation of a Saviour, by
renewing the recollection of the same promise; for after the establishment of
the Jewish State and religion it became better known to His people. Types
signified and men foretold what and how great blessings the Saviour and
Redeemer, Christ Jesus, was to bring to mankind. And indeed the Prophets, whose
minds were illuminated with light from above, foretold the birth of the Son of
God, the wondrous works which He wrought while on earth, His doctrine,
character, life, death, Resurrection, and the other mysterious circumstances
regarding Him, and all these they announced to the people as graphically as if
they were passing before their eyes. With the exception that one has reference
to the future and the other to the past, we can discover no difference between
the predictions of the Prophets and the preaching of the Apostles, between the
faith of the ancient Patriarchs and that of Christians.
But we are now to speak of the several parts
of this Article.
"Jesus"
Jesus is the proper name of the God-man and
signifies Saviour: a name given Him not accidentally, or by the judgment or
will of man, but by the counsel and command of God. For the Angel announced to
Mary His mother: Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth
a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus. He afterwards not only commanded
Joseph, who was espoused to the Virgin, to call the child by that name, but
also declared the reason why He should be so called. Joseph, son of David, said
the Angel, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is
conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son and thou
shalt call his name Jesus. For he shall save his people from their sins.
In the Sacred Scriptures we meet with many
who were called by this name. So, for example, was called the son of Nave, who
succeeded Moses, and, by special privilege denied to Moses, conducted into the
land of promise the people whom Moses had delivered from Egypt; and also the
son of Josedech, the priest. But how much more appropriate it is to call by
this name our Saviour, who gave light, liberty and salvation, not to one people
only, but to all men, of all ages to men oppressed, not by famine, or Egyptian
or Babylonian bondage, but sitting in the shadow of death and fettered by the
galling chains of sin and of the devil who purchased for them a right to the
inheritance of heaven and reconciled them to God the Father! In those men who
were designated by the same name we see foreshadowed Christ the Lord, by whom
the blessings just enumerated were poured out on the human race.
All other names which according to prophecy
were to be given by divine appointment to the Son of God, are comprised in this
one name Jesus; for while they partially signified the salvation which He was
to bestow upon us, this name included the force and meaning of all human
salvation.
"Christ"
To the name Jesus is added that of Christ,
which signifies the anointed. This name is expressive of honour and office, and
is not peculiar to one thing only, but common to many; for in the Old Law
priests and kings, whom God, on account of the dignity of their office,
commanded to he anointed, were called christs. For priests commend the people
to God by unceasing prayer, offer sacrifice to Him, and turn away His wrath
from mankind. Kings are entrusted with the government of the people; and to
them principally belong the authority of the law, the protection of innocence
and the punishment of guilt. As, therefore, both these functions seem to
represent the majesty of God on earth, those who were appointed to the royal or
sacerdotal office were anointed with oil. Furthermore, since Prophets, as the
interpreters and ambassadors of the immortal God, have unfolded to us the
secrets of heaven and by salutary precepts and the prediction of future events
have exhorted to amendment of life, it was customary to anoint them also.
When Jesus Christ our Saviour came into the
world, He assumed these three characters of Prophet, Priest and King, and was
therefore called Christ, having been anointed for the discharge of these
functions, not by mortal hand or with earthly ointment, but by the power of His
heavenly Father and with a spiritual oil; for the plenitude of the Holy Spirit
and a more copious effusion of all gifts than any other created being is
capable of receiving were poured into His soul. This the Prophet clearly
indicates when he addresses the Redeemer in these words: Thou hast loved
justice, and hated iniquity: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with
the oil of gladness above thy fellows. The same is also more explicitly
declared by the Prophet Isaias: The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the
Lord hath anointed me: he hath sent me to preach to the meek.
Jesus Christ, therefore, was the great
Prophet and Teacher, from whom we have learned the will of God and by whom the
world has been taught the knowledge of the heavenly Father. The name prophet
belongs to Him preeminently, because all others who were dignified with that
name were His disciples, sent principally to announce the coming of that
Prophet who was to save all men.
Christ was also a Priest, not indeed of the
same order as were the priests of the tribe of Levi in the Old Law, but of that
of which the Prophet David sang: Thou art a priest for ever according to the
order of Melchisedech. This subject the Apostle fully and accurately develops
in his Epistle to the Hebrews.
Christ not only as God, but also as man and
partaker of our nature, we acknowledge to be a King. Of Him the Angel
testified: He shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever. And of his kingdom
there shall be no end. This kingdom of Christ is spiritual and eternal, begun
on earth but perfected in heaven. He discharges by His admirable Providence the
duties of King towards His Church, governing and protecting her against the
assaults and snares of her enemies, legislating for her and imparting to her
not only holiness and righteousness, but also the power and strength to
persevere. But although the good and the bad are found within the limits of
this kingdom, and thus all men by right belong to it, yet those who in
conformity with His commands lead unsullied and innocent lives, experience beyond
all others the sovereign goodness and beneficence of our King. Although
descended from the most illustrious race of kings, He obtained this kingdom not
by hereditary or other human right, but because God bestowed on Him as man all
the power, dignity and majesty of which human nature is capable. To Him,
therefore, God delivered the government of the whole world, and to this His
sovereignty, which has already commenced, all things shall be made fully and
entirely subject on the day of judgment.
"His Only Son"
In these words, mysteries more exalted with
regard to Jesus are proposed to the faithful as objects of their belief and
contemplation; namely, that He is the Son of God, and true God, like the Father
who begot Him from eternity. We also confess that He is the Second Person of
the Blessed Trinity, equal in all things to the Father and the Holy Ghost; for
in the Divine Persons nothing unequal or unlike should exist, or even be
imagined to exist, since we acknowledge the essence, will and power of all to
be one. This truth is both clearly revealed in many passages of Holy Scripture
and sublimely announced in the testimony of St. John: In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
But when we are told that Jesus is the Son of
God, we are not to understand anything earthly or mortal in His birth; but are
firmly to believe and piously to adore that birth by which, from all eternity,
the Father begot the Son, a mystery which reason cannot fully conceive or
comprehend, and at the contemplation of which, overwhelmed, as it were, with
admiration, we should exclaim with the Prophet: Who shall declare his
generation? On this point, then, we are to believe that the Son is of the same
nature, of the same power and wisdom, with the Father, as we more fully profess
in these words of the Nicene Creed: And in one Lord Jesus Christ, his
Only-begotten Son, born of the Father before all ages, God of God, light of
light, true God of true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial to the Father, by
whom all things were made.
Among the different comparisons employed to
elucidate the mode and manner of this eternal generation that which is borrowed
from the production of thought in our mind seems to come nearest to its
illustration, and hence St. John calls the Son the Word. For as our mind, in
some sort understanding itself, forms an image of itself, which theologians
express by the term word, so God, as far as we may compare human things to
divine, understanding Himself, begets the eternal Word. It is better, however,
to contemplate what faith proposes, and in the sincerity of our souls to
believe and confess that Jesus Christ is true God and true Man, as God,
begotten of the Father before all ages, as Man, born in time of Mary, His
Virgin Mother.
While we thus acknowledge His twofold
Nativity; we believe Him to be one Son, because His divine and human natures
meet in one Person. As to His divine generation He has no brethren or coheirs,
being the Only-begotten Son of the Father, while we mortals are the work of His
hands. But if we consider His birth as man, He not only calls many by the name
of brethren, but treats them as such, since He admits them to share with Him
the glory of His paternal inheritance. They are those who by faith have
received Christ the Lord, and who really, and by works of charity, show forth
the faith which they profess in words. Hence the Apostle calls Christ, the
first-born amongst many brethren.
"Our Lord"
Of our Saviour many things are recorded in
Sacred Scripture. Some of these, it is evident, apply to Him as God and some as
man, because from His two natures He received the different properties which
belong to both. Hence we say with truth that Christ is Almighty, Eternal,
Infinite, and these attributes He has from His Divine Nature; again, we say of
Him that He suffered, died, and rose again, which are properties manifestly
that belong to His human nature.
Besides these terms, there are others common
to both natures; as when in this Article of the Creed we say our Lord. If,
then, this name applies to both natures, rightly is He to be called our Lord.
For as He, as well as the Father, is the eternal God, so is He Lord of all
things equally with the Father; and as He and the Father are not the one, one
God, and the other, another God, but one and the same God, so likewise He and
the Father are not the one, one Lord, and the other, another Lord.
As man, He is also for many reasons
appropriately called our Lord. First, because He is our Redeemer, who delivered
us from sin, He deservedly acquired the power by which He truly is and is
called our Lord. This is the doctrine of the Apostle:
He humbled himself,
becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross. For which cause
God also hath exalted him, and hath given him a name which is above all names:
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those that are in heaven,
on earth, and under the earth: and that every tongue should confess that the
Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father. And of Himself He said,
after His Resurrection: All power is given to me in heaven and in earth.
He is also called Lord because in one Person
both natures, the human and the divine, are united; and even though He had not
died for us, He would have yet deserved, by this admirable union, to be
constituted common Lord of all created things, particularly of the faithful who
obey and serve Him with all the fervour of their souls.
Duties Owed To Christ Our Lord
It remains, therefore, that the pastor remind
the faithful that: from Christ we take our name and are called Christians; that
we cannot be ignorant of the extent of His favours, particularly since by His
gift of faith we are enabled to understand all these things. We, above all
others, are under the obligation of devoting and consecrating ourselves
forever, like faithful servants, to our Redeemer and our Lord.
This indeed, we promised at the doors of the
church when about to be baptised; for we then declared that we renounced the
devil and the world, and gave ourselves unreservedly to Jesus Christ. But if to
be enrolled as soldiers of Christ we consecrated ourselves by so holy and
solemn a profession to our Lord, what punishments should we not deserve if after
our entrance into the Church, and after having known the will and laws of God
and received the grace of the Sacraments, we were to form our lives upon the
precepts and maxims of the world and the devil, just as though when cleansed in
the waters of Baptism, we had pledged our fidelity to the world and to the
devil, and not to Christ the Lord and Saviour!
What heart so cold as not to be inflamed with
love by the kindness and good will exercised toward us by so great a Lord, who,
though holding us in His power and dominion as slaves ransomed by His blood,
yet embraces us with such ardent love as to call us not servants, but friends
and brethren? This, assuredly, supplies the most just, and perhaps the
strongest, claim to induce us always to acknowledge, venerate, and adore Him as
our Lord.
ARTICLE
III : "WHO WAS CONCEIVED BY THE HOLY GHOST, BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY"
Importance Of This Article
From what has been said in the preceding
Article, the faithful can understand that in bringing us from the relentless
tyranny of Satan into liberty, God has conferred a singular and surpassing
blessing on the human race. But if we place before our eyes also the plan and
means by which He deigned chiefly to accomplish this, then, indeed, we shall
see that there is nothing more glorious or magnificent than this divine
goodness and beneficence towards us.
First Part of this Article:
"Who was Conceived,'
The pastor, then, should enter on the
exposition of this third Article by developing the grandeur of this mystery, which
the Sacred Scriptures very frequently propose for our consideration as the
principal source of our eternal salvation. Its meaning he should teach to be
that we believe and confess that the same Jesus Christ, our only Lord, the Son
of God, when He assumed human flesh for us in the womb of the Virgin, was not
conceived like other men, from the seed of man, but in a manner transcending
the order of nature, that is, by the power of the Holy Ghost; so that the same
Person, remaining God as He was from eternity, became man, what He was not
before.
That such is the meaning of the above words
is clear from the Creed of the Holy Council of Constantinople, which says: Who
for us men, and for our salvation,, came down from heaven, and became incarnate
by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man. The same truth we also
find unfolded by St. John the Evangelist, who imbibed from the bosom of the
Lord and Saviour Himself the knowledge of this most profound mystery. For when
he had declared the nature of the Divine Word as follows: In the beginning was
the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, he concluded: And
the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.
The Word, which is a Person of the Divine
Nature, assumed human nature in such a manner that there should be one and the
same Person in both the divine and human natures. Hence this admirable union
preserved the actions and properties of both natures; and as Pope St. Leo the
Great said: The lowliness of the inferior nature was not consumed in the glory
of the superior, nor did the assumption of the inferior lessen the glory of the
superior.
"By the Holy Ghost"
As an explanation of the words in which this
Article is expressed is not to be omitted, the pastor should teach that when we
say that the Son of God was conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, we do not
mean that this Person alone of the Holy Trinity accomplished the mystery of the
Incarnation. Although the Son only assumed human nature, yet all the Persons of
the Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, were authors of this
mystery.
It is a principle of Christian faith that
whatever God does outside Himself in creation is common to the Three Persons,
and that one neither does more than, nor acts without another. But that one emanates
from another, this only cannot be common to all; for the Son is begotten of the
Father only, and the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son. Anything,
however, which proceeds from them extrinsically is the work of the Three
Persons without difference of any sort, and of this latter description is the
Incarnation of the Son of God.
Of those things, nevertheless, that are
common to all, the Sacred Scriptures-often attribute some to one person, some
to another. Thus, to the Father they attribute power over all things ; to the
Son, wisdom; to the Holy Ghost, love. Hence, as the mystery of the Incarnation
manifests the singular and boundless love of God towards us, it is therefore in
some sort peculiarly attributed to the Holy Ghost.
In The Incarnation Some Things Were
Natural, Others Supernatural
In this mystery we perceive that some things
were done which transcend the order of nature, some by the power of nature.
Thus, in believing that the body of Christ was formed from the most pure blood
of His Virgin Mother we acknowledge the operation of human nature, this being a
law common to the formation of all human bodies, that they should be formed
from the blood of the mother.
But what surpasses the order of nature and
human comprehension is, that as soon as the Blessed Virgin assented to the
announcement of the Angel in these words, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be
it done unto me according to thy word, the most sacred body of Christ was
immediately formed, and to it was united a rational soul enjoying the use of
reason; and thus in the same instant of time He was perfect God and perfect
man. That this was the astonishing and admirable work of the Holy Ghost cannot
be doubted; for according to the order of nature the rational soul is united to
the body only after a certain lapse of time.
Again -- and this should overwhelm us with
astonishment -- as soon as the soul of Christ was united to His body, the
Divinity became united to both; and thus at the same time His body was formed
and animated, and the Divinity united to body and soul.
Hence, at the same instant He was perfect God
and perfect man, and the most Holy Virgin, having at the same moment conceived
God and man, is truly and properly called Mother of God and man. This the Angel
signified to her when he said: Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and
shalt bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great,
and shall be called the Son of the Most High. The event verified the prophecy
of Isaias: Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son. Elizabeth also
declared the same truth when" being filled with the Holy Ghost, she
understood the Conception of the Son of God, and said: Whence is this to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
As the body of Christ was formed of the pure
blood of the immaculate Virgin without the aid of man, as we have already said,
and by the sole operation of the Holy Ghost, so also, at the moment of His
Conception, His soul was enriched with an overflowing fullness of the Spirit of
God, and a superabundance of all graces. For God gave not to Him, as to others
adorned with holiness and grace, His Spirit by measure, as St. John testifies
but poured into His soul the plenitude of all graces so abundantly that of his
fullness we all have received.
Although possessing that Spirit by which holy
men attain the adoption of sons of God, He cannot, however, be called the
adopted son of God; for since He is the Son of God by nature, the grace, or
name of adoption, can on no account be deemed applicable to Him.
How To Profit By The Mystery Of The
Incarnation
These truths comprise the substance of what
appears to demand explanation regarding the admirable mystery of the
Conception. To reap from them abundant fruit for salvation the faithful should
particularly recall, and frequently reflect, that it is God who assumed human
flesh; that the manner in which He became man exceeds our comprehension, not to
say our powers of expression; and finally, that He vouchsafed to become man in
order that we men might be born again as children of God. When to these
subjects they shall have given mature consideration, let them, in the humility
of faith, believe and adore all the mysteries contained in this Article, and
not indulge a curious inquisitiveness by investigating and scrutinising them --
an attempt scarcely ever unattended with danger.
Second Part Of This Article: "Born Of
The Virgin Mary"
These words comprise another part of this
Article. In its exposition the pastor should exercise considerable diligence,
because the faithful are bound to believe that Jesus the Lord was not only
conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, but was also born of the Virgin Mary.
The words of the Angel who first announced the happy tidings to the world
declare with what joy and delight of soul this mystery of our faith should be
meditated upon. Behold, said the Angel, I bring you good tidings of great
joy" that shall be to all the people. The same sentiments are clearly
conveyed in the song chanted by the heavenly host: Glory to God in the highest;
and on earth peace to men of good will. Then began the fulfilment of the
splendid promise made by God to Abraham" that in his seed all the nations
of the earth should one day be blessed; for Mary" whom we truly proclaim
and venerate as Mother of God, because she brought forth Him who is at once God
and man, was descended from King David.
The Nativity Of Christ Transcends The
Order Of Nature
But as the Conception itself transcends the
order of nature, so also the birth of our Lord presents to our contemplation
nothing but what is divine.
Besides, what is admirable beyond the power
of thoughts or words to express, He is born of His Mother without any
diminution of her maternal virginity, just as He afterwards went forth from the
sepulchre while it was closed and sealed, and entered the room in which His
disciples were assembled, the doors being shut; or, not to depart from
every-day examples, just as the rays of the sun penetrate without breaking or
injuring in the least the solid substance of glass, so after a like but more
exalted manner did Jesus Christ come forth from His mother's womb without
injury to her maternal virginity. This immaculate and perpetual virginity
forms, therefore, the just theme of our eulogy. Such was the work of the Holy
Ghost, who at the Conception and birth of the Son so favoured the Virgin Mother
as to impart to her fecundity while preserving inviolate her perpetual
virginity.
Christ Compared to Adam" Mary to Eve
The Apostle sometimes calls Jesus Christ the
second Adam, and compares Him to the first Adam; for as in the first all men
die, so in the second all are made alive: and as in the natural order Adam was
the father of the human race, so in the supernatural order Christ is The author
of grace and of glory.
The Virgin Mother we may also compare to Eve,
making the second Eve, that is, Mary, correspond to the first, as we have
already shown that the second Adam, that is, Christ, corresponds to the first
Adam. By believing the serpent, Eve brought malediction and death on mankind,
and Mary, by believing the Angel, became the instrument of The divine goodness
in bringing life and benediction to the human race. From Eve we are born
children of wrath; from Mary we have received Jesus Christ, and through Him are
regenerated children of grace. To Eve it was said: In sorrow shalt thou bring
forth children. Mary was exempt from this law, for preserving her virginal
integrity inviolate she brought forth Jesus the Son of God without
experiencing, as we have already said, any sense of pain.
Types and Prophecies of the Conception and
Nativity
The mysteries of this admirable Conception
and Nativity being, therefore, so great and so numerous, it accorded with the
plan of divine Providence to signify them by many types and prophecies. Hence
the holy Fathers understood many things which we meet in the Sacred Scriptures
to refer to these mysteries, particularly that gate of the sanctuary which
Ezechiel saw closed; the stone cut out of the mountain without hands, which became
a great mountain and filled the universe, of which we read in Daniel; the rod
of Aaron, which alone budded of all the rods of the princes of Israel; and the
bush which Moses saw burr without being consumed.'
The holy Evangelist describes in detail the history
of the birth of Christ; but, as the pastor can easily recur to the Sacred
Volume, it is unnecessary for us to say more on the subject.
Lessons which this Article Teaches
The pastor should labor to impress deeply on
the minds and hearts of the faithful these mysteries, which were written for
our learning; first, that by the commemoration of so great a benefit they may
make some return of gratitude to God, its author, and next, in order to place
before their eyes, as a model for imitation, this striking and singular example
of humility.
Humility And Poverty Of Christ
What can be more useful, what better
calculated to subdue the pride and haughtiness of the human heart, than to
reflect frequently that God humbles Himself in such a manner as to assume our
frailty and weakness, in order to communicate to us His glory; that God becomes
man, and that He at whose nod, to use the words of Scripture, the pillars of
heaven tremble and are affrighted bows His supreme and infinite majesty to
minister to man; that He whom the Angels adore in heaven is born on earth !
When such is the goodness of God towards us, what, I ask, should we not do to
testify our obedience to His will? With what willingness and alacrity should we
not love, embrace, and perform all the duties of humility ?
The faithful should also consider the
salutary lessons which Christ at His birth teaches before He begins to speak.
He is born in poverty; He is born a stranger under a roof not His own; He is
born in a lonely crib; He is born in the depth of winter ! For St. Luke writes
as follows: And it came to pass, that when they were there, her days were
accomplished, that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her
first-born, and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger;
because there was no room for them in the inn. Could the Evangelist have
described under more humble terms the majesty and glory that filled the heavens
and the earth ? He does not say, there was no room in the inn, but there was no
room for him who says, the world is mine, and the fullness thereof. As another
Evangelist has expressed it: He came unto his own, and his own received him
not.
Elevation And Dignity Of Man
When the faithful have placed these things
before their eyes, let them also reflect that God condescended to assume the
lowliness and frailty of our flesh in order to exalt man to the highest degree
of dignity. This single reflection, that He who is true and perfect God became
man, supplies sufficient proof of the exalted dignity conferred on the human
race by the divine bounty; since we may now glory that the Son of God is bone
of our bone, and flesh of our flesh, a privilege not given to Angels, for
nowhere, says the Apostle, doth he take hold of the Angels: but of the seed of
Abraham he taketh hold.
Duty Of Spiritual Nativity
We must also take care lest to our great
injury it should happen that just as there was no room for Him in the inn at
Bethlehem, in which to be born, so likewise now, after He has been born in the
flesh, He should find no room in our hearts in which to be born spiritually.
For since He is most desirous of our salvation, this spiritual birth is the
object of His most earnest solicitude.
As, then, by the power of the Holy Ghost, and
in a manner superior to the order of nature, He was made man and was born, was
holy and even holiness itself, so does it become our duty to be born, not of
blood, nor of the will of the flesh, but of God; to walk as new creatures in
newness of spirit, and to preserve that holiness and purity of soul which so
much becomes men regenerated by the Spirit of God. Thus shall we reflect some
faint image of the holy Conception and Nativity of the Son of God, which are
the objects of our firm faith, and believing which we revere and adore the
wisdom of God in a mystery which is hidden.
ARTICLE
IV : "Suffered Under Pontius Pilate, Was Crucified, Dead, And
Buried'"
Importance Of This Article
How necessary is a knowledge of this Article,
and how assiduous the pastor should be in stirring up in the minds of the
faithful the frequent recollection of our Lord's Passion" we learn from
the Apostle when he says that he knows nothing but Jesus Christ and him
crucified.' The pastor, therefore, should exercise the greatest care and pains
in giving a thorough explanation of this subject" in order that the
faithful" being moved by the remembrance of so great a benefit" may
give themselves entirely to the contemplation of the goodness and love of God
towards us.
First Part of this Article:
'"Suffered Under Pontius Pilate, was Crucified,,
The first part of this Article (of the second
we shall treat hereafter) proposes for our belief that when Pontius Pilate
governed the province of Judea" under Tiberius Caesar" Christ the
Lord was nailed to a cross. Having been seized" mocked, outraged and
tortured in various forms" He was finally crucified.
"Suffered,"
It cannot be a matter of doubt that His
soul" as to its inferior part" was sensible of these torments; for as
He really assumed human nature" it is a necessary consequence that He
really, and in His soul, experienced a most acute sense of pain. Hence these
words of the Saviour: My soul is sorrowful even unto death.
Although human nature was united to the Divine
Person, He felt the bitterness of His Passion as acutely as if no such union
had existed" because in the one Person of Jesus Christ were preserved the
properties of both natures" human and divine; and therefore what was
passible and mortal remained passible and mortal; while what was impassible and
immortal, that is, His Divine Nature, continued impassible and immortal.
"Under Pontius Pilate"
Since we find it here so diligently recorded
that Jesus Christ suffered when Pontius Pilate was procurator of Judea, the
pastor should explain the reason. By fixing the time, which we find also done
by the Apostle Paul, so important and so necessary an event is rendered more
easily ascertainable by all. Furthermore those words show that the Saviour's
prediction was really verified: They shall deliver him to the Gentiles, to be
mocked and scourged and crucified.
"Was Crucified"
The fact that He suffered death precisely on
the wood of the cross must also be attributed to a particular counsel of God,
which decreed that life should return by the way whence death had arisen The
serpent who had triumphed over our first parents by the wood (of a tree) was
vanquished by Christ on the wood of the cross.
Many other reasons which the Fathers have
discussed in detail might be adduced to show that it was fit that our Redeemer
should suffer death on the cross rather than in any other way. But, as the
pastor will show" it is enough for the faithful to believe that this kind
of death was chosen by the Saviour because it appeared better adapted and more
appropriate to the redemption of the human race; for there certainly could be
none more ignominious and humiliating. Not only among the Gentiles was the
punishment of the cross held accursed and full of shame and infamy, but even in
the Law of Moses the man is called accursed that hangeth on a tree.
Importance Of The History Of The Passion
Furthermore, the pastor should not omit the
historical part of this Article, which has been so carefully set forth by the
holy Evangelists; so that the faithful may be acquainted with at least the
principal points of this mystery, that is to say, such as seem more necessary
to confirm the truth of our faith. For it is on this Article, as on their
foundation, that the Christian faith and religion rest; and if this truth be
firmly established, all the rest is secure. Indeed, if one thing more than
another presents difficulty to the mind and understanding of man, assuredly it
is the mystery of the cross, which, beyond all doubt, must be considered the
most difficult of all; so much so that only with great difficulty can we grasp
the fact that our salvation depends on the cross, and on Him who for us was
nailed thereon. In this, however, as the Apostle teaches, we may well admire
the wonderful Providence of God; for, seeing that in the wisdom of God, the
world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching,
to save them that believe. It is no wonder, then, that the Prophets, before the
coming of Christ, and the Apostles, after His death and Resurrection, labored
so strenuously to convince mankind that He was the Redeemer of the world, and
to bring them under the power and obedience of the Crucified.
Figures And Prophecies Of The Passion And
Death Of The Saviour
Since, therefore, nothing is so far above the
reach of human reason as the mystery of the cross, the Lord immediately after
the fall ceased not, both by figures and prophecies, to signify the death by
which His Son was to die.
To mention a few of these types. First of
all, Abel, who fell a victim of the envy of his brother, Isaac who was
commanded to be offered in sacrifice, the lamb immolated by the Jews on their
departure from Egypt, and also the brazen serpent lifted up by Moses in the
desert, were all figures of the Passion and death of Christ the Lord.
As to the Prophets, how many there were who
foretold Christ's Passion and death is too well known to require development
here. Not to speak of David, whose Psalms embrace all the principal mysteries
of Redemption, the oracles of Isaias in particular are so clear and graphic
that he might be said rather to have recorded a past than predicted a future
event. a
Second Part Of This Article: "Dead,
And Buried"
Christ Really Died
The pastor should explain that these words
present for our belief that Jesus Christ, after He was crucified, really died
and was buried. It is not without just reason that this is proposed to the
faithful as a separate object of belief, since there were some who denied His
death upon the cross. The Apostles, therefore, were justly of opinion that to
such an error should be opposed the doctrine of faith contained in this
Article, the truth of which is placed beyond the possibility of doubt by the
united testimony of all the Evangelists, who record that Jesus yielded up the
ghost.
Moreover as Christ was true and perfect man,
He of course was capable of dying. Now man dies when the soul is separated from
the body. When, therefore, we say that Jesus died, we mean that His soul was
disunited from His body. We do not admit, however, that the Divinity was
separated from His body. On the contrary, we firmly believe and profess that
when His soul was dissociated from His body, His Divinity continued always
united both to His body in the sepulchre and to His soul in limbo. It became
the Son of God to die, that, through death, he might destroy him who had the
empire of death that is the devil, and might deliver them, who through the fear
of death were all their lifetime subject to servitude.
Christ Died Freely
It was the peculiar privilege of Christ the
Lord to have died when He Himself decreed to die, and to have died not so much
by external violence as by internal assent. Not only His death, but also its
time and place, were ordained by Him. For thus Isaias wrote: He was offered
because it was his own will. The Lord before His Passion, declared the same of
Himself: I lay down my life, that I may take it again. No man taketh it away
from me: but I lay it down of myself, and I have power to lay it down: and I
have power to take it again. As to the time and place of His death, He said,
when Herod insidiously sought His life: Go and tell that fox: Behold I cast out
devils, and do cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third day I am consummated.
Nevertheless I must walk today and to-morrow, and the day following, because it
cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.'' He therefore offered
Himself not involuntarily or by compulsion but of His own free will. Going to
meet His enemies He said: I am he; and all the punishments which injustice and
cruelty inflicted on Him He endured voluntarily.
The Thought Of Christ's Death Should
Excite Our Love And Gratitude
When we meditate on the sufferings and all
the torments of the Redeemer, nothing is better calculated to stir our souls
than the thought that He endured them thus voluntarily. Were anyone to endure
all kinds of suffering for our sake, not because he chose them but simply
because he could not escape them, we should not consider this a very great
favour; but were he to endure death freely, and for our sake only, having had
it in his power to avoid it, this indeed would be a benefit so overwhelming as
to deprive even the most grateful heart, not only of the power of returning but
even of feeling due thanks. We may hence form an idea of the transcendent and
intense love of Jesus Christ towards us, and of His divine and boundless claims
to our gratitude.
Christ Was Really Buried
When we confess that He was buried, we do not
make this, as it were, a distinct part of the Article, as if it presented any
new difficulty which is not implied in what we have said of His death; for if
we believe that Christ died, we can also easily believe that He was buried. The
word buried was added in the Creed, first, that His death might be rendered
more certain, for the strongest argument of a person's death is the proof that
his body was buried; and, secondly, to render the miracle of His Resurrection
more authentic and illustrious.
It is not, however, our belief that the body
of Christ alone was interred. The above words propose, as the principal object
of our belief, that God was buried; as according to the rule of Catholic faith
we also say with the strictest truth that God died, and that God was born of a
virgin. For as the Divinity was never separated from His body which was laid in
the sepulchre, we truly confess that God was buried.
Circumstances Of Christ’s Burial
As to the manner and place of His burial,
what the holy Evangelists record on these subjects will be sufficient for the
pastor. There are, however, two things which demand particular attention; the
one, that the body of Christ was in no degree corrupted in the sepulchre,
according to the prediction of the Prophet: Thou wilt not give thy holy one to
see corruption; the other, and it regards the several parts of this Article,
that burial, Passion, and also death, apply to Christ Jesus not as God but as
man. To suffer and die are incidental to human nature only; yet they are also
attributed to God, since, as is clear, they are predicated with propriety of
that Person who is at once perfect God and perfect man.
Useful Considerations on the Passion
When the faithful have once attained the
knowledge of these things, the pastor should next proceed to explain those
particulars of the Passion and death of Christ which may enable them if not to
comprehend, at least to contemplate, the immensity of so stupendous a mystery.
The Dignity Of The Sufferer
And first we must consider who it is that
suffers all these things. His dignity we cannot express in words or even
conceive in mind. Of Him St. John says, that He is the Word which was with God.
And the Apostle describes Him in sublime terms, saying that this is He -whom
God hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the world, who
being the brightness of his glory, and the figure of his substance, and
upholding all things by the word of his power, making purgation of sins.
sitteth on the right hand of the majesty on high. In a word, Jesus Christ, the
God-man, suffers ! The Creator suffers for His creatures, the Master for His
servant. He suffers by whom the Angels, men, the heavens, and the elements were
made; in whom, by whom, and of whom, are all things.
It cannot, therefore, be a matter of surprise
that while He agonised under such an accumulation of torments the whole frame
of the universe was convulsed; for as the Scriptures inform us, the earth
quaked, and the rocks were rent, there was darkness over all the earth; and the
sun was obscured. If, then, even mute and inanimate nature sympathised with the
sufferings of her Creator, let the faithful consider with what tears they, the
living stones of this edifice, should manifest their sorrow.
Reasons Why Christ Suffered
The reasons why the Saviour suffered are also
to be explained, that thus the greatness and intensity of the divine love
towards us may the more fully appear. Should anyone inquire why the Son of God
underwent His most bitter Passion, he will find that besides the guilt
inherited from our first parents the principal causes were the vice's and
crimes which have been perpetrated from the beginning of the world to the
present day and those which will be committed to the end of time. In His
Passion and death the Son of God, our Saviour, intended to atone for and blot
out the sins of all ages, to offer for them to his Father a full and abundant
satisfaction.
Besides, to increase the dignity of this
mystery, Christ not only suffered for sinners, but even for those who were the
very authors and ministers of all the torments He endured. Of this the Apostle
reminds us in these words addressed to the Hebrews: Think diligently upon him
that endured such opposition from sinners against himself; that you be not
wearied, fainting in your minds. In this guilt are involved all those who fall
frequently into sin; for, as our sins consigned Christ the Lord to the death of
the cross, most certainly those who wallow in sin and iniquity crucify to
themselves again the Son of God, as far as in them lies, and make a mockery of
Him. This guilt seems more enormous in us than in the Jews, since according to
the testimony of the same Apostle: If they had known it, they would never have
crucified the Lord of glory; while we, on the contrary, professing to know Him,
yet denying Him by our actions, seem in some sort to lay violent hands on him.
Christ Was Delivered Over To Death By The
Father And By Himself
But that Christ the Lord was also delivered
over to death by the Father and by Himself, the Scriptures bear witness. For in
Isaias (God the Father) says For the wickedness of my people have I struck him.
And a little before the same Prophet filled with the Spirit of God, cried out,
as he saw the Lord covered with stripes and wounds: All we like sheep have gone
astray, every one hath turned aside into his own way: and the Lord hath laid on
him the iniquity of us all. But of the Son it is written: If he shall lay down
his life for sin, he shall see a long-lived seed. This the Apostle expresses in
language still stronger when, in order to show how confidently we, on our part,
should trust in the boundless mercy and goodness of God, he says: He that
spared not even his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how hath he not
also, with him, given us all things? a
The: Bitterness Of Christ's Passion
The next subject of the pastor's instruction
is the bitterness of the Redeemer's Passion. If we bear m mind that his sweat
became as drops of blood, trickling down upon the ground, and this, at the sole
anticipation of the torments and agony which He was about to endure, we must at
once perceive that His sorrows admitted of no increase. For if the very idea of
impending evils was overwhelming, and the sweat of blood shows that it was,
what are we to suppose their actual endurance to have been ?
That Christ our Lord suffered the most
excruciating torments of mind and body is certain. In the first place, there
was no part of His body that did not experience the most agonising torture. His
hands and feet were fastened with nails to the cross; His head was pierced with
thorns and smitten with a reed; His face was befouled with spittle and buffeted
with blows; His whole body was covered with stripes.
Furthermore men of all ranks and conditions
were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. Gentiles and
Jews were the advisers, the authors, the ministers of His Passion: Judas
betrayed Him, Peter denied Him, all the rest deserted Him.
And while He hangs from the cross are we not
at a loss which to deplore, His agony, or His ignominy, or both? Surely no
death more shameful, none more cruel, could have been devised than this. It was
the punishment usually reserved for the most guilty and atrocious malefactors,
a death whose slowness aggravated the exquisite pain and torture I
His agony was increased by the very
constitution and frame of His body. Formed by the power of the Holy Ghost, it
was more perfect and better organised than the bodies of other men can be, and
was therefore endowed with a superior susceptibility and a keener sense of all
the torments which it endured.
And as to His interior anguish of soul, that
too was no doubt extreme; for those among the Saints who had to endure torments
and tortures were not without consolation from above, which enabled them not
only to bear their sufferings patiently, but in many instances, to feel, in the
very midst of them, filled with interior joy. I rejoice, says the Apostle, in
my sufferings for you, and fill up those things that are wanting of the sufferings
of Christ, in my flesh, for his body, which is the church;' and in another
place: I am filled with comfort, I exceedingly abound with joy in all our
tribulations. Christ our Lord tempered with no admixture of sweetness the
bitter chalice of His Passion but permitted His human nature to feel as acutely
every species of torment as if He were only man, and not also God.
Fruits Of Christ's Passion
It only remains now that the pastor carefully
explain the blessings and advantages which flow from the Passion of Christ. In
the first place, then, the Passion of our Lord was our deliverance from sin;
for, as St. John says, He hath loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own
blood. He hath quickened you together with him, says the Apostle, forgiving you
all offences, blotting out the handwriting of the decree that was against us,
which was contrary to us. And he hath taken the same out of the way, fastening
it to the cross.
In the next place He has rescued us from the
tyranny of the devil, for our Lord Himself says: Now is the judgment of the
world; now shall the prance of this world be cast out. And I if I be lifted up
from the earth, will draw all things to myself.
Again He discharged the punishment due to our
sins. And as no sacrifice more pleasing and acceptable could have been offered
to God, He reconciled us to the Father, appeased His wrath, and made Him
favourable to us.
Finally, by taking away our sins He opened to
us heaven, which was closed by the common sin of mankind. And this the Apostle
pointed out when he said: We have confidence in the entering into the holies by
the blood of Christ. Nor are we without a type and figure of this mystery in
the Old Law. For those who were prohibited to return into their native country
before the death of the high-priest typified that no one, however just and holy
may have been his life, could gain admission into the celestial country until
the eternal High-priest, Christ Jesus, had died, and by His death immediately
opened heaven to those who, purified by the Sacraments and gifted with faith,
hope, and charity, become partakers of His Passion.
Christ’s Passion, -- A Satisfaction, A
Sacrifice, A Redemption An Example
The pastor should teach that all these
inestimable and divine blessings flow to us from the Passion of Christ. First,
indeed, because the satisfaction which Jesus Christ has in an admirable manner
made to God the Father for our sins is full and complete. The price which He
paid for our ransom was not only adequate and equal to our debts, but far exceeded
them.
Again, it (the Passion of Christ) was a
sacrifice most acceptable to God, for when offered by His Son on the altar of
the cross, it entirely appeased the wrath and indignation of the Father. This
word (sacrifice) the Apostle uses when he says: Christ hath loved us, and hath
delivered himself for us, an oblation and a sacrifice to God for an odour of
sweetness.
Furthermore, it was a redemption, of which
the Prince of the Apostles says: You were not redeemed with corruptible things
as gold or silver, from your vain conversation of the tradition of your
fathers: but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb unspotted and
undefiled. While the Apostle teaches: Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of
the law, being made a curse for us.
Besides these incomparable blessings, we have
also received another of the highest importance; namely, that in the Passion
alone we have the most illustrious example of the exercise of every virtue. For
He so displayed patience, humility, exalted charity, meekness, obedience and
unshaken firmness of soul, not only in suffering for justice, sake, but also in
meeting death, that we may truly say on the day of His Passion alone, our
Saviour offered, in His own Person, a living exemplification of all the moral
precepts inculcated during the entire time of His public ministry.
Admonition
This exposition of the saving Passion and
death of Christ the Lord we have given briefly. Would to God that these
mysteries were always present to our minds, and that we learned to suffer, die,
and be buried together with our Lord; so that from henceforth, having cast
aside all stain of sin, and rising with Him to newness of life, we may at
length, through His grace and mercy, be found worthy to be made partakers of
the celestial kingdom and glory !
ARTICLE
V : "HE DESCENDED INTO HELL, THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE AGAIN FROM THE
DEAD"
Importance Of This Article
To know the glory of the burial of our Lord
Jesus Christ, of which we last treated, is highly important; but of still
higher importance is it to the faithful to know the splendid triumphs which He
obtained by having subdued the devil and despoiled the abodes of hell. Of these
triumphs, and also of His Resurrection, we are now about to speak.
Although the latter presents to us a subject
which might with propriety be treated under a separate and distinct head, yet
following the example of the holy Fathers, we have deemed it fitting to unite
it with His descent into hell.
First Part of this Article: "He
Descended into Hell"
In the first part of this Article, then, we
profess that immediately after the death of Christ His soul descended into
hell, and dwelt there as long as His body remained in the tomb; and also that
the one Person of Christ was at the same time in hell and in the sepulchre. Nor
should this excite surprise; for, as we have already frequently said, although
His soul was separated from His body, His Divinity was never parted from either
His soul or His body.
"Hell"
As the pastor, by explaining the meaning of
the word hell in this place may throw considerable light on the exposition of
this Article, it is to be observed that by the word hell is not here meant the
sepulchre, as some have not less impiously than ignorantly imagined; for in the
preceding Article we learned that Christ the Lord was buried, and there was no
reason why the Apostles, in delivering an Article of faith, should repeat the
same thing in other and more obscure terms.
Hell, then, here signifies those secret
abodes in which are detained the souls that have not obtained the happiness of
heaven. In this sense the word is frequently used in Scripture. Thus the
Apostle says: At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of those that are in
heaven, on earth, and in hell; and in the Acts of the Apostles St. Peter says
that Christ the Lord is again risen, having loosed the sorrows of hell.
Different Abodes Called Hell"
These abodes are not all of the same nature,
for among them is that most loathsome and dark prison in which the souls of the
damned are tormented with the unclean spirits in eternal and inextinguishable
fire. This place is called gehenna, the bottomless pit, and is hell strictly
so-called.
Among them is also the fire of purgatory, in
which the souls of just men are cleansed by a temporary punishment, in order to
be admitted into their eternal country, into which nothing defiled entereth.
The truth of this doctrine, founded, as holy Councils declare,' on Scripture,
and confirmed by Apostolic tradition, demands exposition from the pastor, all
the more diligent and frequent, because we live in times when men endure not
sound doctrine.
Lastly, the third kind of abode is that into
which the souls of the just before the coming of Christ the Lord, were
received, and where, without experiencing any sort of pain, but supported by
the blessed hope of redemption, they enjoyed peaceful repose. To liberate these
holy souls, who, in the bosom of Abraham were expecting the Saviour, Christ the
Lord descended into hell.
"He Descended"
We are not to imagine that His power and
virtue only, and not also His soul, descended into hell; but we are firmly to
believe that His soul itself, really and substantially, descended thither,
according to this conclusive testimony of David: Thou wilt not leave my soul in
hell.
But although Christ descended into hell, His
supreme power was in no degree lessened, nor was the splendour of His sanctity
obscured by any blemish. His descent served rather to prove that whatever had
been foretold of His sanctity was true; and that, as He had previously
demonstrated by so many miracles, He was truly the Son of God.
This we shall easily understand by comparing
the causes of the descent of Christ with those of other men. They descended as
captives; He as free and victorious among the dead, to subdue those demons by
whom, in consequence of guilt, they were held in captivity. Furthermore all
others descended, either to endure the most acute torments, or, if exempt from
other pain, to be deprived of the vision of God, and to be tortured by the
delay of the glory and happiness for which they yearned; Christ the Lord
descended, on the contrary, not to suffer, but to liberate the holy and the
just from their painful captivity, and to impart to them the fruit of His
Passion. His supreme dignity and power, therefore, suffered no diminution by
His descent into hell.
Why He Descended into Hell
To Liberate The Just
Having explained these things, the pastor
should next proceed to teach that Christ the Lord descended into hell, in order
that having despoiled the demons, He might liberate from prison those holy
Fathers and the other just souls, and might bring them into heaven with
Himself. This He accomplished in an admirable and most glorious manner; for His
august presence at once shed a celestial lustre upon the captives and filled
them with inconceivable joy and delight. He also imparted to them that supreme
happiness which consists in the vision of God, thus verifying His promise to the
thief on the cross: This day thou shalt be with me in paradise.
This deliverance of the just was long before
predicted by Osee in these words: O death, I will be thy death; O hell, I will
be thy bite; ' and also by the Prophet Zachary: Thou also by the blood of thy
testament hast sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit, wherein is no water;
and lastly, the same is expressed by the Apostle in these words: Despoiling the
principalities and powers, he hath exposed them confidently in open show,
triumphing over them in himself.
But the better to understand the efficacy of
this mystery we should frequently call to mind that not only the just who were
born after the coming of our Lord, but also those who preceded Him from the
days of Adam, or who shall be born until the end of time, obtain their
salvation through the benefit of His Passion. Wherefore before His death and
Resurrection heaven was closed against every child of Adam. The souls of the
just, on their departure from this life, were either borne to the bosom of
Abraham; or, as is still the case with those who have something to be washed
away or satisfied for, were purified in the fire of purgatory.
To Proclaim His Power
Another reason why Christ the Lord descended
into hell is that there, as well as in heaven and on earth, He might proclaim
His power and authority, and that every knee should bow, of those that are in
heaven, on earth, and under the earth.
And here, who is not filled with admiration
and astonishment when he contemplates the infinite love of God for man! Not
satisfied with having undergone for our sake a most cruel death, He penetrates
the inmost recesses of the earth to transport into bliss the souls whom He so
dearly loved and whose liberation from thence He had achieved.
Second Part of this Article: "The
Third Day He arose again from the Dead"
We now come to the second part of the
Article, and how indefatigable should be the labours of the pastor in its
exposition we learn from these words of the Apostle: Be mindful that the Lord
Jesus Christ is risen again from the dead. This command no doubt was addressed
not only to Timothy, but to all others who have care of souls.
The meaning of the Article is this: Christ
the Lord expired on the cross, on Friday at the ninth hour, and was buried on
the evening of the same day by His disciples, who with the permission of the
governor, Pilate, laid the body of the Lord, taken down from the cross, in a
new tomb, situated in a garden near at hand. Early on the morning of the third
day after His death, that is, on Sunday, His soul was reunited to His body, and
thus He who was dead during those three days arose, and returned again to life,
from which He had departed when dying.
"He arose Again"
By the word Resurrection, however, we are not
merely to understand that Christ was raised from the dead, which happened to
many others, but that He rose by His own power and virtue, a singular
prerogative peculiar to Him alone. For it is incompatible with nature and was
never given to man to raise himself by his own power, from death to life. This
was reserved for the almighty power of God, as we learn from these words of the
Apostle: Although he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power
of God. This divine power, having never been separated, either from His body in
the grave, or from His soul in hell, there existed a divine force both within
the body, by which it could be again united to the soul, and within the soul,
by which it could again return to the body. Thus He was able by His own power to
return to life and rise from the dead.
This David, filled with the spirit of God,
foretold in these words: His right hand hath wrought for him salvation, and his
arm is holy. Our Lord confirmed this by the divine testimony of His own mouth
when He said: I lay down my life that I may take it again . . . and I have
power to lay it down: and I have power to take it up again. To the Jews He also
said, in corroboration of His doctrine: Destroy this temple, and in three days
I will raise it up. Although the Jews understood Him to have spoken thus of
that magnificent Temple built of stone, yet as the Scripture testifies in the
same place, he spoke of the temple of his body. We sometimes, it is true, read
in Scripture that He was raised by the Father; but this refers to Him as man,
just as those passages on the other hand, which say that He rose by His own
power relate to Him as God.
"From the Dead"
It is also the peculiar privilege of Christ
to have been the first who enjoyed this divine prerogative of rising from the
dead, for He is called in Scripture the first-begotten from the dead, and also
the first-born of the dead. The Apostle also says: Christ is risen from the
dead, the first-fruits of them that sleep: for by a man came death, and by a
man the resurrection of the dead. And as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all
shall be made alive. But every one in his own order: the first-fruits Christ,
then they that are of Christ.
These words of the Apostle are to be
understood of a perfect resurrection, by which we are raised to an immortal
life and are no longer subject to the necessity of dying. In this resurrection
Christ the Lord holds the first place; for if we speak of resurrection; that
is, of a return to life, subject to the necessity of again dying, many were
thus raised from the dead before Christ, all of whom, however, were restored to
life to die again. But Christ the Lord, having subdued and conquered death, so
arose that He could die no morel according to' this most clear testimony:
Christ rising again from the dead, dieth now no more, death shall no more have
dominion over him.
"The Third Day"
In explanation of the additional words of the
Article, the third day, the pastor should inform the people that they must not
think our Lord remained in the grave during the whole of these three days. But
as He lay in the sepulchre one full day, a part of the preceding and a part of
the following day, He is said, with strictest truth, to have lain in the grave
for three days, and on the third day to have risen again from the dead.
To prove that He was God He did not delay His
Resurrection to the end of the world; while, on the other hand, to convince us
that He was truly man and really died, He rose not immediately, but on the
third day after His death, a space of time sufficient to prove the reality of
His death.
"According to the Scriptures"
Here the Fathers of the first Council of
Constantinople added the words, according to the Scriptures, which they took
from St. Paul. These words they embodied with the Creed, because the same
Apostle teaches the absolute necessity of the mystery of the Resurrection when
he says: If Christ be not risen again, then is our preaching vain, and your
faith is also vain . . . for you are yet in your sins. Hence,, admiring our
belief of this Article St. Augustine says: It is no great thing to believe that
Christ died. This the pagans, Jews, and all the wicked believe; in a word, all
believe that Christ died. But that He rose from the dead is the belief of the
Christians. To believe that He rose again, this we deem of great moment.
Hence it is that our Lord very frequently
spoke to His disciples of His Resurrection, and seldom or never of His Passion
without adverting to His Resurrection. Thus, when He said: The son of man . . .
shall be delivered to the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and scourged, and spit
upon; and after they have scourged him, they will put him to death; He added:
and the third day he shall rise again.' Also when the Jews called upon Him to
give an attestation of the truth of His doctrine by some miraculous sign He
said: A sign shall not be given to them, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. For
as Jonas was in the whales belly three days and three nights: so shall the son
of man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.
Three Useful Considerations on this
Article
To understand still better the force and
meaning of this Article, there are three things which we must consider and
understand: first, why the Resurrection was necessary; secondly, its end and
object; thirdly, the blessings and advantages of which it is to us the source.
Necessity Of The Resurrection
With regard to the first, it was necessary
that Christ should rise again in order to manifest the justice of God; for it
was most congruous that He who through obedience to God was degraded, and
loaded with ignominy, should by Him be exalted. This is a reason assigned by
the Apostle when he says to the Philippians: He humbled himself, becoming
obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross. For which cause God also
hath exalted him. He rose also to confirm our faith, which is necessary for
justification; for the Resurrection of Christ from the dead by His own power
affords an irrefragable proof that He was the Son of God. Again the
Resurrection nourishes and sustains our hope. As Christ rose again, we rest on
an assured hope that we too shall rise again; the members must necessarily
arrive at the condition of their head. This is the conclusion which St. Paul seems
to draw when he writes to the Corinthians and to the Thessalonians.' And Peter,
the Prince of the Apostles, says: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy hath regenerated us unto a
lively nope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, unto the
inheritance incorruptible.
Finally, the Resurrection of our Lord, as the
pastor should inculcate, was necessary to complete the mystery of our salvation
and redemption. By His death Christ liberated us from sin; by His Resurrection,
He restored to us the most important of those privileges which we had forfeited
by sin. Hence these words of the Apostle: He was delivered up for our sins, and
rose again for our justification. That nothing, therefore, may be wanting to
the work of our salvation, it was necessary that as He died, He should also
rise again.'
Ends Of The Resurrection
From what has been said we can perceive what
important advantages the Resurrection of Christ the Lord has conferred on the
faithful. In the Resurrection we acknowledge God to be immortal, full of glory,
the conqueror of death and the devil; and all this we are firmly to believe and
openly to profess of Christ Jesus.
Again, the Resurrection of Christ effects for
us the resurrection of our bodies not only because it was the efficient cause
of this mystery, but also because we all ought to arise after the example of
the Lord. For with regard to the resurrection of the body we have this
testimony of the Apostle: By a man came death, and by a man the resurrection of
the dead. In all that God did to accomplish the mystery of our redemption He
made use of the humanity of Christ as an effective instrument, and hence His
Resurrection was, as it were, an instrument for the accomplishment of our resurrection.
It may also be called the model of ours,
inasmuch as His Resurrection was the most perfect of all. And as His body,
rising to immortal glory, was changed, so shall our bodies also, before frail
and mortal, be restored and clothed with glory and immortality. In the language
of the Apostle: We look for the Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ, who will reform
the body of our lowness, made like to the body of his glory.
The same may be said of a soul dead in sin.
How the Resurrection of Christ is proposed to such a soul as the model of her
resurrection the same Apostle shows in these words: As Christ is risen from the
dead by the glory of the Father, so we also may walk in newness of life. For if
we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in
the likeness of his resurrection. Again a little further on he says: Knowing
that Christ rising again from the dead, dieth now no more, death shall no more
have dominion over him. For in that he died to sin, he died once; but in that he
liveth, he liveth unto God: so do you also reckon, that you are dead to sin,
but alive unto God, in Christ Jesus.
Advantages Of The: Resurrection
From the Resurrection of Christ, therefore,
we should draw two lessons: the one, that after we have washed away the stains
of sin, we should begin to lead a new life, distinguished by integrity,
innocence, holiness, modesty, justice, beneficence and humility; the other,
that we should so persevere in that newness of life as never more, with the
divine assistance, to stray from the paths of virtue on which we have once
entered.
Nor do the words of the Apostle prove only
that the Resurrection of Christ is proposed as the model of our resurrection;
they also declare that it gives us power to rise again, and imparts to us
strength and courage to persevere in holiness and righteousness, and in the
observance of the Commandments of God. For as His death not only furnishes us
with an example, but also supplies us with strength to die to sin, so also His
Resurrection invigorates us to attain righteousness, so that thenceforward
serving God in piety and holiness, we may walk in the newness of life to which
we have risen. By His Resurrection, our Lord accomplished this especially that
we, who before died with Him to sin and to the world, should rise also with Him
to a new order and manner of life.
Signs Of Spiritual Resurrection
The principal signs of this resurrection from
sin which should be noted are taught us by the Apostle. For when he says: If
you be risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is
sitting at the right hand of God, he distinctly tells us that they who desire
to possess life, honour, repose and riches, there chiefly where Christ dwells,
have truly risen with Christ.
When he adds: Mind the things that are above,
not the things that are upon the earth, he gives, as it were, another sign by
which we may ascertain if we have truly risen with Christ. As a relish for food
usually indicates a healthy state of the body, so with regard to the soul, if a
person relishes whatever things are true, whatever modest, whatever just,
whatever holy, and experiences within him the sweetness of heavenly things,
this we may consider a very strong proof that such a one has risen with Christ
Jesus to a new and spiritual life.
ARTICLE
VI : "HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN, SITTETH AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD THE FATHER
ALMIGHTY"
Importance Of This Article
Filled with the Spirit of God, and
contemplating the blessed and glorious Ascension of our Lord, the Prophet David
exhorts all to celebrate that splendid triumph with the greatest joy and
gladness: Clap your hands, all ye nations: shout unto God with he voice of
joy.... God is ascended with jubilee.
The pastor will hence learn that this mystery
should be explained with the greatest diligence; and that he should take care
that the people not only perceive it with faith and understanding, but that
they also strive as far as possible, with the Lord's help to reflect it in
their lives and actions.
First Part of this Article: "He
Ascended into Heaven"
With regard, then, to the exposition of this
sixth Article, which has reference principally to this divine mystery, we shall
begin with its first part, and point out its force and meaning.
"Into Heaven"
This, then, the faithful must believe without
hesitation, that Jesus Christ, having fully accomplished the work of
Redemption, ascended as man, body and soul, into heaven; for as God He never
forsook heaven, filling as He does all places with His Divinity.
"He Ascended"
The pastor is also to teach that He ascended
by His own power, not being taken up by the power of another, as was Elias, who
was carried to heaven in a fiery chariot; or, as the Prophet Habacuc, or
Philip, the deacon, who were borne through the air by the divine power, and
traversed great distances.
Neither did He ascend into heaven solely by
the exercise of His supreme power as God, but also by virtue of the power which
He possessed as man. Although human power alone was insufficient to accomplish
this, yet the virtue with which the blessed soul of Christ was endowed was
capable of moving the body as it pleased, and His body, now glorified, readily
obeyed the behest of the soul that moved it. Hence, we believe that Christ
ascended into heaven as God and man by His own power.
Second Part of this Article: "Sitteth
at the Right Hand of God the Father Almighty"
The words He sitteth at the right hand of the
Father form the second part of this Article. In these words we observe a figure
of speech; that is, a use of words in other than their literal sense, as
frequently happens in Scripture, when, accommodating its language to human
ideas, it attributes human affections and human members to God, who, spirit as
He is, admits of nothing corporeal.
"At the Right Hand"
As among men he who sits at the right hand is
considered to occupy the most honourable place, so, transferring the same idea
to celestial things, to express the glory which Christ as man has obtained
above all others, we confess that He sits at the right hand of the Father.
"Sitteth"
To sit does not imply here position and
posture of body, but expresses the firm and permanent possession of royal and
supreme power and glory which He received from the Father, and of which the
Apostle says: Raising him up from the dead, and setting him on his right hand
in the heavenly places, above all principality, and power, and virtue, and
domination, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in
that which is to come; and he hath subjected all things under his feet. These
words manifestly imply that this glory belongs to our Lord in so special and
exclusive a manner that it cannot apply to any other created being. Hence in
another place the Apostle testifies: To which of the angels said he at any
time: Sit on my right hand.
Reflections on the Ascension:
Its History
The pastor should explain the sense of the
Article more at length by detailing the history of the Ascension, of which the
Evangelist St. Luke has left us an orderly description in the Acts of the
Apostles.
Greatness Of This Mystery
In this exposition he should observe, in the
first place, that all other mysteries refer to the Ascension as to their end
and find in it their perfection and completion; for as all the mysteries of
religion commence with the Incarnation of our Lord, so His sojourn on earth
terminates with His Ascension.
Moreover the other Articles of the Creed
which regard Christ the Lord show His great humility and lowliness. Nothing can
be conceived more humble, nothing more lowly, than that the Son of God assumed
our weak human nature, and suffered and died for us. But nothing more
magnificently, nothing more admirably, proclaims His sovereign glory and divine
majesty than what is contained in the present and in the preceding Article, in
which we declare that He rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and sits at
the right hand of God the Father.
Reasons Of The Ascension
When the pastor has explained these truths,
he should next accurately show why Christ the Lord ascended into heaven.
First of all, He ascended because the
glorious kingdom of the highest heavens, not the obscure abode of this earth,
presented a suitable dwelling place for Him whose body, rising from the tomb,
was clothed with the glory of immortality.
He ascended, however, not only to possess the
throne of glory and the kingdom which He had merited by His blood, but also to
attend to whatever regards our salvation.
Again, He ascended to prove thereby that His
kingdom is not of this world. For the kingdoms of this world are earthly and
transient, and are based upon wealth and the power of the flesh; but the
kingdom of Christ is not, as the Jews expected, earthly, but spiritual and
eternal. Its resources and riches, too, are spiritual, as He showed by placing
His throne in the heavens, where they are counted richer and wealthier who seek
most earnestly the things that are of God, according to these words of St.
James: Hath not God chosen the poor in this world, rich in faith, and heirs of
the kingdom which God hath promised to them that love him?
He also ascended into heaven in order to
teach us to follow Him thither in mind and heart. For as by His death and
Resurrection He bequeathed to us an example of dying and rising again in spirit,
so by His Ascension He teaches and instructs us that though dwelling on earth,
we should raise ourselves in desire to heaven, confessing that we are pilgrims
and strangers on the earth, seeking a country and that we are fellow-citizens
with the saints, and the domestics of God, for, says the same Apostle, our
conversation is in heaven
Results Of The Ascension
The extent and greatness of the unutterable
blessings which the bounty of God has showered on us were long before, as the
Apostle interprets, sung by the inspired David: Ascending on high, he led
captivity captive: He gave gifts to men.' For on the tenth day He sent down the
Holy Ghost, with whose power and plenitude He filled the multitude of the
faithful then present, and so fulfilled that splendid promise: It is expedient
to you that I go: for if I go not, the Paraclete will not come to you; but if I
go, I will send him to you.
He also ascended into heaven, according to
the Apostle, that he may appear in the presence of God f or us, and discharge for
us the office of advocate with the Father. My little children, says St. John,
these things I write to you, that you may not sin. But if any man sin, we have
an. advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the just: and he is the propitiation
for our sins. There is nothing from which the faithful should derive greater
joy and gladness of soul than from the reflection that Jesus Christ is
constituted our advocate and the mediator of our salvation with the Eternal
Father, with whom His influence and authority are supreme.
Finally, by His Ascension He has prepared for
us a place, as He had promised, and has entered, as our head, in the name of us
all, into the possession of the glory of heaven." Ascending into heaven,
He threw open its gates, which had been closed by the sin of Adam; and, as He
foretold to His disciples at His Last Supper, secured to us a way by which we
may arrive at eternal happiness. In order to give an open proof of this by its
fulfilment, He introduced with Himself into the mansions of eternal bliss the
souls of the just whom He had liberated from hell.
Virtues Promoted By The Ascension.
A series of important advantages followed in
the train of this admirable profusion of celestial gifts. In the first place,
the merit of our faith was considerably augmented; because faith has for its
object those things which fall not under the senses, but are far raised above
the reach of human reason and intelligence. If, therefore, the Lord had not
departed from us, the merit of our faith would not be the same; for Christ the
Lord has said: Blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed
In the next place, the Ascension of Christ
into heaven contributes much to confirm our hope. Believing that Christ, as
man, ascended into heaven, and placed our nature at the right hand of God the
Father, we are animated with a strong hope that we, as members, shall also
ascend thither, to be there united to our Head, according to these words of our
Lord Himself: Father, I will that where I am, they also whom thou hast given me
may be with me
Another most important advantage is that He
has taken our affections to heaven and inflamed them with the Spirit of God;
for most truly has it been said that where our treasure is, there also is our
heart. And, indeed, were Christ the Lord still dwelling on earth, the
contemplation of His human nature and His company would absorb all our
thoughts, and we should view the author of such blessings only as man, and
cherish towards Him a sort of earthly affection. But by His Ascension into
heaven He has spiritualised our affection and has made us venerate and love as
God Him whom, on account of His absence, we see only in thought. This we learn
in part from the example of the Apostles, who while our Lord was personally
present with them, seemed to judge of Him in some measure in a human light; and
in part from these words of our Lord Himself: It is expedient to you that I go.
The imperfect affection with which they loved Christ Jesus when present had to
be perfected by divine love, and that by the coming of the Holy Ghost; and
therefore He immediately subjoins: If I go not, the Paraclete will not come to
you.
The Ascension Benefits The Church And The
Individual
Besides, He thus enlarged His household on
earth, that is, His Church, which was to be governed by the power and guidance
of the Holy Spirit. He left Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, as its chief
pastor and supreme head upon earth; moreover he gave some apostles, and some
prophets, and other some evangelists, and other some pastors and doctors. Thus
seated at the right hand of the Father He continually bestows different gifts
on different men; for as the Apostle testifies: To every one of us is given
grace, according to the measure of the giving of Christ.
Finally, what we have already taught of the
mystery of His death and Resurrection the faithful should deem not less true of
His Ascension. For although we owe our Redemption and salvation to the Passion
of Christ, whose merits opened heaven to the just, yet His Ascension is not only
proposed to us as a model, which teaches us to look on high and ascend in
spirit into heaven, but it also imparts to us a divine virtue which enables us
to accomplish what it teaches.
ARTICLE VII : "FROM THENCE HE SHALL COME
TO JUDGE THE LIVING AND THE DEAD"
Meaning Of This Article
For the glory and adornment of His Church
Jesus Christ is invested with three eminent offices and functions: those of
Redeemer, Mediator, and Judge. Since in the preceding Articles it was shown
that the human race was redeemed by His Passion and death, and since by His
Ascension into heaven it is manifest that He has undertaken the perpetual
advocacy and patronage of our cause, it remains that in this Article we set
forth His character as Judge. The scope and intent of the Article is to declare
that on the last day Christ the Lord will judge the whole human race.
"From Thence He Shall Come"
The Sacred Scriptures inform us that there
are two comings of the Son of God: the one when He assumed human flesh for our
salvation in the womb of a virgin; the other when He shall come at the end of
the world to judge all mankind. This latter coming is called in Scripture the
day of the Lord. The day of the Lord, says the Apostle, shall come, as a thief
in the night; and our Lord Himself says: Of that day and hour no one knoweth.
"To Judge the Living and the
Dead"
In proof of the (last) judgment it is enough
to adduce the authority of the Apostle: We must all appear before the
judgment-seat of Christ, that every one may receive the proper things of the
body, according as he hath done, whether it be good or evil. There are numerous
passages of Sacred Scripture which the pastor will find in various places and
which not only establish the truth of the dogma, but also place it in vivid
colours before the eyes of the faithful. And if, from the beginning of the
world that day of the Lord, on which He was clothed with our flesh, was sighed
for by all as the foundation of their hope of deliverance; so also, after the
death and Ascension of the Son of God, we should make that other day of the
Lord the object of our most earnest desires, looking for the blessed hope and
coming of the glory of the great God.'
Two Judgments
In explaining this subject the pastor should
distinguish two different occasions on which everyone must appear in the
presence of the Lord to render an account of all his thoughts, words and
actions, and to receive immediate sentence from his Judge.
The first takes place when each one of us
departs this life; for then he is instantly placed before the judgment-seat of
God, where all that he has ever done or spoken or thought during life shall be
subjected to the most rigid scrutiny. This is called the particular judgment.
The second occurs when on the same day and in
the same place all men shall stand together before the tribunal of their Judge,
that in the presence and hearing of all human beings of all times each may know
his final doom and sentence. The announcement of this judgment will constitute
no small part of the pain and punishment of the wicked; whereas the good and
just will derive great reward and consolation from the fact that it will then
appear what each one was in life. This is called the general judgment.
Reasons For General Judgment
It is necessary to show why, besides the
particular judgment of each individual, a general one should also be passed
upon all men.
Those who depart this life sometimes leave
behind them children who imitate their conduct, dependents, followers and
others who admire and advocate their example, language and actions. Now by all
these circumstances the rewards or punishments of the dead must needs be
increased, since the good or bad influence of example, affecting as it does the
conduct of many, is to terminate only with the end of the world. Justice
demands that in order to form a proper estimate of all these good or bad
actions and words a thorough investigation should be made. This, however, could
not be without a general judgment of all men.
Moreover, as the character of the virtuous
frequently suffers from misrepresentation, while that of the wicked obtains the
commendation of virtue, the justice of God demands that the former recover, in
the public assembly and judgment of all men, the good name of which they had
been unjustly deprived before men.
Again, as the just and the wicked performed
their good and evil actions in this life not without the cooperation of the
body, it necessarily follows that these actions belong also to the body as to
their instrument. It was, therefore, altogether suitable that the body should
share with the soul the due rewards of eternal glory or punishment. But this
can only be accomplished by means of a general resurrection and of a general
judgment.
Next, it is important to prove that in
prosperity and adversity, which are sometimes the promiscuous lot of the good
and of the bad, everything is done and ordered by an all-wise and all-just
Providence. It was, therefore, necessary not only that rewards should await the
just and punishments the wicked, in the life to come, but that they should be
awarded by a public and general judgment. Thus they will become better known
and will be rendered more conspicuous to all; and in atonement for the
unwarranted murmurings, to which on seeing the wicked abound in wealth and
flourish in honours even the Saints themselves, as men, have sometimes given
expression, a tribute of praise will be offered by all to the justice and
Providence of God. My feet, says the Prophet, were almost moved, my steps had
well nigh slipped, because I had a zeal on occasion of the wicked, seeing the
prosperity of sinners; and a little after: Behold! these are sinners and yet
abounding in the world, they have obtained riches; and I said, Then have I in
vain justified my heart, and washed my hands among the innocent; and I have
been scourged all the day, and my chastisement hath been in the morning. This
has been the frequent complaint of many, and a general judgment is therefore
necessary, lest perhaps men may be tempted to say that God walketh about the
poles of heaven, and regards not the earth.
This Truth has Rightly been made an
Article of the Creed
Wisely, therefore, has this truth been made
one of the twelve Articles of the Christian Creed, so that should any begin to
waver in mind concerning the Providence and justice of God they might be
reassured by this doctrine.
Besides, it was right that the just should be
encouraged by the hope, the wicked appalled by the terror, of a future
judgment; so that knowing the justice of God the former should not be
disheartened, while the latter through fear and expectation of eternal
punishment might be recalled from the paths of vice. Hence, speaking of the
last day, our Lord and Saviour declares that a general judgment will one day
take place, and He describes the signs of its approach, that seeing them, we
may know that the end of the world is at hand. At His Ascension also, to
console His Apostles, overwhelmed with grief at His departure, He sent Angels,
who said to them: This Jesus who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so
come, as you have seen him going into heaven
Circumstances of the Judgment:
The Judge
That the judgment of the world has been
assigned to Christ the Lord, not only as God, but also as man, is declared in
Scripture. Although the power of judging is common to all the Persons of the
Blessed Trinity, yet it is specially attributed to the Son, because to Him also
in a special manner is ascribed wisdom. But that as man, He will judge the
world, is taught by our Lord Himself when He says: As the Father hath life in
himself, so he hath given to the Son also, to have life in himself; and he hath
given him power to do judgment, because he is the son of man.
There is a peculiar propriety in Christ the
Lord sitting in judgment; for sentence is to be pronounced on mankind, and they
are thus enabled to see their Judge with their eyes and hear Him with their
ears, and so learn their judgment through the medium of the senses.
Most just is it also that He who was most
iniquitously condemned by the judgment of men should Himself be afterwards seen
by all men sitting in judgment on all. Hence when the Prince of the Apostles
had expounded in the house of Cornelius the chief dogmas of Christianity, and
had taught that Christ was suspended from a cross and put to death by the Jews
and rose the third lay to life, he added: And he commanded us to preach to the
people, and to testify that this is he, who was appointed of God, to be the
judge of the living and the dead.
Signs Of The General Judgment
The Sacred Scriptures inform us that the
general judgment will be preceded by these three principal signs: the preaching
of the Gospel throughout the world, a falling away from the faith, and the
coming of Antichrist. This gospel of the kingdom, says our Lord, shall be
preached in the whole world, for a testimony to all nations, and then shall the
consummation come. The Apostle also admonishes us that we be not seduced by
anyone, as if the day of the Lord were at hand; for unless there come a revolt
first, and the man of sin be revealed, the judgement will not come.
The Sentence Of The Just
The form and procedure of this judgment the
pastor will easily learn from the prophecies of Daniel, the writings of the
Evangelists and the doctrine of the Apostle. The sentence to be pronounced by
the judge is here deserving of more than ordinary attention.
Looking with joyful countenance on the just
standing on His right, Christ our Redeemer will pronounce sentence on them with
the greatest benignity, in these words: Come ye blessed of my Father, possess
the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world. That nothing can
be conceived more delightful to the ear than these words, we shall understand
if we only compare them with the condemnation of the wicked; and call to mind,
that by them the just are invited from labor to rest, from the vale of tears to
supreme joy, from misery to eternal happiness, the reward of their works of
charity.
The Sentence Of The Wicked
Turning next to those who shall stand on His
left, He will pour out His justice upon them in these words: Depart from me, ye
cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared f or the devil and his angels.
The first words, depart from me, express the
heaviest punishment with which the wicked shall be visited, their eternal
banishment from the sight of God, unrelieved by one consolatory hope of ever
recovering so great a good. This punishment is called by theologians the pain
of loss, because in hell the wicked shall be deprived forever of the light of
the vision of God.
The words ye cursed, which follow, increase
unutterably their wretched and calamitous condition. If when banished from the
divine presence they were deemed worthy to receive some benediction, this would
be to them a great source of consolation. But since they can expect nothing of
this kind as an alleviation of their misery, the divine justice deservedly
pursues them with every species of malediction, once they have been banished.
The next words, into everlasting fire,
express another sort of punishment, which is called by theologians the pain of
sense, because, like lashes, stripes or other more severe chastisements, among
which fire, no doubt, produces the most intense pain, it is felt through the
organs of sense. When, moreover, we reflect that this torment is to be eternal,
we can see at once that the punishment of the damned includes every kind of
suffering.
The concluding words, which was prepared f or
the devil and his angels, make this still more clear. For since nature has so
provided that we feel miseries less when we have companions and sharers in them
who can, at least in some measure, assist us by their advice and kindness, what
must be the horrible state of the damned who in such calamities can never
separate themselves from the companionship of most wicked demons ? And yet most
justly shall this very sentence be pronounced by our Lord and Saviour on those
sinners who neglected all the works of true mercy, who gave neither food to the
hungry, nor drink to the thirsty, who refused shelter to the stranger and
clothing to the naked, and who would not visit the sick and the imprisoned.
Importance of Instruction on this Article
These are thoughts which the pastor should
very often bring to the attention of his people; for the truth which is
contained in this Article will, if accepted with faithful dispositions, be most
powerful in bridling the evil inclinations of the heart and in withdrawing men
from sin. Hence we read in Ecclesiasticus: In all thy works remember thy last
end, and thou shalt never sin.' And indeed there is scarcely anyone so given
over to vice as not to be recalled to virtue by the thought that he must one
day render an account before an all-just Judge, not only of all his words and
actions, but even of his most secret thoughts, and must suffer punishment
according to his deserts.
On the other hand, the just man will be more
and more encouraged to lead a good life. Even though his days be passed in
poverty, ignominy and suffering, he must be gladdened exceedingly when he looks
forward to that day when, the conflicts of this wretched life being over, he
shall be declared victorious in the hearing of all men, and shall be admitted into
his heavenly country to be crowned with divine honours that shall never fade.
It only remains, then, for the pastor to
exhort the faithful to lead holy lives and practice every virtue, that thus
they may be enabled to look forward with confidence to the coming of that great
day of the Lord -- nay, as becomes children, even to desire it most fervently.
ARTICLE
VIII : "I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY GHOST"
Importance Of This Article
Hitherto we have expounded, as far as the
nature of the subject seemed to require, what pertains to the First and Second
Per sons of the Holy Trinity. It now remains to explain what the Creed contains
with regard to the Third Person, the Holy Ghost.
On this subject the pastor should omit
nothing that study and industry can effect; for on this Article, no less than
on those that preceded, ignorance or error would be unpardonable in a
Christian. Hence, the Apostle did not permit some among the Ephesians to remain
in ignorance with regard to the Person of the Holy Ghost. Having asked if they
had received the Holy Ghost, and having received for answer that they did not
so much as know that there was a Holy, Ghost, he at once demanded: In whom,
therefore, were you baptised? to signify that a distinct knowledge of this
Article is most necessary to the faithful.
From such knowledge they derive special
fruit. For, considering attentively that whatever they have, they possess
through the bounty and beneficence of the Holy Spirit, they begin to think more
modestly and humbly of themselves, and to place all their hopes in the
protection of God, which for a Christian is the first step towards consummate
wisdom and supreme happiness.
"Holy Ghost"
The exposition of this Article, therefore,
should begin with the force and meaning here attached to the words Holy Ghost.
This appellation is equally true when applied to the Father and the Son, since
both are spirit, both holy, and we confess that God is a Spirit; this name may
also be applied to Angels, and the souls of the just. Care must be taken, therefore,
that the faithful be not led into error by the ambiguity of the words.
The pastor, then, should teach that by the
words Holy Ghost in this Article is understood the Third Person of the Blessed
Trinity, a sense in which they are used, sometimes in the Old, and frequently
in the New Testament. Thus David prays: Take not thy Holy Spirit from me; and
in the Book of Wisdom we read: Who shall know thy thoughts, except thou give
wisdom, and send thy Holy Spirit from above? And in another place it is said: He
created her in the Holy Ghost.' We are also commanded, in the New Testament to
be baptised in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
We read that the most holy Virgin conceived of the Holy Ghost; and we are sent
by St. John to Christ, who baptizeth us in the Holy Ghost.' There are many
other passages in which the words Holy Ghost occur.
No one should be surprised that a proper name
is not given to the Third, as to the First and Second Persons. The Second
Person is designated by a proper name, and called Son, because, as has been
explained in the preceding Articles, His eternal birth from the Father is
properly called generation. As, therefore, that birth is expressed by the word
generation, so the Person, emanating from that generation, is properly called
Son, and the Person, from whom he emanates, Father.
But as the production of the Third Person has
no proper name, but is called spiration and procession, the Person produced is,
consequently, designated by no proper name. His emanation has no proper name
simply because we are obliged to borrow from created objects the names given to
God and know no other created means of communicating nature and essence than
that of generation. Hence we cannot discover a proper name to express the manner
in which God communicates Himself entire, by the force of His love. Wherefore
we call the Third Person Holy Ghost, a name, however, peculiarly appropriate to
Him who infuses into us spiritual life, and without whose holy inspiration we
can do nothing meritorious of eternal life.
"I Believe in the Holy Ghost"
The Holy Ghost Is Equal To The Father And
The Son
The people, when once acquainted with the
meaning of His name, should first of all be taught that the Holy Ghost is
equally God with the Father and the Son, equally omnipotent and eternal,
infinitely perfect, the supreme good, infinitely wise, and of the same nature
as the Father and the Son.
All this is obviously enough implied by the
force of the word in, when we say: I believe in the Holy Ghost; for this
preposition is prefixed to each Person of the Trinity in order to express the
exact nature of our faith.
The Divinity of the Holy Ghost is also
clearly established by many passages of Scripture. When, in the Acts of the
Apostles, St. Peter says, Ananias, Why hast thou conceived this thing in thy
heart? he immediately adds: Thou hast not lied to men, but to God, calling Him
God to whom he had just before given the name Holy Ghost.
The Apostle, also, writing to the
Corinthians, interprets what he says of God as said of the Holy Ghost. There
are, he says, diversities of operations, but the same God, who worketh all in
all; but, he continues, all these things one and the same Spirit worketh,
dividing to every one according as he will.
In the Acts of the Apostles also what the
Prophets attribute to God alone, St. Paul ascribes to the Holy. Ghost. Thus
Isaias had said: I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: Whom shall I send? . .
. And he said: Go, and thou shalt say to this people: Blind the heart of this
people, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they see with
their eyes, and hear with their ears. Having cited these words, the Apostle
adds: Well did the Holy Ghost speak to our fathers, by Isaias the prophet.
Again, the Sacred Scriptures join the Person
of the Holy Ghost to those of the Father and the Son, as, for example, when
Baptism is commanded to be administered in the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost. There is thus no room left us of doubting the truth
of this mystery. For if the Father is God, and the Son God, we must admit that
the Holy Ghost, who is united with Them in the same degree of honour, is also
God.
Besides, baptism administered in the name of
any creature can be of no effect. Were you baptised in the name of Paul? says
the Apostle, to show that such baptism could have availed nothing to salvation.
Since, therefore, we are baptised in the name of the Holy Ghost, we must acknowledge
the Holy Ghost to be God.
This same order of the Three Persons, which
proves the Divinity of the Holy Ghost, is also found in the Epistle of St.
John: There are three who give testimony in heaven, the Father, the Word, and
the Holy Ghost, and these three are one; and also in that noble eulogy of the
Holy Trinity, with which the Divine Praises and the Psalms are concluded: Glory
be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
Finally, what most strongly confirms this
truth is the fact that Holy Scripture assigns to the Holy Ghost whatever
attributes we believe proper to God. Wherefore to Him is ascribed the honour of
temples, as when the Apostle says: Know you not that your members are the
temple of the Holy Ghost? Scripture also attributes to Him the power to
sanctify, to vivify, to search the depths of God, to speak by the Prophets, and
to be present in all places, all of which can be attributed to God alone.
The Holy Ghost Is Distinct From The Father
And The Son
The pastor should also accurately explain to
the faithful that the Holy Ghost is not only God, but that we must also confess
that He is the Third Person of the Divine Nature, distinct from the Father and
the Son, and produced by Their will.
To say nothing of other testimonies of Scripture,
the form of Baptism, taught by our Redeemer,' shows most clearly that the Holy
Ghost is the Third Person, self-existent in the Divine Nature and distinct from
the other Persons. It is a doctrine taught also by the Apostle when he says:
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the charity of God, and the
communication of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.
This same truth is still more explicitly
declared in these words added to this Article of the Creed by the Fathers of
the First Council of Constantinople to refute the impious folly of Macedonius:
And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and giver of life, who proceedeth from the
Father, and the Son; who together with the Father and the Son, is adored and
glorified; who spoke by the prophets.
"The Lord"
By confessing the Holy Ghost to be Lord they
declare how far He excels the Angels, who are the noblest spirits created by
God; for they are all, says the Apostle, ministering spirits, sent to minister
for them who shall receive the inheritance of salvation.
"Life-Giver"
They also designate the Holy Ghost the giver
of life because the soul lives more by its union with God than the body is
nourished and sustained by its union with the soul. Since then, the Sacred
Scriptures ascribe to the Holy Ghost this union of the soul with God, it is
clear that He is most rightly called the giver of life.
"Who Proceedeth from the Father and
the Son"
With regard to the words immediately
succeeding: who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, the faithful are to be
taught that the Holy Ghost proceeds by an eternal procession from the Father
and the Son, as from one principle. This truth is proposed for our belief by
the Creed of the Church, from which no Christian may depart, and is confirmed
by the authority of the Sacred Scriptures and of Councils.
Christ the Lord, speaking of the Holy Ghost,
says: He shall glorify me, because he shall receive of mine. We also find that
the Holy Ghost is sometimes called in Scripture the Spirit of Christ,
sometimes, the Spirit of the Father; that He is one time said to be sent by the
Father, another time, by the Son, -- all of which clearly signifies that He
proceeds alike from the Father and the Son. He, says St. Paul, who has not the
Spirit of Christ belongs not to him. In his Epistle to the Galatians he also
calls the Holy Ghost the Spirit of Christ: God hath sent the Spirit of his Son
into your hearts, crying: Abba, Father. In the Gospel of St. Matthew, He is
called the Spirit of the Father: It is not you that speak, but the Spirit of
your Father that speaketh in you.
Our Lord said, at His Last Supper: When the
Paraclete cometh whom I will send you, the Spirit of truth, who proceedeth from
the Father, he shall give testimony of me. On another occasion, that the Holy
Ghost will be sent by the Father, He declares in these words: whom the Father
will send in my name. Understanding these words to denote the procession of the
Holy Ghost, we come to the inevitable conclusion that He proceeds from both
Father and Son.
The above are the truths that should be
taught with regard to the Person of the Holy Ghost.
Certain Divine Works are Appropriated to
the Holy Ghost
It is also the duty of the pastor to teach
that there are certain admirable effects, certain excellent gifts of the Holy
Ghost, which are said to originate and emanate from Him, as from a perennial
fountain of goodness. Although the intrinsic works of the most Holy Trinity are
common to the Three Persons, yet many of them are attributed specially to the
Holy Ghost, to signify that they arise from the boundless charity of God
towards us. For as the Holy Ghost proceeds from the divine will, inflamed, as
it were, with love, we can perceive that these effects which are referred
particularly to the Holy Ghost, are the result of God's supreme love for us.
Hence it is that the Holy Ghost is called a
gift; for by the word gift we understand that which is kindly and gratuitously
bestowed, without expectation of any return. Whatever gifts and graces,
therefore, have been conferred on us by God -- and what have we, says the
Apostle, that we have not received from God? -- we should piously and
gratefully acknowledge as bestowed by the grace and gift of the Holy Ghost.
Creation, Government, Life
These gifts of the Holy Ghost are numerous.
Not to mention the creation of the world, the propagation and government of all
created beings, discussed in the first Article, we have just shown that the
giving of life is particularly attributed to the Holy Ghost, and this is
further confirmed by the testimony of Ezechiel: I will give you spirit and you
shall live.
The Seven Gifts
The Prophet (Isaias), however, enumerates the
chief effects which are most properly ascribed to the Holy Ghost: The spirit of
wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and fortitude, the spirit of
knowledge and piety, and the spirit of the fear of the Lord. These effects are
called the gifts of the Holy Ghost, and sometimes they are even called the Holy
Ghost. Wisely, therefore, does St. Augustine admonish us, whenever we meet the
word Holy Ghost in Scripture, to distinguish whether it means the Third Person
of the Trinity or His gifts and operations.-' The two are as far apart as the
Creator is from the creature.
The diligence of the pastor in expounding
these truths should be the greater, since it is from these gifts of the Holy
Ghost that we derive rules of Christian life and are enabled to know if the
Holy Ghost dwells within us.
Justifying Grace
But the grace of justification, which signs
us with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the pledge of our inheritance,'
transcends all His other most ample gifts. It unites us to God in the closest
bonds of love, lights up within us the sacred flame of piety, forms us to newness
of life, renders us partakers of the divine nature, and enables us to be called
and really to be the sons of God.
ARTICLE
IX : "I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH; THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS"
The Importance Of This Article
With what great diligence pastors ought to
explain to the faithful the truth of this ninth Article will be easily seen, if
we attend chiefly to two considerations.
First, as St. Augustine observes, the
Prophets spoke more plainly and openly of the Church than of Christ, foreseeing
that on this a much greater number may err and be deceived than on the mystery
of the Incarnation. For in after ages there would not be wanting wicked men
who, like the ape that would fain pass for a man, would claim that they alone
were Catholics, and with no less impiety than effrontery assert that with them
alone is the Catholic Church.
The second consideration is that he whose
mind is strongly impressed with the truth taught in this Article, will easily
escape the awful danger of heresy. For a person is not to be called a heretic
as soon as he shall have offended in matters of faith; but he is a heretic who,
having disregarded the authority of the Church, maintains impious opinions with
pertinacity. Since, therefore, it is impossible that anyone be infected with
the contagion of heresy, so long as he holds what this Article proposes to be
believed, let pastors use every diligence that the faithful, having known this
mystery and guarded against the wiles of Satan, may persevere in the true
faith.
This Article hinges upon the preceding one;
for, it having been already shown that the Holy Ghost is the source and giver
of all holiness, we here profess our belief that the Church has been endowed by
Him with sanctity.
First Part Of This Article : "I Believe
In The Holy Catholic Church
The Latins, having borrowed the word ecclesia
(church) from the Greeks, have transferred it, since the preaching of the
Gospel, to sacred things. It becomes necessary, therefore, to explain its
meaning.
"Church"
The word ecclesia (church) means a calling
forth. But writers afterward used it to signify a meeting or assembly, whether
the people gathered together were members of a true or of a false religion.
Thus in the Acts it is written of the people of Ephesus that when the
town-clerk had appeased a tumultuous assemblage he said: And if you inquire
after any other matter, it may be decided in a lawful church. The Ephesians,
who were worshippers of Diana, are thus called a lawful church (ecclesia). Nor
are the Gentiles only, who knew not God, called a church (ecclesia); by the
same name at times are also designated the councils of wicked and impious men.
I have hated the church (ecclesiam) of the malignant, says the Prophet, and
with the wicked I will not sit.
In common Scripture usage, however, the word
was subsequently employed to signify the Christian society only, and the
assemblies of the faithful; that is, of those who are called by faith to the
light of truth and the knowledge of God, that, having forsaken the darkness of
ignorance and error, they may worship the living and true God piously and
holily, and serve Him from their whole heart. In a word, The Church, says St.
Augustine, consists of the faithful dispersed throughout the world.'
Mysteries Which The Word Church Comprises
In this word are contained important
mysteries. For, in the calling forth, which it signifies, we recognise at once
the benignity and splendour of divine grace, and we understand that the Church
is very unlike all other societies. Other bodies rest on human reason and
prudence, but the Church reposes on the wisdom and counsels of God who has
called us inwardly by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, who opens the hearts
of men; and outwardly, through the labor and ministry of pastors and preachers.
Moreover, the end of this vocation, that is,
the knowledge and possession of things eternal will be at once understood if we
but remember why the faithful of the Old Law were called a Synagogue, that is,
a flock for, as St. Augustine teaches, they were so called, because, like
cattle, which are wont to herd together. they looked only to terrestrial and
transitory goods. Wherefore, the Christian people are justly called, not a
Synagogue, but a Church, because, despising earthly and passing things, they
pursue only things heavenly and eternal.
Other Names Given The Church In Scripture
Many names, moreover, which are replete with
mysteries, have been used to designate the Christian body. Thus, by the
Apostle, it is called the house and edifice of God. If, says he to Timothy, I
tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the
house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of
truth. The Church is called a house, because it is, as it were, one family
governed by one father of the family, and enjoying a community of all spiritual
goods.
It is also called the flock of the sheep of
Christ, of which He is the door and the shepherd. It is called the spouse of
Christ. I have espoused you to one husband, says the Apostle to the
Corinthians, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ; and to the
Ephesians: Husbands love your wives, as Christ also loved the church; and of
marriage: This is a great sacrament, but I speak in Christ and in the church.
Finally, the Church is called the body of
Christ, as may be seen in the Epistles to the Ephesians and Colossians. Each of
these appellations has very great influence in exciting the faithful to prove
themselves worthy of the boundless clemency and goodness of God, who chose them
to be the people of God.
The Parts of the Church
These things having been explained, it will
be necessary to enumerate the several component parts of the Church, and to
point out their difference, in order that the faithful may the better
comprehend the nature, properties, gifts, and graces of God's beloved Church,
and by reason of them unceasingly praise the most holy name of God.
The Church consists principally of two parts,
the one called the Church triumphant; the other, the Church militant. The
Church triumphant is that most glorious and happy assemblage of blessed
spirits, and of those who have triumphed over the world, the flesh, and the
iniquity of Satan, and are now exempt and safe from the troubles of this life
and enjoy everlasting bliss. The Church militant is the society of all the
faithful still dwelling on earth. It is called militant, because it wages
eternal war with those implacable enemies, the world, the flesh and the devil.
We are not, however, to infer that there are
two Churches. The Church triumphant and the Church militant are two constituent
parts of one Church; one part going before, and now in the possession of its
heavenly country; the other, following every day, until at length, united with
our Saviour, it shall repose in endless felicity.
The Members Of The Church Militant
The Church militant is composed of two
classes of persons, the good and the bad, both professing the same faith and
partaking of the same Sacraments, yet differing in their manner of life and
morality.
The good are those who are linked together
not only by the profession of the same faith, and the participation of the same
Sacraments, but also by the spirit of grace and the bond of charity. Of these
St. Paul says: The Lord knoweth who are his. Who they are that compose this
class we also may remotely conjecture, but we can by no means pronounce with
certainty. Hence Christ the Saviour does not speak of this portion of His
Church when He refers us to the Church and commands us to hear and to obey her.
As this part of the Church is unknown, how could we ascertain with certainty
whose decision to recur to, whose authority to obey?
The Church, therefore, as the Scriptures and
the writings of the Saints testify, includes within her fold the good and the
bad; and it was in this sense that St. Paul spoke of one body and one spirit.
Thus understood, the Church is known and is compared to a city built on a
mountain, and visible from every side. As all must yield obedience to her
authority, it is necessary that she may-be known by all.
That the Church is composed of the good and
the bad we learn from many parables contained in the Gospel. Thus, the kingdom
of heaven, that is, the Church militant, is compared to a net cast into the
sea, to a field in which tares were sown with the good grain, to a threshing
floor on which the grain is mixed up with the chaff, and also to ten virgins,
some of whom were wise, and some foolish. And long before, we trace a figure
and resemblance of this Church in the ark of Noah, which contained not only
clean, but also unclean animals.
But although the Catholic faith uniformly and
truly teaches that the good and the bad belong to the Church, yet the same
faith declares that the condition of both is very different. The wicked are
contained in the Church, as the chaff is mingled with the grain on the
threshing floor, or as dead members sometimes remain attached to a living body.
Those Who Are Not Members Of The Church
Hence there are but three classes of persons
excluded from the Church's pale: infidels, heretics and schismatics, and
excommunicated persons. Infidels are outside the Church because they never
belonged to, and never knew the Church, and were never made partakers of any of
her Sacraments. Heretics and schismatics are excluded from the Church, because
they have separated from her and belong to her only as deserters belong to the
army from which they have deserted. It is not, however, to be denied that they
are still subject to the jurisdiction of the Church, inasmuch as they may be
called before her tribunals, punished and anathematised. Finally,
excommunicated persons are not members of the Church, because they have been
cut off by her sentence from the number of her children and belong not to her
communion until they repent.
But with regard to the rest, however wicked
and evil they may be, it is certain that they still belong to the Church: Of
this the faithful are frequently to be reminded, in order to be convinced that,
were even the lives of her ministers debased by crime, they are still within
the Church, and therefore lose nothing of their power.
Other Uses of the Word "Church"
Portions of the Universal Church are usually
called churches, as when the Apostle mentions the Church at Corinth, at
Galatia, of the Laodiceans, of the Thessalonians.
The private families of the faithful he also
calls churches. The church in the family of Priscilla and Aquila he commands to
be saluted; and in another place, he says: Aquila and Priscilla with the church
that is in their house salute you much in the Lord. Writing to Philemon, he
makes use of the same word.
Sometimes, also, the word church is used to
signify the prelates and pastors of the church. If he will not hear thee, says
our Lord, tell the church. Here the word church means the authorities of
the-Church.
The place in which the faithful assemble to
hear the Word of God, or for other religious purposes, is also called a church.
But in this Article, the word church is specially used to signify both the good
and the bad, the governed, as well as the governing.
The Marks Of The Church
The distinctive marks of the Church are also
to be made known to the faithful, that thus they may be enabled to estimate the
extent of the blessing conferred by God on those who have had the happiness to
be born and educated within her pale.
"One'
The first mark of the true Church is
described in the Nicene Creed, and consists in unity: My dove is one, my
beautiful one is one. So vast a multitude, scattered far and wide, is called
one for the reasons mentioned by St. Paul in his Epistle to the Ephesians: One
Lord, one faith, one baptism.
Unity In
Government
The Church has but one ruler and one
governor, the invisible one, Christ, whom the eternal Father hath made head
over all the Church, which is his body; the visible one, the Pope, who, as
legitimate successor of Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, fills the Apostolic
chair.
It is the unanimous teaching of the Fathers
that this visible head is necessary to establish and preserve unity in the
Church. This St. Jerome clearly perceived and as clearly expressed when, in his
work against Jovinian, he wrote: One is elected that, by the appointment of a
head, all occasion of schism may be removed. In his letter to Pope Damasus the
same holy Doctor writes: Away with envy, let the ambition of Roman grandeur
cease! I speak to the successor of the fisherman, and to the disciple of the
cross. Following no chief but Christ, I am united in communion with your
Holiness, that is, with the chair of Peter. I know that on that rock is built
the Church. Whoever will eat the lamb outside this house is profane; whoever is
not in the ark of Noah shall perish in the .flood.
The same doctrine was long before established
by Saints Irenaeus and Cyprian. The latter, speaking of the unity of the Church
observes: The Lord said to Peter, I say to thee, Peter! thou art Peter: and
upon this rock I will build my Church. He builds His Church on one. And
although after His Resurrection He gave equal power to all His Apostles,
saying: As the Father hath sent me, I also send you, receive ye the Holy Ghost;
yet to make unity more manifest, He decided by His own authority that it should
be derived from one alone, etc.
Again, Optatus of Milevi says: You cannot be
excused on the score of ignorance, knowing as you do that in the city of Rome
the episcopal chair was first conferred on Peter, who occupied it as head of
the Apostles; in order that in that one chair the unity of the Church might be
preserved by all, and that the other Apostles might not claim each a chair for
himself; so that now he who erects another in opposition to this single chair
is a schismatic and a prevaricator.
Later on St. Basil wrote: Peter is made the
foundation, because he says: Thou art Christ, the Son of the Living God; and
hears in reply that he is a rock. But although a rock, he is not such a rock as
Christ; for Christ is truly an immovable rock, but Peter, only by virtue of
that rock. For Jesus bestows His dignities on others; He is a priest, and He
makes priests; a rock, and He makes a rock; what belongs to Himself, He bestows
on His servants.
Lastly, St. Ambrose says: Because he alone of
all of them professed (Christ) he was placed above all.
Should anyone object that the Church is
content with one Head and one Spouse, Jesus Christ, and requires no other, the
answer is obvious. For as we deem Christ not only the author of all the
Sacraments, but also their invisible minister -- He it is who baptises, He it
is who absolves, although men are appointed by Him the external ministers of
the Sacraments -- so has He placed over His Church, which He governs by His
invisible Spirit, a man to be His vicar and the minister of His power. A
visible Church requires a visible head; therefore the Saviour appointed Peter
head and pastor of all the faithful, when He committed to his care the feeding
of all His sheep, in such ample terms that He willed the very same power of ruling
and governing the entire Church to descend to Peter's successors.
Unity In
Spirit, Hope And Faith
Moreover, the Apostle, writing to the
Corinthians, tells them that there is but one and the same Spirit who imparts
grace to the faithful, as the soul communicates life to the members of the
body. Exhorting the Ephesians to preserve this unity, he says: Be careful to
keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; one body and one Spirit. As
the human body consists of many members, animated by one soul, which gives
sight to the eves, hearing to the ears, and to the other senses the power of
discharging their respective functions; so the mystical body of Christ, which
is the Church, is composed of many faithful. The hope, to which we are called,
is also one, as the Apostle tells us in the same place; for we all hope for the
same consummation, eternal and happy life. Finally, the faith which all are
bound to believe and to profess is one: Let there be no schisms amongst you,
says the Apostle. And Baptism, which is the seal of our Christian faith, is
also one.
"Holy"
The second mark of the Church is holiness, as
we learn from these words of the Prince of the Apostles: You are a chosen
generation, a holy nation.
The Church is called holy because she is
consecrated and dedicated to God; for so other things when set apart and
dedicated to the worship of God were wont to be called holy, even though they
were material. Examples of this in the Old Law were vessels, vestments and
altars. In the same sense the first-born who were dedicated to the Most High
God were also called holy.
It should not be deemed a matter of surprise
that the Church, although numbering among her children many sinners, is called
holy. For as those who profess any art, even though they depart from its rules,
are still called artists, so in like manner the faithful, although offending in
many things and violating the engagements to which they had pledged themselves,
are still called holy, because they have been made the people of God and have consecrated
themselves to Christ by faith and Baptism. Hence, St. Paul calls the
Corinthians sanctified and holy, although it is certain that among them there
were some whom he severely rebuked as carnal, and also charged with grosser
crimes.
The Church is also to be called holy because
she is united to her holy Head, as His body; that is, to Christ the Lord,' the
fountain of all holiness, from whom flow the graces of the Holy Spirit and the
riches of the divine bounty. St. Augustine, interpreting these words of the
Prophet: Preserve my soul, for I am holy," thus admirably expresses
himself: Let the body of Christ boldly say, let also that one man, exclaiming
from the ends of the earth, boldly say, with his Head, and under his Head, I am
holy; for he received the grace of holiness, the grace of Baptism and of
remission of sins. And a little further on: If all Christians and all the
faithful, having been baptised in Christ, have put Him on, according to these
words of the Apostle: "As many of you as have been baptised in Christ,
have put on Christ"; if they are made members of his body, and yet say
they are not holy, they do an injury to their Head, whose members are holy.
Moreover, the Church alone has the legitimate
worship of sacrifice, and the salutary use of the Sacraments, which are the
efficacious instruments of divine grace, used by God to produce true holiness.
Hence, to possess true holiness, we must belong to this Church. The Church
therefore it is clear, is holy, and holy because she is the body of Christ, by
whom she is sanctified, and in whose blood she is washed.
"Catholic"
The third mark of the Church is that she is
Catholic; that is, universal. And justly is she called Catholic, because, as
St. Augustine says, she is diffused by the splendour of one faith from the
rising to the setting sun."
Unlike states of human institution, or the
sects of heretics, she is not confined to any one country or class of men, but
embraces within the amplitude of her love all mankind, whether barbarians or
Scythians, slaves or freemen, male or female. Therefore it is written: Thou . .
. hast redeemed us to God, in thy blood, out of every tribe, and tongue, and
people, and nation, and hast made us to our God a kingdom. Speaking of the Church,
David says: Ask of me and I will give thee the Gentiles for thy inheritance,
and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession; and also, I will be
mindful of Rahab and of Babylon knowing me; and man is born in her.
Moreover to this Church, built upon the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, belong all the faithful who have
existed from Adam to the present day, or who shall exist, in the profession of
the true faith, to the end of time; all of whom are founded and raised upon the
one corner-stone, Christ, who made both one, and announced peace to them that
are near and to them that are far.
She is also called universal, because all who
desire eternal salvation must cling to and embrace her, like those who entered
the ark to escape perishing in the flood.. This (note of catholicity),
therefore, is to be taught as a most reliable criterion, by which to
distinguish the true from a false Church.
Apostolic
The true Church is also to be recognised from
her origin, which can be traced back under the law of grace to the Apostles;
for her doctrine is the truth not recently given, nor now first heard of, but
delivered of old by the Apostles, and disseminated throughout the entire world.
Hence no one can doubt that the impious opinions which heresy invents, opposed
as they are to the doctrines taught by the Church from the days of the Apostles
to the present time, are very different from the faith of the true Church.
That all, therefore, might know which was the
Catholic Church, the Fathers, guided by the Spirit of God, added to the Creed
the word Apostolic. For the Holy Ghost, who presides over the Church, governs
her by no other ministers than those of Apostolic succession. This Spirit,
first imparted to the Apostles, has by the infinite goodness of God always
continued in the Church. And just as this one Church cannot err in faith or
morals, since it is guided by the Holy Ghost; so, on the contrary, all other
societies arrogating to themselves the name of church, must necessarily,
because guided by the spirit of the devil, be sunk in the most pernicious
errors, both doctrinal and moral.
Figures of the Church
The figures of the Old Testament have great
power to stimulate the minds of the faithful and to remind them of these most
beautiful truths. It was for this reason chiefly that the Apostles made use of
these figures. The pastor, therefore, should not overlook so fruitful a source
of instruction.
Among these figures the ark of Noah holds a
conspicuous place. It was built by the command of God, in order that there
might be no doubt that it was a symbol of the Church, which God has so
constituted that all who enter therein through Baptism, may be safe from danger
of eternal death, while such as are outside the Church, like those who were not
in the ark, are overwhelmed by their own crimes.
Another figure presents itself in the great
city of Jerusalem, which, in Scripture, often means the Church. In Jerusalem
only was it lawful to offer sacrifice to God, and in the Church of God only are
to be found the true worship and true sacrifice which can at all be acceptable
to God.
"I Believe the Holy Catholic
Church"
Finally, with regard to the Church, the
pastor should teach how to believe the Church can constitute an Article of
faith. Although reason and the senses are able to ascertain the existence of
the Church, that is, of a society of men on earth devoted and consecrated to
Jesus Christ, and although faith does not seem necessary in order to understand
a truth which even Jews and Turks do not doubt; nevertheless it is from the
light of faith only, not from the deductions of reason, that the mind can grasp
those mysteries contained in the Church of God which have been partly made
known above and will again be treated under the Sacrament of Holy Orders.
Since, therefore, this Article, no less than
the others, is placed above the reach, and defies the strength of the human
understanding, most justly do we confess that we know not from human reason,
but contemplate with the eyes of faith the origin, offices and dignity of the
Church.
This Church was founded not by man, but by
the immortal God Himself, who built her upon a most solid rock. The Highest
himself, says the Prophet, hath founded her. Hence, she is called the
inheritance of God, the people of God. The power which she possesses is not
from man but from God.
Since this power, therefore, cannot be of
human origin, divine faith can alone enable us to understand that the keys of the.
kingdom of heaven are deposited with the Church, that to her has been confided
the power of remitting sins," of denouncing excommunication, and of
consecrating the real body of Christ; and t}tat her children have not here a
permanent dwelling, but look for one above.
We are, therefore, bound to believe that
there is one Holy Catholic Church. With regard to the Three Persons of the Holy
Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, we not
only believe them, but also believe in them.
But here we make use of a different form of expression, professing to believe
the holy, not in the holy Catholic Church. By this difference of expression we
distinguish God, the author of all things, from His works, and acknowledge that
all the exalted benefits bestowed on the Church are due to God's bounty.
Second Part of this Article: "The
Communion of Saints"
The Evangelist St. John, writing to the
faithful on the divine mysteries, explains as follows why he undertook to
instruct them in these truths: That you may have fellowship with us, and our
fellowship may be with the Father, and with his son Jesus Christ. This
fellowship consists in the Communion of Saints, the subject of the present
Article.
Importance Of This Truth
Would that in its exposition pastors imitated
the zeal of Paul and of the other Apostles. For not only is it a development of
the preceding Article and a doctrine productive of abundant fruit; it also
teaches the use to be made of the mysteries contained in the Creed, because the
great end to which we should direct all our study and knowledge of them is that
we may be admitted into this most august and blessed society of the Saints, and
may steadily persevere therein, giving thanks with joy to God the Father, who
hath made us worthy to be partakers of the lot of the saints in light.
Meaning of "The Communion of
Saints"
The faithful, therefore, in the first place
are to be informed that this part of the Article, is, as it were, a sort of
explanation of the preceding part which regards the unity, sanctity and
catholicity of the Church. For the unity of the Spirit, by which she is
governed, brings it about that whatsoever has been given to the Church is held
as a common possession by all her members.
Communion Of Sacraments
The fruit of all the Sacraments is common to
all the faithful, and these Sacraments, particularly Baptism, the door, as it
were, by which we are admitted into the Church, are so many sacred bonds which
bind and unite them to Christ. That this communion of Saints implies a
communion of Sacraments, the Fathers declare in these words of the Creed: I
confess one Baptism. After Baptism, the Eucharist holds the first place in
reference to this communion, and after that the other Sacraments; for although
this name (communion) is applicable to all the Sacraments, inasmuch as they
unite us to God, and render us partakers of Him whose grace we receive, yet it
belongs in a peculiar manner to the Eucharist which actually produces this
communion.
Communion Of Good Works
But there is also another communion in the
Church which demands attention. Every pious and holy action done by one belongs
to and becomes profitable to all through charity, which seeketh not her Own.
This is proved by the testimony of St. Ambrose, who, explaining these words of
the Psalmist, I am a partaker with all them that f ear thee, observes: As we
say that a limb is partaker of the entire body, so are we partakers with all
that fear God. Therefore has Christ taught us that form of prayer in which we
say our, not my bread; and the other Petitions are equally general, not
confined to ourselves alone, but directed also to the common interest and the
salvation of all.
This communication of goods is often very
aptly illustrated in Scripture by a comparison borrowed from the members of the
human body. In the human body there are many members, but though many, they yet
constitute but one body, in which each performs its own, not all the same,
functions. All do not enjoy equal dignity, or discharge functions alike useful
or honourable; nor does one propose to itself its own exclusive advantage, but
that Of the entire body. Besides, they are so well organised
and knit together that if one suffers, the
rest likewise suffer on account of their affinity and sympathy of nature; and
if, on the contrary, one enjoys health, the feeling of pleasure is common to
all.
The same may be observed in the Church. She
is composed of various members; that is, of different nations, of Jews,
Gentiles, freemen and slaves, of rich and poor; when they have been baptised,
they constitute one body with Christ, of which He is the Head. To each member
of the Church is also assigned his own peculiar office. As some are appointed
apostles, some teachers, but all for the common good; so to some it belongs to
govern and teach, to others to be subject and to obey.
Those Who Share In This Communion
The advantages of so many and such exalted
blessings bestowed by Almighty God are enjoyed by those who lead a Christian
life in charity, and are just and beloved of God. As to the dead members; that
is, those who are bound in the thraldom of sin and estranged from the grace of
God, they are not so deprived of these advantages as to cease to be members of
this body; but since they are dead members, they do not share in the spiritual
fruit which is communicated to the just and pious. However, as they are in the
Church, they are assisted in recovering lost grace and life by those who live
by the Spirit; and they also enjoy those benefits which are without doubt
denied to those who are entirely cut off from the Church.
Communion In Other Blessings
Not only the gifts which justify and endear
us to God are common. Graces gratuitously granted, such as knowledge, prophecy,
the gifts of tongues and of miracles, and others of the same sort, are common
also, and are granted even to the wicked, not, however, for their own but for
the general good, for the edification of the Church. Thus, the gift of healing
is given not for the sake of him who heals, but for the sake of him who is
healed.
In fine, every true Christian possesses
nothing which he should not consider common to all others with himself, and
should therefore be prepared promptly to relieve an indigent fellow-creature.
For he that is blessed with worldly goods, and sees his brother in want, and
will not assist him, is plainly convicted of not having the love of God within
him.
Those, therefore, who belong to this holy
communion, it is manifest, do now enjoy a certain degree of happiness and can
truly say: How lovely are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! my soul longeth and
fainteth for the courts of the Lord.... Blessed are they who dwell in thy
house, Lord.
ARTICLE
X : "THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS"
Importance Of This Article
The enumeration of this among the other
Articles of the Creed is alone sufficient to satisfy us that it conveys a
truth, which is not only in itself a divine mystery, but also a mystery very
necessary to salvation. We have already said that, without a firm belief of all
the Articles of the Creed, Christian piety is wholly unattainable. However,
should that which ought to be clear in itself seem to require the support of
some authority, the declaration of our Lord will suffice. A short time previous
to His Ascension into heaven, when opening the understanding of His disciples
that they might understand the Scriptures, He bore testimony to this Article of
the Creed, in these words: It behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise again from
the dead the third day, and that penance and remission of sins should be
preached, in his name, unto all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Let the pastor but weigh well these words,
and he will readily perceive that the Lord has placed him under a most sacred
obligation, not only of making known to the faithful whatever regards religion
in general, but also of explaining with particular care this Article of the
Creed.
The Church Has the Power of Forgiving Sins
On this point of doctrine, then, it is the
duty of the pastor to teach that, not only is forgiveness of sins to be found
in the Catholic Church, as Isaias had foretold in these words: The people that
dwell therein shall have their iniquity taken away from them; but also that in
her resides the power of forgiving sins; and furthermore that we are bound to believe
that this power, if exercised duly, and according to the laws prescribed by our
Lord, is such as truly to pardon and remit sins.
Extent of this Power:
All Sins That Precede Baptism
When we first make a profession of faith and
are cleansed in holy Baptism, we receive this pardon entire and unqualified; so
that no sin, original or actual, of commission or omission, re- mains to be
expiated, no punishment to be endured. The grace of Baptism, however, does not
give exemption from all the infirmities of nature. On the contrary, contending,
as each of us has to contend, against the motions of concupiscence, which ever
tempts us to the commission of sin, there is scarcely one to be found among us,
who opposes so vigorous a resistance to its assaults, or who guards his
salvation so vigilantly, as to escape all wounds.
All Sins Committed After Baptism
It being necessary, therefore, that a power
of forgiving sins, distinct from that of Baptism, should exist in the Church,
to her were entrusted the keys of the kingdom of heaven, by which each one, if
penitent, may obtain the remission of his sins, even though he were a sinner to
the last day of his life. This truth is vouched for by the most unquestionable
authority of the Sacred Scriptures. In St. Matthew the Lord says to Peter: I
will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt
bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven; and what- soever thou shalt
loose on earth, shall be loosed also in heaven; and again: Whatsoever you shall
bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose
on earth, shall be loosed also in heaven.' Further, the testimony of St. John
assures us that the Lord, breathing on the Apostles, said: Receive ye the Holy
Ghost, whose sins you shall forgive they are forgiven them; and whose sins you
shall retain, they are retained. '
Limitation of this Power:
It Is Not Limited As To Sins, Persons, Or
Time
Nor is the exercise of this power restricted
to particular sins. No crime, however heinous, can be committed or even
conceived which the Church has not power to forgive, just as there is no
sinner, however abandoned, however depraved, who should not confidently hope
for pardon, provided he sincerely repent of his past transgressions.
Furthermore, the exercise of this power is
not restricted to particular times. Whenever the sinner turns from his evil
ways he is not to be rejected, as we learn from the reply of our Saviour to the
Prince of the Apostles. When St. Peter asked how often we should pardon an
offending brother, whether seven times, Not only seven times, said the
Redeemer, but till seventy times seven.
It Is Limited As To Its Ministers And
Exercise
But if we look to its ministers, or to the
manner in which it is to be exercised, the extent of this divine power will not
appear so great; for our Lord gave not the power of so sacred a ministry to
all, but to Bishops and priests only. The same must be said regarding the
manner in which this power is to be exercised; for sins can be forgiven only
through the Sacraments, when duly administered. The Church has received no
power otherwise to remit sin. Hence it follows that in the forgiveness of sins
both priests and Sacraments are, so to speak, the instruments which Christ our
Lord, the author and giver of salvation, makes use of, to accomplish in us the
pardon of sin and the grace of justification.
Greatness of this Power
To raise the admiration of the faithful for
this heavenly gift, bestowed on the Church by God's singular mercy towards us,
and to make them approach its use with the more lively sentiments of devotion
the pastor should endeavour to point out the dignity and the extent of the
grace which it imparts. If there be any one means better calculated than
another to accomplish this end, it is carefully to show how great must be the
efficacy of that which absolves from sin and restores the unjust to a state of
justification.
Sin Can Be Forgiven Only By The Power Of
God
This is manifestly an effect of the infinite
power of God, of that same power which we believe to have been necessary to
raise the dead to life and to summon creation into existence. But if it be
true, as the authority of St. Augustine assures us it is, that to recall a
sinner from the state of sin to that of righteousness is even a greater work
than to create the heavens and the earth from nothing, though their creation
can be no other than the effect of infinite power, it follows that we have still
stronger reason to consider the remission of sins as an effect proceeding from
the exercise of this same infinite power.
With great truth, therefore, have the ancient
Fathers declared that God alone can forgive sins, and that to His infinite
goodness and power alone is so wonderful a work to be referred. I am he, says
the Lord Himself, by the mouth of His Prophet, I am he who blotteth out your
iniquities.
The remission of sins seems to bear an exact
analogy to the cancelling of a pecuniary debt. None but the creditor can
forgive a pecuniary debt. Hence, since by sin we contract a debt to God alone
-- wherefore we daily pray: forgive us our debts sin, it is clear, can be
forgiven by Him alone, and by none else.
This Power Communicated To None Before
Christ
This wonderful and divine power was never
communicated to creatures, until God became man. Christ our Saviour, although
true God, was the first one who, as man, received this high prerogative from
His heavenly Father. That you may know that the son of man hath power on earth
to forgive sins (then said he to the man sick of the palsy), rise. take up thy
bed, and go into thy house. As, therefore, He became man, in order to bestow on
man this forgiveness of sins, He communicated this power to Bishops and priests
in the Church, previous to His Ascension into heaven, where He sits forever at
the right hand of God. Christ, however, as we have already said, remits sin by
virtue of His own authority; all others, by virtue of His authority delegated
to them as His ministers.
If, therefore, whatever is the effect of
infinite power claims our highest admiration and reverence, we must readily
perceive that this gift, bestowed on the Church by the bounteous hand of Christ
our Lord, is one of inestimable value.
Sin Remitted Through The Blood Of Christ
The manner too, in which God, in the fullness
of His paternal clemency resolved to cancel the sins of the world must
powerfully move the faithful to contemplate the greatness of this blessing. It
was His will that our offences should be expiated by the blood of His
Only-begotten Son; that His Son should voluntarily assume the imputability of
our sins, and suffer a most cruel death, the just for the unjust, the innocent
for the guilty.
When, therefore, we reflect that we were not
redeemed with corruptible things, as gold or silver, but with the precious
blood of Christ, as of a lamb unspotted and undefiled, we are naturally led to
conclude that we could have received no gift more salutary than this power of
forgiving sins, which proclaims the ineffable Providence of God and the excess
of His love towards us. This reflection must produce in all the most abundant
spiritual fruit.
The Great Evil From Which Forgiveness
Delivers Man
For whoever offends God, even by one mortal
sin, instantly forfeits whatever merits he may have previously acquired through
the sufferings and death of Christ, and is entirely shut out from the gate of
heaven which, when already closed, was thrown open to all by the Redeemer's
Passion. When we reflect on this, the thought of our misery must fill us with
deep anxiety. But if we turn our attention to this admirable power with which
God has invested His Church; and, in the firm belief of this Article, feel
convinced that to every sinner is offered the means of recovering, with the
assistance of divine grace, his former dignity, we must exult with exceeding
joy and gladness, and must offer immortal thanks to God.
If, when we are seriously ill, the medicines
prepared for us by the art and industry of the physician are wont to be welcome
and agreeable to us, how much more welcome and agreeable should those remedies
prove which the wisdom of God has established to heal our souls and restore us
to the life of grace, especially since they bring with them, not, indeed,
uncertain hope of recovery, like the medicines that are applied to the body,
but assured health to such as desire to be cured !
Exhortation:
This Remedy To Be Used
The faithful, therefore, having formed a just
conception of the dignity of so excellent and exalted a blessing, should be
exhorted to profit by it to the best of their ability. For he who makes no use
of what is really useful and necessary must be supposed to despise it;
particularly since, in communicating to the Church the power of forgiving sin,
the Lord did so with the view that all should have recourse to this healing
remedy. As without Baptism no one can be cleansed, so in order to recover the
grace of Baptism, forfeited by actual mortal guilt, recourse must be had to
another means of expiation, -- namely, the Sacrament of Penance.
Abuse To Be Guarded Against
But here the faithful are to be admonished to
guard against the danger of becoming more prone to sin, or slow to repentance,
from a presumption that they can have recourse to this power of forgiving sins
which is so complete and, as we saw, unrestricted as to time. For, as such a
propensity to sin would manifestly convict them of acting injuriously and
contumaciously to this divine power, and would therefore render them unworthy
of the divine mercy; so this slowness to repentance gives great reason to fear
that, overtaken by death, they may in vain confess their belief in the
remission of sins, which by their tardiness and procrastination they deservedly
forfeited.
ARTICLE
XI : "THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY"
Importance Of This Article
That this Article supplies a convincing proof
of the truth of our faith appears chiefly from the fact that not only is it
proposed in the Sacred Scriptures to the belief of the faithful, but is also
confirmed by numerous arguments. This we scarcely find to be the case with
regard to the other Articles, which justifies the inference that on this
doctrine, as on its most solid basis, rests our hope of salvation; for
according to the reasoning of the Apostle, If there be no resurrection of the
dead, then Christ is not risen again; and if Christ be not risen again, then is
our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
The diligence and zeal, therefore, of the
pastor in the explanation of this dogma should not be less than the labor which
the impiety of many has expended in efforts to overthrow it. That eminently
important advantages flow to the faithful from the knowledge of this Article
will be shown further on.
"The Resurrection of the Body"
That in this Article the resurrection of
mankind is called the resurrection of the body, is a circumstance which
deserves special attention. It was not, indeed, so named without a reason for
the Apostles intended thus to convey a necessary truth, the immortality of the
soul. Lest anyone, despite the fact that many passages of Scripture plainly
teach that the soul is immortal, might imagine that it dies with the body, and
that both are to be restored to life, the Creed speaks only of the resurrection
of the body.
Although in Sacred Scripture the word flesh
often signifies the whole man, as in Isaias, All flesh is grass, and in St.
John, The Word was made flesh; yet in this place it is used to express the body
only, thus giving us to understand that of the two constituent parts of man,
soul and body, one only, that is, the body, is corrupted and returns to its
original dust, while the soul remains incorrupt and immortal. As then, a man
cannot be said to return to life unless he has previously died, so the soul
could not with propriety be said to rise again.
The word body is also mentioned, in order to
confute the heresy of Hymeneus and Philetus, who, during the lifetime of the
Apostle, asserted that whenever the Scriptures speak of the resurrection, they
are to be understood to mean not the resurrection of the body, but that of the
soul, by which it rises from the death of sin to the life of grace. The words
of this Article, therefore, as is clear, exclude that error, and establish a
real resurrection of the body.
The Fact of the Resurrection:
Examples And Proofs Derived From Scripture
It will be the duty of the pastor to
illustrate this truth by examples taken from the Old and New Testaments, and
from all ecclesiastical history. In the Old Testament, some were restored to
life by Elias and Eliseus; and, besides those who were raised to life by our
Lord, many were raised by the holy Apostles and by many others. These many
resurrections confirm the doctrine taught by this Article; for believing that
many were recalled from death to life, we are also naturally led to believe the
general resurrection of all. In fact the principal fruit which we should derive
from these miracles is to yield to this Article our most unhesitating belief.
To pastors ordinarily conversant with the
Sacred Volumes many Scripture proofs of this Article will at once present
themselves. In the Old Testament the most conspicuous are those afforded by
Job, when he says that in his flesh he shall see his God, and by Daniel when,
speaking of those who sleep in the dust of the earth, he says, some shall awake
to eternal life, others to eternal reproach. In the New Testament (the
principal passages are) those of St. Matthew, which record the disputation our
Lord held with the Sadducees, and those in which the Evangelists speak
concerning the Last Judgment. To these we may also add the accurate reasoning
of the Apostle on the subject in his Epistles to the Corinthians and
Thessalonians.
Analogies From Nature
But although the resurrection is most
certainly established by faith, it will, notwithstanding, be of material
advantage to show from analogy and reason that what faith proposes is not at
variance with nature or human reason.
To one asking how the dead should rise again,
the Apostle answers: Foolish man! that which thou sowest is not quickened,
except it die first; and that which thou sowest, thou sowest not the body that
shall be, but bare grain, as of wheat, or of some of the rest; but God giveth
it a body as he will; and a little after, It is sown in corruption, it shall
rise in incorruption.
St. Gregory calls our attention to many other
arguments of analogy tending to the same effect. The sun, he says, is every day
withdrawn from our eyes, as it were, by dying, and is again recalled, as it
were, by rising again; trees lose, and again, as it were, by a resurrection,
resume their verdure; seeds die by putrefaction, and rise again by germination.
Arguments Drawn From Reason
The reasons also adduced by ecclesiastical
writers seem well calculated to establish this truth. In the first place, as
the soul is immortal, and has, as part of man, a natural propensity to be
united to the body, its perpetual separation from it must be considered as
unnatural. But as that which is contrary to nature and in a state of violence,
cannot be permanent, it appears fitting that the soul should be reunited to the
body, and consequently that the body should rise again. This argument our
Saviour Himself employed, when in His disputation with the Sadducees He deduced
the resurrection of the body from the immortality of the soul."
In the next place, as an all-just God holds
out punishments to the wicked and rewards to the good, and as very many of the
former depart this life unpunished for their crimes and many of the latter
unrewarded for their virtues, the soul should be reunited to the body, in
order, as the partner of her crimes, or the companion of her virtues, to become
a sharer in her punishments or rewards. This argument has been admirably treated
by St. Chrysostom in his homily to the people of Antioch.
To this effect also, the Apostle, speaking of
the resurrection, says: If in this life only, we have hope in Christ, we are of
all men the most miserable.. These words of St. Paul cannot be supposed to
refer to the misery of the soul; for since the soul is immortal, it is capable
of enjoying happiness in a future life, even though the body did not rise
again. His words, then, must refer to the whole man; for, unless the body
receive the due rewards of its labours, those who, like the Apostles, endured
so many afflictions and calamities in this life, would necessarily be the most
miserable of men. On this subject the Apostle is much more explicit in his
Epistle to the Thessalonians: We glory in the churches of God, for your
patience and faith, in all your persecutions and tribulations which you endure
-- for an example of the just judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy
of the kingdom of God, for which also you suffer; seeing it is a just thing with
God to repay tribulation to them that trouble you; and to you who are troubled,
rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with the angels
of his power, in a flame of fire, yielding vengeance to them who know not God,
and who obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Again, while the soul is separated from the
body, man cannot enjoy that full happiness which is replete with every good.
For as a part separated from the whole is imperfect, the soul separated from
the body must be imperfect. Therefore, that nothing may be wanting to fill up
the measure of its happiness, the resurrection of the body is necessary.
By these, and similar arguments, the pastor
will be able to instruct the faithful in this Article.
All Shall Rise
He should also carefully explain from the
Apostle who are to be raised to life. Writing to the Corinthians, he (St. Paul)
says: As in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive.' Good and
bad then, without distinction, shall all rise from the dead, although the
condition of all will not be the same. Those who have done good, shall rise to
the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil to the resurrection of
judgment.
When we say all we mean those who will have
died before the day of judgment, as well as those who will then die. That the
Church acquiesces in the opinion that all, without distinction, shall die, and
that this opinion is more consonant with truth, is the teaching of St. Jerome
and of St. Augustine.
Nor does the Apostle in his Epistle to the
Thessalonians dissent from this doctrine, when he says: The dead who are in
Christ shall rise first, then we who are alive, who are left, shall be taken up
together with them in the clouds to meet Christ, into the air. St. Ambrose
explaining these words says: In that very taking up, death shall take place, as
it were, in a deep sleep, and the soul, having gone forth from the body, shall
instantly return. For those who are alive shall die when they are taken up
that, coming to the Lord, they may receive their souls from His presence;
because in His presence they cannot be dead. This opinion is supported by the
authority of St. Augustine in his book On the City of God."
The Body Shall Rise Substantially the Same
But as it is of vital importance to be fully
convinced that the identical body, which belongs to each one of us during life,
shall, though corrupt and dissolved into its original dust, be raised up again
to life, this too is a subject which demands accurate explanation on the part
of the pastor.
It is a truth conveyed by the Apostle when he
says: This corruptible must put on incorruption, evidently designating by the
word this, his own body. It is also clearly expressed in the prophecy of Job:
In my flesh I shall see my God, whom I myself shall see, and mine eyes behold,
and not another.
Further, this same truth is inferred from the
very definition of resurrection; for resurrection, as Damascene defines it, is
a return to the state from which one has fallen.
Finally, if we bear in mind the arguments by
which we have just established a future resurrection, every doubt on the
subject must at once disappear.
We have said that the body is to rise again,
that every one may receive the proper things of the body, according as he hath
done, whether it be good or evil. Man is, therefore, to rise again in the same
body with which he served God, or was a slave to the devil; that in the same
body he may experience rewards and a crown of victory, or endure the severest
punishments and torments.
Restoration Of All That Pertains To The
Nature And Adornment Of The Body
Not only will the body rise, but whatever
belongs to the reality of its nature, and adorns and ornaments man will be
restored. For this we have the admirable words of St. Augustine: There
shall then be no deformity of body; if some
have been overburdened with flesh, they shall not resume its entire weight. All
that exceeds the proper proportion shall be deemed superfluous. On the other
hand, should the body be wasted by disease or old age, or be emaciated from any
other cause, it shall be repaired by the divine power of Christ, who will not
only restore the body unto us, but will repair whatever it shall have lost
through the wretchedness of this life. In another place he says: Man shall not
resume his former hair, but shall be adorned with such as will become him,
according to the words: "The very hairs of your head are all
numbered." God will restore them according to His wisdom.
Restoration Of All That Pertains To The
Integrity Of The Body
But the members especially, because they
belong to the integrity of human nature, shall all be restored at once. The
blind from nature or disease, the lame, the maimed and the paralysed in any of
their members shall rise again with entire and perfect bodies. Otherwise the
desires of the soul, which so strongly incline it to a union with the body,
would be far from satisfied; but we are convinced that in the resurrection
these desires will be fully realised.
Besides, the resurrection, like the creation,
is clearly to be numbered among the principal works of God. As, therefore, at
the creation all things came perfect from the hand of God, we must admit that
it will be the same in the resurrection.
These observations are not to be restricted
to the bodies of the martyrs, of whom St. Augustine says: As the mutilation
which they suffered would prove a deformity, they shall rise with all their
members; otherwise those who were beheaded would rise without a head. The
scars, however, which they received shall remain, shining like the wounds of
Christ, with a brilliance far more resplendent than that of gold and of
precious stones.
The wicked, too, shall rise with all their
members, even with those lost through their own fault. The greater the number
of members which they shall have, the greater will be their torments; and
therefore this restoration of members will serve to increase not their
happiness but their sorrow and misery; for merit or demerit is ascribed not to
the members, but to the person to whose body they are united. To those,
therefore, who shall have done penance, they shall be restored as sources of
reward; and to those who shall have contemned it, as instruments of punishment.
If the pastor gives attentive consideration
to these things, he can never lack words or ideas to move the hearts of the
faithful, and enkindle in them the flame of piety; so that having before their
minds the troubles and calamities of this life, they may look forward with
eager expectations to that blessed glory of the resurrection which awaits the
just.
The Condition of the Risen Body Shall be
Different
It now remains for the faithful to understand
how the body, when raised from the dead, although substantially the same body
that had been dead, shall be vastly different and changed in its condition.
Immortality
To omit other points, the chief difference
between the state of all bodies when risen from the dead and what they had
previously been is that before the resurrection they were subject to
dissolution, but when reanimated they shall all, without distinction of good
and bad, be invested with immortality.
This admirable restoration of nature, as the
Scriptures testify, is the result of the glorious victory of Christ over death.
For it is written: He shall cast death down headlong for ever, and, O death! I
will be thy death.' Explaining these words the Apostle says: And the enemy
death shall be destroyed last; and St. John also says: Death shall be no more.
It was most fitting that the sin of Adam
should be far exceeded by the merit of Christ the Lord, who overthrew the
empire of death. It was also in keeping with divine justice, that the good
should enjoy endless felicity, while the wicked, condemned to everlasting
torments, shall seek death, and shall not find it, shall desire to die, and
death shall fly from them. Immortality, therefore, will be common to the good
and to the bad.
The Qualities Of A Glorified Body
In addition to this, the bodies of the risen
Saints will be distinguished by certain transcendent endowments, which will
ennoble them far beyond their former condition. Among these endowments four are
specially mentioned by the Fathers, which they infer from the doctrine of St.
Paul, and which are called gifts.
Impassibility
The first endowment or gift is impassibility,
which shall place them beyond the reach of suffering anything disagreeable or
of being affected by pain or inconvenience of any sort. Neither the piercing
severity of cold, nor the glowing intensity of heat, nor the impetuosity of
waters can hurt them. It is sown says the Apostle, in corruption, it shall rise
in incorruption This quality the Schoolmen call impassibility, not
incorruption, in order to distinguish it as a property peculiar to a glorified
body. The bodies of the damned, though incorruptible, will not be impassible;
they will be capable of experiencing heat and cold and of suffering various
afflictions.
Brightness
The next quality is brightness, by which the
bodies of the Saints shall shine like the sun, according to the words of our
Lord recorded in the Gospel of St. Matthew: The just shall shine as the sun, in
the kingdom of their Father. To remove the possibility of doubt on the subject,
He exemplifies this in His Transfiguration. This quality the Apostle sometimes
calls glory, sometimes brightness: He will reform the body of our lowness, made
like to the body of his glory; " and again, It is sown in dishonour, it
shall rise in glory. Of this glory the Israelites beheld some image in the
desert, when the face of Moses, after he had enjoyed the presence and
conversation of God, shone with such lustre that they could not look on it.
This brightness is a sort of radiance
reflected on the body from the supreme happiness of the soul. It is a
participation in that bliss which the soul enjoys just as the soul itself is
rendered happy by a participation in the happiness of God.
Unlike the gift of impassibility, this
quality is not common to all in the same degree. All the bodies of the Saints
will be equally impassible; but the brightness of all will not be the same,
for, according to the Apostle, One is the glory of the sun, another the glory
of the moon, and another the glory of the stars, for star differeth from star
in glory: so also is the resurrection of the dead.
Agility
To the preceding quality is united that which
is called agility, by which the body will be freed from the heaviness that now
presses it down, and will take on a capability of moving with the utmost ease
and swiftness, wherever the soul pleases, as St. Augustine teaches in his book
On the City of God, and St. Jerome On Isaias. Hence these words of the Apostle:
It is sown in weakness, it shall rise in power.
Subtility
Another quality is that of subtility, which
subjects the body to the dominion of the soul, so that the body shall be
subject to the soul and ever ready to follow her desires. This quality we learn
from these words of the Apostle: It is sown a natural body, it shall rise a
spiritual body.
These are the principal points which should
be dwelt on in the exposition of this Article.
Advantages of Deep Meditation on this
Article
But in order that the faithful may appreciate
the fruit they derive from a knowledge of so many and such exalted mysteries,
it is necessary, first of all, to point out that to God, who has hidden these
things from the wise and made them known to little ones, we owe a debt of
boundless gratitude. How many men, eminent for wisdom or endowed with singular
learning, who ever remained blind to this most certain truth ! The fact, then,
that He has made known to us these truths, although we could never have aspired
to such knowledge, obliges us to pour forth our gratitude in unceasing praises
of His supreme goodness and clemency.
Another important advantage to be derived
from reflection on this Article is that in it we shall find consolation both
for ourselves and others when we mourn the death of those who were endeared to
us by relationship or friendship. Such was the consolation which the Apostle
himself gave the Thessalonians when writing to them concerning those who are
asleep.
Again, in all our afflictions and calamities
the thought of a future resurrection must bring the greatest relief to the
troubled heart, as we learn from the example of holy Job, who supported his
afflicted and sorrowing soul by this one hope that the day would come when, in
the resurrection, he would behold the Lord his God.
The same thought must also prove a powerful
incentive to the faithful to use every exertion to lead lives of rectitude and
integrity, unsullied by the defilement of sin. For if they reflect that those
boundless riches which will follow after the resurrection are now offered to
them as rewards, they will be easily attracted to the pursuit of virtue and
piety.
On the other hand, nothing will have greater
effect in subduing the passions and withdrawing souls from sin, than frequently
to remind the sinner of the miseries and torments with which the reprobate will
be visited, who on the last day will come forth unto the resurrection of judgment.
ARTICLE
XII : "LIFE EVERLASTING"
Importance Of This Article
The holy Apostles, our guides, thought fit to
conclude the Creed, which is the summary of our faith, with the Article on
eternal life: first, because after the resurrection of the body the only object
of the Christian's hope is the reward of everlasting life; and secondly, in
order that perfect happiness, embracing as it does the fullness of all good,
may be ever present to our minds and absorb all our thoughts and affections.
In his instructions to the faithful the
pastor, therefore, should unceasingly endeavour to light up in their souls an
ardent desire of the promised rewards of eternal life, so that whatever
difficult duties he may inculcate as a part of the Christian's life, the faithful
may look upon as light, or even agreeable, and may yield a more willing and
cheerful obedience to God.
"Life Everlasting"
As many mysteries lie concealed under the
words which are here used to declare the happiness reserved for us, they are to
be explained in such a manner as to make them intelligible to all, as far as
each one's capacity will allow.
The faithful, therefore, are to be informed
that the words, life everlasting, signify not only continuance of existence,
which even the demons and the wicked possess, but also that perpetuity of
happiness which is to satisfy the desires of the blessed. In this sense they
were understood by the lawyer mentioned in the Gospel when he asked the Lord
our Saviour: What shall I do to possess everlasting life? as if he had said,
What shall I do in order to arrive at the enjoyment of perfect happiness? In
this sense these words are understood in the Sacred Scriptures, as is clear
from many passages.
"Everlasting"
The supreme happiness of the blessed is
called by this name (life everlasting) principally to exclude the notion that
it consists in corporeal and transitory things, which cannot be everlasting.
The word blessedness is insufficient to express the idea, particularly as there
have not been wanting men who, puffed up by the teachings of a vain philosophy,
would place the supreme good in sensible things. But these grow old and perish,
while supreme happiness is to be terminated by no lapse of time. Nay more, so
far is the enjoyment of the goods of this life from conferring real happiness
that, on the contrary, he who is captivated by a love of the world is farthest
removed from true happiness; for it is written: Love not the world, nor the
things which are in the world. If any man love the world, the charity of the
Father is not in him, and a little farther on we read: The world passeth away,
and the concupiscence thereof.
The pastor, therefore, should be careful to
impress these truths on the minds of the faithful, that they may learn to
despise earthly things, and to know that in this world, in which we are not
citizens but sojourners, happiness is not to be found. Yet even here below we
may be said with truth to be happy in hope, if denying ungodliness and worldly
desires, we . . . live soberly, and justly, and godly in this world, looking
for the blessed hope and coming of the glory of the great God and our Saviour
Jesus Christ. Very many who seemed to themselves wise, not understanding these
things, and imagining that happiness was to be sought in this life, became
fools and the victims of the most deplorable calamities.
These words, life everlasting, also teach us
that, contrary to the false notions of some, happiness once attained can never
be lost. Happiness is an accumulation of all good without admixture of evil,
which, as it fills up the measure of man's desires, must be eternal. He who is
blessed with happiness must earnestly desire the continued enjoyment of those
goods which he has obtained. Hence, unless its possession be permanent and
certain, he is necessarily a prey to the most tormenting apprehension.
Life
The intensity of the happiness which the just
enjoy in their celestial country, and its utter incomprehensibility to all but
themselves alone, are sufficiently conveyed by the very words blessed life. For
when in order to express any idea we make use of a word common to many things,
it is clear that we do so because we have no exact term by which to express it
fully. Since, therefore, to express happiness, words are adopted which are not
more applicable to the blessed than to all who are to live for ever, this
proves to us that the idea presents to the mind something too great, too
exalted, to be expressed fully by a proper term. True, the happiness of heaven
is expressed in Scripture by a variety of other words, such as the kingdom of
God, of Christ, of heaven, paradise, the holy city, the new Jerusalem, my
Father's house; yet it is clear that none of these appellations is sufficient
to convey an adequate idea of its greatness.
The pastor, therefore, should not neglect the
opportunity which this Article affords of inviting the faithful to the practice
of piety, of justice and of all the other Christian duties, by holding out to
them such ample rewards as are announced in the words life everlasting. Among
the blessings which we instinctively desire life is certainly esteemed one of
the greatest. Now it is chiefly by this blessing that we describe the happiness
(of the just) when we say life everlasting. If, then, there is nothing more
loved, nothing dearer or sweeter, than this short and calamitous life, which is
subject to so many and such various miseries that it should rather be called
death; with what ardour of soul, with what earnestness of purpose, should we
not seek that eternal life which, without evil of any sort, presents to us the
pure and unmixed enjoyment of every good?
Negative and Positive Elements of Eternal
Life
The happiness of eternal life is, as defined
by the Fathers, an exemption from all evil, and an enjoyment of all good.
The Negative
Concerning (the exemption from all) evil the
Scriptures bear witness in the most explicit terms. For it is written in the Apocalypse:
They shall no more hunger nor thirst, neither shall the sun fall on them, nor
any heat; '° and again, God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes: and
death shall be no more, nor mourning nor crying, nor sorrow shall be any more,
for the former things are passed away.
The Positive
As for the glory of the blessed, it shall be
without measure, and the kinds of their solid joys and pleasures without
number. Since our minds cannot grasp the greatness of this glory, nor can it
possibly enter into our souls, it is necessary for us to enter into it, that
is, into the joy of the Lord, so that immersed therein we may completely
satisfy the longing of our hearts.
Although, as St. Augustine observes, it would
seem easier to enumerate the evils from which we shall be exempt than the goods
and the pleasures which we shall enjoy; yet we must endeavour to explain,
briefly and clearly, these things which are calculated to inflame the faithful
with a desire of arriving at the enjoyment of this supreme felicity.
But first of all we should make use of a
distinction which has been sanctioned by the most eminent writers on religion;
for they teach that there are two sorts of goods, one of which constitutes
happiness, the other follows upon it. The former, therefore, for the sake of
perspicuity, they have called essential blessings, the latter, accessory.
Essential Happiness
Solid happiness, which we may designate by
the common appellation, essential, consists in the vision of God, and the
enjoyment of His beauty who is the source and principle of all goodness and
perfection. This, says Christ our Lord, is eternal life: that they may know
thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. These words St.
John seems to interpret when he says: Dearly beloved, we are now the sons of
God; and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be. We know that when he shall
appear, we shall be like to him: because we shawl see him as he is. He shows,
then, that beatitude consists of two things: that we shall behold God such as
He is in His own nature and substance; and that we ourselves shall become, as
it were, gods.
The Light Of Glory
For those who enjoy God while they retain
their own nature, assume a certain admirable and almost divine form, so as to
seem gods rather than men. Why this transformation takes place becomes at once
intelligible if we only reflect that a thing is known either from its essence,
or from its image and appearance, consequently, as nothing so resembles God as
to afford by its resemblance a perfect knowledge of Him, it follows that no
creature can behold His Divine Nature and Essence unless this same Divine
Essence has joined itself to us, and this St. Paul means when he says: We now
see through a glass in a dark manner; but then face to face.' The words, in a
dark manner, St. Augustine understands to mean that we see Him in a resemblance
calculated to convey to us some notion of the Deity.
This St. Denis' also clearly shows when he
says that the things above cannot be known by comparison with the things below;
for the essence and substance of anything incorporeal cannot be known through
the image of that which is corporeal, particularly as a resemblance must be
less gross and more spiritual than that which it represents, as we easily know
from universal experience. Since, therefore, it is impossible that any image
drawn from created things should be equally pure and spiritual with God, no
resemblance can enable us perfectly to comprehend the Divine Essence. Moreover,
all created things are circumscribed within certain limits of perfection, while
God is without limits; and therefore nothing created can reflect His immensity.
The only means, then, of arriving at a
knowledge of the Divine Essence is that God unite Himself in some sort to us,
and after an incomprehensible manner elevate our minds to a higher degree of
perfection, and thus render us capable of contemplating the beauty of His
Nature. This the light of His glory will accomplish. Illumined by its splendour
we shall see God, the true light, in His own light.
The Beatific Vision
For the blessed always see God present and by
this greatest and most exalted of gifts, being made partakers of the divine
nature, they enjoy true and solid happiness. Our belief in this happiness
should be joined with an assured hope that we too shall one day, through the
divine goodness, attain it. This the Fathers declared in their Creed, which
says: I expect the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.
An Illustration Of This Truth
These are truths, so divine that they cannot
be expressed in any words or comprehended by us in thought. We may, however,
trace some resemblance of this happiness in sensible objects. Thus, iron when
acted on by fire becomes inflamed and while it is substantially the same seems
changed into fire, a different substance; so likewise the blessed, who are
admitted into the glory of heaven and burn with a love of God, are so affected
that, without ceasing to be what they are, they may be said with truth to differ
more from those still on earth than red-hot iron differs from itself when cold.
To say all in a few words, supreme and
absolute happiness, which we call essential, consists in the possession of God;
for what can he lack to consummate his happiness who possesses the God of all
goodness and perfection?
Accessory Happiness
To this happiness, however, are added certain
gifts which are common to all the blessed, and which, because more within the
reach of human comprehension, are generally found more effectual in moving and
inflaming the heart. These the Apostle seems to have in view when, in his
Epistle to the Romans, he says: Glory and honour, and peace to every one that
worketh good.
Glory
For the blessed shall enjoy glory; not only
that glory which we have already shown to constitute essential happiness, or to
be its inseparable accompaniment, but also that glory which consists in the
clear and distinct knowledge which each (of the blessed) shall have of the
singular and exalted dignity of his companions (in glory).
Honour
And how distinguished must not that honour be
which is conferred by God Himself, who no longer calls them servants, but
friends, brethren and sons of God! Hence the Redeemer will address His elect in
these most loving and honourable words: Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess
you the kingdom prepared for you. Justly, then, may we exclaim: Thy friends, O
God, are made exceedingly honourable. They shall also receive the highest
praise from Christ the Lord, in presence of His heavenly Father and His Angels.
And if nature has implanted in the heart of
every man the common desire of securing the esteem of men eminent for wisdom,
because they are deemed the most reliable judges of merit, what an accession of
glory to the blessed, to show towards each other the highest veneration !
Peace
To enumerate all the delights with which the
souls of the blessed shall be filled would be an endless task. We cannot even
conceive them in thought. With this truth, however, the minds of the faithful
should be deeply impressed -- that the happiness of the Saints is full to
overflowing of all those pleasures which can be enjoyed or even desired in this
life, whether they regard the powers of the mind or of the perfection of the
body; albeit this must be in a manner more exalted than, to use the Apostle's
words, eye hath seen, ear heard, or the heart of man conceived.
Thus the body, which was before gross and
material, shall put off in heaven its mortality, and having become refined and
spiritualised, will no longer require corporal food; while the soul shall be
satiated to its supreme delight with that eternal food of glory which the
Master of that great feast passing will minister to all.
Who will desire rich apparel or royal robes,
where there shall be no further use for such things, and where all shall be
clothed with immortality and splendour, and adorned with a crown of
imperishable glory?
And if the possession of a spacious and
magnificent mansion contributes to human happiness, what more spacious, what more
magnificent, can be conceived than heaven itself, which is illumined throughout
with the brightness of God ? Hence the Prophet, contemplating the beauty of
this dwelling-place, and burning with the desire of reaching those mansions of
bliss, exclaims: How lovely are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! my soul
longeth and fainteth for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh have
rejoiced in the living God. That the faithful may be all filled with the same
sentiments and utter the same language should be the object of the pastor's
most earnest desires, as it should also be of his zealous labours. For in my
Father's house, says our Lord, there are many mansions," in which shall be
distributed rewards of greater and of less value according to each one's deserts.
He who soweth sparingly, shall also reap sparingly: and he who soweth in
blessings, shall also reap blessings.
How to Arrive at the Enjoyment of this
Happiness
The pastor, therefore, should not only
encourage the faithful to seek this happiness, but should frequently remind
them that the sure way of obtaining it is to possess the virtues of faith and
charity, to persevere in prayer and the use of the Sacraments, and to discharge
all the duties of kindness towards their neighbour.
Thus, through the mercy of God, who has
prepared that blessed glory for those who love Him, shall be one day fulfilled
the words of the Prophet: My people shall sit in the beauty of peace, and in
the tabernacle of confidence, and in wealthy rest.
PART
II : THE SACRAMENTS
Importance Of Instruction On The
Sacraments
The exposition of every part of Christian
doctrine demands knowledge and industry on the part of the pastor. But
instruction on the Sacraments, which, by the ordinance of God, are a necessary
means of salvation and a plenteous source of spiritual advantage, demands in a
special manner his talents and industry By accurate and frequent instruction
(on the Sacraments) the faithful will be enabled to approach worthily and with
salutary effect these inestimable and most holy institutions; and the priests
will not depart from the rule laid down in the divine prohibition: Give not
that which is holy to dogs: neither cast ye your pearls before swine.
The Word "Sacrament"
Since, then, we are about to treat of the
Sacraments in general, it is proper to begin in the first place by explaining
the force and meaning of the word Sacrament, and showing its various
significations, in order the more easily to comprehend the sense in which it is
here used. The faithful, therefore, are to be informed that the word Sacrament,
in so far as it concerns our present purpose, is differently understood by
sacred and profane writers.
By some it has been used to express the
obligation which arises from an oath, pledging to the performance of some
service; and hence the oath by which soldiers promise military service to the
State has been called a military sacrament. Among profane writers this seems to
have been the most ordinary meaning of the word.
But by the Latin Fathers who have written on
theological subjects, the word sacrament is used to signify a sacred thing
which lies concealed. The Greeks, to express the same idea, made use of the
word mystery. This we understand to be the meaning of the word, when, in the
Epistle to the Ephesians, it is said: That he might make known to us the
mystery (sacramentum) of his will; and to Timothy: great is the mystery
(sacramentum) of godliness; and in the Book of Wisdom: They knew not the
secrets (sacramenta) of God. In these and many other passages the word
sacrament,- it will be perceived, signifies nothing more than a holy thing that
lies concealed and hidden.
The Latin Doctors, therefore, deemed the word
a very appropriate term to express certain sensible signs which at once
communicate grace, declare it, and, as it were, place it before the eyes. St.
Gregory, however, is of the opinion that such a sign is called a Sacrament,
because the divine power secretly operates our salvation under the veil of sensible
things.
Let it not, however, be supposed that the
word sacrament is of recent ecclesiastical usage. Whoever peruses the works of
Saints Jerome and Augustine will at once perceive that ancient ecclesiastical
writers made use of the word sacrament, and some times also of the word symbol,
or mystical sign or sacred sign, to designate that of which we here speak.
So much will suffice in explanation of the
word sacrament. What we have said applies equally to the Sacraments of the Old
Law; but since they have been superseded by the Gospel Law and grace, it is not
necessary that pastors give instruction concerning them.
Definition of a Sacrament
Besides the meaning of the word, which has
hitherto engaged our attention, the nature and efficacy of the thing which the
word signifies must be diligently considered, and the faithful must be taught
what constitutes a Sacrament. No one can doubt that the Sacraments are among
the means of attaining righteousness and salvation. But of the many
definitions, each of them sufficiently appropriate, which may serve to explain
the nature of a Sacrament, there is none more comprehensive, none more
perspicuous, than the definition given by St. Augustine and adopted by all
scholastic writers. A Sacrament, he says, is a sign of a sacred thing; or, as
it has been expressed in other words of the same import: A Sacrament is a
visible sign of an invisible grace, instituted for our justification.
"A Sacrament is a Sign"
The more fully to develop this definition,
the pastor should ex plain it in all its parts. He should first observe that
sensible objects are of two sorts: some have been invented precisely to serve
as signs; others have been established not for the sake of signifying something
else, but for their own sakes alone. To the latter class almost every object in
nature may be said to belong; to the former, spoken and written languages,
military standards, images, trumpets, signals a and a multiplicity of other
things of the same sort. Thus with regard to words; take away their power of
expressing ideas, and you seem to take away the only reason for their
invention. Such things are, therefore, properly called signs. For, according to
St. Augustine, a sign, besides what it presents to the senses, is a medium
through which we arrive at the knowledge of something else. From a footstep,
for instance, which we see traced on the ground, we instantly infer that some
one whose trace appears has passed.
Proof From Reason
A Sacrament, therefore, is clearly to be
numbered among those things which have been instituted as signs. It makes known
to us by a certain appearance and resemblance that which God, by His invisible
power, accomplishes in our souls. Let us illustrate what we have said by an
example. Baptism, for instance, which is administered by external ablution,
accompanied with certain solemn words, signifies that by the power of the Holy
Ghost all stain and defilement of sin is inwardly washed away, and that the
soul is enriched and adorned with the admirable gift of heavenly justification;
while, at the same time, the bodily washing, as we shall hereafter explain in
its proper place, accomplishes in the soul that which it signifies.
Proof From Scripture
That a Sacrament is to be numbered among
signs is dearly inferred also from Scripture. Speaking of circumcision, a
Sacrament of the Old Law which was given to Abraham, the father of all
believers," the Apostle in his Epistle to the Romans, says: And he
received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the justice of the faith. In
another place he says: All we who are baptised in Christ Jesus, are baptised in
his death, words which justify the inference that Baptism signifies, to use the
words of the same Apostle, that we are buried together with him by baptism into
death.
Nor is it unimportant that the faithful
should know that the Sacraments are signs. This knowledge will lead them more
readily to believe that what the Sacraments signify, contain and effect is holy
and august; and recognising their sanctity they will be more disposed to venerate
and adore the beneficence of God displayed towards us.
"Sign of a Sacred Thing" : Kind
of Sign Meant Here
We now come to explain the words, sacred
thing, which constitute the second part of the definition. To render this
explanation satisfactory we must enter somewhat more minutely into the accurate
and acute remarks of St. Augustine on the variety of signs.
Natural Signs
Some signs are called natural. These, besides
making themselves known to us, also convey a knowledge of something else, an effect,
as we have already said, common to all signs. Smoke, for instance, is a natural
sign from which we immediately infer the existence of fire. It is called a
natural sign, because it implies the existence of fire, not by arbitrary
institution, but from experience. If we see smoke, we are at once convinced of
the presence of fire, even though it is hidden.
Signs Invented By Man,
Other signs are not natural, but
conventional, and are invented by men to enable them to converse one with
another, to convey their thoughts to others, and in turn to learn the opinions
and receive the advice of other men. The variety and multiplicity of such signs
may be inferred from the fact that some belong to the eyes, many to the ears,
and the rest to the other senses. Thus when we intimate any thing to another by
such a sensible sign as the raising of a flag, it is obvious that such
intimation is conveyed only through the medium of the eyes; and it is equally
obvious that the sound of the trumpet, of the lute and of the lyre,-instruments
which are not only sources of pleasure, but frequently signs of ideas -- is
addressed to the ear. Through the latter sense especially are also conveyed
words, which are the best medium of communicating our inmost thoughts.
Signs Instituted By God
Besides the signs instituted by the will and
agreement of men, of which we have been speaking so far, there are certain
other signs appointed by God. These latter, as all admit, are not all of the
same kind. Some were instituted by God to indicate something or to bring back
its recollection. Such were the purifications of the Law, the unleavened bread,
and many other things which belonged to the ceremonies of the Mosaic worship.
But God has appointed other signs with power not only to signify, but also to
accomplish (what they signify).
Among these are manifestly to be numbered the
Sacraments of the New Law. They are signs instituted not by man but by God,
which we firmly believe have in themselves the power of producing the sacred
effects of which they are the signs.
Kind of Sacred Thing Meant Here
We have seen that there are many kinds of
signs. The sacred thing referred to is also of more than one kind. As regards
the definition already given of a Sacrament, theologians prove that by the
words sacred thing is to be understood the grace of God, which sanctifies the
soul and adorns it with the habit of all the divine virtues; and of this grace
they rightly consider the words sacred thing, an appropriate appellation,
because by its salutary influence the soul is consecrated and united to God.
In order, therefore, to explain more fully
the nature of a Sacrament, it should be taught that it is a sensible object
which possesses, by divine institution, the power not only of signifying, but
also of accomplishing holiness and righteousness. Hence it follows, as everyone
can easily see, that the images of the Saints, crosses and the like, although
signs of sacred things, cannot be called Sacraments. That such is the nature of
a Sacrament is easily proved by the example of all the Sacraments, if we apply
to the others what has been already said of Baptism; namely, that the solemn
ablution of the body not only signifies, but has power to effect a sacred thing
which is wrought interiorly by the operation of the Holy Ghost.
Other Sacred Things Signified By The
Sacraments
Now it is especially appropriate that these
mystical signs, instituted by God, should signify by the appointment of the
Lord not only one thing, but several things at once.
All The Sacraments Signify Something
Present, Something Past, Something Future:
This applies to all the Sacraments; for all
of them declare not only our sanctity and justification, but also two other
things most intimately connected with sanctification, namely, the Passion of
Christ our Redeemer, which is the source of our sanctification, and also
eternal life and heavenly bliss, which are the end of sanctification. Such,
then, being the nature of all the Sacraments, holy Doctors justly hold that
each of them has a threefold significance: they remind us of something past;
they indicate and point out something present; they foretell something future.
Nor should it be supposed that this teaching
of the Doctors is unsupported by the testimony of Holy Scripture. When the
Apostle says: All we who are baptised in Christ Jesus, are baptised in his
death, he gives us clearly to understand that Baptism is called a sign, because
it reminds us of the death and Passion of our Lord. When he says, We are buried
together with him by baptism into death; that as Christ is risen from the dead
by the glory of the Father, so, we also may walk in newness of life, he also
clearly shows that Baptism is a sign which indicates the infusion of divine grace
into our souls, which enables us to lead a new life and to perform all the
duties of true piety with ease and cheerfulness. Finally, when he adds: If we
have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in
the likeness of his resurrection, he teaches that Baptism clearly foreshadows
eternal life also, which we are to reach through its efficacy.
A Sacrament Sometimes Signifies The
Presence Of More Than One Thing
Besides the different significations already
mentioned, a Sacrament also not infrequently indicates and marks the presence
of more than one thing. This we readily perceive when we reflect that the Holy
Eucharist at once signifies the presence of the real body and blood of Christ
and the grace which it imparts to the worthy receiver of the sacred mysteries.
What has been said, therefore, cannot fail to
supply the pastor with arguments to prove how much the power of God is
displayed, how many hidden miracles are contained in the Sacraments of the New
Law; that thus all may understand that they are to be venerated and received
with utmost devotion.'
Why the Sacraments were Instituted
Of all the means employed to teach the proper
use of the Sacraments, there is none more effectual than a careful exposition
of the reasons of their institution. Many such reasons are commonly assigned.
The first of these reasons is the feebleness
of the human mind. We are so constituted by nature that no one can aspire to
mental and intellectual knowledge unless through the medium of sensible objects.
In order, therefore, that we might more easily understand what is accomplished
by the hidden power of God, the same sovereign Creator of the universe has most
wisely, and out of His tender kindness towards us, ordained that His power
should be manifested to us through the intervention of certain sensible signs.
As St. Chrysostom happily expresses it: If man were not clothed with a material
body, these good things would have been presented to him naked and without any
covering; but as the soul is joined to the body, it was absolutely necessary to
employ sensible things in order to assist in making them understood.
Another reason is because the mind yields a
reluctant assent to promises. Hence, from the beginning of the world, God was
accustomed to indicate, and usually in words, that which He had resolved to do;
but sometimes, when designing to execute something, the magnitude of which
might weaken a belief in its accomplishment, He added to words other signs,
which sometimes appeared miraculous. When, for instance, God sent Moses to
deliver the people of Israel, and Moses, distrusting the help even of God who
had commissioned him, feared that the burden imposed was heavier than he could
bear, or that the people would not heed his message, the Lord confirmed His
promise by a great variety of signs. As, then, in the Old Law, God ordained
that every important promise should be confirmed by certain signs, so in the
New Law, Christ our Saviour, when He promised pardon of sin, divine grace, the
communication of the Holy Spirit, instituted certain visible and sensible signs
by which He might oblige Himself, as it were, by pledges, and make it
impossible to doubt that He would be true to His promises.
A third reason is that the Sacraments, to use
the words of St. Ambrose, may be at hand, as the remedies and medicines of the
Samaritan in the Gospel, to preserve or recover the health of the soul. For,
through the Sacraments, as through a channel, must flow into the soul the
efficacy of the Passion of Christ, that is, the grace which He merited for us
on the altar of the cross, and without which we cannot hope for salvation.
Hence, our most merciful Lord has bequeathed to His Church, Sacraments stamped
with the sanction of His word and promise, through which, provided we make
pious and devout use of these remedies, we firmly believe that the fruit of His
Passion is really communicated to us.
A fourth reason why the institution of the
Sacraments seems necessary is that there may be certain marks and symbols to
distinguish the faithful; particularly since, as St. Augustine observes, no
society of men, professing a true or a false religion, can be, so to speak,
consolidated into one body, unless united and held together by some bond of
sensible signs. Both these objects the Sacraments of the New Law accomplish,
distinguishing the Christian from the infidel, and uniting the faithful by a
sort of sacred bond.
Another very just cause for the institution
of the Sacraments may be shown from the words of the Apostle: With the heart we
believe unto justice; but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. By
approaching them we make a public profession of our faith in the sight of men.
Thus, when we approach Baptism, we openly profess our belief that, by virtue of
its salutary waters in which we are washed, the soul is spiritually cleansed.
The Sacraments have also great influence, not
only in exciting and exercising our faith, but also in inflaming that charity
with which we should love one another, when we recollect that, by partaking of
these mysteries in common, we are knit together in the closest bonds and are
made members of one body.
A final consideration, which is of greatest
importance for the life of a Christian, is that the Sacraments repress and
subdue the pride of the human heart, and exercise us in the practice of
humility; for they oblige us to subject ourselves to sensible elements in
obedience to God, from whom we had before impiously revolted in order to serve
the elements of the world.
These are the chief points that appeared to
us necessary for the instruction of the faithful on the name, nature, and
institution of a Sacrament. When they shall have been accurately expounded by
the pastor, his next duty will be to explain the constituents of each
Sacrament, its parts, and the rites and ceremonies which have been added to its
administration.
Constituent Parts of the Sacraments
In the first place, then, it should be
explained that the sensible thing which enters into the definition of a
Sacrament as already given, although constituting but one sign, is twofold.
Every Sacrament consists of two things, matter, which is called the element,
and form, which is commonly called the word.
This is the doctrine of the Fathers of the
Church; and the testimony of St. Augustine on the subject is familiar to all.
The word, he says, is joined to the element and it becomes a Sacrament. By the
words sensible thing, therefore, the Fathers understand not only the matter or
element, such as water in Baptism, chrism in confirmation, and oil in Extreme
Unction, all of which fall under the eye; but also the words which constitute
the form, and which are addressed to the ear.
Both are clearly pointed out by the Apostle,
when he says: Christ loved the Church, and delivered himself up for it, that he
might sanctify it, cleansing it by the laver of water in the word of life. Here
both the matter and form of the Sacrament are expressly mentioned.
In order to make the meaning of the rite that
is being performed easier and clearer, words had to be added to the matter. For
of all signs words are evidently the most significant, and without them, what
the matter for the Sacraments designates and declares would be utterly obscure.
Water, for instance, has the quality of cooling as well as cleansing, and may
be symbolic of either. In Baptism, therefore, unless the words were added, it
would not be certain, but only conjectural, which signification was intended;
but when the words are added, we immediately understand that the Sacrament
possesses and signifies the power of cleansing.
In this the Sacraments of the New Law excel
those of the Old that, as far as we know, there was no definite form of
administering the latter, and hence they were very uncertain and obscure. In
our Sacraments, on the contrary, the form is so definite that any, even a
casual deviation from it renders the Sacrament null. Hence the form is
expressed in the clearest terms, such as exclude the possibility of doubt.
These, then, are the parts which belong to
the nature and substance of the Sacraments, and of which every Sacrament is
necessarily composed.
Ceremonies Used in the Administration of
the Sacraments
To (the matter and form) are added certain
ceremonies. These cannot be omitted without sin, unless in case of necessity;
yet, if at any time they be omitted, the Sacrament is not thereby invalidated,
since the ceremonies do not pertain to its essence. It is not without good
reason that the administration of the Sacraments has been at all times, from
the earliest ages of the Church, accompanied with certain solemn rites.
There is, in the first place, the greatest
propriety in manifesting such a religious reverence to the sacred mysteries as
to make it appear that holy things are handled by holy men.
Secondly, these ceremonies serve to display
more fully the effects of the Sacraments, placing them, as it were, before our
eyes, and to impress more deeply on the minds of the faithful the sanctity of
these sacred institutions.
Thirdly, they elevate to sublime
contemplation the minds of those who behold and observe them with attention,
and excite within them faith and charity.
To enable the faithful, therefore, to know
and understand clearly the meaning of the ceremonies made use of in the
administration of each Sacrament should be an object of special care and
attention.
The Number Of The Sacraments
We now come to explain the number of the
Sacraments. A knowledge of this point is very advantageous to the faithful; for
the greater the number of aids to salvation and the life of bliss which they
understand to have been provided by God, the more ardent will be the piety with
which they will direct all the powers of their souls to praise and proclaim His
singular goodness towards us.
The Sacraments of the Catholic Church are
seven in number, as is proved from Scripture, from the tradition handed down to
us from the Fathers, and from the authority of Councils. Why they are neither
more nor less in number may be shown, at least
with some probability, from the analogy that
exists between the natural and the spiritual life. In order to exist, to
preserve existence, and to contribute to his own and to the public good, seven
things seem necessary to man: to be born, to grow, to be nurtured, to be cured
when sick, when weak to be strengthened; as far as regards the public welfare,
to have magistrates invested with authority to govern, and to perpetuate
himself and his species by legitimate offspring. Now, since it is quite clear
that all these things are sufficiently analogous to that life by which the soul
lives to God, we discover in them a reason to account for the number of the
Sacraments.
First comes Baptism, which is the gate, as it
were, to all the other Sacraments, and by which we are born again unto Christ.
The next is Confirmation, by which we grow up and are strengthened in the grace
of God; for, as St. Augustine observes, to the Apostles who had already
received Baptism, the Redeemer said: "Stay you in the city till you be endued
with power from on high.,, The third is the Eucharist, that true bread from
heaven which nourishes and sustains our souls to eternal life, according to
these words of the Saviour: My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink
indeed. The fourth is Penance, through which lost health is recovered after we
have been wounded by sin. Next is Extreme Unction, which obliterates the
remains of sin and invigorates the powers of the soul; for speaking of this
Sacrament St. James says: If he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him. Then
follows Holy Orders, by which power is given to exercise perpetually in the
Church the public administration of the Sacraments and to perform all the
sacred functions. The last is Matrimony, instituted to the end that, by means of
the legitimate and holy union of man and woman, children may be procreated and
religiously educated for the service of God, and for the preservation of the
human race.
Comparisons among the Sacraments
Though all the Sacraments possess a divine
and admirable efficacy, it is well worthy of special remark that all are not of
equal necessity or of equal dignity, nor is the signification of all the same.
Among them three are said to be necessary
beyond the rest, although in all three this necessity is not of the same kind.
The universal and absolute necessity of Baptism our Saviour has declared in
these words: Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot
enter into the kingdom of God. Penance, on the other hand, is necessary for
those only who have stained themselves after Baptism by any mortal guilt.
Without sincere repentance, their eternal ruin is inevitable. Orders, too,
although not necessary to each of the faithful, are of absolute necessity to
the Church as a whole.
But if we consider the dignity of the
Sacraments, the Eucharist, for holiness and for the number and greatness of its
mysteries, is far superior to all the rest. These, however, are matters which
will be more easily understood, when we come to explain, in its proper place,
what regards each of the Sacraments.
The Author of the Sacraments
It now remains to inquire from whom we have
received these sacred and divine mysteries. Any gift, however excellent in
itself, undoubtedly receives an increased value from the dignity and excellence
of him by whom it is bestowed.
The present question, however, is not hard to
answer. For since human justification comes from God, and since the Sacraments
are the wonderful instruments of justification, it is evident that one and the
same God in Christ, must be acknowledged to be the author of justification and
of the Sacraments.
Furthermore, the Sacraments contain a power
and efficacy which reach the inmost soul; and as God alone has power to enter
into the hearts and minds of men, He alone, through Christ, is manifestly the
author of the Sacraments.
That they are also interiorly dispensed by
Him we must hold with a firm and certain faith, according to these words of St.
John, in which he declares that he learned this truth concerning Christ: He who
sent me to baptise with water, said to me: He, upon whom thou shalt see the
Spirit descending, and remaining upon him, he it is that baptizeth with the
Holy Ghost.
The Ministers of the Sacraments
But although God is the author and dispenser
of the Sacraments, He nevertheless willed that they should be administered in
His Church by men, not by Angels. To constitute a Sacrament, as the unbroken
tradition of the Fathers testifies, matter and form are not more necessary than
is the ministry of men.
Unworthiness Of The Minister And Validity
Since the ministers of the Sacraments
represent in the discharge of their sacred functions, not their own, but the
person of Christ, be they good or bad, they validly perform and confer the Sacraments,
provided they make use of the matter and form always observed in the Catholic
Church according to the institution of Christ, and provided they intend to do
what the Church does in their administration. Hence, unless the recipients wish
to deprive themselves of so great a good and resist the Holy Ghost, nothing can
prevent them from receiving (through the Sacraments) the fruit of grace.
That this was, at all times, a fixed and well
ascertained doctrine of the Church, is established beyond all doubt by St.
Augustine, in his disputations against the Donatists. And should we desire
Scriptural proof also, let us listen to these words of the Apostle: I have
planted; Apollo watered; but God gave the increase Therefore neither he that
planteth nor he that watereth is any
thing, but God who giveth the increase. From
these words it is clear that as trees are not injured by the wickedness of
those who planted them, so those who were planted in Christ by the ministry of
bad men sustain no injury from the guilt of those others.
Judas Iscariot, as the holy Fathers infer
from the Gospel of St. John, conferred Baptism on many; and yet none of those
whom he baptised are recorded to have been baptised again. To use the memorable
words of St. Augustine: Judas baptised, and yet after him none were rebaptised;
John baptised, and after John they were rebaptised . For the Baptism
administered by Judas was the Baptism of Christ, but that administered by John
was the baptism of John. Not that we prefer Judas to John, but that we justly
prefer the Baptism of Christ, although administered by Judas, to that of John
although administered by the hands of John.
Lawfulness Of Administration
But let not pastors, or other ministers of
the Sacraments, hence infer that they fully acquit themselves of their duty,
if, disregarding integrity of life and purity of morals, they attend only to
the administration of the Sacraments in the manner prescribed. True, the manner
of administering them demands particular diligence; yet this alone does not
constitute all that pertains to that duty. It should never be forgotten that
the Sacraments, although they cannot lose the divine efficacy inherent in them,
bring eternal death and perdition to him who dares administer them unworthily.
Holy things, it cannot be too often repeated,
should be treated holily and with due reverence. To the sinner, says the
Prophet, God has said: Why dost thou declare my justices, and take my covenant
in thy mouth, seeing that thou hast hated discipline? If then, for him who is
defiled by sin it is unlawful to speak on divine things, how enormous the guilt
of that man, who, conscious of many crimes, dreads not to accomplish with
polluted lips the holy mysteries, to take them into his befouled hands, to
touch
them, and to present and administer them to
others? All the more since St. Denis says that the wicked may not even touch
the symbols, as he calls the Sacraments.
It therefore becomes the first duty of the
minister of holy things to follow holiness of life, to approach with purity the
administration of the Sacraments, and so to exercise himself in piety, that,
from their frequent administration and use, he may every day receive, with the
divine assistance, more abundant grace.
Effects of the Sacraments
When these matters have been explained, the
effects of the Sacraments are the next subject of instruction. This subject
should throw considerable light on the definition of a Sacrament as already
given.
First Effect: Justifying Grace
The principal effects of the Sacraments are
two. The first place is rightly held by that grace which we, following the
usage of the holy Doctors, call sanctifying. For so the Apostle most clearly
taught when he said: Christ loved the church, and delivered himself up for it;
that he might sanctify it, cleansing it by the laver of water in the word of
life. But how so great and so admirable an effect is produced by the Sacrament
that, to use the well-known saying of St. Augustine, water cleanses the body
and reaches the heart, -- this, indeed, cannot be comprehended by human reason
and intelligence. It may be taken for granted that no sensible thing is of its
own nature able to reach the soul; but we know by the light of faith that in
the Sacraments there exists the power of almighty God by which they effect that
which the natural elements cannot of themselves accomplish.
Lest on this subject any doubt should exist
in the minds of the faithful, God, in the abundance of His mercy, was pleased,
from the moment when the Sacraments began to
be administered, to manifest by the evidence of miracles the effects which they
operate interiorly in the soul. (This He did) in order that we may most firmly
believe that the same effects, although far removed from the senses, are always
inwardly produced. To say nothing of the fact that at the Baptism of the
Redeemer in the Jordan the heavens were opened and the Holy Ghost appeared in
the form of a dove, to teach us that when we are washed in the sacred font His
grace is infused into our souls -- to omit this, which has reference rather to
the signification of Baptism than to the administration of the Sacrament -- do
we not read that on the day of Pentecost, when the Apostles received the Holy
Ghost, by whom they were thenceforward inspired with greater alacrity and
resolution to preach the faith and brave dangers for the glory of Christ, there
came suddenly a sound from heaven, as of a mighty wind coming, and it filled
the whole house where they were sitting, and there appeared to them parted
tongues, as it were, of fire? By this it was understood that in the Sacrament
of Confirmation the same Spirit is given us, and such strength is imparted as
enables us resolutely to encounter and resist our incessant enemies, the world,
the flesh and the devil. For some time in the beginning of the Church, whenever
these Sacraments were administered by the Apostles, the same miraculous effects
were witnessed, and they ceased only when the faith had acquired maturity and
strength.
From what has been said of sanctifying grace,
the first effect of the Sacraments, it clearly follows that there resides in
the Sacraments of the New Law, a virtue more exalted and efficacious than that
of the sacraments of the Old Law. Those ancient sacraments, being weak and
needy elements, sanctified such as were defiled to the cleansing of the flesh,
but not of the spirit. They were, therefore, instituted only as signs of those
things, which were to be accomplished by our mysteries. The Sacraments of the
New Law, on the contrary, flowing from the side of Christ, who, by the Holy
Ghost, offered himself unspotted unto God, cleanse our consciences from dead
works, to
serve the living God, and thus work in us,
through the blood of Christ, the grace which they signify. Comparing our
Sacraments, therefore, with those of the Old Law we find that they are not only
more efficacious, but also more fruitful in spiritual advantages, and more
august in holiness.
Second Effect: Sacramental Character
The second effect of the Sacraments -- which,
however, is not common to all, but peculiar to three, Baptism, Confirmation,
and Holy Orders -- is the character which they impress on the soul. When the
Apostle says: God hath anointed us, who also hath sealed us, and given the
pledge of the Spirit in our hearts, he not obscurely describes by the word
sealed a character, the property of which is to impress a seal and mark.
This character is, as it were, a distinctive
impression stamped on the soul which perpetually inheres and cannot be blotted
out. Of this St. Augustine says: Shall the Christian Sacraments accomplish less
than the bodily mark impressed on the soldier? That mark is not stamped on his
person anew as often as he resumes the military service which he had
relinquished, but the old is recognised and approved.
This character has a twofold effect: it
qualifies us to receive or perform something sacred, and distinguishes us by
some mark one from another. In the character impressed by Baptism, both effects
are exemplified. By it we are qualified to receive the other Sacraments, and
the Christian is distinguished from those who do not profess the faith. The
same illustration is afforded by the characters impressed by Confirmation and
Holy Orders. By Confirmation we are armed and arrayed as soldiers of Christ,
publicly to profess and defend His name, to fight against our internal enemy
and against the spiritual powers of wickedness in the high places; and at the
same time we are distinguished from those who, being recently baptised, are, as
it were, new-born infants. Holy Orders confers the power of consecrating and
administering the Sacraments, and also distinguishes those who are invested
with this power from the rest of the
faithful. The rule of the Catholic Church is, therefore, to be observed, which
teaches that these three Sacraments impress a character and are never to be
repeated.
How to Make Instruction on the Sacraments
Profitable
On the subject of the Sacraments in general,
the above are the matters on which instruction should be given. In explaining
them, pastors should keep in view principally two things, which they should
zealously strive to accomplish. The first is that the faithful understand the
high honour, respect and veneration due to these divine and celestial gifts.
The second is that, since the Sacraments have been established by the God of
infinite mercy for the common salvation of all, the people should make pious
and religious use of them, and be so inflamed with the desire of Christian
perfection as to deem it a very great loss to be for any time deprived of the
salutary use, particularly of Penance and the Holy Eucharist.
These objects pastors will find little
difficulty in accomplishing, if they call frequently to the attention of the
faithful what we have already said on the divine character and fruit of the
Sacraments: first, that they were instituted by our Lord and Saviour from whom
can proceed nothing but what is most perfect; further that when administered,
the most powerful influence of the Holy Ghost is present, pervading the inmost
sanctuary of the soul; next that they possess an admirable and unfailing virtue
to cure our spiritual maladies, and communicate to us the inexhaustible riches
of the Passion of our Lord.
Finally, let them point out, that although
the whole edifice of Christian piety rests on the most firm foundation of the
cornerstone; yet, unless it be supported on every side by the preaching of the
divine Word and by the use of the Sacraments, it is greatly to be feared that
it may to a great extent totter and fall to the ground. For as we are ushered
into spiritual life by means of the Sacraments, so by the same means are we
nourished and preserved, and grow to spiritual increase.
THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM
Importance Of Instruction On Baptism
From what has been hitherto said on the
Sacraments in general, we may judge how necessary it is, to a proper
understanding of the doctrines of the Christian faith and to the practice of
Christian piety, to know what the Catholic Church proposes for our belief on
each Sacrament in particular.
Whoever reads the Apostle carefully will
unhesitatingly conclude that a perfect knowledge of Baptism is particularly
necessary to the faithful. For not only frequently, but also in language the
most energetic, in language full of the Spirit of God, he renews the
recollection of this mystery, declares its divine character, and in it places
before us the death, burial and Resurrection of. our Lord as objects both of
our contemplation and imitation.
Pastors, therefore, can never think that they
have bestowed sufficient labor and attention on the exposition of this
Sacrament. Besides the Vigils of Easter and Pentecost, days on which the Church
used to celebrate this Sacrament with the greatest devotion and special
solemnity, and on which particularly, according to ancient practice, its divine
mysteries were to be explained, pastors should also take occasion at other
times to make it the subject of their instructions.
For this purpose a most convenient
opportunity would seem to present itself whenever a pastor, being about to
administer this Sacrament, finds himself surrounded by a considerable number of
the faithful. On such occasions, it is true, his exposition cannot embrace
everything that regards Baptism; but it will then be much easier to develop one
or two points when the faithful
can contemplate with a pious and attentive
mind the meaning of those things which they hear and at the same time see it
illustrated by the sacred ceremonies of Baptism. Each person, reading a lesson
of admonition in the person of him who is receiving Baptism, will call to mind
the promises by which he bound himself to God when he was baptised, and will
reflect whether his life and conduct have been such as are promised by the
profession of Christianity.
Names of this Sacrament
In order that the treatment of the subject.
may be clear, we must explain the nature and substance of Baptism, premising,
however, an explanation of the word itself.
The word baptism, as is well known, is of
Greek derivation. Although used in Sacred Scripture to express not only that
ablution which forms part of the Sacrament, but also every species of ablution,
and sometimes, figuratively, to express sufferings; yet it is employed by ecclesiastical
writers to designate not every sort of bodily ablution, but that which forms
part of the Sacrament and is administered with the prescribed form of words. In
this sense the Apostles very frequently make use of the word in accordance with
the institution of Christ the Lord.
This Sacrament the holy Fathers designate
also by other names. St. Augustine informs us that it was sometimes called the
Sacrament of Faith, because by receiving it we profess our faith in all the
doctrines of Christianity.
By others it was termed Illumination, because
by the faith which we profess in Baptism the heart is illumined; for as the
Apostle also says, alluding to the time of Baptism, Call to mind the former
days, wherein, being illumined, you endured a great fight of afflictions
Chrysostom, in his sermon to the baptised, calls it a purgation, because
through it we purge away the old leaven, that we may become a new paste. He
also calls it a burial, a planting, and the cross of Christ, the reasons for
all which appellations may be gathered from the Epistle to the Romans.
St. Denis calls it the beginning of the most
holy Commandments, for this obvious reason, that Baptism is, as it were, the
gate through which we enter into the fellowship of the Christian life, and
begin thenceforward to obey the Commandments. So much should be briefly
explained concerning the name (of this Sacrament) .
Definition Of Baptism
With regard to the definition of Baptism
although many can be given from sacred writers, nevertheless that which may be
gathered from the words of our Lord recorded in John, and of the Apostle to the
Ephesians, appears the most appropriate and suitable. Unless, says our Lord, a
man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom
of God; and, speaking of the Church, the Apostle says, cleansing it by the
laver of water in the word of life. Thus it follows that Baptism may be rightly
and accurately defined: The Sacrament of regeneration by water in the word. By
nature we are born from Adam children of wrath, but by Baptism we are
regenerated in Christ, children of mercy. For He gave power to men to be made
the sons of God, to them that believe in his name, who are born, not of blood,
nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Constituent Elements Of Baptism
But define Baptism as we may, the faithful
are to be informed that this Sacrament consists of ablution, accompanied
necessarily, according to the institution of our Lord, by certain solemn words.
This is the uniform doctrine of the holy Fathers, as is proved by the following
most explicit testimony of St. Augustine: The word is joined to the element,
and it becomes a Sacrament.
It is all the more necessary to impress this
on the minds of the faithful lest they fall into the common error of thinking
that the baptismal water, preserved in the sacred font, constitutes the
Sacrament. The Sacrament of Baptism can be said to exist only when we actually
apply the water to someone by way of ablution, while using the words appointed
by our Lord.
Matter of Baptism
Now since we said above, when treating of the
Sacraments in general, that every Sacrament consists of matter and form, it is
therefore necessary that pastors point out what constitutes each of these in
Baptism. The matter, then, or element of this Sacrament, is any sort of natural
water, which is simply and without qualification commonly called water, be it
sea water, river water, water from a pond, well or fountain.
Testimony Of Scripture Concerning The
Matter Of Baptism
For the Saviour taught that unless a man be
born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of
God. The Apostle also says that the Church was cleansed by the laver of water;
and in the Epistle of St. John we read these words: There are three that give
testimony on earth: the spirit, and the water, and the blood. Scripture affords
other proofs which establish the same truth.
When, however, John the Baptist says that the
Lord will come who will baptise in the Holy Ghost, and in fire, that is by no
means to be understood of the matter of Baptism; but should be applied either
to the interior operation of the Holy Ghost, or at least to the miracle
performed on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Ghost descended on the
Apostles in the form of fire, as was foretold by Christ our Lord in these
words: John indeed baptised with water, but you shall be baptised with the Holy
Ghost, not many days hence.
Figures
The same was also signified by the Lord both
by figures and by prophecies, as we know from Holy Scripture. According to the
Prince of the Apostles in his first Epistle, the deluge which cleansed the
world because the wickedness of men was great on the earth, and all the thought
of their heart was bent upon evil, was a figure and image of this water. To
omit the cleansing of Naaman the Syrian, and the admirable virtue of the pool
of Bethsaida, and many similar types, manifestly symbolic of this mystery, the
passage through the Red Sea, according to St. Paul in his Epistle to the
Corinthians, was typical of this same water.
Prophecies
With regard to the predictions, the waters to
which the Prophet Isaias so freely invites all that thirst, and those which
Ezechiel in spirit saw issuing from the Temple, and also the fountain which
Zachary foresaw, open to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of
Jerusalem: for the washing of the sinner, and of the unclean woman, were, no
doubt, intended to indicate and express the salutary waters of Baptism.
Fitness
The propriety of constituting water the
matter of Baptism, of the nature and efficacy of which it is at once
expressive, St. Jerome, in his Epistle to Oceanus, proves by many arguments.
Upon this subject pastors can teach in the
first place that water, which is always at hand and within the reach of all,
was the fittest matter of a Sacrament which is necessary to all for salvation.
In the next place water is best adapted to signify the effect of Baptism. It
washes away uncleanness, and is, therefore, strikingly illustrative of the
virtue and efficacy of Baptism, which washes away the stains of sin. We may
also add that, like water which cools the body, Baptism in a great measure
extinguishes the fire of concupiscence.
Chrism Added To Water For Solemn Baptism
But it should be noted that while in case of
necessity simple water unmixed with any other ingredient is sufficient for the
matter of this Sacrament, yet when Baptism is administered in public with
solemn ceremonies the Catholic Church, guided by Apostolic tradition, has
uniformly observed the practice of adding holy chrism which, as is clear, more
fully signifies the effect of Baptism. The people should also be taught that
although it may sometimes be doubtful whether this or that water be genuine,
such as the perfection of the Sacrament requires, it can never be a subject of
doubt that the only matter from which the Sacrament of Baptism can be formed is
natural water.
Form of Baptism
Having carefully explained the matter, which
is one of the two parts of which Baptism consists, pastors must show equal
diligence in explaining the form, which is the other essential part. In the
explanation of this Sacrament a necessity of increased care and study arises,
as pastors will perceive, from the circumstance that the knowledge of so holy a
mystery is not only in itself a source of pleasure to the faithful, as is
generally the case with regard to religious knowledge, but also very desirable
for almost daily practical use. As we shall explain in its proper place,
circumstances often arise where Baptism requires to be administered by the
laity, and most frequently by women; and it therefore becomes necessary to make
all the faithful, indiscriminately, well acquainted with whatever regards the
substance of this Sacrament.
Words Of The Form
Pastors, therefore, should teach, in clear,
unambiguous language, intelligible to every capacity, that the true and
essential form of Baptism is: I baptise thee in the name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. For so it was delivered by our Lord and Saviour
when, as we read in St. Matthew He gave to His Apostles the command: Going, . .
. teach ye all nations: baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
By the word baptising, the Catholic Church,
instructed from above, most justly understood that the form of the Sacrament
should express the action of the minister; and this takes place when he
pronounces the words, I baptise thee.
Besides the minister of the Sacrament, the
person to be baptised and the principal efficient cause of Baptism should be
mentioned. The pronoun thee, and the distinctive names of the Divine Persons
are therefore added. Thus the complete form of the Sacrament is expressed in
the words already mentioned: I baptise thee in the name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Baptism is the work not of the Son alone, of
whom St. John says, He it is that baptizeth, but of the Three Persons of the
Blessed Trinity together. By saying, however, in the name, not in the names, we
distinctly declare that in the Trinity there is but one Nature and Godhead. The
word name is here referred not to the Persons, but to the Divine Essence,
virtue and power, which are one and the same in Three Persons.
Essential And Non-Essential Words Of The
Form
It is, however, to be observed that of the
words contained in this form, which we have shown to be the complete and
perfect one, some are absolutely necessary, so that the omission of them
renders the valid administration of the Sacrament impossible; while others on
the contrary, are not so essential as to affect its validity.
Of the latter kind is the word ego (I), the
force of which is included in the word baptizo (I baptise). Nay more, the Greek
Church, adopting a different manner of expressing the form, and being of
opinion that it is unnecessary to make mention of the minister, omits the
pronoun altogether. The form universally used in the Greek Church is: Let this
servant of Christ be baptised in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Ghost. It appears, however, from the decision and definition of the
Council of Florence, that those who use this form administer the Sacraments
validly, because the words sufficiently express what is essential to the
validity of Baptism, that is, the ablution which then takes place.
Baptism In The Name Of Christ
If at any time the Apostles baptised in the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ only, we can be sure they did so by the
inspiration of the Holy Ghost, in order, in the infancy of the Church, to
render their preaching more illustrious by the name of Jesus Christ, and to
proclaim more effectually His divine and infinite power. If, however, we
examine the matter more closely, we shall find that such a form omits nothing
which the Saviour Himself commands to be observed; for he who mentions Jesus
Christ implies the Person of the Father, by whom, and that of the Holy Ghost,
in whom, He was anointed.
And yet, the use of this form by the Apostles
seems rather doubtful if we accept the opinions of Ambrose and Basil, holy
Fathers eminent for sanctity and authority, who interpret baptism in the name
of Jesus Christ to mean the Baptism instituted by Christ our Lord, as
distinguished from that of John, and who say that the Apostles did not depart
from the ordinary and usual form which comprises the distinct names of the
Three Persons. Paul also, in his Epistle to the Galatians, seems to have
expressed himself in a similar manner, when he says: As many of you as have
been baptised in Christ, have put on Christ, meaning that they were baptised in
the faith of Christ, but with no other form than that which the same Saviour
our Lord had commanded to be observed.
Administration of Baptism
What has been said on the matter and form,
which are required for the essence of the Sacrament, will be found sufficient
for the instruction of the faithful; but as in the administration of the
Sacrament the legitimate manner of ablution should also be observed, pastors
should teach the doctrine of this-point also.
They should briefly explain that, according
to the common custom and practice of the Church, Baptism may be administered in
three ways, -- by immersion, infusion or aspersion.
Whichever of these rites be observed, we must
believe that Baptism is rightly administered. For in Baptism water is used to
signify the spiritual ablution which it accomplishes, and on this account
Baptism is called by the Apostle a laver. Now this ablution is not more really
accomplished by immersion, which was for a considerable time the practice in
the early ages of the Church, than by infusion, which we now see in general
use, or by aspersion, which there is reason to believe was the manner in which
Peter baptised, when on one day he converted and gave Baptism to about three
thousand souls.
It is a matter of indifference whether the
ablution be performed once or thrice. For it is evident from the Epistle of St.
Gregory the Great to Leander that Baptism was formerly and may still be validly
administered in the Church in either way. The faithful, however, should follow
the practice of the particular Church to which they belong.
Pastors should be particularly careful to
observe that the baptismal ablution is not to be applied indifferently to any
part of the body, but principally to the head, which is the seat of all the
internal and external senses; and also that he who baptises is to pronounce the
sacramental words which constitute the form, not before or after, but when
performing the ablution.
Institution Of Baptism
When these things have been explained, it
will also be expedient to teach and remind the faithful that, in common with
the other Sacraments, Baptism was instituted by Christ the Lord. On this subject
the pastor should frequently teach and point out that there are two different
periods of time which relate to Baptism, -- one the period of its institution
by the Redeemer; the other, the establishment of the law regarding its
reception.
Baptism Instituted At Christ's Baptism
With regard to the former, it is clear that
this Sacrament was instituted by our Lord when, having been baptised by John,
He gave to water the power of sanctifying. St. Gregory Nazianzen and St.
Augustine · testify that to water was then. imparted the power of regenerating
to spiritual life. In another place St. Augustine says: From the moment that
Christ is immersed in water, water washes away all sins. And again: The Lord is
baptised, not because He had need to be cleansed, but in order that, by the
contact of His pure flesh, He might purify the waters and impart to them the
power of cleansing.
A very strong argument to prove that Baptism
was then instituted by our Lord might be afforded by the fact the most Holy
Trinity, in whose name Baptism is conferred, manifested Its divine presence on
that occasion. The voice of the Father was heard, the Person of the Son was
present, the Holy Ghost descended in the form of a dove; and the heavens, into
which we are enabled to enter by Baptism, were thrown open.
Should anyone desire to know how our Lord has
endowed water with a virtue so great, so divine, this indeed transcends the
power of the human understanding. Yet this we can know, that when our Lord was
baptised, water, by contact with His most holy and pure body, was consecrated
to the salutary use of Baptism, in such a way, however, that, although
instituted before the Passion, we must believe that this Sacrament derives all
its virtue and efficacy from the Passion, which is the consummation, as it
were, of all the actions of Christ.
Baptism Made Obligatory After Christ's
Resurrection
The second period to be distinguished, that
is, the time when the law of Baptism was made, also admits of no doubt. Holy
writers are unanimous in saying that after the Resurrection of our Lord, when
He gave to His Apostles the command to go and teach all nations: baptising them
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, the law of
Baptism became obligatory on all who were to be saved.
This is inferred from the authority of the
Prince of the Apostles when he says: Who hath regenerated us into a lively
hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead;' and also from what
Paul says of the Church: He delivered himself up for it: that he might sanctify
it, cleansing it by the laver of water in the word of life. By both Apostles
the obligation of Baptism seems to be referred to the time which followed the death
of our Lord. Hence we can have no doubt that the words of the Saviour: Unless a
man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom
of God, refer also to the same time which was to follow after His Passion.
Reflection
If, then, pastors explain these truths
accurately, there can be no doubt that the faithful will recognise the high
dignity of this Sacrament and venerate it with the most profound piety,
particularly when they reflect that each of them receives in Baptism by the
interior operation of the Holy Ghost the same glorious and most ample gifts
which were so strikingly manifested by miracles at the Baptism of Christ the
Lord.
Were our eyes, like those of the servant of
Eliseus, opened to see heavenly things, who can be supposed so senseless as not
to be lost in rapturous admiration of the divine mysteries of Baptism ! When,
therefore, the riches of this Sacrament are unfolded to the faithful by the
pastor, so as to enable them to behold them, if not with the eyes of the body,
yet with those of the soul illumined by the light of faith, may we not
anticipate similar results ?
The Ministers of Baptism
In the next place, it appears not only
expedient, but necessary to say who are ministers of this Sacrament; both in
order that those to whom this office is specially confided may study to perform
its functions religiously and holily; and that no one, outstepping, as it were,
his proper limits, may unseasonably take possession of, or arrogantly assume,
what belongs to another; for, as the Apostle teaches, order is to be observed
in all things.
Bishops And Priests The Ordinary Ministers
The faithful, therefore, are to be informed
that of those (who administer Baptism) there are three gradations. Bishops and
priests hold the first place. To them belongs the administration of this
Sacrament, not by any extraordinary concession of power, but by right of
office; for to them, in the persons of the Apostles, was addressed the command
of our Lord: Go, baptise. Bishops, it is true, in order not to neglect the more
weighty charge of instructing the faithful, have generally left its
administration to priests. But the authority of the Fathers and the usage of
the Church prove that priests exercise this function by their own right, so much
so that they may baptise even in the presence of the Bishop. Ordained to
consecrate the Holy Eucharist, the Sacrament of peace and unity, it was fitting
that they be invested with power to administer all those things which are
required to enable others to participate in that peace and unity. If,
therefore, the Fathers have at any time said that without the leave of the
Bishop the priest has not the right to baptise, they are to be understood to
speak of that Baptism only which was administered on certain days of the year
with solemn ceremonies.
Deacons Extraordinary Ministers Of Baptism
Next among the ministers are deacons, for
whom, as numerous decrees of the holy Fathers attest it is not lawful without
the permission of the Bishop or priest to administer this Sacrament.
Ministers In Case Of Necessity
Those who may administer Baptism in case of
necessity, but without its solemn ceremonies, hold the last place; and in this
class are included all, even the laity, men and women, to whatever sect they
may belong. This office extends in case of necessity, even to Jews, infidels
and heretics, provided, however, they intend to do what the Catholic Church
does in that act of her ministry. These things were established by many decrees
of the ancient Fathers and Councils; and the holy Council of Trent denounces
anathema against those who dare to say, that Baptism, even when administered by
heretics, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,
with the intention of doing what the Church does, is not true Baptism.
And here indeed let us admire the supreme
goodness and wisdom of our Lord. Seeing the necessity of this Sacrament for
all, He not only instituted water, than which nothing can be more common, as
its matter, but also placed its administration within the power of all. In its
administration, however, as we have already observed, all are not allowed to
use the solemn ceremonies; not that rites and ceremonies are of higher dignity,
but because they are less necessary than the Sacrament.
Let not the faithful, however, imagine that
this office is given promiscuously to all, so as to do away with the propriety
of observing a certain precedence among those who are its ministers. When a man
is present a woman should not baptise; an ecclesiastic takes precedence over a
layman, and a priest over a simple ecclesiastic. Midwives, however, when
accustomed to its administration, are not to be found fault with if sometimes,
when a man is present who is unacquainted with the manner of its
administration, they perform what may otherwise appear to belong more properly
to men.
The Sponsors at Baptism
Besides the ministers who, as just explained,
confer Baptism, another class of persons, according to the most ancient
practice of the Church, is admitted to assist at the baptismal font. In former
times these were commonly called by sacred writers receivers, sponsors or
sureties, and are now called godfathers and godmothers. As this is an office
pertaining almost to all the laity, pastors should explain it with care, so
that the faithful may understand what is chiefly necessary for its proper
performance.
Why Sponsors Are Required At Baptism
In the first instance it should be explained
why at Baptism, besides those who administer the Sacrament, godparents and sponsors
are also required. The propriety of the practice will at once appear to all if
they recollect that Baptism is a spiritual regeneration by which we are born
children of God; for of it St. Peter says: As newborn infants, desire the
rational milk without guile. As, therefore, every one, after his birth,
requires a nurse and instructor by whose assistance and attention he is brought
up and formed to learning and useful knowledge, so those, who, by the waters of
Baptism, begin to live a spiritual life should be entrusted to the fidelity and
prudence of some one from whom they may imbibe the precepts of the Christian
religion and may be brought up in all holiness, and thus grow gradually in
Christ, until, with the Lord's help, they at length arrive at perfect manhood.
This necessity must appear still more
imperative, if we recollect that pastors, who are charged with the public care
of parishes have not sufficient time to undertake the private instruction of
children in the rudiments of faith.
Antiquity Of This Law
Concerning this very ancient practice we have
this noteworthy testimony of St. Denis: It occurred to our divine leaders (so
he called the Apostles), and they in their wisdom ordained that infants should
be introduced (into the Church) in this holy manner that their natural parents
should deliver them to the care of some one well skilled in divine things, as
to a master under whom, as a spiritual father and guardian of his salvation in
holiness, the child should lead the remainder of his life. The same doctrine is
confirmed by the authority of Hyginus.
Affinity Contracted By Sponsors
The Church, therefore, in her wisdom has
ordained that not only the person who baptises contracts a spiritual affinity
with the person baptised, but also the sponsor with the godchild and its
natural parents, so that between all these marriage cannot be lawfully
contracted, and if contracted, it is null and void.
Duties Of Sponsors
The faithful are also to be taught the duty
of sponsors; for such is the negligence with which this office is treated in
the Church that only the bare name of the function remains, while none seem to
have the least idea of its sanctity. Let all sponsors, then, at all times
recollect that they are strictly bound by this law to exercise a constant
vigilance over their spiritual children, and carefully to instruct them in the
maxims of a Christian life; so that these may show themselves throughout life
to be what their sponsors promised in the solemn ceremony.
On this subject let us hear the words of St.
Denis. Speaking in the person of the sponsor he says: I promise, by my constant
exhortations to induce this child, when he comes to a knowledge of religion, to
renounce every thing opposed (to his Christian calling) and to profess and
perform the sacred promises which he now makes.
St. Augustine also says: I most especially
admonish you, men and women, who have acquired godchildren through Baptism, to
consider that you stood as sureties before God, for those whom you received at
the sacred font. Indeed it preeminently becomes every man, who undertakes any
office, to be indefatigable in the discharge of its duties; and he who promised
to be the teacher and guardian of another should never allow to be deserted him
whom he once received under his care and protection as long as he knows the
latter to stand in need of either.
Speaking of this same duty of sponsors, St.
Augustine sums up in a few words the lessons of instruction which they are
bound to impart to their spiritual children. They ought, he says, to admonish
them to observe chastity, love justice, cling to charity; and above all they
should teach them the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, the Ten Commandments, and the
rudiments of the Christian religion.
Who May Not Be Sponsors
It is easy, therefore, to decide who are
inadmissible to this holy guardianship, that is, those who are unwilling to
discharge its duties with fidelity, or who cannot do so with care and accuracy.
Wherefore, besides the natural parents, who,
to mark the great difference that exists between this spiritual and the carnal
bringing up of youth, are not permitted to undertake this charge, heretics,
Jews and infidels are on no account to be admitted to this office, since their
thoughts and efforts are continually employed in darkening by falsehood the
true faith and in subverting all Christian piety.
Number Of Sponsors
The number of sponsors is limited by the
Council of Trent to one godfather or one godmother, or at most, to a godfather
and a godmother; because a number of teachers may confuse the order of
discipline and instruction, and also because it was necessary to prevent the
multiplication of affinities which would impede a wider diffusion of society by
means of lawful marriage.
Necessity of Baptism
If the knowledge of what has been hitherto
explained be, as it is, of highest importance to the faithful, it is no less
important to them to learn that the law of Baptism, as established by our Lord,
extends to all, so that unless they are regenerated to God through the grace of
Baptism, be their parents Christians or infidels, they are born to eternal
misery and destruction. Pastors, therefore, should often explain these words of
the Gospel: Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot
enter into the kingdom of God.
Infant Baptism: It's Necessity
That this law extends not only to adults but
also to infants and children, and that the Church has received this from
Apostolic tradition, is confirmed by the unanimous teaching and authority of
the Fathers.
Besides, it is not to be supposed that Christ
the Lord would have withheld the Sacrament and grace of Baptism from children,
of whom He said: Suffer the little children, and forbid them not to come to me;
for the kingdom of heaven is for such; ° whom also He embraced, upon whom He
imposed hands, to whom He gave His blessing.
Moreover, when we read that an entire family
was baptised by Paul, it is sufficiently obvious that the children of the
family must also have been cleansed in the saving font.
Circumcision, too, which was a figure of
Baptism, affords strong argument in proof of this practice. That children were
circumcised on the eighth day is universally known. If then circumcision, made
by hand, in despoiling of the body of the flesh, was profitable to children, it
is clear that Baptism, which is the circumcision of Christ, not made by hand,
is also profitable to them.
Finally, as the Apostle teaches, if by one
man's offence death reigned through one, much more they who receive abundance
of grace, and of the gift, and of justice, shall reign in life through one,
Jesus Christ. If, then, through the transgression of Adam, children inherit
original sin, with still stronger reason can they attain through Christ our
Lord grace and justice that they may reign in life. This, however, cannot be
effected otherwise than by Baptism.
Pastors, therefore, should inculcate the
absolute necessity of ad- ministering Baptism to infants, and of gradually
forming their tender minds to piety by education in the Christian religion. For
according to these admirable words of the wise man: A young man according to
his way, even when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Infants Receive The Graces Of Baptism
It may not be doubted that in Baptism infants
receive the mysterious gifts of faith. Not that they believe with the assent of
the mind, but they are established in the faith of their parents, if the
parents profess the true faith; if not--to use the words of St.
Augustine,--then in that of the universal society of the saints; for they are
rightly said to be presented for Baptism by all those to whom their initiation
in that sacred rite is a source of joy, and by whose charity they are united to
the communion of the Holy Ghost.
Baptism Of Infants Should Not Be Delayed
The faithful are earnestly to be exhorted to
take care that their children be brought to the church, as soon as it can be
done with safety, to receive solemn Baptism. Since infant children have no other
means of salvation except Baptism, we may easily understand how grievously
those persons sin who permit them to remain without the grace of the Sacrament
longer than necessity may require, particularly at an age so tender as to be
exposed to numberless dangers of death.
Baptism Of Adults
With regard to those of adult age who enjoy
the perfect use of reason, persons, namely, born of infidel parents, the
practice of the primitive Church points out that a different manner of
proceeding should be followed. To them the Christian faith is to be proposed;
and they are earnestly to be exhorted, persuaded and invited to embrace it.
They Should Not Delay Their Baptism Unduly
If converted to the Lord God, they are then
to be admonished not to defer the Sacrament of Baptism beyond the time
prescribed by the Church. For since it is written, delay not to be converted to
the Lord, and defer it not from day to day, they are to be taught that in their
regard perfect conversion consists in regeneration by Baptism. Besides, the
longer they defer Baptism, the longer are they deprived of the use and graces
of the other Sacraments, by which the Christian religion is practised, since
the other Sacraments are accessible through Baptism only.
They are also deprived of the abundant fruits
of Baptism, the waters of which not only wash away all the stains and
defilements of past sins, but also enrich us with divine grace which enables us
to avoid sin for the future and preserve righteousness and innocence, which
constitute the sum of a Christian life, as all can easily understand.
Ordinarily They Are Not Baptised At Once
On adults, however, the Church has not been
accustomed to confer the Sacrament of Baptism at once, but has ordained that it
be deferred for a certain time. The delay is not attended with the same danger
as in the case of infants, which we have already mentioned; should any
unforeseen accident make it impossible for adults to be washed in the salutary
waters, their intention and determination to receive Baptism and their
repentance for past sins, will avail them to grace and righteousness.
Nay, this delay seems to be attended with
some advantages. And first, since the Church must take particular care that
none approach this Sacrament through hypocrisy and dissimulation, the
intentions of such as seek Baptism, are better examined and ascertained. Hence
it is that we read in the decrees of ancient Councils that Jewish converts to
the Catholic faith, before admission to Baptism, should spend some months in
the ranks of the catechumens.
Furthermore, the candidate for Baptism is
thus better instructed in the doctrine of the faith which he is to profess, and
in the practices of the Christian life. Finally, when Baptism is administered
to adults with solemn ceremonies on the appointed days of Easter and Pentecost
only greater religious reverence is shown to the Sacrament.
In Case Of Necessity Adults May Be:
Baptised At Once
Sometimes, however, when there exists a just
and necessary cause, as in the case of imminent danger of death, Baptism is not
to be deferred, particularly if the person to be baptised is well instructed in
the mysteries of faith. This we find to have been done by Philip, and by the
Prince of the Apostles, when without any delay, the one baptised the eunuch of
Queen Candace; the other, Cornelius, as soon as they expressed a wish to
embrace the faith.
Dispositions for Baptism
Intention
The faithful are also to be instructed in the
necessary dispositions for Baptism. In the first place they must desire and
intend to receive it; for as in Baptism we all die to sin and resolve to live a
new life, it is fit that it be administered to those only who receive it of
their own free will and accord; it is to be forced upon none. Hence we learn
from holy tradition that it has been the invariable practice to administer
Baptism to no individual without previously asking him if he be willing to
receive it. This disposition even infants are presumed to have, since the will
of the Church, which promises for them, cannot be mistaken.
Insane, delirious persons who were once of
sound mind and afterwards became deranged, having in their present state no
wish to be baptised, are not to be admitted to Baptism, unless in danger of
death. In such cases, if previous to insanity they give intimation of a wish to
be baptised, the Sacrament is to be administered; without such indication
previously given it is not to be administered. The same rule is to be followed
with regard to persons who are unconscious.
But if they (the insane) never enjoyed the
use of reason, the authority and practice of the Church decide that they are to
be baptised in the faith of the Church, just as children are baptised before
they come to the use of reason.
Faith
Besides a wish to be baptised, in order to
obtain the grace of the Sacrament, faith is also necessary. Our Lord and
Saviour has said: He that believes and is baptised shall be saved.
Repentance
Another necessary condition is repentance for
past sins, and a fixed determination to avoid all sin in the future. Should
anyone desire Baptism and be unwilling to correct the habit of sinning, he
should be altogether rejected. For nothing is so opposed to the grace and power
of Baptism as the intention and purpose of those who resolve never to abandon
sin.
Seeing that Baptism should be sought with a
view to put on Christ and to be united to Him, it is manifest that he who
purposes to continue in sin should justly be repelled from the sacred font,
particularly since none of those things which belong to Christ and His Church
are to be received in vain, and since we well understand that, as far as
regards sanctifying and saving grace, Baptism is received in vain by him who
purposes to live according to the flesh, and not according to the spirit. As
far, however, as the Sacrament is concerned, if the person who is rightly
baptised intends to receive what the Church administers, he without doubt
validly receives the Sacrament.
Hence, to the vast multitude who, in
compunction of heart, as the Scripture says, asked him and the other Apostles
what they should do, the Prince of the Apostles answered: Do penance and be
baptised every one of you; and in another place he said: Be penitent,
therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out. Writing to the
Romans, St. Paul also clearly shows that he who is baptised should entirely die
to sin; and he therefore admonishes us not to yield our members as instruments
of iniquity unto sin, but present ourselves to God, as those who are alive from
the dead.
Advantages To Be Derived From These
Reflections
Frequent reflection upon these truths cannot
fail, in the first place, to fill the minds of the faithful with admiration for
the infinite goodness of God, who, uninfluenced by any other consideration than
that of His mercy, gratuitously bestowed upon us, undeserving as we are, a
blessing so extraordinary and divine as that of Baptism.
If in the next place they consider how
spotless should be the lives of those who have been made the objects of such
munificence, they cannot fail to be convinced of the special obligation imposed
on every Christian to spend each day of his life in such sanctity and fervour,
as if on that very day he had received the Sacrament and grace of Baptism.
Effects of Baptism
To inflame the minds of the faithful,
however, with a zeal for true piety, pastors will find no means more
efficacious than an accurate exposition of the effects of Baptism.
The effects of Baptism should be frequently
explained, in order that the faithful may be rendered more sensible of the high
dignity to which they have been raised, and may never suffer themselves to be
cast down therefrom by the snares or assaults of Satan.
First Effect Of Baptism: Remission Of Sin
They are to be taught, in the first place,
that such is the admirable efficacy of this Sacrament that it remits original
sin and actual guilt, however unthinkable its enormity may seem.
This was foretold long before by Ezechiel,
through whom God said: I will pour upon you clean water, and you shall be
cleansed from all your filthiness. The Apostle also, writing to the
Corinthians, after having enumerated a long catalogue of sins, adds: such you
were, but you are washed, but you are sanctified.
That such was at all times the doctrine handed
down by holy Church is clear. By the generation of the flesh, says St.
Augustine in his book On the Baptism of Infants, we contract original sin only;
by the regeneration of the Spirit, we obtain forgiveness not only of original,
but also of actual sins. St. Jerome also, writing to Oceanus, says: all sins
are forgiven in Baptism.
To remove all further doubt on the subject,
the Council of Trent, after other Councils had defined this, declared it anew,
pronouncing anathema against those who should presume to think otherwise, or
should dare to assert that although sin is forgiven in Baptism, it is not
entirely removed or totally eradicated, but is cut away in such a manner as to
leave its roots still fixed in the soul. To use the words of the same holy Council,
God hates nothing in those who are regenerated; for there remains nothing
deserving of condemnation in those who are truly buried with Christ by Baptism
unto death, "who walk not according to the flesh" but putting off the
old man, and putting on the new, who is created according to God, become
innocent, spotless, pure, upright, and beloved of God.
Concupiscence Which Remains After Baptism
Is No Sin
We must confess, however, that concupiscence,
or the fuel of sin, still remains, as the Council declares in the same place.
But concupiscence does not constitute sin, for, as St. Augustine observes, in
children who have been baptised the guilt of concupiscence is removed, (the
concupiscence itself) remains for probation; and in another place he says: the
guilt of concupiscence is pardoned in Baptism, but its infirmity remains. For
concupiscence which is the effect of sin is nothing more than an appetite of
the soul in itself repugnant to reason. But if it is not accompanied by the
consent of the will or by negligence, it is very far from being sin.
When St. Paul says, I did not know
concupiscence, if the law did not say: Thou shalt not covet, he speaks not of
concupiscence itself, but of the fault of the will.
The same doctrine is taught by St. Gregory
when he says: If there are any who assert that in Baptism sin is but
superficially effaced, what could be more untrue than their statement? By the
Sacrament of faith the soul, entirely freed from sin, adheres to God alone. In
proof of this doctrine he has recourse to the testimony of our Saviour who says
in St. John: He that is -washed, needeth not but to wash his feet, but is clean
wholly.
Further Proof Of The First Effect Of
Baptism
Should anyone desire a striking figure and
image (of the efficacy of Baptism) let him consider the history of Naaman the
Syrian leper, of whom the Scriptures inform us that when he had washed seven
times in the waters of the Jordan he was so cleansed from his leprosy that his
flesh became like the flesh of a child.
The remission of all sin, original and
actual, is therefore the peculiar effect of Baptism. That this was the object
of its institution by our Lord and Saviour is clearly stated by the Prince of
the Apostles, to say nothing of other testimonies, when he says: Do penance and
be baptised every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of
sins.
The Second Effect Of Baptism: Remission Of
All Punishment Due To Sin
In Baptism not only is sin forgiven, but with
it all the punishment due to sin is mercifully remitted by God. To communicate
the efficacy of the Passion of Christ our Lord is an effect common to all the
Sacraments; but of Baptism alone does the Apostle say, that by it we die and
are buried together with Christ.
Hence holy Church has always understood that
to impose those works of piety, usually called by the holy Fathers works of
satisfaction, on one who is to be cleansed in Baptism, would be injurious to
this Sacrament in the highest degree.
Nor is there any discrepancy between the
doctrine here taught and the practice of the primitive Church, which of old
commanded the Jews, when preparing for Baptism, to observe a fast of forty
successive days. (The fast thus imposed) was not enjoined as a work of
satisfaction; but those who had received Baptism were thus admonished to devote
some time to the uninterrupted exercise of fasting and prayer in honour of so
great a Sacrament.
Baptism Does Not Exempt From Penalties Of
The Civil Law
Although the remission by Baptism of the
punishments due to sin cannot be questioned, we are not to infer that it
exempts an offender from the punishments decreed by civil tribunals for some
grave crime. Thus a person sentenced to death is not rescued by Baptism from
the penalty ordained by the law.
We cannot, however, too highly commend the
religion and piety of those rulers who remit the sentence of the law, that the
glory of God may be the more strikingly displayed in His Sacraments.
Baptism Remits The Punishment Due To
Original Sin After Death
Baptism also remits all the punishment due to
original sin after this life, for through the merit of the death of our Lord we
are able to attain this blessing. By Baptism, as we have already said, we die
with Christ. For if, says the Apostle, we have been planted together in the
likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.
Baptism Does Not Free Us From The Miseries
Of Life
Should it be asked why immediately after
Baptism we are not exempt in this mortal life from misfortunes and restored by
the influence of this sacred ablution to that state of perfection in which
Adam, the father of the human race, was placed before his fall, the answer will
be that there are two chief reasons for this.
In the first place we who by Baptism are
united to, and become members of Christ's body, should not be more honoured
than our Head. Now Christ our Lord, although clothed from His birth with the
plenitude of grace and truth, was not divested of human infirmity which He
assumed, until, having suffered and died, He rose to the glory of immortality.
It cannot appear extraordinary, therefore, if the faithful, even after they
have received the grace of justification by Baptism, are clothed with frail and
perishable bodies until, having undergone many labours for the sake of Christ,
and having closed their earthly career, they are recalled to life and found
worthy to enjoy with Him an eternity of bliss.
The second reason why bodily infirmity,
disease, sense of pain and motions of concupiscence remain after Baptism is
that in them we may have the seed and material of virtue from which we shall
hereafter receive a more abundant harvest of glory and more ample rewards.
When, with patient resignation, we bear all the trials of life, and, aided by
the divine assistance, subject to the dominion of reason the rebellious desires
of the heart, we ought to cherish an assured hope that if, with the Apostle we
shall have fought a good fight, finished the course, and kept the faith, the
Lord, the just judge, will render to us on that day a crown of justice which is
laid up for us.
Such seems to have been the divine plan with
regard to the children of Israel. God delivered them from the bondage of Egypt,
having drowned Pharaoh and his hosts in the sea; yet He did not conduct them
immediately into the happy land of promise; He first tried them by a variety
and multiplicity of sufferings. And when He afterwards placed them in
possession of the promised land and expelled the previous inhabitants from
their native territories, yet He left a few other nations whom the Israelites
could not exterminate, in order that His people might always have occasion to
exercise fortitude and warlike courage.
We may add that if, to the heavenly gifts
with which the soul is adorned in Baptism, were joined temporal advantages,
there would be good reason to doubt whether many might not approach Baptism
with a view to obtain such advantages in this life, rather than the glory to be
hoped for in the next; whereas the Christian should always propose to himself,
not these delusive and uncertain goods which are seen, but the solid and
eternal ones which are not seen.
Baptism A Source Of Happiness To The
Christian Even In This Life
This life, however, although full of misery,
does not lack its pleasures and joys. To us, who by Baptism are engrafted as
branches on Christ's what could be more pleasing or desirable than, taking up
the cross upon our shoulders, to follow Him as our leader, fatigued by no
labor, retarded by no danger, in ardent pursuit of the rewards of our high
vocation; some to receive the laurel of virginity, others the crown of teaching
and preaching, some the palm of martyrdom, others the honours appropriate to
their respective virtues? These splendid titles of exalted dignity none of us
should receive, had we not contended in the race of this calamitous life and
stood unconquered in the conflict.
Third Effect Of Baptism: Grace Of
Regeneration
But to return to the effects of Baptism, it
should be taught that by virtue of this Sacrament we are not only delivered
from what are justly deemed the greatest of all evils, but are also enriched
with invaluable goods and blessings. Our souls are replenished with divine
grace, by which we are rendered just and children of God and are made heirs to
eternal salvation. For it is written: He that believeth and is baptised, shall
be saved, and the Apostle testifies that the Church is cleansed by the laver of
water in the word of life. Now according to the definition of the Council of
Trent, which under pain of anathema we are bound to believe, grace not only
remits sin, but is also a divine quality inherent in the soul, and, as it were,
a brilliant light that effaces all those stains which obscure the lustre of the
soul, investing it with increased brightness and beauty. This is also a clear
inference from the words of Scripture when it says that grace is poured forth,
and also when it usually calls grace, the pledge of the Holy Ghost.
Fourth Effect Of Baptism: Infused Virtues
And Incorporation With Christ
This grace is accompanied by a most splendid
train of all virtues, which are divinely infused into the soul along with
grace. Hence, when writing to Titus, the Apostle says: He saved us by the laver
of regeneration and renovation of the Holy Ghost, whom he hath poured forth
upon us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. St. Augustine, in
explanation of the words, poured forth abundantly, says: that is, for the
remission of sins and for abundance of virtues.
By Baptism we are also united to Christ, as
members to their Head. As therefore from the head proceeds the power by which
the different members of the body are moved to the proper performance of their
respective functions, so from the fullness of Christ the Lord are diffused
divine grace and virtue through all those who are justified, qualifying them
for the performance of all the duties of Christian piety.
Why The Practice Of Virtue Is Difficult
Even After Baptism
Though we are thus supported by a powerful
array of virtues, it should not excite our surprise if we cannot, without much
labor and difficulty, undertake, or at least, perform acts of piety and of
moral virtue. If this is so, it is not because the goodness of God has not
bestowed on us the virtues from which these good works proceed; but because
there still remains after Baptism a severe conflict of the flesh against the
spirit, in which, however, it would not become a Christian to be dispirited or
grow faint.
Relying on the divine goodness we should
confidently hope that by a constant habit of leading a holy life the time will
come when whatever things are modest, whatever just, whatever holy, will also
prove easy and agreeable. Let these be the subjects of our willing
consideration, the objects of our cheerful practice, that the God of peace may
be with us.
Fifth Effect Of Baptism: Character Of
Christian
By Baptism, moreover, we are sealed with a
character that can never be effaced from the soul. On this point, however, we
need not speak at length, for what we have already sufficiently said on the
subject, when treating of the Sacraments in general, may be applied here.
Baptism Not To Be Repeated
Since on account of the nature and efficacy
of this character it has been defined by the Church that this Sacrament is on
no account to be reiterated, pastors should frequently and diligently admonish
the faithful on this subject, lest at any time they may be led into error.
This doctrine is taught by the Apostle when
he says: One Lord, one faith, one baptism. Again, when exhorting the Romans,
that being dead in Christ by Baptism they should take care not to lose the life
which they had received from Him, he says: In that Christ died unto sin, he
died once. These words seem clearly to signify that as Christ cannot die again,
neither can we die again by Baptism. Hence the holy Church also openly
professes that she believes one Baptism. That this agrees with the nature of
the thing and with reason is understood from the very idea of Baptism, which is
a spiritual regeneration. As then, by virtue of the laws of nature, we are
generated and born but once, and, as St. Augustine observes, there is no
returning to the womb; so, in like manner, there is but one spiritual
generation, and Baptism is never at any time to be repeated.
In Conditional Baptism The Sacrament Is
Not Repeated
Nor let anyone suppose that it is repeated by
the Church when she baptises anyone whose previous Baptism was doubtful, making
use of this formula: If thou art baptised, I baptise thee not again but if thou
art not yet baptised, I baptise thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost. In such cases Baptism is not to be considered as
impiously repeated, but as holily, yet conditionally, administered.
In this connection, however, there are some
matters, in which, to the very great injury of the Sacrament, abuses are of
almost daily occurrence, and which therefore demand the diligent attention of
pastors. For there are not wanting those who think that no sin is committed if
they indiscriminately administer conditional Baptism. Hence if an infant be
brought to them, they think that no inquiry need be made as to whether it was
previously baptised, but proceed immediately to baptise the child. Nay more,
although they be well aware that the Sacrament was administered at home, they
do not hesitate to repeat its administration in the Church conditionally,
making use of the solemn ceremonies of the Church.
This certainly they cannot do without sacrilege
and without incurring what theologians call an irregularity. According to the
authority of Pope Alexander the conditional form of Baptism is to be used only
when after due inquiry doubts are entertained as to the validity of the
previous Baptism. In no other case is it ever lawful to administer Baptism a
second time, even conditionally.
Sixth Effect Of Baptism: Opening The Gates
Of Heaven
Besides the other advantages which accrue to
us from Baptism, the last, to which all the others seem to be referred, is that
it opens to us the portals of heaven which sin had closed against us.
Effects Of Baptism Foreshadowed In The
Baptism Of Christ
These effects which are wrought in us by
virtue of Baptism are distinctly marked by the circumstances which, as the
Gospel relates, accompanied the Baptism of our Saviour. The heavens were opened
and the Holy Ghost appeared descending upon Christ our Lord in the form of a
dove. By this we are given to understand that to those who are baptised are
imparted the gifts of the Holy Spirit, that to them are opened the gates of
heaven. The baptised, it is true, do not enter heaven immediately after
Baptism, but in due season. When they shall have been freed from all misery
which is incompatible with a state of bliss, they shall exchange a mortal for
an immortal life.
Measure In Which Those Effects Are
Obtained
These are the fruits of Baptism, which, if we
consider the efficacy of the Sacrament, are, no doubt, equally common to all;
but if we consider the dispositions with which it is received, it is no less
certain that all do not share to the same extent in these heavenly gifts and
graces.
Ceremonies of Baptism
Their Importance
It now remains to explain, clearly and
concisely, what is to be taught concerning the prayers, rites, and ceremonies
of this Sacrament. To rites and ceremonies may, in some measure, be applied
what the Apostle says of the gift of tongues, that it is unprofitable to speak,
unless the faithful understand. They present an image, and convey the
signification of the things that are done in the Sacrament; but if the people
do not understand the force and meaning of these signs, there is but little
advantage derived from ceremonies. Pastors should take care, therefore, to make
them understood and to impress the minds of the faithful with a conviction
that, although ceremonies are not of absolute necessity, they are of very great
importance and deserve great veneration.
This the authority of those by whom they were
instituted, who were, no doubt, the Apostles, and also the object of their
institution, sufficiently prove. It is manifest that ceremonies contribute to
the more religious and holy administration of the Sacraments, serve to place,
as it were, before the eyes the exalted and inestimable gifts which they
contain, and impress on the minds of the faithful a deeper sense of the
boundless beneficence of God.
Three Classes Of Ceremonies In Baptism
In order that the pastor's instructions may
follow a certain plan and that the people may find it: easier to remember his
words, all the ceremonies and prayers which the Church uses in the
administration of Baptism are to be reduced to three heads. The first
comprehends such as are observed before coming to the baptismal font; the
second, such as are used at the font; the third, those that usually follow the
administration of the Sacrament.
Ceremonies That Are Observed Before Coming
To The Font: Consecration Of Baptismal Water
In the first place, then, the water to be
used in Baptism should be prepared. The baptismal font is consecrated with the
oil of mystic unction; not, however, at all times, but, according to ancient
usage, only on certain feasts, which are justly deemed the greatest and the
most holy solemnities in the year. The water of Baptism was consecrated on the
vigils of those feasts; and on those days alone, except in cases of necessity,
it was also the practice of the ancient Church to administer Baptism. But
although the Church, on account of the dangers to which life is continually
exposed, has deemed it expedient to change her discipline in this respect, she
still observes with the greatest solemnity the festivals of Easter and
Pentecost on which the baptismal water is to be consecrated.
The Person To Be Baptised Stands At The
Church Door
After the consecration of the water the other
ceremonies that precede Baptism are next to be explained. The persons to be
baptised are brought or conducted a to the door of the church and are strictly
forbidden to enter, as unworthy to be admitted into the house of God, until
they have cast off the yoke of the most degrading servitude and devoted
themselves unreservedly to Christ the Lord and His most just authority.
Catechetical Instruction
The priest then asks what they demand of the
Church; and having received the answer, he first instructs them in the
doctrines of the Christian faith, of which a profession is to be made in
Baptism.
This the priest does in a brief catechetical
instruction, a practice which originated, no doubt, in the precept of our Lord
addressed to His Apostles: Go ye into the whole world, and teach all nations,
baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.
From this command we may learn that Baptism is not to be administered until, at
least, the principal truths of our religion are explained.
But as the catechetical form consists of many
interrogations, if the person to be instructed be an adult, he himself answers;
if an infant, the sponsor answers for him according to the prescribed form and
makes the solemn promise.
The Exorcism
The exorcism comes next in order. It consists
of words of sacred and religious import and of prayers, and is used to expel
the devil, to weaken and crush his power.
The Salt
To the exorcism are added other ceremonies,
each of which, being mystical, has its own clear signification. When, for
instance, salt is put into the mouth of the person to be baptised, this
evidently means that, by the doctrines of faith and by the gift of grace, he
shall be delivered from the corruption of sin, shall experience a relish for
good works, and shall be delighted with the food of divine wisdom.
The Sign Of The Cross
Next his forehead, eyes, breast, shoulders
and ears are signed with the sign of the cross, to declare, that by the mystery
of Baptism, the senses of the person baptised are opened and strengthened, to
enable him to receive God, and to understand and observe His Commandments.
The Saliva
His nostrils and ears are next touched with
spittle, and he is then immediately admitted to the baptismal font. By this
ceremony we understand that, as sight was given to the blind man mentioned in
the Gospel, whom the Lord after He had spread clay on his eyes commanded to
wash them in the waters of Siloe, so through the efficacy of holy Baptism a
light is let in on the mind, which enables it to discern heavenly truth.
The Ceremonies Observed After Coming To
The Font
After the performance of these ceremonies the
persons to be baptised approach the baptismal font, at which are performed
other rites and ceremonies which present a summary of the Christian religion.
The Renunciation Of Satan
Three distinct times the person to be
baptised is asked by the priest: Dost thou renounce Satan, and all his works,
and all his pomps? To each of which he, or the sponsor in his name, replies, I
renounce. Whoever, then, purposes to enlist, under the standard of Christ, must
first of all, enter into a sacred and solemn engagement to renounce the devil
and the world, and always to hold them in utter detestation as his worst
enemies.
The Profession Of Faith
Next, standing at the baptismal font, he is
interrogated by the priest in these words: Dost thou believe in God, the Father
Almighty? To which he answers: I believe. Being similarly questioned on the
remaining Articles of the Creed, he solemnly professes his faith. These two
promises contain, it is clear, the sum and substance of the law of Christ.
The Wish To Be Baptised
When the Sacrament is now about to be
administered, the priest asks the candidate if he wishes to be baptised. After
an answer in the affirmative has been given by him, or, if he is an infant, by
the sponsor, the priest immediately performs the salutary ablution, in the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
As man, by yielding the assent of his will to
the wicked suggestions of Satan, fell under a just sentence of condemnation; so
God will have none enrolled in the number of His soldiers but those whose
service is voluntary, that by a willing obedience to His commands they may
obtain eternal salvation.
The Ceremonies That Follow Baptism: Chrism
After the person has been baptised, the
priest anoints the crown of his head with chrism, thus giving him to
understand, that from that day he is united as a member to Christ, His Head,
and ingrafted on His body; and that he is, therefore, called a Christian from
Christ, as Christ is so called from chrism. What the chrism signifies, the prayers
then offered by the priest, as St. Ambrose observes, sufficiently explain.
The White Garment
On the person baptised the priest then puts a
white garment saying: Receive this white garment, which mayest thou carry
unstained before the judgment-seat of our Lord Jesus Christ; that thou mayest
have eternal life. Instead of a white garment, infants, because not formally
dressed, receive a white cloth, accompanied by the same words.
According to the teaching of the Fathers this
symbol signifies the glory of the resurrection to which we are born by Baptism,
the brightness and beauty with which the soul, when purified from the stains of
sin, is invested in Baptism, and the innocence and integrity which the person
who has received Baptism should preserve throughout life.
The Lighted Candle
A lighted taper is then put into the hand of
the baptised to signify that faith, inflamed by charity, which is received in
Baptism, is to be fed and augmented by the exercise of good works.
The Name Given In Baptism
Finally, a name is given the person baptised.
It should be taken from some person whose eminent sanctity has given him a
place in the catalogue of the Saints. The similarity of name will stimulate
each one to imitate the virtues and holiness of the Saint, and, moreover, to
hope and pray that he who is the model for his imitation will also be his
advocate and watch over the safety of his body and soul.
Wherefore those are to be reproved who search
for the names of heathens, especially of those who were the greatest monsters
of iniquity, to bestow upon their children. By such conduct they practically
prove how little they regard Christian piety when they so fondly cherish the
memory of impious men, as to wish to have their profane names continually echo
in the ears of the faithful.
Recapitulation
This exposition of the Sacrament of Baptism,
if given by pastors, will be found to embrace almost everything which should be
known regarding this Sacrament. We have explained the meaning of the word
Baptism, the nature and substance of the Sacrament, and also the parts of which
it is composed. We have said by whom it was instituted; who are the ministers
necessary to its administration; who should be, as it were, the tutors whose
instructions should sustain the weakness of the person baptised; to whom
Baptism should be administered; and how they should be disposed; what are the
virtue and efficacy of the Sacrament; finally, we have developed, at sufficient
length for our purpose, the rites and ceremonies that should accompany its
administration.
Pastors should recollect that the chief
purpose of all these instructions is to induce the faithful to direct their
constant attention and solicitude to the fulfilment of the promises so sacredly
made at Baptism, and to lead lives not unworthy of the sanctity that should
accompany the name and profession of Christian.
THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION
Importance Of Instruction On Confirmation
If ever there was a time demanding the
diligence of pastors in explaining the Sacrament of Confirmation, in these days
certainly it requires special attention, when there are found in the holy
Church of God many by whom this Sacrament is altogether omitted; while very few
seek to obtain from it the fruit of divine grace which they should derive from
its participation.
Lest, therefore, this divine blessing may
seem, through their fault, and to their most serious injury, to have been
conferred on them in vain, the faithful are to be instructed both on
Whitsunday, on which day it is principally administered, and also on such other
days as pastors shall deem convenient. Their instructions should so treat the
nature, power, and dignity of this Sacrament, that the faithful may understand
not only that it is not to be neglected, hut that it is to be received with the
greatest piety and devotion.
Name of this Sacrament
To begin with the name, it should be taught
that this Sacrament is called by the Church Confirmation because, if there is
no obstacle to the efficacy of the Sacrament, a baptised person, when anointed
with the sacred chrism by the Bishop, with the accompanying solemn words: I
sign thee with the sign of the cross, and confirm thee with the chrism of
salvation, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,
becomes stronger with the strength of a new power, and thus begins to be a
perfect soldier of Christ.
Confirmation is a Sacrament
That in Confirmation is contained the true
and proper nature of a Sacrament has always been acknowledged by the Catholic
Church, as Pope Melchiades and many other very holy and very ancient Pontiffs
expressly declare. The truth of this doctrine St. Clement could not confirm in
stronger terms than when he says: All should hasten without delay to be born
again unto God, and afterwards to be signed by the Bishop, that is, to receive
the sevenfold grace of the Holy Ghost; for, as has been handed down to us from
St. Peter, and as the other Apostles taught in obedience to the command and of
our Lord, he who culpably and voluntarily, and not from necessity, neglects to
receive this Sacrament, cannot possibly be a perfect Christian. This same faith
has been confirmed, as may be seen in their decrees, by Popes Urban, Fabian and
Eusebius, who, filled with the same spirit, shed their blood for the name of
Christ.
The unanimous authority of the Fathers must
be added. Among them Denis the Areopagite, Bishop of Athens, when teaching how
to consecrate and make use of this holy ointment, says: The priests clothe the
person Baptised with a garment emblematic of purity, in order to conduct him to
the Bishop; and the Bishop, signing him with the sacred and truly divine
ointment, makes him partaker of the most holy communion. Of such importance
does Eusebius of Caesarea also deem this Sacrament as not to hesitate to say
that the heretic Novatus could not deserve to receive the Holy Ghost, because,
having been baptised in a state of severe illness, he was not anointed with the
sign of chrism. But on this subject we have the most distinct testimonies from
St. Ambrose in his book On the Initiated, and from St. Augustine in his books
Against the Epistles of Petilian the Donatist.
Both of them were so persuaded that no doubt
could exist as to the reality of this Sacrament that they even taught and
confirmed the doctrine by passages of Scripture, the one testifying that to the
Sacrament of Confirmation apply these words of the Apostle: Grieve not the Holy
Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed; the other, these words of the Psalmist:
Like the precious ointment on the head, that ran down upon the beard, the beard
of Aaron, and also these words of the same Apostle: The charity of God is
poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, who is given to us.
Confirmation is Distinct from Baptism
Although said by Melchiades to have a most
intimate connection with Baptism, Confirmation is still not to be regarded as
the same, but as a very different Sacrament; for the variety of the grace which
each of the Sacraments confers, and of the sensible sign employed to signify
that grace, evidently render them distinct and different Sacraments.
Since, then, by the grace of Baptism we are
begotten unto newness of life, whereas by that of Confirmation we grow to full
maturity, having put away the things of a child, we can sufficiently understand
that the same difference that exists in the natural life between birth and
growth exists also between Baptism, which regenerates, and Confirmation, by
virtue of which growth and perfect spiritual strength are imparted to the
faithful.
Besides, as there should be a new and
distinct kind of Sacrament when the soul has to encounter any new difficulty,
it may easily be perceived that as we require the grace of Baptism to form the
mind unto faith, so is it also of the utmost advantage that the souls of the
faithful be strengthened by a different grace, to the end that they be deterred
by no danger, or fear of pains, tortures or death, from the confession of the
true faith. This, then, being accomplished by the sacred chrism of
Confirmation, it is hence clearly inferred, that the nature of this Sacrament
is different from Baptism.
Hence Pope Melchiades accurately evolves the
difference between them, writing as follows: In Baptism man is enlisted into
the service, in Confirmation he is equipped for battle; at the baptismal font
the Holy Ghost imparts fullness to accomplish innocence, but in Confirmation he
ministers perfection to grace; in Baptism we are regenerated unto life, after
Baptism we are fortified for the combat; in Baptism we are cleansed, after
Baptism we are strengthened; regeneration of itself saves those who receive
Baptism in time of peace, Confirmation arms and makes ready for conflicts.
These are truths not only already recorded by
other Councils, but specially defined by the holy Council of Trent; so that we
are therefore no longer at liberty not only to think otherwise, but even to
entertain the least doubt concerning them.
Institution of Confirmation
It was shown above how necessary it is to
teach concerning all the Sacraments in common from whom they had their origin.
Wherefore the same is also to be taught as regards Confirmation, in order that
the faithful may be impressed with a deeper sense of the sanctity of this
Sacrament. Accordingly, pastors must explain that not only was it instituted by
Christ the Lord, but that by Him were also ordained, as Pope St. Fabian
testifies, the rite of chrism and the words which the Catholic Church uses in
its administration. This is a fact easy to prove to those who acknowledge
Confirmation to be a Sacrament, because all the sacred mysteries exceed the
powers of human nature and could be instituted by no other than God alone.
Component Parts of Confirmation
The Matter
We now come to treat of the component parts
of the Sacrament, and first of its matter. This is called chrism, a word
borrowed from the Greek language, and which, although used by profane writers
to designate any sort of ointment, is appropriated by common usage among
ecclesiastical writers to signify that ointment only which is composed of oil
and balsam with the solemn consecration of the Bishop. A mixture of two
material things, therefore, furnishes the matter of Confirmation; and this
mixture of different things not only declares the manifold grace of the Holy
Ghost given to those who are confirmed but also sufficiently shows the
excellence of the Sacrament itself.
The Remote Matter Of Confirmation Is
Chrism
That such is the matter of this Sacrament the
holy Church and her Councils have always taught; and the same doctrine has been
handed-down to us by St. Denis and by many other Fathers of the gravest
authority, particularly by Pope Fabian,' who testifies that the Apostles
received the composition of chrism from our Lord and transmitted it to us.
The Appropriateness Of Chrism
Nor indeed could any other matter than that
of chrism seem more appropriate to declare the effects of this Sacrament. Oil,
by its nature rich, unctuous and fluid, expresses the fullness of grace, which,
through the Holy Ghost, overflows and is poured into others from Christ the
head, like the ointment that ran down upon the beard of Aaron, to the skirt of
his garment; for God anointed him with the oil of gladness, above his fellows,
and of his fullness we all have received.
Balsam, the door of which is most pleasant,
can signify nought save that the faithful, when made perfect by the grace of
Confirmation, diffuse around them such a sweet door of all virtues, that they
may say with the Apostle: We are unto God the good odour of Christ. Balsam has
also the power of preserving from corruption whatever it is used to anoint.
This property seems admirably suited to express the virtue of the Sacrament,
since it is quite evident that the souls of the faithful, prepared by the
heavenly grace of Confirmation, are easily protected from the contagion of
sins.
Chrism To Be Consecrated By The Bishop
The chrism is consecrated by the Bishop with
solemn ceremonies; for that our Saviour gave this instruction at His last
supper, when He committed to His Apostles the manner of making chrism, we learn
from Fabian, a pontiff eminently distinguished by his sanctity and by the glory
of martyrdom.
The necessity of this consecration may,
however, be shown from reason also. In most of the other Sacraments Christ so
instituted their matter as to impart holiness also to it. For not only did He
designate water as the element of Baptism, saying: Except a man be born again
of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter the kingdom of God; but He also,
at His own Baptism, imparted to it the power of sanctifying thereafter. Hence
these words of St. Chrysostom: The water of Baptism, had it not been sanctified
by contact with the body of our Lord, could not purge away the sins of
believers. As, then, our Lord did not consecrate this matter of Confirmation by
actually using and handling it, it is necessary that it be consecrated by holy
and religious prayers; and this consecration can appertain to none save the
Bishop, who has been appointed the ordinary minister of this Sacrament.
The Form Of Confirmation
The other component part of Confirmation,
that is, its form and the words used at the sacred unction, must also be
explained. The faithful are to be admonished that in receiving this Sacrament
they are, in particular on hearing the words pronounced, to excite their minds
to piety, faith and religion, that no obstacle may be placed to heavenly grace.
The form of Confirmation, then, is comprised
in these words: I sign thee with the sign of the cross, and I confirm thee with
the chrism of salvation, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost. If we call upon reason regarding this truth, we may also easily
prove the same thing; for the form of a Sacrament should comprise all those
things that explain the nature and substance of the Sacrament itself. But in
Confirmation these three things are chiefly to be noted: the divine power
which, as a principal cause, operates in the Sacrament; the strength of mind and
soul which is imparted by the sacred unction to the faithful unto salvation;
and finally, the sign impressed on him who is to enter upon the warfare of
Christ. Now of these the first is sufficiently declared by the concluding words
of the form: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost;
the second, by the words immediately preceding them: I confirm thee with the
chrism of salvation; and the third, by the words with which the form opens: I
sign thee with the sign of the cross.
But were we even unable to prove by reason
that this is the true and perfect form of this Sacrament, the authority of the
Catholic Church, under whose guidance we have always been thus taught, suffers
us not to entertain the least doubt on the subject.
Minister of Confirmation
Pastors should also teach to whom especially
has been committed the administration of this Sacrament; for as, according to
the Prophet, there are many who run without being sent, it is necessary to
teach who are its true and legitimate ministers, in order that the faithful may
be enabled to receive the Sacrament and grace of Confirmation.
Now the Holy Scriptures show that the Bishop
alone is the ordinary minister of this Sacrament, because we read in the Acts
of the Apostles that when Samaria had received the Word of God, Peter and John
were sent to them, who prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
for he was not as yet come upon any of them, but they were only baptised. Here
we may see that he who had baptised, having been only a deacon, had no power to
confirm; but that its administration was reserved to a more perfect order of
ministers, that is, to the Apostles. The same may be observed whenever the
Sacred Scriptures make mention of this Sacrament.
Nor are there wanting in proof of this matter
the clearest testimonies of the holy Fathers and of Popes Urban, Eusebius,
Damasus, Innocent and Leo, as is evident from their decrees. St. Augustine,
also, seriously complains of the corrupt practice of the Egyptians and Alexandrians,
whose priests dared to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation.
The thorough propriety of reserving this
function to Bishops the pastor may illustrate by the following comparison. As
in the construction of buildings the artisans, who are inferior agents, prepare
and dispose cement, lime, timbers and the other material, while to the
architect belongs the completion of the work; so in like manner this Sacrament,
which is, at it were, the completion of the spiritual edifice, should be
performed by no other than the chief priest.
Sponsors at Confirmation
A sponsor is also required, as we have
already shown to be the case in Baptism. For if they who enter the fencing
lists have need for some one whose skill and counsel may teach them the thrusts
and passes by which to overcome their adversaries, while remaining safe
themselves; how much more will the faithful require a leader and monitor, when,
sheathed, as it were, in the stoutest armour by this Sacrament of Confirmation,
they engage in the spiritual conflict, in which eternal salvation is the
proposed reward. With good reason, therefore, are sponsors employed in the
administration of this Sacrament also; and the same spiritual affinity is
contracted in Confirmation, which, as we have already shown, is contracted by
sponsors in Baptism, so as to impede the lawful marriage of the parties.
The Subject of Confirmation
It often happens that, in receiving this
Sacrament, the faithful are guilty of either precipitate haste or a gross
neglect and delay; concerning those who have become so impious as to have the
hardihood to contemn and despise it, we have nothing to say. Pastors,
therefore, should also explain who may receive Confirmation, and what should be
their age and dispositions.
All Should Be Confirmed
First, it is necessary to teach that this
Sacrament is not so necessary as to be utterly essential to salvation. Although
not essential, however, it ought to be omitted by no one, but rather, on the
contrary, in a matter so full of holiness through which the divine gifts are so
liberally bestowed, the greater care should be taken to avoid all neglect. What
God has proposed in common unto all for their sanctification, all should
'likewise most earnestly desire.
St. Luke, indeed, describing this admirable
effusion of the Holy Spirit, says: And suddenly there came a sound from heaven,
as of a mighty wind coming, and it filled the whole house, where they were
sitting; and a little after: And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. From
these words we may understand that, as that house was a type and figure of the
Church, the Sacrament of Confirmation, which tool; its beginning from that day,
appertains to all the faithful.
This may also be easily inferred from the
nature of the Sacrament itself. For they ought to be confirmed with the sacred
chrism who have need of spiritual increase, and who are to be led to the
perfection of the Christian religion. But this is, without exception, suited to
all; because as nature intends that all her children should grow up and attain
full maturity, although she does not always realise her wishes; so the Catholic
Church, the common mother of all, earnestly desires that, in those whom she has
regenerated by Baptism, the perfection of Christian manhood be completed. Now
as this is accomplished through the Sacrament of mystic Unction, it is clear
that Confirmation belongs alike to all the faithful.
The Proper Age For Confirmation
Here it is to be observed, that, after
Baptism, the Sacrament of Confirmation may indeed be administered to all; but
that, until children shall have attained the use of reason, its administration
is inexpedient. If it does not seem well to defer (Confirmation) to the age of
twelve, it is most proper to postpone this Sacrament at least to that of seven
years.
Confirmation has not been instituted as
necessary to salvation, but that by virtue thereof we may be found very well
armed and prepared when called upon to fight for the faith of Christ; and for
this conflict no one assuredly will consider children who as yet lack the use
of reason to be qualified.
Dispositions For Receiving Confirmation
From this, therefore, it follows that persons
of mature age, who are to be confirmed, must, if they desire to obtain the grace
and gifts of this Sacrament, not only bring with them faith and piety, but also
grieve from their hearts for the serious sins which they have committed.
The pastor should take care that they have
previous recourse to confession of their sins; should exhort them to fasting
and other works of piety; and admonish them of the propriety of reviving that
laudable practice of the ancient Church, of receiving this Sacrament fasting.
It is to be presumed that to this the faithful may be easily persuaded, if they
but understand the gifts and admirable effects of this Sacrament.
The Effects of Confirmation
Pastors, therefore, should teach that, in
common with the other Sacraments, Confirmation, unless some obstacle be present
on the part of the receiver, imparts new grace. For we have shown that these
sacred and mystical signs are of such a character as to indicate and produce
grace.
The Grace Of Strength
But besides these things, which are common to
this and the other (Sacraments), it is peculiar to Confirmation first to
perfect the grace of Baptism. For those who have been made Christians by
Baptism, still have in some sort the tenderness and softness, as it were, of
new-born infants, and afterwards become, by means of the Sacrament of chrism,
stronger to resist all the assaults of the world, the flesh and the devil,
while their minds are fully confirmed in faith to confess and glorify the name
of our Lord Jesus Christ. Hence; also, originated the very name (Confirmation),
as no one will doubt. For the word Confirmation is not derived, as some not
less ignorantly than impiously have pretended, from the circumstance that
persons baptised in infancy, when arrived at mature years, were of old brought
to the Bishop, in order to confirm their faith in Christ, which they had
embraced ill Baptism, so that Confirmation would seem not to differ from
catechetical instruction. Of such a practice no reliable testimony can be
adduced. On the contrary, the name has been derived from the fact that by
virtue of this Sacrament God confirms in us the work He commenced in Baptism,
leading us to the perfection of solid Christian virtue.
Increase In Grace
But not only does it confirm, it also
increases (divine grace), as says Melchiades: The Holy Ghost, whose salutary
descent upon the waters of Baptism, imparts in the font fullness to the
accomplishment of innocence, in Confirmation gives an increase of grace; and
not only an increase, but an increase after a wonderful manner. This the
Scriptures beautifully express by a metaphor taken from clothing: Stay you in
the city, said our Lord and Saviour, speaking of this Sacrament, until you be
clothed with power from on high.
If pastors wish to show the divine efficacy
of this Sacrament -- and this, no doubt, will have great influence in affecting
the minds of the faithful -- it will be sufficient if they explain what
occurred to the Apostles themselves. So weak and timid were they before, and
even at the very time of the Passion, that no sooner was our Lord apprehended,
than they instantly fled ; and Peter, who had been designated the rock and
foundation of the Church, and who had displayed unshaken constancy and exalted
magnanimity, terrified at the voice of one weak woman, denied, not once nor
twice only, but a third time, that he was a disciple of Jesus Christ; and after
the Resurrection they all remained shut up at home for fear of the Jews. But,
on the day of Pentecost, so great was the power of the Holy Ghost with which
they were all filled that, while they boldly and freely disseminated the Gospel
confided to them, not only through Judea, but throughout the world, they
thought no greater happiness could await them than that of being accounted
worthy to suffer contumely, chains, torments and crucifixion, for the name of
Christ.
Character Of Soldier Of Christ
Confirmation has also the effect of
impressing a character. Hence, as we before said of Baptism, and as will be
more fully explained in its proper place with regard to the Sacrament of Orders
also, it can on no account ever be repeated.
If, then, these things be frequently and
accurately explained by pastors, it will be almost impossible that the
faithful, having known the utility and dignity of this Sacrament, should not
use every exertion to receive it with purity and devotion.
Ceremonies Of Confirmation
It remains now briefly to glance at the rites
and ceremonies used by the Catholic Church in the administration of this
Sacrament; and pastors will understand the great advantages of this
explanation, if they revert to what we already said on this subject under its
proper head.
The Anointing Of The Forehead
The forehead, then, of the persons to be
confirmed is anointed with sacred chrism; for by this Sacrament the Holy Spirit
infuses Himself into the souls of the faithful, and increases in them strength
and fortitude to enable them, in the spiritual contest, to fight manfully and
to resist their most wicked foes. Wherefore it is indicated that they are to be
deterred by no fear or shame, the signs of which appear chiefly on the
forehead, from the open confession of the name of Christ.
The Sign Of The Cross
Besides, that mark by which the Christian is
distinguished from all others, as the soldier is by certain badges, should be
impressed on the more conspicuous part of the body.
Time When Confirmation Should Be Conferred
It has also been a matter of solemn religious
observance in the Church of God that this Sacrament should be administered
principally at Pentecost, because on that day especially were the Apostles
strengthened and confirmed by the power of the Holy Ghost. By the recollection
of this supernatural event the faithful should be admonished of the nature and
magnitude of the mysteries contained in the sacred unction.
The Slap On The Cheek
The person when anointed and confirmed next
receives a gentle slap on the cheek from the hand of the Bishop to make him
recollect that, as a valiant combatant, he should be prepared to endure with
unconquered spirit all adversities for the name of Christ.
The Pax
Lastly, the peace is given him, that he may
understand that he has attained the fullness of divine grace and that peace
which passeth all understanding.
Admonition
Let this, then, serve as a summary of those
things which pastors are to expound touching the Sacrament of chrism. The
exposition, however, should not be given so much in empty words and cold
language, as in the burning accents of pious and glowing zeal, so as to seem to
imprint them on the souls and inmost thoughts of the faithful.
THE SACRAMENT OF THE EUCHARIST
Importance Of Instruction On The Eucharist
As of all the sacred mysteries bequeathed to
us by our Lord and Saviour as most infallible instruments of divine grace,
there is none comparable to the most holy Sacrament of the Eucharist; so, for
no crime is there a heavier punishment to be feared from God than for the
unholy or irreligious use by the faithful of that which is full of holiness, or
rather which contains the very author and source of holiness. This the Apostle
wisely saw, and has openly admonished us of it. For when he had declared the
enormity of their guilt who discerned not the body of the Lord, he immediately
subjoined: Therefore are there many infirm and weak among you, and many sleep.
In order that the faithful, therefore, aware
of the divine honours due to this heavenly Sacrament, may derive therefrom
abundant fruit of grace and escape the most just anger of God, pastors should
explain with the greatest diligence all those things which may seem calculated
more fully to display its majesty.
Institution of the Eucharist
In this matter it will be necessary that
pastors, following the example of the Apostle Paul, who professes to have
delivered to the Corinthians what he had received from the Lord, first of all
explain to the faithful the institution of this Sacrament.
That its institution was as follows, is
clearly inferred from the Evangelist. Our Lord, having loved his own, loved
them to the end. As a divine and admirable pledge of this love, knowing that
the hour had now come that He should pass from the world to the Father, that
He-might not ever at any period be absent from His own, He accomplished with
inexplicable wisdom that which surpasses all the order and condition of nature.
For having kept the supper of the Paschal lamb with His disciples, that the
figure might yield to the reality, the shadow to the substance, He took bread,
and giving thanks unto God, He blessed, and brake, and gave to the disciples,
and said: "Take ye and eat, this is my body which shall be delivered for
you; this do for a commemoration of me." In like manner also, He took the
chalice after he had supped, saying: "This chalice is the new testament in
my blood; this do, as often as you shall drink it, in commemoration of
me".
Meaning of the Word "Eucharist"
Wherefore sacred writers, seeing that it was
not at all possible that they should manifest by one term the dignity and
excellence of this admirable Sacrament, endeavoured to express it by many
words.
For sometimes they call it Eucharist, which
word we may render either by good grace, or by thanksgiving. And rightly,
indeed, is it to be called good grace, as well because it first signifies
eternal life, concerning which it has been written: The grace of God is eternal
life; and also because it contains Christ the Lord, who is true grace and the
fountain of all favours.
No less aptly do we interpret it thanksgiving;
inasmuch as when we immolate this purest victim, we give daily unbounded thanks
to God for all His kindnesses towards us, and above all for so excellent a gift
of His grace, which He grants to us in this Sacrament. This same name, also, is
fully in keeping with those things which we read were done by Christ the Lord
at the institution of this mystery. For taking bread he brake it, and gave
thanks. David also, when contemplating the greatness of this mystery, before he
pronounced that song: He hath made a remembrance of his wonderful works, being
a merciful and gracious Lord, he hath given food to them that fear him, thought
that he should first make this act of thanksgiving: His work is praise and
magnificence.
Other Names Of This Sacrament
Frequently, also, it is called Sacrifice.
Concerning this mystery there will be occasion to speak more at length
presently.
It is called, moreover, communion, the term
being evidently borrowed from that passage of the Apostle where we read: The
chalice of benediction which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of
Christ? And the bread which we break, is it not the partaking of the body of
the Lord? For, as Damascene has explained, this Sacrament unites us to Christ,
renders us partakers of His flesh and Divinity, reconciles and unites us to one
another in the same Christ, and forms us, as it were, into one body.
Whence it came to pass, that i. was called
also the Sacrament of peace and love. We can understand then how unworthy they
are of the name of Christian who cherish enmities, and how hatred, dissensions
and discord should be entirely put away, as the most destructive bane of the
faithful, especially since by the daily Sacrifice of our religion, we profess
to preserve nothing with more anxious care, than peace and love.
It is also frequently called the Viaticum by
sacred writers, both because it is spiritual food by which we are sustained in
our pilgrimage through this life, and also because it paves our way to eternal
glory and happiness. Wherefore, according to an ancient usage of the Catholic
Church, we see that none of the faithful are permitted to die without this
Sacrament.
The most ancient Fathers, following the
authority of the Apostle, have sometimes also called the Holy Eucharist by the
name of Supper, because it was instituted by Christ the Lord at the salutary
mystery of the Last Supper.
It is not, however, lawful to consecrate or
partake of the Eucharist after eating or drinking, because, according to a
custom wisely introduced by the Apostles, as ancient writers have recorded, and
which has ever been retained and preserved, Communion is received only by
persons who are fasting.
The Eucharist Is a Sacrament Properly So
Called
The meaning of the name having been
explained, it will be necessary to show that this is a true Sacrament, and one
of those seven which the holy Church has ever revered and venerated
religiously. For when the consecration of the chalice is effected, it is called
a mystery of faith.
Besides, to omit the almost endless testimonies
of sacred writers, who have invariably thought that this was to be numbered
among the real Sacraments, the same thing is proved from the very principle and
nature of a Sacrament. For there are in it signs that are external and subject
to the senses. In the next place it signifies and produces grace. Moreover,
neither the Evangelists nor the Apostle leave room for doubt regarding its
institution by Christ. Since all these things concur to establish the fact of
the Sacrament, there is obviously no need of any other argument.
In What Respect The Eucharist Is A
Sacrament
But pastors should carefully observe that in
this mystery there are many things to which sacred writers have from time to
time attributed the name of Sacrament. For, sometimes, both the consecration
and the Communion; nay, frequently also the body and blood itself of our Lord,
which is contained in the Eucharist, used to be called a Sacrament. Thus St.
Augustine says that this Sacrament consists of two things, -- the visible
species of the elements, and the invisible flesh and blood of our Lord Jesus
Christ Himself. And it is in the same sense that we say that this Sacrament is
to be adored, meaning the body and blood of our Lord.
Now it is plain that all these are less
properly called Sacraments. The species of bread and wine themselves are truly
and strictly designated by this name.
How The Eucharist Differs From All The
Other Sacraments
How much this Sacrament differs from all the
others is easily inferred. For all the other Sacraments are completed by the
use of the material, that is, while they are being administered to some one.
Thus Baptism. attains the nature of a Sacrament when the individual is actually
being washed in the water. For the perfecting of the Eucharist on the other hand,
the consecration of the material itself suffices, since neither (species)
ceases to be a Sacrament, though kept in the pyx.
Again in perfecting the other Sacraments
there is no change of the matter and element into another nature. The water of
Baptism, or the oil of Confirmation, when those Sacraments are being
administered, do not lose their former nature of water and oil; but in the
Eucharist, that which was bread and wine before consecration, after
consecration is truly the substance of the body and blood of the Lord.
The Eucharist Is But One Sacrament
But although there are two elements, as bread
and wine, of which the entire Sacrament of the Eucharist is constituted, yet
guided by the authority of the Church, we confess that this is not many
Sacraments, but only one.
Otherwise, there cannot be the exact number
of seven Sacraments, as has ever been handed down, and as was decreed by the
Councils of Lateran, Florence and Trent.
Moreover, by virtue of the Sacrament, one
mystical body is effected; hence, that the Sacrament itself may correspond to
the thing which it effects, it must be one.
It is one not because it is indivisible, but
because it signifies a single thing. For as food and drink, which are two
different things, are employed only for one purpose, namely, that the vigour of
the body may be recruited; so also it was but natural that there should be an
analogy to them in the two different species of the Sacrament, which should
signify the spiritual food by which souls are supported and refreshed.
Wherefore we have been assured by our Lord the Saviour: My flesh is meat
indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
The Eucharist Signifies Three Things
It must, therefore, be diligently explained
what the Sacrament of the Eucharist signifies, that the faithful, beholding the
sacred mysteries with their eyes, may also at the same time feed their souls
with the contemplation of divine things. Three things, then, are signified by
this Sacrament. The first is the Passion of Christ our Lord, a thing past; for
He Himself said: Do this for a commemoration of me, and the Apostle says: As
often as you shall eat this bread, and drink the chalice, you shall show the
death of the Lord, until he come.
It is also significant of divine and heavenly
grace, which is imparted at the present time by this Sacrament to nurture and
preserve the soul. Just as in Baptism we are begotten unto newness of life and
by Confirmation are strengthened to resist Satan and openly to profess the name
of Christ, so by the Sacrament of the Eucharist are we nurtured and supported.
It is, thirdly, a foreshadowing of future
eternal joy and glory, which, according to God's promises, we shall receive in
our heavenly country.
These three things, then, which are clearly
distinguished by their reference to past, present and future times, are so well
represented by the Eucharistic mysteries that the whole Sacrament, though
consisting of different species, signifies the three as if it referred to one
thing only.
Constituent Parts of the Eucharist
The Matter
It is particularly incumbent on pastors to
know the matter of this Sacrament, in order that they themselves may rightly
consecrate it, and also that they may be able to instruct the faithful as to
its significance, inflaming them with an earnest desire of that which it
signifies.
The First Element Of The Eucharist Is
Bread
The matter of this Sacrament is twofold. The
first element is wheaten bread, of which we shall now speak. Of the second we
shall treat hereafter. As the Evangelists, Matthew, Mark and Luke testify,
Christ the Lord took bread into His hands, blessed, and brake, saying: This is
my body; and, according to John, the same Saviour called Himself bread in these
words: I am the living bread, that came down from heaven.
The
Sacramental Bread Must Be Wheaten
There are, however, various sorts of bread,
either because they consist of different materials, -- such as wheat, barley,
pulse and other products of the earth; or because they possess different
qualities, -- some being leavened, others altogether without leaven. It is to
be observed that, with regard to the former kinds, the words of the Saviour
show that the bread should be wheaten; for, according to common usage, when we
simply say bread, we are sufficiently understood to mean wheaten bread. This is
also declared by a figure in the Old Testament, because the Lord commanded that
the loaves of proposition, which signified this Sacrament, should be made of
fine flour.
The Sacramental
Bread Should Be Unleavened
But as wheaten bread alone is to be
considered the proper matter for this Sacrament -- a doctrine which has been
handed down by Apostolic tradition and confirmed by the authority of the
Catholic Church -- so it may be easily inferred from the doings of Christ the
Lord that this bread should be unleavened. It was consecrated and instituted by
Him on the first day of unleavened bread, on which it was not lawful for the
Jews to have anything leavened in their house.
Should the authority of John the Evangelist,
who says that all this was done before the feast of the Passover, be objected
to, the argument is one of easy solution. For by the day before the pasch John
understands the same day which the other Evangelists designate as the first day
of unleavened bread. He wished particularly to mark the natural day, which
commences at sunrise; whereas they wanted to point out that our Lord celebrated
the Pasch on Thursday evening just when the days of the unleavened bread were
beginning. Hence St. Chrysostom also understands the first day of unleavened
bread to be the day on the evening of which unleavened bread was to be eaten.
The peculiar suitableness of the consecration
of unleavened bread to express that integrity and purity of mind which the
faithful should bring to this Sacrament we learn from these words of the
Apostle: Purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new paste, as you are
unleavened. For Christ our Passover is sacrificed. Therefore, let us feast, not
with the old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the
unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
Unleavened
Bread Not Essential
This quality of the bread, however, is not to
be deemed so essential that, if it be wanting, the Sacrament cannot exist; for
both kinds are called by the one name and have the true and proper nature of
bread. No one, however, is at liberty on his own private authority, or rather
presumption, to transgress the laudable rite of his Church. And such departure
is the less warrantable in priests of the Latin Church, expressly obliged as
they are by the supreme Pontiffs, to consecrate the sacred mysteries with
unleavened bread only.
Quantity Of
The Bread
With regard to the first matter of this
Sacrament, let this exposition suffice. It is, however, to be observed, that
the quantity of the matter to be consecrated is not defined, since we cannot
define the exact number of those who can or ought to receive the sacred
mysteries.'
The Second Element Of The Eucharist Is
Wine
It remains for us to treat of the other
matter and element of this Sacrament, which is wine pressed from the fruit of
the vine, with which is mingled a little water.
That in the institution of this Sacrament our
Lord and Saviour made use of wine has beep at all times the doctrine of the
Catholic Church, for He Himself said: I will not drink from henceforth of this
fruit of the vine until that day. On this passage Chrysostom observes: He says,
"Of the fruit of the vine," which certainly produced wine not water;
as if he had it in view, even at so early a period, to uproot the heresy which
asserted that in these mysteries water alone is to be used.
Water Should
Be Mixed With The Wine
With the wine, however, the Church of God has
always mingled water. First, because Christ the Lord did so, as is proved by
the authority of Councils and the testimony of St. Cyprian; next, because by
this mixture is renewed the recollection of the blood and water that issued
from His side. Waters, also, as we read in the Apocalypse, signify the people;
and hence, water mixed with the wine signifies the union of the faithful with
Christ their Head. This rite, derived as it is from Apostolic tradition, the
Catholic Church has always observed.
But although there are reasons so grave for
mingling water with the wine that it cannot be omitted without incurring the
guilt of mortal sin, yet its omission does not render the Sacrament null.
Again as in the sacred mysteries priests must
be mindful to mingle water with wine, so, also, must they take care to mingle
it in small quantity, for, in the opinion and judgment of ecclesiastical
writers, that water is changed into wine. Hence these words of Pope Honorius on
the subject: A pernicious abuse has prevailed in your district of using in the
sacrifice a greater quantity of water than of wine; whereas, according to the
rational practice of the universal Church, the wine should be used in much
greater quantity than the water.
No Other Elements Pertain To This
Sacrament
These, then, are the only two elements of
this Sacrament; and with reason has it been enacted by many decrees that,
although there have been those who were not afraid to do so, it is unlawful to
offer anything but bread and wine.
Peculiar Fitness Of Bread And Wine
We have now to consider the aptitude of these
two symbols of bread and wine to represent those things of which we believe and
confess they are the sensible signs.
In the first place, then, they signify to us
Christ, as the true life of men; for our Lord Himself says: My flesh is meat
indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. As, then, the body of Christ the Lord
furnishes nourishment unto eternal life to those who receive this Sacrament
with purity and holiness, rightly is the matter composed chiefly of those
elements by which our present life is sustained, in order that the faithful may
easily understand that the mind and soul are satiated by the Communion of the
precious body and blood of Christ.
These very elements serve also somewhat to
suggest to men the truth of the Real Presence of the body and blood of the Lord
in the Sacrament. Observing, as we do, that bread and wine are every day
changed by the power of nature into human flesh and blood, we are led the more
easily by this analogy to believe that the substance of the bread and wine is
changed, by the heavenly benediction, into the real flesh and real blood of
Christ.
This admirable change of the elements also
helps to shadow forth what takes place in the soul. Although no change of the
bread and wine appears externally, yet their substance is truly changed into
the flesh and blood of Christ; so, in like manner, although in us nothing
appears changed, yet we are renewed inwardly unto life, when we receive in the
Sacrament of the Eucharist the true life.
Moreover, the body of the Church, which is
one, consists of many members, and of this union nothing is more strikingly
illustrative than the elements of bread and wine; for bread is made from many
grains and wine is pressed from many clusters of grapes. Thus they signify that
we, though many, are most closely bound together by the bond of this divine
mystery and made, as it were, one body.
Form Of The Eucharist
The form to be used in the consecration of
the bread is next to be treated of, not, however, in order that the faithful
should be taught these mysteries, unless necessity require it; for this
knowledge is not needful for those who have not received Holy Orders. The
purpose (of this section) is to guard against most shameful mistakes on the
part of priests, at the time of the consecration, due to ignorance of the form.
Form To Be Used In The Consecration Of The
Bread
We are then taught by the holy Evangelists,
Matthew and Luke, and also by the Apostle, that the form consists of these
words: This is my body; for it is written: Whilst they were at supper, Jesus
took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to his disciples, and said:
Take and eat, This is my body.
This form of consecration having been
observed by Christ the Lord has been always used by the Catholic Church. The
testimonies of the Fathers, the enumeration of which would be endless, and also
the decree of the Council of Florence, which is well known and accessible to
all, must here be omitted, especially as the knowledge which they convey may be
obtained from these words of the Saviour: Do this for a commemoration of me.
For what the Lord enjoined was not only what He had done, but also what he had
said; and especially is this true, since the words were uttered not only to
signify, but also to accomplish.
That these words constitute the form is
easily proved from reason also. The form is that which signifies what is
accomplished in this Sacrament; but as the preceding words signify and declare
what takes place in the Eucharist, that is, the conversion of the bread into
the true body of our Lord, it therefore follows that these very words
constitute the form. In this sense may be understood the words of the
Evangelist: He blessed; for they seem equivalent to this: Taking bread, he
blessed it, saying: "This is my body".
Not All The
Words Used Are Essential
Although in the Evangelist the words, Take
and eat, precede the words (This is my body), they evidently express the use
only, not the consecration, of the matter. Wherefore, while they are not
necessary to the consecration of the Sacrament, they are by all means to be
pronounced by the priest, as is also the conjunction for in the consecration of
the body and blood. But they are not necessary to the validity of the
Sacrament, otherwise it would follow that, if this Sacrament were not to be
administered to anyone, it should not, or indeed could not, be consecrated;
whereas, no one can lawfully doubt that the priest, by pronouncing the words of
our Lord according to the institution and practice of the Church, truly
consecrates the proper matter of the bread, even though it should afterwards
never be administered.
Form To Be Used In The Consecration Of The
Wine
With regard lo the consecration of the wine,
which is the other element of this Sacrament, the priest, for the reason we
have already assigned, ought of necessity to be well acquainted with, and well
understand its form. We are then firmly to believe that it consists in the following
words: This is the chalice of my blood, of the new and eternal testament, the
mystery of faith, which shall be shed for you and for many, to the remission of
sins. Of these words the greater part are taken from Scripture; but some have
been preserved in the Church from Apostolic tradition.
Thus the words, this is the chalice, are
found in St. Luke and in the Apostle; but the words that immediately follow, of
my blood, or my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for you and for
many to the remission of sins, are found partly in St. Luke and partly in St.
Matthew. But the words, eternal, and the mystery of faith, have been taught us
by holy tradition, the interpreter and keeper of Catholic truth.
Concerning this form no one can doubt, if he here
also attend to what has been already said about the form used in the
consecration of the bread. The form to be used (in the consecration) of this
element, evidently consists of those words which signify that the substance of
the wine is changed into the blood of our Lord. since, therefore, the words
already cited clearly declare this, it is plain that no other words constitute
the form.
They moreover express certain admirable
fruits of the blood shed in the Passion of our Lord, fruits which pertain in a
most special manner to this Sacrament. Of these, one is access to the eternal
inheritance, which has come to us by right of the new and everlasting
testament. Another is access to righteousness by the mystery of faith; for God
hath set forth Jesus to be a propitiator through faith in his blood, that he
himself may be just, and the justifier of him, who is of the faith of Jesus.
Christ. A third effect is the remission of sins.
Explanation
Of The Form Used In The Consecration Of The Wine
Since these very words of consecration are
replete with mysteries and most appropriately suitable to the subject, they
demand a more minute consideration.
The words: This is the chalice of my blood,
are to be understood to mean: This is my blood, which is contained in this
chalice. The mention of the chalice made at the consecration of the blood is
right and appropriate, inasmuch as the blood is the drink of the faithful, and
this would not be sufficiently signified if it were not contained in some
drinking vessel.
Next follow the words: Of the new testament.
These have been added that we might understand the blood of Christ the Lord to
be given not under a figure, as was done in the Old Law, of which we read in
the Epistle to the Hebrews that without blood a testament is not dedicated; but
to be given to men in truth and in reality, as becomes the New Testament. Hence
the Apostle says: Christ therefore is the mediator of the new testament, that
by means of his death, they who are called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
The word eternal refers to the eternal
inheritance, the right to which we acquire by the death of Christ the Lord, the
eternal testator.
The words mystery of faith, which are
subjoined, do not exclude the reality, but signify that what lies hidden and
concealed and far removed from the perception of the eye, is to be believed
with firm faith. In this passage, however, these words bear a meaning different
from that which they have when applied also to Baptism. Here the mystery of
faith consists in seeing by faith the blood of Christ veiled under the species
of wine; but Baptism is justly called by us the Sacrament of faith, by the
Greeks, the mystery of faith, because it embraces the entire profession of the
Christian faith.
Another reason why we call the blood of the
Lord the mystery of faith is that human reason is particularly beset with
difficulty and embarrassment when faith proposes to our belief that Christ the
Lord, the true Son of God, at once God and man, suffered death for us, and this
death is designated by the Sacrament of His blood.
Here, therefore, rather than at the
consecration of His body, is appropriately commemorated the Passion of our
Lord, by the words. which shall be shed for the remission of sins. For the
blood, separately consecrated, serves to place before the eyes of all, in a
more forcible manner, the Passion of our Lord, His death, and the nature of His
sufferings.
The additional words for you and for many,
are taken, some from Matthew, some from Luke, but were joined together by the
Catholic Church under the guidance of the Spirit of God. They serve to declare
the fruit and advantage of His Passion. For if we look to its value, we must
confess that the Redeemer shed His blood for the salvation of all; but if we
look to the fruit which mankind have received from it, we shall easily find
that it pertains not unto all, but to many of the human race. When therefore
('our Lord) said: For you, He meant either those who were present, or those
chosen from among the Jewish people, such as were, with the exception of Judas,
the disciples with whom He was speaking. When He added, And for many, He wished
to be understood to mean the remainder of the elect from among the Jews or
Gentiles.
With reason, therefore, were the words for
all not used, as in this place the fruits of the Passion are alone spoken of,
and to the elect only did His Passion bring the fruit of salvation. And this is
the purport of the Apostle when he says: Christ was offered once to exhaust the
sins of many; and also of the words of our Lord in John: I pray for them; I
pray not for the world, but for them whom thou hast given me, because they are
thine.
Beneath the words of this consecration lie
hid many other mysteries, which by frequent meditation and study of sacred things,
pastors will find it easy, with the divine assistance, to discover for
themselves.
Three Mysteries Of The Eucharist
We must now return to an explanation of those
truths concerning the Eucharist about which the faithful are on no account to
be left in ignorance. Pastors, aware of the warning of the Apostle that those
who discern not the body of the Lord are guilty of a most grave crime, should
first of all impress on the minds of the faithful the necessity of detaching,
as much as possible, their mind and understanding from the dominion of the
senses; for if they believe that this Sacrament contains only what the senses
disclose, they will of necessity fall into enormous impiety. Consulting the
sight, the touch, the smell, the taste and finding nothing but the appearances
of bread and wine, they will naturally judge that this Sacrament contains
nothing more than bread and wine. Their minds, therefore, are as much as
possible to be withdrawn from subjection to the senses and excited to the
contemplation of the stupendous might and power of God.
The Catholic Church firmly believes and
professes that in this Sacrament the words of consecration accomplish three
wondrous and admirable effects.
The first is that the true body of Christ the
Lord, the same that was born of the Virgin, and is now seated at the right hand
of the Father in heaven, is contained in this Sacrament.
The second, however repugnant it may appear
to the senses, is that none of the substance of the elements remains in the
Sacrament.
The third, which may be deduced from the two
preceding. although the words of consecration themselves clearly express it, is
that the accidents which present themselves to the eyes or other senses exist
in a wonderful and ineffable manner without a subject. All the accidents of
bread and wine we can see, but they inhere in no substance, and exist
independently of any; for the substance of the bread and wine is so changed
into the body and blood of our Lord that they altogether cease to be the
substance of bread and wine.
The Mystery of the Real Presence
To begin with the first (of these mysteries),
pastors should give their best attention to show how clear and explicit are the
words of our Saviour which establish the Real Presence of His body in this
Sacrament.
Proof From Scripture
When our Lord says: This is my body, this is
my blood, no person of sound mind can mistake His meaning, particularly since
there is reference to Christ's human nature, the reality of which the Catholic
faith permits no one to doubt. The admirable words of St. Hilary, a man not
less eminent for piety than learning, are apt here: When our Lord himself
declares, as our faith teaches us, that His flesh is food indeed, what room can
remain for doubt concerning the real presence of His body and blood?
Pastors should also adduce another passage
from which it can be clearly seen that the true body and blood of our Lord are
contained in the Eucharist. The Apostle, after having recorded the consecration
of bread and wine by our Lord, and also the administration of Communion to the
Apostles, adds: But let a man prove himself, and so eat of that bread and drink
of the chalice; for he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh
judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord. If, as heretics
continually repeat, the Sacrament presents nothing to our veneration but a
memorial and sign of the Passion of Christ, why was there need to exhort the
faithful, in language so energetic, to prove themselves? By the terrible word
judgment, the Apostle shows how enormous is the guilt of those who receive
unworthily and do not distinguish from common food the body of the Lord
concealed in the Eucharist. In the same Epistle St. Paul had already developed
this doctrine more fully, when he said: The chalice of benediction which we
bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? and the bread which we
break, is it not the participation of the body of the Lord ? Now these words signify
the real substance of the body and blood of Christ the Lord.
Proof From The Teaching Of The Church
These passages of Scripture are therefore to
be expounded by pastors; and they should especially teach that there is nothing
doubtful or uncertain about them. All the more certain are they since the
infallible teaching of God's Church has interpreted them, as may be ascertained
in a twofold manner.
Testimony Of The Fathers
The first is by consulting the Fathers who
flourished in the early ages of the Church and in each succeeding century, who
are the most unexceptionable witnesses of her doctrine. All of these teach in
the clearest terms and with the most entire unanimity the truth of this dogma.
To adduce the individual testimony of each Father would prove an endless task.
It is enough, therefore, that we cite, or rather point out a few, whose
testimony will afford an easy criterion by which to judge of the rest.
Let St. Ambrose first declare his faith. In
his book On Those Who are Initiated Into the Mysteries he says that the true
body of Christ is received in this Sacrament, just as the true body of Christ
was derived from the Virgin, and that this truth is to be believed with the
firm certainty of faith. In another place he teaches that before consecration
there is only bread, but after consecration there is the flesh of Christ.
St. Chrysostom, another witness of equal
authority and gravity, professes and proclaims this mysterious truth in many
passages, but particularly in his sixtieth homily, On Those Who Receive The
Sacred Mysteries Unworthily; and also in his forty-fourth and forty-fifth
homilies on St. John. Let us, he says, obey, not contradict God, although what
He says may seem contrary to our reason and our sight. His words cannot
deceive, our senses are easily deceived.
With this doctrine fully agrees the uniform
teaching of St. Augustine, that most zealous defender of Catholic faith,
particularly when in his explanation of the thirty-third Psalm he says: To
carry himself in his own hands is impossible to man, and peculiar to Christ
alone; He was carried in His own hands when, giving His body to be eaten, He
said, This is my body.
To pass by Justin and Irenaeus, St. Cyril, in
his fourth book on St. John, declares in such express terms that the true body
of our Lord is contained in this Sacrament, that no sophistry, no captious
interpretations can obscure his meaning.
Should pastors wish for additional
testimonies of the Fathers, they will find it easy to add St. Denis,- St.
Hilary, St. Jerome, St. Damascene and a host of others, whose weighty teaching
on this most important subject has been collected by the labor and industry of
learned and pious men.
Teaching Of The Councils
Another means of ascertaining the belief of
the holy Church on matters of faith is the condemnation of the contrary
doctrine and opinion. It is manifest that belief in the Real Presence of the
body of Christ in the holy Sacrament of the Eucharist was so spread and taught
throughout the universal Church and unanimously professed by all the faithful,
that when, five centuries ago, Berengarius presumed to deny this dogma,
asserting that the Eucharist was only a sign, he was unanimously condemned in
the Council of Vercelli, which Leo IX had immediately convoked, whereupon he himself
anathematised his error.
Relapsing, however, into the same wicked
folly, he was condemned by three different Councils, convened, one at Tours,
the other two at Rome; of the two latter, one was summoned by Pope Nicholas II,
the other by Pope Gregory VIII.' The General Council of Lateran, held under
Innocent III, further ratified the sentence. Finally this truth was more
clearly defined and established in the Councils of Florence and Trent.
Two Great Benefits Of Proving The Real
Presence
If, then, pastors will carefully explain
these particulars, they will be able, while ignoring those who are blinded by
error and hate nothing more than the light of truth, to strengthen the weak and
administer joy and consolation to the pious, all the more as the faithful
cannot doubt that this dogma is numbered among the Articles of faith.
Faith Is Strengthened
Believing and confessing, as they do, that
the power of God is supreme over all things, they must also believe that His
omnipotence can accomplish the great work which we admire and adore in the
Sacrament of the Eucharist. And again since they believe the Holy Catholic
Church, they must necessarily believe that the true doctrine of this Sacrament
is that which we have set forth.
The Soul Is Gladdened
Nothing contributes more to the spiritual joy
and advantage of pious persons than the contemplation of the exalted dignity of
this most august Sacrament. In the first place they learn how great is the
perfection of the Gospel Dispensation, under which we enjoy the reality of that
which under the Mosaic Law was only shadowed forth by types and figures. Hence
St. Denis divinely says that our Church is midway between the Synagogue and the
heavenly Jerusalem, and consequently participates of the nature of both.
Certainly, then, the faithful can never sufficiently admire the perfection of
holy Church and her exalted glory which seems to be removed only by one degree
from the bliss of heaven. In common with the inhabitants of heaven, we too
possess Christ, God and man, present with us. They are raised a degree above
us, inasmuch as they are present with Christ and enjoy the Beatific Vision;
while we, with a firm and unwavering faith, adore the Divine Majesty present
with us, not, it is true, in a manner visible to mortal eye, but hidden by a
miracle of power under the veil of the sacred mysteries.
Furthermore the faithful experience in this
Sacrament the most perfect love of Christ our Saviour. It became the goodness
of the Saviour not to withdraw from us that nature which He assumed from us,
but to desire, as far as possible, to remain among us so that at all times He
might be seen to verify the words: My delight is to be with the children of
men.
Meaning of the Real Presence
Christ Whole
And Entire Is Present In The Eucharist
Here the pastor should explain that in this
Sacrament are contained not only the true body of. Christ and all the
constituents of a true body, such as bones and sinews, but also Christ whole
and entire. He should point out that the word Christ designates the God-man,
that is to say, one Person in whom are united the divine and human natures;
that the Holy Eucharist, therefore, contains both, and whatever is included in
the idea of both, the Divinity and humanity whole and entire, consisting of the
soul, all the parts of the body and the blood,- all of which must be believed
to be in this Sacrament. In heaven the whole humanity is united to the Divinity
in one hypostasis, or Person; hence it would be impious, to suppose that the
body of Christ, which is contained in the Sacrament, is separated from His
Divinity.
Presence In
Virtue Of The Sacrament And In Virtue Of Concomitance
Pastors, however, should not fail to observe
that in this Sacrament not all these things are contained after the same
manner, or by the same power. Some things, we say, are present in virtue of the
consecration; for as the words of consecration effect what they signify, sacred
writers usually say that whatever the form expresses, is contained in the
Sacrament by virtue of the Sacrament. Hence, could we suppose any one thing to
be entirely separated from the rest, the Sacrament, they teach, would be found
to contain solely what the form expresses and nothing more.
On the other hand, some things are contained
in the Sacrament because they are united to those which are expressed in the
form. For instance, the words This is my body, which comprise the form used to
consecrate the bread, signify the body of the Lord, and hence the body itself
of Christ the Lord is contained in the Eucharist by virtue of the Sacrament.
Since, however, to Christ's body are united His blood, His soul, and His
Divinity, all of these also must be found to coexist in the Sacrament; not,
however, by virtue of the consecration, but by virtue of the union that
subsists between them and His body. All these are said to be in the Eucharist
by virtue of concomitance. Hence it is clear that Christ, whole and entire, is
contained in the Sacrament; for when two things are actually united, where one
is, the other must also be.
Christ Whole
And Entire Present Under Each Species
Hence it also follows that Christ is so
contained, whole and entire, under either species, that, as under the species
of bread are contained not only the body, but also the blood and Christ entire;
so in like manner, under the species of wine are truly contained not only the
blood, but also the body and Christ entire.
But although these are matters on which the
faithful cannot entertain a doubt, it was nevertheless wisely ordained that two
distinct consecrations should take place. First, because they represent in a
more lively manner the Passion of our Lord, in -which His blood was separated from
His body; and hence in the form of consecration we commemorate the shedding of
His blood. Secondly, since the Sacrament is to be used by us as the food and
nourishment of our souls, it was most appropriate that it should be instituted
as food and drink, two things which obviously constitute the complete
sustenance of the (human) body.
Christ Whole
And Entire Present In Every Part Of Each Species
Nor should it be forgotten that Christ, whole
and entire, is contained not only under either species, but also in each
particle of either species. Each, says St. Augustine, receives Christ the Lord,
and He is entire in each portion. He is not diminished by being given to many,
but gives Himself whole and entire to each.
This is also an obvious inference from the narrative
of the Evangelists. It is not to be supposed that our Lord consecrated the
bread used at the Last Supper in separate parts, applying the form particularly
to each, but that all the bread then used for the sacred mysteries was
consecrated at the same time and with the same form, and in a quantity
sufficient for all the Apostles. That the consecration of the chalice was
performed in this manner, is clear from these words of the Saviour: Take and
divide it among you.
What has hitherto been said is intended to
enable pastors to show that the true body and blood of Christ are contained in
the Sacrament of the Eucharist.
The Mystery of Transubstantiation
The next point to be explained is that the
substance of the bread and wine does not continue to exist in the Sacrament
after consecration. This truth, although well calculated to excite our profound
admiration, is yet a necessary consequence from what has been already
established.
Proof From The Dogma Of The Real Presence
If, after consecration, the true body of
Christ is present under the species of bread and wine, since it was not there
before, it must have become present either by change of place, or by creation,
or by the change of some other thing into it. It cannot be rendered present by
change of place, because it would then cease to be in heaven; for whatever is
moved must necessarily cease to occupy the place from which it is moved. Still
less can we suppose the body of Christ to be rendered present by creation; nay,
the very idea is inconceivable. In order that the body of our Lord be present
in the Sacrament, it remains, therefore, that it be rendered present by the
change of the bread into it. Wherefore it is necessary that none of the
substance of the bread remain.
Proof From The Councils
Hence our predecessors in the faith, the
Fathers of the General Councils of Lateran and of Florence, confirmed by solemn
decrees the truth of this dogma. In the Council of Trent it was still more
fully defined in these words: If any one shall say that in the most Holy
Sacrament of the Eucharist the substance of the bread and wine remains,
together with the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, let hint be
anathema.
Proof From Scripture
The doctrine thus defined is a natural
inference from the words of Scripture. When instituting this Sacrament, our
Lord Himself said: This is my body. The word this expresses the entire
substance of the thing present; and therefore if the substance of the bread
remained, our Lord could not have truly said: This is my body.
In St. John Christ the Lord also says: The
bread that I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world. The bread which
He promises to give, He here declares to be His flesh. A little after He adds:
Unless you eat the flesh of the son of man, and drink his blood, you shall not
have life in you. And again: My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink
indeed. Since, therefore, in terms so clear and so explicit, He calls His flesh
bread and meat indeed, and His blood drink indeed, He gives us sufficiently to
understand that none of the substance of the bread and wine remains in the
Sacrament.
Proof From The Fathers
Whoever turns over the pages of the holy
Fathers will easily perceive that on this doctrine (of transubstantiation) they
have been at all times unanimous. St. Ambrose says: You say, perhaps,
"this bread is no other than what is used for common food." True,
before consecration it is bread; but no sooner are the words of consecration
pronounced than from bread it becomes the flesh of Christ. To prove this
position more clearly, he elucidates it by a variety of comparisons and
examples. In another place, when explaining these words of the Psalmist,
Whatsoever the Lord pleased he hath done in heaven and on earth, St. Ambrose
says: Although the species of bread and wine are visible, yet we must believe
that after consecration, the body and blood of Christ are alone there.
Explaining the same doctrine almost in the same words, St. Hilary says that
although externally it appear bread and wine, yet in reality it is the body and
blood of the Lord.
Why The Eucharist Is Called Bread After
Consecration
Here pastors should observe that we should
not at all be surprised, if, even after consecration, the Eucharist is
sometimes called bread. It is so called, first because it retains the
appearance of bread, and secondly because it keeps the natural quality of
bread, which is to support and nourish the body.
Moreover, such phraseology is in perfect
accordance with the usage of the Holy Scriptures, which call things by what
they appear to be, as may be seen from the words of Genesis which say that
Abraham saw three men, when in reality he saw three Angels. In like manner the
two Angels who appeared to the Apostles after the Ascension of Christ the Lord
into heaven, are called not Angels, but men.
The Meaning of Transubstantiation
To explain this mystery is extremely
difficult. The pastor, however, should endeavour to instruct those who are more
advanced in the knowledge of divine things on the manner of this admirable
change. As for those who are yet weak in faith, they might possibly be
overwhelmed by its greatness.
Transubstantiation
A Total Conversion
This conversion, then, is so effected that
the whole substance of the bread is changed by the power of God into the whole
substance of the body of Christ, and the whole substance of the wine into the
whole substance of His blood, and this, without any change in our Lord Himself.
He is neither begotten, nor changed, not increased, but remains entire in His
substance.
This sublime mystery St. Ambrose thus
declares: You see how efficacious are the words of Christ. If the word of the
Lord Jesus is so powerful as to summon into existence that which did not exist,
namely the world, how much more powerful is His word to change into something
else that which already has existence ?
Many other ancient and most authoritative
Fathers have written to the same effect. We faithfully confess, says St.
Augustine, that before consecration it is bread and wine, the product of
nature; but after consecration it is the body and blood of Christ, consecrated
by the blessing. The body, says Damascene, is truly united to the Divinity,
that body which was derived from the virgin; not that the body thus derived descends
from heaven, but that the bread and wine are changed into the body and blood of
Christ.
This admirable change, as the Council of
Trent teaches, the Holy Catholic Church most appropriately expresses by the
word transubstantiation. Since natural changes are rightly called
transformations, because they involve a change of form; so likewise our
predecessors in the faith wisely and appropriately introduced the term
transubstantiation, in order to signify that in the Sacrament of the Eucharist
the whole substance of one thing passes into the whole substance of another.
According to the admonition so frequently
repeated by the holy Fathers, the faithful are to be admonished against curious
searching into the manner in which this change is effected. It defies the
powers of conception; nor can we find any example of it in natural
transmutations, or even in the very work of creation. That such a change takes
place must be recognised by faith; how it takes place we must not curiously
inquire.
No less of caution should be observed by
pastors in explaining the mysterious manner in which the body of our Lord is
contained whole and entire under the least particle of the bread. Indeed,
discussions of this kind should scarcely ever be entered upon. Should Christian
charity, however, require a departure from this rule, the pastor should
remember first of all to prepare and fortify his hearers by reminding them that
no word shall be impossible with God.
A Consequence
Of Transubstantiation
The pastor should next teach that our Lord is
not in the Sacrament as in a place. Place regards things only inasmuch as they
have magnitude. Now we do not say that Christ is in the Sacrament inasmuch as
He is great or small, terms which belong to quantity, but inasmuch as He is a
substance. The substance of the bread is changed into the substance of Christ,
not into magnitude or quantity; and substance, it will be acknowledged by all,
is contained in a small as well as in a large space. The substance of air, for
instance, and its entire nature must be present under a small as well as a
large quantity, and likewise the entire nature of water must be present no less
in a glass than in a river. Since, then, the body of our Lord succeeds to the
substance of the bread, we must confess it to be in the Sacrament after the
same manner as the substance of the bread was before consecration; whether the
substance of the bread was present in greater or less quantity is a matter of
entire indifference.
The Mystery of the Accidents without a
Subject
We now come to the third great and wondrous
effect of this Sacrament, namely, the existence of the species of bread and
wine without a subject.
Proof From The Preceding Dogmas
What has been said in explanation of the two
preceding points must facilitate for pastors the exposition of this truth. For,
since we have already proved that the body and blood of our Lord are really and
truly contained in the Sacrament, to the entire exclusion of the substance of
the bread and wine, and since the accidents of bread and wine cannot inhere in
the body and blood of Christ, it remains that, contrary to physical laws, they
must subsist of themselves, inhering in no subject.
Proof From The Teaching Of The Church
This has been at all times the uniform
doctrine of the Catholic Church; and it can be easily established by the same
authorities which, as we have already proved, make it plain that the substance
of the bread and wine ceases to exist in the Eucharist.
Advantages Of This Mystery
Nothing more becomes the piety of the
faithful than, omitting all curious questionings, to revere and adore the
majesty of this august Sacrament, and to recognise the wisdom of God in
commanding that these holy mysteries should be administered under the species
of bread and wine. For since it is most revolting to human nature to eat human
flesh or drink human blood, therefore God in His infinite wisdom has
established the administration of the body and blood of Christ under the forms
of bread and wine, which are the ordinary and agreeable food of man.
There are two further advantages: first, it
prevents the calumnious reproaches of the unbeliever, from which the eating of
our Lord under His visible form could not easily be defended; secondly, the
receiving Him under a form in which He is impervious to the senses avails much
for increasing our faith. For faith, as the well known saying of St. Gregory
declares, has no merit in those things which fall under the proof of reason.
The doctrines treated above should be
explained with great caution, according to the capacity of the hearers and the
necessities of the times.
The Effects of the Eucharist
But with regard to the admirable virtue and
fruits of this Sacrament, there is no class of the faithful to whom a knowledge
of them is not most necessary. For all that has been said at such length on
this Sacrament has principally for its object, to make the faithful sensible of
the advantages of the Eucharist. As, however, no language can convey an
adequate idea of its utility and fruits, pastors must be content to treat of
one or two points, in order to show what an abundance and profusion of all
goods are contained in those sacred mysteries.
The Eucharist Contains Christ And Is The
Food Of The Soul
This they will in some degree accomplish, if,
having explained the efficacy and nature of all the Sacraments, they compare
the Eucharist to a fountain, the other Sacraments to rivulets. For the Holy
Eucharist is truly and necessarily to be called the fountain of all graces,
containing, as it does, after an admirable manner, the fountain itself of
celestial gifts and graces, and the author of all the Sacrament, Christ our
Lord, from whom, as from its source, is derived whatever of goodness and
perfection the other Sacraments possess. From this (comparison), therefore, we
may easily infer what most ample gifts of divine grace are bestowed on us by
this Sacrament.
It will also be useful to consider
attentively the nature of bread and wine, which are the symbols of this
Sacrament. For what bread and wine are to the body, the Eucharist is to the
health and delight of the soul, but in a higher and better way. This Sacrament
is not, like bread and wine, changed into our substance; but we are, in some
wise, changed into its nature, so that we may well apply here the words of St.
Augustine: I am the food of the frown. Grow and thou shalt eat Me; nor shalt
thou change Me into thee, as thy bodily food, but thou shalt be changed into
Me.
The Eucharist Gives Grace
If, then, grace and truth came by Jesus
Christ, they must surely be poured into the soul which receives with purity and
holiness Him who said of Himself: He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood
abideth in me and I in him. Those who receive this Sacrament piously and
fervently must, beyond all doubt, so receive the Son of God into their souls as
to be ingrafted as living members on His body. For it is written: He that
eateth me, the same also shall live by me; also: The bread which I will give is
my flesh for the life of the world. Explaining this passage, St. Cyril says:
The Word of God, uniting Himself to His own flesh, imparted to it a vivifying
power: it became Him, therefore, to unite Himself to our bodies in a wonderful
manner, through His sacred flesh and precious blood, which we receive in the
bread and wine, consecrated by His vivifying benediction.
The Grace Of The Eucharist Sustains
When it is said that the Eucharist imparts
grace, pastors must admonish that this does not mean that the state of grace is
not required for a profitable reception of this Sacrament. For as natural food
can be of no use to the dead, so in like manner the sacred mysteries can
evidently be of no avail to a soul which lives not by the spirit. Hence this
Sacrament has been instituted under the forms of bread and wine to signify that
the object of its institution is not to recall the soul to life, but to
preserve its life.
The reason, then, for saying that this
Sacrament imparts grace, is that even the first grace, with which all should be
clothed before they presume to approach the Holy Eucharist, lest they eat and
drink judgment to themselves,' is given to none unless they receive in wish and
desire this very Sacrament. For the Eucharist is the end of all the Sacraments,
and the symbol of unity and brotherhood in the Church, outside which none can
attain grace.
The Grace Of The Eucharist Invigorates And
Delights
Again, just as the body is not only supported
but also increased by natural food, from which the taste every day derives new
relish and pleasure; so also is the soul not only sustained but invigorated by
feasting on the food of the Eucharist, which gives to the spirit an increasing
zest for heavenly things. Most truly and fitly therefore do we say that grace
is imparted by this Sacrament, for it may be justly compared to the manna
having in it the sweetness of every taste.
The Eucharist Remits Venial Sins
It cannot be doubted that by the Eucharist
are remitted and pardoned lighter sins, commonly called venial. Whatever the
soul has lost through the fire of passion, by falling into some slight offence,
all this the Eucharist, cancelling those lesser faults, repairs, in the same
way -- not to depart from the illustration already adduced -- as natural food
gradually restores and repairs the daily waste caused by the force of the vital
heat within us. Justly, therefore, has St. Ambrose said of this heavenly
Sacrament: That daily bread is taken as a remedy for daily infirmity. But these
things are to be understood of those sins for which no actual affection is retained.
The Eucharist Strengthens Against
Temptation
There is, furthermore, such a power in the
sacred mysteries as to preserve us pure and unsullied from sin, keep us safe
from the assaults of temptation, and, as by some heavenly medicine, prepare the
soul against the easy approach and infection of virulent and deadly disease.
Hence, as St. Cyprian records, when the faithful were formerly hurried in
multitudes by tyrants to torments and death, because they confessed the name of
Christ, it was an ancient usage in the Catholic Church to give them, by the
hands of the Bishop, the Sacrament of the body and blood of our Lord, lest
perhaps overcome by the severity of their sufferings, they should fail in the
fight for salvation.
It also restrains and represses the lusts of
the flesh, for while it inflames the soul more ardently with the fire of
charity, it of necessity extinguishes the ardour of concupiscence.
The Eucharist Facilitates The Attainment
Of Eternal Life
Finally, to comprise all the advantages and
blessings of this Sacrament in one word, it must be taught that the Holy
Eucharist is most efficacious towards the attainment of eternal glory. For it
is written: He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath everlasting
life, and I will raise him up on the last day. That is to say, by the grace of
this Sacrament men enjoy the greatest peace and tranquillity of conscience
during the present life; and, when the hour of departing from this world shall
have arrived, like Elias, who in the strength of the bread baked on the hearth,
walked to Horeb, the mount of God, they, too, invigorated by the strengthening
influence of this (heavenly food), will ascend to unfading glory and bliss.
How The Effects Of The Eucharist May Be
Developed And Illustrated
All these matters will be most fully
expounded by pastors, if they but dwell or. the sixth chapter of St. John, in
which are developed the manifold effects of this Sacrament. Or again, glancing
at the admirable actions of Christ our Lord, they may show that if those who
received Him beneath their roof during His mortal life, or were restored to
health by touching His vesture or the hem of His garment, were justly and
deservedly deemed most blessed, how much more fortunate and happy we, into
whose soul, resplendent as He is with unfading glory, He disdains not to enter,
to heal all its wounds, to adorn it with His choicest gifts, and unite it to
Himself.
Recipient of the Eucharist
Threefold Manner Of Communicating
That the faithful may learn to be zealous for
the better gifts, they must be shown who can obtain these abundant fruits from
the Holy Eucharist, must be reminded that there is not only one way of
communicating. Wisely and rightly, then, did our predecessors in the faith, as
we read in the Council of Trent, distinguish three ways of receiving this
Sacrament.
Some receive it sacramentally only. Such are
those sinners who do not fear to approach the holy mysteries with polluted lips
and heart, who, as the Apostle says, eat and drink the Lord's body unworthily.
Of this class of communicants St. Augustine says: He who dwells not in Christ,
and in whom Christ dwells not, most certainly does not eat spiritually His
flesh, although carnally and visibly he press with his teeth the Sacrament of
His flesh and blood. Those, therefore, who receive the sacred mysteries with
such a disposition, not only obtain no fruit therefrom, but, as the Apostle
himself testifies, eat and drink judgment to themselves.
Others are said to receive the Eucharist in
spirit only. They are those who, inflamed with a lively faith which worketh by
charity,' partake in wish and desire of that celestial bread offered to them,
from which they receive, if not the entire, at least very great fruits.
Lastly, there are some who receive the Holy
Eucharist both sacramentally and spiritually, those who, according to the
teaching of the Apostle, having first proved themselves and having approached
this divine banquet adorned with the nuptial garment, derive from the Eucharist
those most abundant fruits which we have already described. Hence it is clear
that those who, having it in their power to receive with fitting preparation
the Sacrament of the body of the Lord, are yet satisfied with a spiritual
Communion only, deprive themselves of the greatest and most heavenly
advantages.
Necessity Of Previous Preparation For
Communion
We now come to point out the manner in which
the faithful should be previously prepared for sacramental Communion. To
demonstrate the great necessity of this previous preparation, the example of
the Saviour should be adduced. Before He gave to His Apostles the Sacrament of
His precious body and blood, although they were already clean, He washed their
feet to show that we must use extreme diligence before Holy Communion in order
to approach it with the greatest purity and innocence of soul.
In the next place, the faithful are to
understand that as he who approaches thus prepared and disposed is adorned with
the most ample gifts of heavenly grace; so, on the contrary, he who approaches without
this preparation not only derives from it no advantage, but even incurs the
greatest misfortune and loss. It is characteristic of the best and most
salutary things that, if seasonably made use of, they are productive of the
greatest benefit; but if employed out of time, they prove most pernicious and
destructive. It cannot, therefore, excite out surprise that the great and
exalted gifts of God; when received into a soul properly disposed, are of the
greatest assistance towards the attainment of salvation; while to those who
receive them unworthily, they bring with them eternal death.
Of this the Ark of the Lord affords a
convincing illustration. The people of Israel possessed nothing more precious
and it was to them the source of innumerable blessings from God; but when the
Philistines carried it away, it brought on them a most destructive plague and
the heaviest calamities, together with eternal disgrace. Thus also food when
received from the mouth into a healthy stomach nourishes and supports the body;
but when received into an indisposed stomach, causes grave disorders.
Preparation Of Soul
The first preparation, then, which the
faithful should make, is to distinguish table from table, this sacred table
from profane tables, this celestial bread from common bread. This we do when we
firmly believe that there is truly present the body and blood of the Lord, of
Him whom the Angels adore in heaven, at whose nod the pillars of heaven fear
and tremble, of whose glory the heavens and the earth are full. This is to
discern the body of the Lord in accordance with the admonition of the Apostle.
We should venerate the greatness of the mystery rather than too curiously
investigate its truth by idle inquiry.
Another very necessary preparation is to ask
ourselves if we are at peace with and sincerely love our neigh r. If,
therefore, thou offerest thy gift at the altar, and there rememberest that thy
brother hath anything against thee, leave there thy offering before the altar,
and go first to be reconciled to thy brother, and then coming thou shalt offer
thy gift.
We should, in the next place, carefully
examine whether our consciences be defiled by mortal sin, which has to be
repented of, in order that it may be blotted out before Communion by the remedy
of contrition and confession. The Council of Trent has defined that no one
conscious of mortal sin and having an opportunity of going to confession,
however contrite he may deem himself, is to approach the Holy Eucharist until
he has been purified by sacramental confession.
We should also reflect in the silence of our
own hearts how unworthy we are that the Lord should bestow on us this divine
gift, and with the centurion of whom our Lord declared that he found not so
great faith in Israel, we should exclaim from our hearts: Lord, I am not worthy
that thou shouldst enter under my roof.
We should also put the question to ourselves
whether we can truly say with Peter: Lord, thou knowest that I love thee, and
should recollect that he who sat down at the banquet of the Lord without a
wedding garment was cast into a dark dungeon and condemned to eternal torments.
Preparation Of Body
Our preparation should not, however, be
confined to the soul; it should also extend to the body. We are to approach the
Holy Table fasting, having neither eaten nor drunk anything at least from the
preceding midnight until the moment of Communion.
The dignity of so great a Sacrament also
demands that married persons abstain from the marriage debt for some days
previous to Communion. This observance is recommended by the example of David,
who, when about to receive the show-bread from the hands of the priest,
declared that he and his servants had been clean from women for three days.
The above are the principal things to be done
by the faithful preparatory to receiving the sacred mysteries with profit; and
to these heads may be reduced whatever other things may seem desirable by way
of preparation.
The Obligation of Communion
How Often Must Communion Be Received?
Lest any be kept away from Communion by the
fear that the requisite preparation is too hard and laborious, the faithful are
frequently to be reminded that they are all bound to receive the Holy
Eucharist. Furthermore, the Church has decreed that whoever neglects to
approach Holy Communion once a year, at Easter, is liable to sentence of
excommunication.
The Church Desires The Faithful To
Communicate Daily
However, let not the faithful imagine that it
is enough to receive the body of the Lord once a year only, in obedience to the
decree of the Church. They should approach oftener; but whether monthly,
weekly, or daily, cannot be decided by any fixed universal rule. St. Augustine,
however, lays down a most certain norm: Live in such a manner as to be able to
receive every day.
It will therefore be the duty of the pastor
frequently to admonish the faithful that, as they deem it necessary to afford
daily nutriment to the body, they should also feel solicitous to feed and
nourish the soul every day with this heavenly food. It is clear that the soul
stands not less in need of spiritual, than the body of corporal food. Here it
will be found most useful to recall the inestimable and divine advantages
which, as we have already shown, flow from sacramental Communion. It will be
well also to refer to the manna, which was a figure (of this Sacrament), and
which refreshed the bodily powers every day. The Fathers who earnestly
recommended the frequent reception of this Sacrament may also be cited. The
words of St. Augustine, Thou sinnest daily, receive daily, express not his
opinion only, but that of all the Fathers who have written on the subject, as
anyone may easily discover who will carefully read them.
That there was a time when the faithful
approached Holy Communion every day we learn from the Acts of the Apostles. All
who then professed the faith of Christ burned with such true and sincere
charity that, devoting themselves to prayer and other works of piety, they were
found prepared to communicate daily. This devout practice, which seems to have
been interrupted for a time, was again partially revived by the holy Pope and
martyr Anacletus, who commanded that all the ministers who assisted at the
Sacrifice of the Mass should communicate-an ordinance, as the Pontiff declares,
of Apostolic institution. It was also for a long time the practice of the
Church that, as soon as the Sacrifice was complete, and when the priest himself
had communicated, he turned to the congregation and invited the faithful to the
Holy Table in these words: Come, brethren, and receive Communion; and thereupon
those who were prepared, advanced to receive the holy mysteries with the most
fervent devotion.
The Church Commands; The Faithful To
Communicate Once A Year
But subsequently, when charity and devotion
had grown so cold that the faithful very seldom approached Communion, it was
decreed by Pope Fabian, that all should communicate thrice every year, at
Christmas, at Easter and at Pentecost. This decree was afterwards confirmed by
many Councils, particularly by the first of Agde.
Such at length was the decay of piety that
not only was this holy and salutary law unobserved, but Communion was deferred
for years. The Council of Lateran, therefore, decreed that all the faithful
should receive the sacred body of the Lord, at least once a year, at Easter,
and that neglect of this duty should be chastised by exclusion from the society
of the faithful.
Who Are Obliged By The Law Of Communion
But although this law, sanctioned by the
authority of God and of His Church, concerns all the faithful, it should be
taught that it does not extend to those who on account of their tender age have
not attained the use of reason. For these are not able to distinguish the Holy
Eucharist from common and ordinary bread and cannot bring with them to this
Sacrament piety and devotion. Furthermore (to extend the precept to them) would
appear inconsistent with the ordinance of our Lord, for He said: Take and eat -
words which cannot apply to infants, who are evidently incapable of taking and
eating.
In some places, it is true, an ancient
practice prevailed of giving the Holy Eucharist even to infants; but, for the
reasons already assigned, and for other reasons in keeping with Christian
piety, this practice has been long discontinued by authority of the Church.
With regard to the age at which children
should be given the holy mysteries, this the parents and confessor can best
determine. To them it belongs to inquire and to ascertain from the children
themselves whether they have some knowledge of this admirable Sacrament and
whether they desire to receive it.
Communion must not be given to persons who
are insane and incapable of devotion. However, according to the decree of the
Council of Carthage, it may be administered to them at the close of life,
provided they have shown, before losing their minds, a pious and religious
disposition, and no danger, arising from the state of the stomach or other
inconvenience or disrespect, is likely.
The Rite of Administering Communion
As to the rite to be observed in
communicating, pastors should teach that the law of the holy Church forbids
Communion under both kinds to anyone but the officiating priests, without the
authority of the Church itself.
Christ the Lord, it is true, as has been
explained by the Council of Trent, instituted and delivered to His Apostles at
His Last Supper this most sublime Sacrament under the species of bread and
wine; but it does not follow that by doing so our Lord and Saviour established
a law ordering its administration to all the faithful under both species. For
speaking of this Sacrament, He Himself frequently mentions it under one kind
only, as, for instance, when He says: If any man eat of this bread, he shall
live for ever, and: The bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the
world, and: He that eateth this bread shall live for ever.
Why The Celebrant Alone Receives Under
Both Species
It is clear that the Church was influenced by
numerous and most cogent reasons, not only to approve, but also to confirm by
authority of its decree, the general practice of communicating under one
species. In the first place, the greatest caution was necessary to avoid
spilling the blood of the Lord on the ground, a thing that seemed not easily to
be avoided, if the chalice were administered in a large assemblage of the
people.
In the next place, whereas the Holy Eucharist
ought to be in readiness for the sick, it was very much to be apprehended, were
the species of wine to remain long unconsumed, that it might turn acid.
Besides, there are many who cannot at all
bear the taste or even the smell of wine. Lest, therefore, what is intended for
the spiritual health should prove hurtful to the health of the body, it has
been most prudently provided by the Church that it should be administered to
the people under the species of bread only.
We may also further observe that in many
countries wine is extremely scarce; nor can it, moreover, be brought from
elsewhere without incurring very heavy expenses and encountering very tedious
and difficult journeys.
Finally, a most important reason was the
necessity of opposing the heresy of those who denied that Christ, whole and
entire, is contained under either species, and asserted that the body is
contained under the species of bread without the blood, and the blood under the
species of wine without the body. In order, therefore, to place more clearly
before the eyes of all the truth of the Catholic faith, Communion under one
kind, that is, under the species of bread, was most wisely introduced.
There are also other reasons, collected by
those who have treated on this subject, and which, if it shall appear
necessary, can be brought forward by pastors.
The Minister of the Eucharist
To omit nothing doctrinal on this Sacrament,
we now come to speak of its minister, a point, however. on which scarcely
anyone can be ignorant.
Only Priests Have Power To Consecrate And
Administer The Eucharist
It must be taught, then, that to priests
alone has been given power to consecrate and administer to the faithful, the
Holy Eucharist. That this has been the unvarying practice of the Church, that
the faithful should receive the Sacrament from the priests, and that the
officiating priests should communicate themselves, has been explained by the
holy Council of Trent, which has also shown that this practice, as having
proceeded from Apostolic tradition, is to be religiously retained, particularly
as Christ the Lord has left us an illustrious example thereof, having
consecrated His own most sacred body, and given it to the Apostles with His own
hands.
The Laity Prohibited To Touch The Sacred
Vessels
To safeguard in every possible way the
dignity of so august a Sacrament, not only is the power of its administration
entrusted exclusively to priests, but the Church has also prohibited by law any
but consecrated persons, unless some case of great necessity intervene, to dare
handle or touch the sacred vessels, the linen, or other instruments necessary
to its completion.
Priests themselves and the rest of the
faithful may hence understand how great should be the piety and holiness of
those who approach to consecrate, administer or receive the Eucharist.
The Unworthiness Of The Minister Does Not
Invalidate The Sacrament
What, however, has been already said of the
other Sacraments, holds good also with regard to the Sacrament of the
Eucharist; namely, that a Sacrament is validly administered even by the wicked,
provided all the essentials have been duly observed. For we are to believe that
all these depend not on the merit of the minister, but are operated by the
virtue and power of Christ our Lord.
These are the things necessary to be
explained regarding the Eucharist as a Sacrament.
The Eucharist as a Sacrifice
We must now proceed to explain its nature as
a Sacrifice, that pastors may understand what are the principal instructions
which they ought to impart to the faithful on Sundays and holy days, regarding
this mystery in conformity with the decree of the holy Council (of Trent).
Importance Of Instruction On The Mass
This Sacrament is not only a treasure of
heavenly riches, which if turned to good account will obtain for us the grace
and love of God; but it also possesses a peculiar character, by which we are enabled
to make some return to God for the immense benefits bestowed upon us.
How grateful and acceptable to God is this
victim, if duly and legitimately immolated, is inferred from the following
consideration. Of the sacrifices of the Old Law it is written: Sacrifice and
oblation thou wouldst not; and again: If thou hadst desired sacrifice, I would
indeed have given it: with burnt-offerings thou wilt not be delighted. Now if
these were so pleasing in the Lord's sight that, as the Scripture testifies,
from them God smelled a sweet savour, that is to say, they were grateful and
acceptable to Him; what have we not to hope from that Sacrifice in which is
immolated and offered He Himself of whom a voice from heaven twice proclaimed:
This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
This mystery, therefore, pastors should
carefully explain, so that when the faithful are assembled at the celebration
of divine service, they may learn to meditate with attention and devotion on
the sacred things at which they are present.
Distinction of Sacrament and Sacrifice
They should teach, then, in the first place,
that the Eucharist was instituted by Christ for two purposes: one, that it
might be the heavenly food of our souls, enabling us to support and preserve
spiritual life; and the other, that the Church might have a perpetual
Sacrifice, by which our sins might be expiated, and our heavenly Father,
oftentimes grievously offended by our crimes, might be turned away from wrath
to mercy, from the severity of just chastisement to clemency. Of this thing we
may observe a type and resemblance in the Paschal lamb, which was wont to be
offered and eaten by the children of Israel as a sacrament and a sacrifice.
Nor could our Saviour, when about to offer
Himself to God the Father on the altar of the cross, have given any more
illustrious indication of His unbounded love towards us than by bequeathing to
us a visible Sacrifice, by which that bloody Sacrifice, which was soon after to
be offered once on the cross, would be renewed, and its memory daily celebrated
with the greatest utility, unto the consummation of ages by the Church diffused
throughout the world.
But (between the Eucharist as a Sacrament and
a Sacrifice) the difference is very great; for as a Sacrament it is perfected
by consecration; as a Sacrifice, all its force consists in its oblation. When,
therefore, kept in a pyx, or borne to the sick, it is a Sacrament, not a
Sacrifice. As a Sacrament also, it is to them that receive it a source of
merit, and brings with it all those advantages which have been already
mentioned; but as a Sacrifice, it is not only a source of merit, but also of
satisfaction. For as, in His Passion, Christ the Lord merited and satisfied for
us; so also those who offer this Sacrifice, by which they communicate with us,
merit the fruit of His Passion, and satisfy.
The Mass Is a True Sacrifice
Proof From The Council Of Trent
With regard to the institution of this
Sacrifice, the holy Council of Trent has left no room for doubt, by declaring
that it was instituted by our Lord at His Last Supper; while it condemns under
anathema all those who assert that in it is not offered to God a true and
proper Sacrifice; or that to offer means nothing else than that Christ is given
as our spiritual food.
Nor did (the Council) omit carefully to
explain that to God alone is offered this Sacrifice. For although the Church
sometimes offers Masses in honour and in memory of the Saints, yet she teaches
that the Sacrifice is offered, not to them, but to God alone, who has crowned
the Saints with immortal glory. Hence the priest never says: I offer Sacrifice
to thee Peter, or to thee Paul; but, while he offers Sacrifice to God alone, he
renders Him thanks for the signal victory won by the blessed martyrs, and thus
implores their patronage, that they, whose memory we celebrate on earth, may
vouchsafe to intercede for us in heaven."
Proof From Scripture
This doctrine, handed down by the Catholic
Church, concerning the truth of this Sacrifice, she received from the words of
our Lord, when, on that last night, committing to His Apostles these same
sacred mysteries, He said: Do this for a commemoration of me; for then, as was
defined by the holy Council, He ordained them priests, and commanded that they
and their successors in the priestly office, should immolate and offer His
body.
Of this the words of the Apostle to the
Corinthians also afford a sufficient proof: You cannot drink the chalice of the
Lord, and the chalice of devils: you cannot be partakers of the table of the
Lord and of the? table of devils. As then by the table of devils must be
understood the altar on which sacrifice was offered to them; so also - if the
conclusion proposed to himself by the Apostle is to be legitimately drawn -- by
the table of the Lord can be understood nothing else than the altar on which
Sacrifice was offered to the Lord.
Should we look for figures and prophecies of
this Sacrifice in the Old Testament, in the first place Malachy most clearly
prophesied thereof in these words: From the rising of the sun even to the going
down, my name is great among the Gentiles, and in every place there is
sacrifice, and there is offered to my name a clean oblation: for my name is
great among the Gentiles, saith the Lord of hosts.
Moreover, this victim was foretold, as well
before as after the promulgation of the Law, by various kinds of sacrifices;
for this victim alone, as the perfection and completion of all, comprises all
the blessings which were signified by the other sacrifices. In nothing,
however, do we behold a more lively image of the Eucharistic Sacrifice than in
that of Melchisedech; for the Saviour Himself offered to God the Father, at His
Last Supper, His body and blood, under the appearances of bread and wine,
declaring that He was constituted a priest for ever, after the order of
Melchisedech.
Excellence of the Mass
The Mass Is The Same Sacrifice As That Of
The Cross
We therefore confess that the Sacrifice of
the Mass is and ought to be considered one and the same Sacrifice as that of
the cross, for the victim is one and the same, namely, Christ our Lord, who
offered Himself, once only, a bloody Sacrifice on the altar of the cross. The
bloody and unbloody victim are not two, but one victim only, whose Sacrifice is
daily renewed in the Eucharist, in obedience to the command of our Lord: Do
this for a commemoration of me.
The priest is also one and the same, Christ
the Lord; for the ministers who offer Sacrifice, consecrate the holy mysteries,
not in their own person, but in that of Christ, as the words of consecration
itself show, for the priest does not say: This is the body of Christ, but, This
is my body; and thus, acting in the Person of Christ the Lord, he changes the
substance of the bread and wine into the true substance of His body and blood.
The Mass A Sacrifice Of Praise,
Thanksgiving And Propitiation
This being the case, it must be taught
without any hesitation that, as the holy Council (of Trent) has also)
explained, the sacred and holy Sacrifice of the Mass is not a Sacrifice of
praise and thanksgiving only, or a mere commemoration of the Sacrifice
performed on the cross, but also truly a propitiatory Sacrifice, by which God
is appeased and rendered propitious to us. If, therefore, with a pure heart, a
lively faith, and affected with an inward sorrow for our transgressions, we
immolate and offer this most holy victim, we shall, without doubt, obtain mercy
from the Lord, and grace in time of need; for SO delighted is the Lord with the
door of this victim that, bestowing on us the gift of grace and repentance, He
pardons our sins. Hence this usual prayer of the Church: As often as the
commemoration of this victim is celebrated, so often is the work of our
salvation being done; that is to say, through this unbloody Sacrifice flow to
us the most plenteous fruits of that bloody victim.
The Mass Profits Both The Living And The
Dead
Pastors should next teach that such is the
efficacy of this Sacrifice that its benefits extend not only to the celebrant
and communicant, but to all the faithful, whether living with us on earth, or
already numbered with those who are dead in the Lord, but whose sins have not
yet been fully expiated. For, according to the most authentic Apostolic
tradition, it is not less available when offered for them, than when offered
for the sins of the living, their punishments, satisfactions, calamities and
difficulties of every sort.
It is hence easy to perceive, that all
Masses, as being conducive to the common interest and salvation of all the
faithful, are to be considered common to all.
The Rites and ceremonies of the Mass
The Sacrifice (of the Mass) is celebrated
with many solemn rites and ceremonies, none of which should be deemed useless
or superfluous. On the contrary, all of them tend to display the majesty of
this august Sacrifice, and to excite the faithful when beholding these saving
mysteries, to contemplate the divine things which lie concealed in the Eucharistic
Sacrifice. On these rites and ceremonies we shall not dwell, since they require
a more lengthy exposition than is compatible with the nature of the present
work; moreover priests can easily consult on the subject some of the many
booklets and works that have been written by pious and learned men.
What has been said so far will, with the
divine assistance, be found sufficient to explain the principal things which
regard the Holy Eucharist both as a Sacrament and Sacrifice.
THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE
Importance Of Instruction On This
Sacrament
As the frailty and weakness of human nature
are universally known and felt by each one in himself, no one can be ignorant
of the great necessity of the Sacrament of Penance. If, there- fore, the
diligence of pastors should be proportioned to the weight and importance of the
subject, we must admit that in ex pounding this Sacrament they can never be
sufficiently diligent. Nay, it should be explained with more care than Baptism.
Baptism is administered but once, and cannot be repeated; Penance may be
administered and becomes necessary, as often as we may have sinned after
Baptism. Hence the- Council of Trent declares: For those who fall into sin
after Baptism the Sacrament of Penance is as necessary to salvation as is
Baptism for those who have not been already baptised. The saying of St. Jerome
that Penance is a second plank, is universally known and highly commended by
all subsequent writers on sacred things. As he who suffers shipwreck has no
hope of safety, unless, perchance, he seize on some plank from the wreck, so he
that suffers the shipwreck of baptismal innocence, unless he cling to the
saving plank of Penance, has doubtless lost all hope of salvation.
These instructions are intended not only for
the benefit of pastors, but also for that of the faithful at large, to awaken
attention, lest they be found culpably negligent in a matter so very important.
Impressed with a just sense of the frailty of human nature, their first and
most earnest desire should be to advance with the divine assistance in the ways
of God, without sin or failing. But should they at any time prove so
unfortunate as to fall, then, looking at the infinite goodness of God, who like
the good shepherd binds up and heals the wounds of His sheep, they should not
postpone recourse to the most saving remedy of Penance.
Different Meanings of the Word
"Penance"
To enter at once on the subject, and to avoid
all error to which the ambiguity of the word may give rise, its different
meanings are first to be explained. By penance some understand satisfaction;
while others, who wander far from the doctrine of the Catholic faith, supposing
penance to have no reference to the past, define it to be nothing more than
newness of life. It must, therefore, be shown that the word has a variety of
meanings.
In the first place, it is said of those to
whom that which was before pleasing is now displeasing, whether the object
itself was good or bad. In this sense all those repent whose sorrow is
according to the world, not according to God; and therefore, worketh not
salvation, but death.
In the second place, it is used to express
that sorrow which the sinner conceives, not, however, for the sake of God, but
for his own sake, concerning some sin of his in which he once took pleasure.
A third kind of penance is that by which we
experience interior sorrow of heart, or give exterior indication of such sorrow
for the sake of God alone. To all these kinds of sorrow the word repentance
properly applies.
When the Sacred Scriptures say that God
repented, the expression is evidently figurative. When we repent of any thing,
we are most anxious to change it; and hence when God has resolved to change any
thing, the Scriptures, accommodating their language to our manner of speaking, say
that He repents. Thus we read that it repented him that he had made man, and
also that He was sorry that He had made Saul king.
But an important distinction is to be made
between these different significations of the word. The first kind of penance
must be considered faulty; the second is only the agitation of a disturbed
mind; the third we call both a virtue and a Sacrament. In this last sense
penance is taken here.
The Virtue of Penance
We shall first treat of penance as a virtue,
not only because it is the duty of the pastor to lead the faithful to the
practice of every virtue; but also, because the acts which proceed from penance
as a virtue, constitute the matter, as it were, of Penance as a Sacrament, and
unless the virtue be rightly understood, the force of the Sacrament cannot be
appreciated.
The faithful, therefore, are first to be
admonished and exhorted to labor strenuously to attain this interior penance of
the heart which we call a virtue, and without which exterior penance can avail
them very little.
Meaning Of Penance
Interior penance consists in turning to God
sincerely and from heart, and in hating and detesting our past transgressions,
with a firm resolution of amendment of life, hoping to obtain pardon through
the mercy. Accompanying this penance, like inseparable companion of detestation
for sin, is a sorrow and sadness, which is a certain agitation and disturbance
of the soul, and is called by many a passion. Hence many of the Fathers define
penance as an anguish of soul.
Penance, however, in those who repent, must
be preceded by faith, for without faith no man can turn to God. Faith,
therefore, cannot on any account be called a part of penance.
Penance Proved To Be A Virtue
That this inward penance is, as we have
already said, a virtue, the various commands which have been given regarding it
clearly show; for the law commands only those actions that are virtuous.
Furthermore, no one can deny that it is a
virtue to be sorrowful at the time, in the manner, and to the extent which are
required. To regulate sorrow in this manner belongs to the virtue of penance.
Some conceive a sorrow which bears no proportion to their crimes. Nay, there
are some, says Solomon, who are glad when they have done evil. Others, on the
contrary, give themselves to such melancholy and grief, as utterly to abandon
all hope of salvation. Such, perhaps, was the condition of Cain when he
exclaimed: My iniquity is greater than that I may deserve pardon. Such
certainly was the condition of Judas, who, repenting, hanged himself, and thus
lost soul and body. Penance, therefore, considered as a virtue, assists us in
restraining within the bounds of moderation our sense of sorrow.
That penance is a virtue may also be inferred
from the ends which the true penitent proposes to himself. The first is to
destroy sin and efface from the soul its every spot and stain. The second is to
make satisfaction to God for the sins which he has committed, which is clearly
an act of justice. Between God and man, it is true, no relation of strict
justice can exist, so great is the distance that separates them; yet between
them there is evidently a sort of justice, such as exists between a father and
his children, between a master and his servants. The third (end of the
penitent) is to reinstate himself in the favour and friendship of God whom he
has offended and whose hatred he has earned by the turpitude of sin. The
foregoing considerations sufficiently prove that penance is a virtue.
The Steps Which Lead Up To This Virtue
We must also point out the steps by which we
may ascend to this divine virtue. I The mercy of God first goes before us and
converts our hearts to Him. This was the object of the Prophet's prayer:
Convert us, O Lord, to thee, and we shall be converted.
Illumined by this light the soul next tends
to God by faith. He that cometh to God, says the Apostle, must believe that he
is, and is a rewarder of them that seek him.
A salutary fear of God's judgments follows, and
the soul, contemplating the punishments that await sin, is recalled from the
paths of vice. To this (state of soul) seem to refer these words of Isaias: As
a woman with child, when she draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain
and crieth out in her pangs, so are we become.
Then follows a hope of obtaining mercy from
God, encouraged by which we resolve on improvement of life.
Lastly, our hearts are inflamed by charity,
whence springs that filial fear which good and dutiful children experience; and
thus dreading only to offend the majesty of God in anything, we entirely
abandon the ways of sin.
Fruits Of This Virtue
Such are, as it were, the steps by which we
ascend to this most exalted virtue, a virtue altogether heavenly and divine, to
which the Sacred Scriptures promise the kingdom of heaven; for it is written in
St. Matthew: Do penance, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. If, says
Ezechiel, the wicked do penance for all his sins which he hath committed, and
keep all my commandments, and do judgment and justice, living he shall live. In
another place: I desire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn
from his way and live, words which are evidently understood of eternal life.
Penance as a Sacrament
Regarding external penance it will be
necessary to show that in it the Sacrament properly consists, and that it
possesses certain outward and sensible signs which denote the effect that takes
place interiorly in the soul.
Why Christ Instituted This Sacrament
In the first place, however, it will be well
to explain why it is that Christ our Lord was pleased to number Penance among
the Sacraments. One of His reasons certainly was to leave us no room for doubt
regarding the remission of sin which was promised by God when He said: If the wicked
do penance, etc. For each one has good reason to distrust the accuracy of his
own judgment on his own actions, and hence we could not but be very much in
doubt regarding the truth of our internal penance. It was to destroy this, our
uneasiness, that our Lord instituted the Sacrament of Penance, by means of
which we are assured that our sins are pardoned by the absolution of the
priest; and also to tranquilize our conscience by means of the trust we rightly
repose in the virtue of the Sacraments. The words of the priest sacramentally
and lawfully absolving us from our sins are to be accepted in the same sense as
the words of Christ our Lord when He said to the paralytic: Son, be of good
heart: thy sins are forgiven thee.
In the second place, no one can obtain
salvation unless through Christ and the merits of His Passion. Hence it was
becoming in itself, and highly advantageous to us, that a Sacrament should be
instituted through the force and efficacy of which the blood of Christ flows
into our souls, washes- away-all the sins committed after Baptism, and thus
leads us to recognise that it is to our Saviour alone we owe the blessing of
reconciliation.
Penance Is a Sacrament
That Penance is a Sacrament pastors can
easily show from what follows. As Baptism is a Sacrament because it blots out
all sins, and especially original sin, so for the same reason Penance, which
takes away all the sins of thought and deed committed after Baptism, must be
regarded as a true Sacrament in the proper sense of the word.
Moreover -- and this is the principal reason
-- since what is exteriorly done, both by priest and penitent, signifies the
inward effects that take place in the soul, who will venture to deny that
Penance is invested with the nature of a proper and true Sacrament ? For a
Sacrament is a sign of a sacred thing. Now the sinner who repents plainly
expresses by his words and actions that he has turned his heart from sin; while
from the words and actions of the priest we easily recognise the mercy of God exercised
in the remission of sins.
In any event, the words of our Saviour
furnish a clear proof: I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven
whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, shall be loosed also in heaven. The
absolution announced in the words of the priest expresses the remission of sins
which it accomplishes in the soul.
This Sacrament May Be Repeated
The faithful should be instructed not only
that Penance is to be numbered among the Sacraments, but that it is one of the
Sacraments which may be repeated. To Peter, who had asked whether pardon could
be given to sin seven times, our Lord replied: I say not to thee, till seven
times; but till seventy times seven.
If, then, (the pastor) happens to encounter
those who seem to distrust the infinite goodness and clemency of God, let him
endeavour to inspire their minds with confidence, and raise them up to the hope
of obtaining the grace of God. He will easily accomplish this object by
explaining the above and other passages which are frequently met with in Holy
Writ; as well as by using the arguments and reasons which may be found in St.
Chrysostom's book On the Lapsed, and St. Ambrose's books On Penance.
The Constituent Parts of Penance
The Matter
There is nothing that should be better known
to the faithful than the matter of this Sacrament; hence they should be taught
that Penance differs from the other Sacraments in this that while the matter of
the other Sacraments is some thing, whether natural or artificial, the matter,
as it were, of the Sacrament of Penance is the acts of the penitent, -- namely,
contrition, confession and satisfaction, -- as has been declared by the council
of Trent. Now, inasmuch as these acts are by divine institution required on the
part of the penitent for the integrity of the Sacrament, and for the full and
perfect remission of sin, they are called parts of Penance. It is not because
they are not the real matter that they are called by the Council the matter as
it were, but because they are not of that sort of matter which is applied
externally, such, for instance, as water in Baptism and chrism in Confirmation.
As regards the opinion of some who hold that
sins themselves are the matter of this Sacrament, it will be found, when
carefully examined, that it does not really differ from the explanation already
given. Thus we say that wood which is consumed by fire is the matter of fire.
In the same way, sins which are destroyed by Penance may properly be called the
matter of Penance.
The Form Of Penance
Pastors should not neglect to explain the
form of the Sacrament of Penance. A knowledge of it will excite the faithful to
receive the grace of this Sacrament with the greatest possible devotion. Now
the form is: I absolve thee, as may be inferred not only from the words,
whatsoever you shall bind upon earth shall be bound also in heaven, but also
from the teaching of Christ our Lord, handed down to us by the Apostles.
Moreover, since the Sacraments signify what
they effect, the words, I absolve thee, signify that remission of sin is
effected by the administration of this Sacrament; and hence it is plain that
such is the perfect form of the Sacrament. For sins are, so to say, the chains
by which the soul is bound, and from which it is freed by the Sacrament of
Penance. And none the less truly does the priest pronounce the form over the
penitent who, through perfect contrition, accompanied by the desire of
confession, has already obtained remission of his sins from God.
Several prayers are added, not that they are
necessary to the form, but in order to remove every obstacle that can impede
the force and efficacy of the Sacrament owing to the fault of him to whom it is
administered.
How thankful, then, should not sinners be to
God for having bestowed such ample power on the priests of His Church ! Unlike
the priests of the Old Law who merely declared the leper cleansed from his
leprosy, the power now given to the priests of the New Law is not limited to
declaring the sinner absolved from his sins, but, as a minister of God, he truly
absolves from sin. This is an effect of which God Himself, the author and
source of grace and justice, is the principal cause.
The Rites Observed in the Sacrament of
Penance
The faithful should take great care to
observe the rites which accompany the administration o f this Sacrament. In
this way they will have a higher idea of what they obtain from this Sacrament,
that is, that they have been reconciled as slaves to their kind master, or
rather, as children to their best of fathers; and at the same time they will
also better understand what is the duty of those who desire, as everyone
should, to show their gratitude and remembrance of so great a benefit.
The sinner, then, who repents, casts himself
humbly and sorrowfully at the feet of the priest, in order that by there
humbling himself he may the more easily be led to see that he must tear up the
roots of pride whence spring and flourish all the sins he now deplores. In the
priest, who is his legitimate judge, he venerates the person and the power of
Christ our Lord; for in the administration of the Sacrament of Penance, as in
that of the other Sacraments, the priest holds the place of Christ. Next the
penitent enumerates his sins, acknowledging, at the same time, that he deserves
the greatest and severest chastisements; and finally, suppliantly asks pardon
for his faults.
All these rites have a sure guarantee for
their antiquity in the authority of St. Denis.
Effects of the Sacrament of Penance
Nothing will prove of greater advantage to
the faithful, nothing will be found to conduce more to a willing reception of
the Sacrament of Penance, than for pastors to explain frequently the great
advantage to be derived therefrom. They will then see that of Penance it is
truly said that its roots ale bitter, but its fruit sweet indeed.
First of all, then, the great efficacy o
Penance consists in this, that it restores us to the grace of God, and unites
us to Him in the closest friendship.
In pious souls who approach this Sacrament
with devotion, profound peace and tranquillity of conscience, together with
ineffable joy of soul, accompany this reconciliation. For there is no sin,
however great or horrible, which cannot be effaced by the Sacrament of Penance,
and that not merely once, but over and over again. On this point God Himself
thus speaks through the Prophet: If the wicked do penance for all his sins
which he hath committed, and keep all my commandments, and do judgment, and
justice, living he shall live, and shall not die, and I will not remember all
his iniquities that he hath done. And St. John says: If we confess our sins; he
is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins; and a little later, he adds: If
any man sin, -- he excepts no sin whatever, -- we have an advocate with the
Father, Jesus Christ, the just; for he is the propitiation for our sins; and
not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world.
When we read in Scripture that certain
persons did not obtain pardon from God, even though they earnestly implored it,
we know that this was due to the fact that they had not a true and heartfelt
sorrow for their sins. Thus when we find in Sacred Scripture and in the
writings of the Fathers passages which seem to assert that certain sins are
irremissible, we must understand the meaning to be that it is very difficult to
obtain pardon for them. A disease is sometimes called incurable, because the
patient is so disposed as to loathe the medicines that could afford him relief.
Ill the same way certain sins are not remitted or pardoned because the sinner
rejects the grace of God, the only medicine for salvation. It is in this sense
that St. Augustine wrote: When a man who, through the grace of Jesus Christ,
has once arrived at a knowledge of God, wounds fraternal charity, and, driven
by the fury of envy, lifts up his head against grace, the enormity of his sin
is so great that, though compelled by a guilty conscience to acknowledge and
confess his fault, he finds himself unable to submit to the humiliation of
imploring pardon.
The Necessity of the Sacrament of Penance
Returning now to the Sacrament, it is so much
the special province of Penance to remit sins that it is impossible to obtain
or even to hope for remission of sins by any other means; for it is written:
Unless you do penance, you shall all likewise perish. These words were said by
our Lord in reference to grievous and mortal sins, although at the same time
lighter sins, which are called venial, also require some sort of penance. St.
Augustine observes that the kind of penance which is daily performed in the
Church for venial sins, would be absolutely useless, if venial sin could be
remitted without penance.
The Three Integral Parts of Penance
But as it is not enough to speak in general
terms when treating of practical matters, the pastors should take care to
explain, one by one, those things from which the faithful can understand the
meaning of true and salutary Penance.
Their Existence
Now it is peculiar to this Sacrament that
besides matter and form, which it has in common with all the other Sacraments,
it has also, as we have said, those parts which constitute Penance, so to say,
whole and entire; namely, contrition, confession and satisfaction. On these St.
Chrysostom thus speaks: Penance enables the sinner to bear all willingly in his
heart is contrition; on his lips confession; in his actions entire humility or
salutary satisfaction.
Their Nature
These three parts belong to that class of
parts which are necessary to constitute a whole. The human body is composed of
many members, -- -hands, feet, eyes and the various other parts; the want of
any one of which makes the body be justly considered imperfect, while if none
of them is missing, the body is regarded as perfect. In the same way, Penance
is composed of these three parts in such a way that though contrition and
confession, which justify man, are alone required to constitute its essence,
yet, unless accompanied by its third part, satisfaction, it necessarily remains
short of its absolute perfection.
These three parts, then, are so intimately
connected with one another, that contrition includes the intention and
resolution of confessing and making satisfaction; contrition and the resolution
of making satisfaction imply confession; while the other two precede
satisfaction.
Necessity Of These Integral Parts
The reason why these are the integral parts
may be thus explained. Sins against God are committed by thought, by word and
by deed. It is, then, but reasonable, that in recurring to the power of the
keys we should endeavour to appease God's wrath, and obtain pardon for our sins
by means of the very same things which we employed to offend His sovereignty.
A further reason by way of confirmation can
also be assigned. Penance is a sort of compensation for sin, springing from the
free will of the delinquent, and is appointed by God, against whom the offence
has been committed. Hence, on the one hand, there is required the willingness
to make compensation, in which willingness contrition chiefly consists; while,
on the other hand, the penitent must submit himself to the judgment of the
priest, who holds God's place, in order to enable him to award a punishment
proportioned to the gravity of the sin committed. Hence the reason for and the
necessity of confession and satisfaction are easily inferred.
The First Part of Penance
Contrition
As the faithful require instruction on the
nature and efficacy of the parts of Penance, we must begin with contrition.
This subject demands careful explanation; for as often as we call to mind our
past transgressions, or offend God anew, so often should our hearts be pierced
with contrition.
The Meaning Of Contrition
By the Fathers of the Council of Trent,
contrition is defined: A sorrow and detestation for sin committed, with a
purpose of sinning no more. and a little further on the Council, speaking of
the motion of the will to contrition, adds: If joined with a confidence in the
mercy of God and an earnest desire of per forming whatever is necessary to the
proper reception of the Sacrament, it thus prepares us for the remission of
sin.
Contrition Is A Detestation Of Sin
From this definition, therefore, the faithful
will perceive that the efficacy of contrition does not simply consist in
ceasing to sin, or in resolving to begin, or having actually begun a new life;
it supposes first of all a hatred of one's ill-spent life and a desire of
atoning for past transgressions.
This is especially confirmed by those cries
of the holy Fathers,. which we so frequently meet with in Holy Scripture. I
have laboured in my groaning, says David; every night I will wash my bed; and
again, The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping. I will recount to thee all
my years, says another, in the bitterness of my soul. These and many like
expressions were called forth by an intense hatred and a lively detestation of
past transgressions.
Contrition Produces Sorrow
But although contrition is defined as sorrow,
the faithful are not thence to conclude that this sorrow consists in sensible
feeling; for contrition is an act of the will, and, as St. Augustine observes,
grief is not penance but the accompaniment of penance. By sorrow the Fathers
understood a hatred and detestation of sin; in the first place, because the
Sacred Scriptures frequently use the word in this sense. How long, says David,
shall I take counsels in my soul, sorrow in my heart all the day. And secondly,
because from contrition arises sorrow in the inferior part of the soul which is
called the seat of concupiscence.
With propriety, therefore, is contrition
defined a sorrow, because it produces sorrow; hence penitents, in order to
express it, used to change their garments. Our Lord alludes to this custom when
He says: Woe to thee, Corozain, woe to thee, Bethsaida: for if in Tyre and Sidon
had been wrought the miracles that have been wrought in you, they had long ago
done penance in sack-cloth and ashes.
Names Of Sorrow For Sin
To signify the intensity of this sorrow the
name contrition has rightly been given to the detestation of sin of which we
speak. The word means the breaking of an object into small parts by means of a
stone or some harder substance; and here it is used metaphorically, to signify
that our hearts, hardened by pride, are beaten and broken by penance. Hence
no-other sorrow, not even that which is felt for the death of parents, or
children, or for any other calamity, is called contrition. The word is
exclusively employed to express the sorrow with which we are overwhelmed by the
forfeiture of the grace of God and of our own innocence.
Contrition, however, is often designated by
other names. Sometimes it is called contrition of heart, because the word heart
is frequently used in Scripture to express the will. As the movement of the
body originates in the heart, so the will is the faculty which governs and
controls the other powers of the soul.
By the holy Fathers it is also called
compunction of heart, and hence they preferred to entitle their works on
contrition treatises On Compunction of Heart; for as ulcers are lanced with a
knife in order to allow the escape of the poisonous matter accumulated within,
so the heart, as it were, is pierced with the lance of contrition, to enable it
to emit the deadly poison of sin.
Hence, contrition is called by the Prophet
Joel, a rending of the heart. Be converted to me, he says, with all your hearts
in fasting, in weeping, in mourning, and rend your hearts.
Qualities of Sorrow for Sin
It Should Be Supreme
That sorrow for sins committed should be so
profound and supreme that no greater sorrow could be thought of will easily
appear from the considerations that follow.
Perfect contrition is an act of charity,
emanating from what is called filial fear; hence it is clear that the measure
of contrition and of charity should be the same. Since, therefore, the charity
which we cherish towards God, is the most perfect love, it follows that
contrition should be the keenest sorrow of the soul. God is to be loved above
all things, and whatever separates us from God is therefore to be hated above all
things. It is also worthy of note that to charity and contrition the language
of Scripture assigns the same extent. Of charity it is said: Thou shalt love
the Lord thy God with thy whole heart.' Of contrition the Lord says through the
Prophet: Be converted with your whole heart.
Secondly, it is true that of all objects
which deserve our love, God is the supreme good, and it is not less true that
of all objects which deserve our execration sin is the supreme evil. The same
reason, then, which prompts us to confess that God is to be loved above all
things, obliges us also of necessity to acknowledge that sin is to be hated
above all things. That God is to be loved above all things, so that we should
be prepared to sacrifice our lives rather than offend Him, these words of the
Lord clearly declare: He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not
worthy of me; He that will save his life shall lose it.
Further, it should be noted that since, as
St. Bernard says, there is no limit or measure to charity, or to use his own
words, as the measure of loving God is to love Him without measure, there
should be no limit to the hatred of sin.
Sorrow For Sin Should Be Intense
Besides, our contrition should be not only
the greatest, but also the most intense, and so perfect that it excludes all
apathy and indifference; for it is written in Deuteronomy: When thou shalt seek
the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him: yet so if thou seek him with all thy
heart, and all the affliction of thy soul, and in Jeremias.: Thou shalt seek me
and shalt find me, when thou shalt seek me unto all thy heart; and I will be
found by thee, saith the Lord.
If, however, our contrition be not perfect,
it may nevertheless be true and efficacious. For as things which fall under the
senses frequently touch the heart more sensibly than things purely spiritual,
it sometimes happens that persons feel more intense sorrow for the death of
their children than for the grievousness of their sins.
Our contrition may also be true and
efficacious, although unaccompanied by tears. Penitential tears, however, are
much to be desired and commended. On this subject St. Augustine has well said:
The spirit of Christian charity lives not within you, if you lament the body
from which the soul has departed, but lament not the soul from which God has
departed. To the same effect are the words of the Redeemer above cited: Woe to
thee, Corozain, woe to thee, Bethsaida: for if in Tyre and Sidon had been
wrought the miracles that have been wrought in you, they had long since done
penance, in sack-cloth and ashes. To establish this truth it will suffice to
recall the well-known examples of the Ninivites, of David, of the woman who was
a sinner, and of the Prince of the Apostles, all. of whom obtained the pardon
of their sins when they implored the mercy of God with abundant tears.
Sorrow For Sin Should Be Universal
The faithful should be earnestly exhorted and
admonished to strive to extend their contrition to each mortal sin. For it is
thus that Ezechias describes contrition: I will recount to thee all my years in
the bitterness of my soul. To recount all our years is to examine our sins one
by one in order to have sorrow for them from our hearts. In Ezechiel also we
read: If the wicked do penance for all his sins, he shall live. In this sense
St. Augustine says: Let the sinner consider the quality of his sins, as to
time, place, variety and person.
In this matter, however, the faithful should
not despair of the infinite goodness and mercy of God. For since God is most
desirous of our salvation, He will not delay to pardon us. With a father's
fondness, He embraces the sinner the moment he enters into himself, turns to
the Lord, and, having detested all his sins, resolves that later on, as far as
he is able, he will call them singly to mind and detest them. The Almighty
Himself, by the mouth of His Prophet, commands us to hope, when He says: The
wickedness of the wicked shall not hurt him, in what day soever he shall turn
from his wickedness.
Conditions Required for Contrition
From what has been said we may gather the
chief requisites of true contrition. In these the faithful are to be accurately
instructed, that each may know the means of attaining, and may have a fixed
standard by which to determine, how far he may be removed from the perfection
of this virtue.
Detestation Of Sin
We must, then, in the first place, detest and
deplore all out sins. If our sorrow and detestation extend only to some sins,
our repentance is not salutary, but feigned and false. Whosoever shall keep the
whole law, says St. James, but offend in one point, is become guilty of all.
Intention Of Confession And Satisfaction
In the next place, our contrition must be
accompanied with a desire of confessing and satisfying for our sins. Concerning
these dispositions we shall treat in their proper place.
Purpose Of Amendment
Thirdly, the penitent must form a fixed and
firm purpose of amendment of life. This the Prophet clearly teaches in the
following words: If the wicked do penance for all his sins which he hath
committed, and keep all my commandments, and do judgment, and justice, living
Ice shall live, and shall not die: I will not remember all his iniquities which
he hath done. And a little after: When the wicked turneth himself away from his
wickedness which he hath wrought, and doth judgment and justice, he shall save
his soul alive. Still further on he adds: Be converted and do penance for all
your iniquities, and iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all
your transgressions, by which you have transgressed, and make yourselves a new
heart and a new spirit. To the woman taken in adultery Christ our Lord
commanded the same thing: Go thy way, and sin no more; and also to the lame man
whom He cured at the pool of Bethsaida: Behold, thou art made whole, sin no
more.
Reasons For These Conditions
That a sorrow for sin and a firm purpose of
avoiding sin for the future are two conditions indispensable to contrition
nature and reason clearly show. He who would be reconciled to a friend whom he
has wronged must regret to have injured and offended him, and his future
conduct must be such as to avoid offending in anything against friendship.
Furthermore, these are conditions to which
man is bound to yield obedience; for the law to which man is subject, be it
natural, divine, or human, he is bound to obey. If, therefore, by force or
fraud, the penitent has taken anything from his neighbour, he is bound to
restitution. Likewise if, by word or deed he has injured his neighbour’s honour
or reputation, he is under an obligation of repairing the injury by procuring
him some advantage or rendering him some service. Well known to all is the
maxim of St. Augustine: The sin is not forgiven unless what has been taken away
is restored.
Forgiveness Of Injuries
Again, not less necessary for contrition than
the other chief conditions is a care that it be accompanied by entire
forgiveness of the injuries which we may have received from others. This our
Lord and Saviour admonishes when He declares: If you will forgive men their
offences, your heavenly Father will forgive you also your offences, but if you
will not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive you your offences.
These are the conditions which the faithful
should observe as regards contrition. There are other dispositions which,
although not essential to true and salutary penance, contribute to render
contrition more perfect and complete in its kind, and which pastors will
readily discover.
The Effects of Contrition
Simply to make known those things which
pertain to salvation should not be deemed a full discharge of the duty of
pastors; their zeal and industry should be exerted to persuade the people to
adopt these truths as their rule of conduct and as the governing principle of
their actions. Hence it will be highly useful often to explain the power and
utility of contrition.
For whereas most other pious practices, such
as alms, fasting, prayer and similar holy and commendable works, are sometimes
rejected by God on account of the faults of those who perform them, contrition
can never be other than pleasing and acceptable to Him. A contrite and humble
heart, O God, exclaims the Prophet, thou wilt not despise.
Nay more, the same Prophet declares elsewhere
that, as soon as we have conceived this contrition in our hearts, our sins are
forgiven by God: I said, I will confess my injustice to the Lord, and thou hast
forgiven the wickedness of my sin. Of this truth we have a figure in the ten
lepers, who, when sent by our Lord to the priests, were cured of their leprosy
before they had reached them; which gives us to understand that such is the
efficacy of true contrition, of which we have spoken above, that through it we
obtain from the Lord the immediate pardon of all sins.
Means of Arousing True Contrition
To move the faithful to contrition, it will
be very useful if pastors point out some method by which each one may excite
himself to contrition.
They should all be admonished frequently to
examine their consciences, in order to ascertain if they have been faithful in
the observance of those things which God and His Church require. Should anyone
be conscious of sin, he should immediately accuse himself, humbly solicit
pardon from God, and implore time to confess and satisfy for his sins. Above
all, let him supplicate the aid of divine grace, in order that he may not
relapse into those sins which he now penitently deplores.
Pastors should also take care that the
faithful be excited to a supreme hatred of sin, both because its turpitude and
baseness are very great and because it brings us the gravest losses and
misfortunes. For sin deprives us of the friendship of God, to whom we are
indebted for so many invaluable blessings, and from whom we might have expected
and received gifts of still higher value; and along with this it consigns us to
eternal death and to torments unending and most severe.
The Second Part of Penance
Confession
Having said so much on contrition, we now
come to confession, which is another part of Penance. The care and exactness
which its exposition demands of pastors must be at once obvious, if we only
reflect that most holy persons are firmly persuaded that whatever of piety, of
holiness, of religion, has been preserved to our times in the Church, through
God's goodness, must be ascribed in great measure to confession. It cannot,
therefore, be a matter of surprise that the enemy of the human race, in his
efforts to destroy utterly the Catholic Church, should, through the agency of
the ministers of his wicked designs, have assailed with all his might this
bulwark, as it were, of Christian virtue. It should be shown, therefore, in the
first place that the institution of confession is most useful and even
necessary to us.
Necessity Of Confession
Contrition, it is true, blots out sin; but
who does not know that to effect this it must be so intense, so ardent, so
vehement, as to bear a proportion to the magnitude of the crimes which it
effaces? This is a degree of contrition which few reach; and hence, in this
way, very few indeed could hope to obtain the pardon of their sins. It,
therefore, became necessary that the most merciful Lord should provide by some
easier means for the common salvation of men; and this He has done in His
admirable wisdom, by giving to His Church the keys of the kingdom of heaven.
According to the doctrine of the Catholic
Church, a doctrine firmly to be believed and constantly professed by all, if
the sinner have a sincere sorrow for his sins and a firm resolution of avoiding
them in future, although he bring not with him that contrition which may be
sufficient of itself to obtain pardon, all his sins are forgiven and remitted
through the power of the keys, when he confesses them properly to the priest.
Justly, then, do those most holy men, our Fathers, proclaim that by the keys of
the Church the gate of heaven is thrown open, a truth which no one can doubt
since the Council of Florence has decreed that the effect of Penance is
absolution from sin.
Advantages Of Confession
To appreciate further the great advantages of
confession we may turn to a fact taught by experience. To those who have led
immoral lives nothing is found so useful towards a reformation of morals as
sometimes to disclose their secret thoughts, all their words and actions, to a
prudent and faithful friend, who can assist them by his advice and cooperation.
For the same reason it must prove most salutary to those whose minds are
agitated by the consciousness of guilt to make known the diseases and wounds of
their souls to the priest, as the vicegerent of Christ our Lord, bound to
eternal secrecy by the strictest of laws. (In the Sacrament of Penance) they
will find immediate remedies, the healing qualities of which will not only
remove the present malady, but will also have such a heavenly efficacy in
preparing the soul against an easy relapse into the same kind of disease and
infirmity.
Another advantage of confession, which should
not be overlooked, is that it contributes powerfully to the preservation of
social order. Abolish sacramental confession, and that moment you deluge
society with all sorts of secret and heinous crimes -- crimes too, and others
of still greater enormity, which men, once that they have been depraved by
vicious habits, will not dread to commit in open day. The salutary shame that
attends confession restrains licentiousness, bridles desire and checks
wickedness.
Definition Of Confession
Having explained the advantages of
confession, pastors should next unfold its nature and efficacy. Confession,
then, is defined: A sacramental accusation of one's sins, made to obtain pardon
by virtue of the keys.
It is rightly called an accusation, because
sins are not to be told as if the sinner boasted of his crimes, as they do who
are glad when they have done evil; nor are they to be related as stories told
for the sake of amusing idle listeners. They are to be confessed as matters of
self-accusation, with a desire, as it were, to avenge them on ourselves.
We confess our sins with a view to obtain
pardon. In this respect the tribunal of penance differs from other tribunals,
which take cognisance of capital offences, and before which a confession of
guilt does not secure acquittal and pardon, but penalty and punishment.
The definition of confession by the holy
Fathers, although different in words, is substantially the same. Confession,
says St. Augustine, is the disclosure of a secret disease, with the hope of
obtaining pardon; and St. Gregory: Confession is a detestation of sins. Both of
these definitions accord with, and are contained in the preceding definition.
Confession Instituted By Christ
In the next place, it is a duty of greatest
moment that pastors should unhesitatingly teach that this Sacrament owes its
institution to the singular goodness and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
has ordered all things well, and solely with a view to our salvation.
After His Resurrection He breathed on the
Apostles, assembled together, saying: Receive ye the Holy Ghost, whose sins you
shall forgive, they are forgiven; and whose sins you shall retain, they are
retained. Now in giving to priests the power to retain and forgive sins, it is
evident that our Lord made them also judges in this matter.
Our Lord seems to have signified the same thing
when, having raised Lazarus from the dead, He commanded His Apostles to loose
him from the bands in which he was bound. This is the interpretation of St.
Augustine. The priests, he says, can now do more: they can exercise greater
clemency towards those who confess and whose sins they forgive. The Lord, in
giving over Lazarus, whom He had already raised from the dead, to be loosed by
the hands of His disciples, wished us to understand that to priests was given
the power of loosing.
To this also refers the command given by our
Lord to the lepers cured on the way, that they show themselves to the priests,
and subject themselves to their judgment.
Invested, then, as they are, by our Lord with
power to remit and retain sins, priests are evidently appointed judges of the
matter on which they are to pronounce; and since, according to the wise remark
of the Council of Trent, we cannot form an accurate judgment on any matter, or
award to crime a just proportion of punishment without having previously
examined and made ourselves well acquainted with the case, it follows that the
penitent is obliged to make known to the priests, through the medium of
confession, each and every sin.
This doctrine the pastors should teach as
defined by the holy Council of Trent, and handed down by the uniform doctrine
of the Catholic Church. An attentive perusal of the Fathers will present
passages throughout their works, proving in the clearest terms that this
Sacrament was instituted by our Lord, and that the law of sacramental confession,
which, from the Greek, they call exomologesis, and exagoreusis, is to be
received as true Gospel teaching.
If we seek figures in the Old Testament, the
different kinds of sacrifices which were offered by the priests for the
expiation of different sorts of sins, seem, beyond all doubt, to have reference
to confession of sins.
Rites Added By The Church
Not only are the faithful to be taught that
confession was instituted by our Lord. They are also to be reminded that, by
authority of the Church, certain rites and solemn ceremonies have been added
which, although not essential to the Sacrament, serve to place its dignity more
fully before the eyes of the penitent, and to prepare his soul, so that,
kindled with devotion, he may more easily receive the grace of God. When, with
uncovered head and bended knees, with eyes fixed on the earth and hands raised
in supplication, and with other indications of Christian humility not essential
to the Sacrament, we confess our sins, our minds are thus deeply impressed with
a clear conviction of the heavenly virtue of the Sacrament, and also of the
necessity of most earnestly beseeching and imploring the mercy of God.
The Law of Confession
Nor let it be supposed that, although
confession was instituted by our Lord, He did not declare its use to be
necessary. The faithful must be impressed with the conviction that he who is
dead in sin is to be recalled to spiritual life by means of sacramental
confession.
Proof Of The Obligation
This truth is clearly conveyed by our Lord
Himself, when, by a most beautiful metaphor, He calls the power of
administering this Sacrament, the key of the kingdom of heaven. Just as no one
can enter any place without the help of him who has the keys, so no one is
admitted to heaven unless its gates be unlocked by the priests to whose custody
the Lord gave the keys. This power would otherwise be of no use in the Church.
If heaven can be entered without the power of the keys, in vain would they to
whom the keys were given seek to prevent entrance within its portals.
This thought was familiar to the mind of St.
Augustine. Let no man, he says, say within himself: "I repent in secret to
the Lord. God, who has power to pardon me, knows the inmost sentiments of my
heart.,, Was there, then, no reason for saying "whatsoever you loose on
earth, shall be loosed in heaven," no reason why the keys were given to
the Church of God? The same doctrine is taught by St. Ambrose in his treatise
On Penance, when refuting the heresy of the Novatians who asserted that the
power of forgiving sins belonged solely to God.' Who, says he, yields greater
reverence to God, he who obeys or he who resists His commands? God commands us
to obey His ministers; and by obeying them, we honour God alone.
The Age At Which The Law Of Confession
Obliges
As the law of confession was no doubt enacted
and established by our Lord Himself, it is our duty to ascertain, on whom, at
what age, and at what period of the year, it becomes obligatory. According to
the canon of the Council of Lateran, which begins: Omnis utriusque sexus, no
person is bound by the law of Confession until he has arrived at the use of
reason, -- a time determinable by no fixed number of years. It may, however, be
laid down as a general principle, that children are bound to go to confession
as soon as they are able to discern good from evil, and are capable of malice;
for, when a person has arrived at an age when he must begin to attend to the
work of his salvation, he is bound to confess his sins to a priest, since there
is no other salvation for one whose conscience is burdened with sin.
At What Time The Law Of Confession Obliges
In the same canon holy Church has defined the
period within which we are especially bound to discharge the duty of
confession. It commands all the faithful to confess their sins at least once a
year. If, however, we consult our eternal interests, we will certainly not
neglect to have recourse to confession as often, at least, as we are in danger
of death, or undertake to perform any act incompatible with the state of sin,
such as to administer or receive the Sacraments. The same rule should be
strictly followed when we are apprehensive of forgetting some sin, into which
we may have fallen; for we cannot confess sins unless we remember them, neither
do we obtain pardon unless our sins are blotted out through sacramental
confession.
The Qualities of Confession
But since in confession many things are to be
observed, some of which are essential, some not essential to the Sacrament, all
these matters should be carefully treated. Access can easily be had to works
and treatises from which an explanation of all these things can be drawn.
Confession Should Be Entire
Pastors should teach, first of all, that care
must be exercised that confession be complete and entire. All mortal sins must
be revealed to the priest. Venial sins, which do not separate us from the grace
of God, and into which we frequently fall, although they may be usefully
confessed, as the experience of the pious proves, may be omitted without sin,
and expiated by a variety of other means. Mortal sins, as we have already said,
are all to be confessed, even though they be most secret, or be opposed only to
the last two Commandments of the Decalogue. Such secret sins often inflict
deeper wounds on the soul than those which are committed openly and publicly.
So the Council of Trent has defined, and such
has been the constant teaching of the Church, as the Fathers declare. St.
Ambrose speaks thus: Without the confession of his sin, no man can be justified
from his sin. In confirmation of the same doctrine, St. Jerome, on
Ecclesiastes, says: If the serpent, the devil, has secretly and without the
knowledge of a third person, bitten anyone, and has infused into him the poison
of sin; if unwilling to disclose his wound to his brother or master, he is
silent and will not do penance, his master, who has a tongue ready to cure him,
can render him no service. The same doctrine we find in St. Cyprian, in his
sermon On the Fallen. Although guiltless, he says, of the heinous crime of
sacrificing to idols, or of having purchased certificates to that effect; yet,
as they entertained the thought of doing so, they should confess it with grief
to the priests of God. In fine, such is the unanimous voice and teaching of all
the Doctors of the Church.
In confession we should employ all that care
and exactness which we usually bestow upon worldly concerns of great moment,
and all our efforts should be directed to the cure of our soul's wounds and to
the destruction of the roots of sin. We should not be satisfied with the bare
enumeration of our mortal sins, but should mention such circumstances as
considerably aggravate or extenuate their malice. Some circumstances are so
serious as of themselves to constitute mortal guilt. On no account whatever,
therefore, are such circumstances to be omitted. Thus if one man has killed
another, he must state whether his victim was a layman or an ecclesiastic. Or,
if he has had sinful relations with a woman, he must state whether the female
was unmarried or married, a relative or a person consecrated to God by vow.
These circumstances change the nature of the sins; so that the first kind of
unlawful intercourse is called by theologians simple fornication, the second
adultery, the third incest, and the fourth sacrilege. Again, theft is numbered
in the catalogue of sins. But if a person has stolen one golden coin, his sin
is less grievous than if he had stolen a hundred or two hundred, or an immense
sum; and if the stolen money belonged to the Church, the sin would be still
more grievous. The same rule applies to the circumstances of time and place,
but' the examples are too well known from many books to require mention here.
Circumstances such as these are, therefore, to be mentioned; but those which do
not considerably aggravate the malice of the sin may be lawfully omitted.
Sins Concealed
So important is it that confession be entire
that if the penitent confesses only some of his sins and wilfully neglects to
accuse himself of others which should be confessed, he not only does not profit
by his confession, but involves himself in new guilt. Such an enumeration of
sins cannot be called sacramental confession; on the contrary, the penitent
must repeat his confession, not omitting to accuse himself of having, under the
semblance of confession, profaned the sanctity of the Sacrament.
Sins Forgotten
But should the confession seem defective,
either because the penitent forgot some grievous sins, or because, although
intent on confessing all his sins, he did not examine the recesses of his
conscience with sufficient accuracy, he is not bound to repeat his confession.
It will be sufficient, when he recollects the sins which he had forgotten, to
confess them to a priest on a future occasion.
It should be noted, however, that we are not
to examine our consciences with careless indifference, or to be so negligent in
recalling our sins as to seem as if unwilling to remember them. Should this
have been the case, the confession must by all means be made over again.
Confession Should Be Plain, Simple,
Sincere
In the second place our confession should be
plain, simple and undisguised; not artfully made, as is the case with some who
seem more intent on defending themselves than on confessing their sins. Our
confession should be such as to disclose to the priest a true image of our
lives, such as we ourselves know them to be, exhibiting as doubtful that which
is doubtful, and as certain that which is certain. If, then, we neglect to
enumerate our sins, or introduce extraneous matter, our confession, it is
clear, lacks this quality.
Confession Should Be Prudent, Modest,
Brief
Prudence and modesty in explaining matters of
confession are also much to be commended, and a superfluity of words is to be
carefully avoided. Whatever is necessary to make known the nature of every sin
is to be explained briefly and modestly.
Confession Should Be Made Privately And
Often
Secrecy as regards confession should be
strictly observed, as well by the penitent as by the priest. Hence, no one can,
on any account, confess by messenger or letter, because in those cases secrecy
would not be possible.
The faithful should be careful above all to
cleanse their consciences from sin by frequent confession. When a person is in
mortal sin nothing can be more salutary, so precarious is human life, than to
have immediate recourse to confession. But even if we could promise ourselves a
long life, yet it would be truly disgraceful that we who are so particular in
whatever relates to cleanliness of dress or person, were not at least equally
careful in preserving the lustre of the soul unsullied from the foul stains of
sin.
The Minister of the Sacrament of Penance
The Usual Minister
We now come to treat of the minister of this
Sacrament. That the minister of the Sacrament of Penance must be a priest
possessing ordinary or delegated jurisdiction the laws of the Church
sufficiently declare. Whoever discharges this sacred function must be invested
not only with the power of orders, but also with that of jurisdiction. Of this
ministry we have an illustrious proof in these words of our Lord, recorded by St.
John: Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you
shall retain, they are retained, words addressed not to all, but to the
Apostles only, to whom, in this function of the ministry, priests succeed.
This is also most fitting, for as all the
grace imparted by this Sacrament is communicated from Christ the Head to His
members, they who alone have power to consecrate His true body should alone
have power to administer this Sacrament to His mystical body, the faithful,
particularly as these are qualified and disposed by means of the Sacrament of
Penance to receive the Holy Eucharist.
The scrupulous care which in the primitive
ages of the Church guarded the right of the ordinary priest is easily seen from
the ancient decrees of the Fathers, which provided that no Bishop or priest,
except in case of great necessity, presume to exercise any function in the
parish of another without the authority of him who governed there. This law
derives its sanction from the Apostle when he commanded Titus to ordain priests
in every city, to administer to the faithful the heavenly food of doctrine and
of the Sacraments.
The Minister In Danger Of Death
In order that none may perish, if there is
imminent danger of death, and recourse cannot be had to the proper priest, the
Council of Trent teaches that according to the ancient practice of the Church
of God it is then lawful for any priest, not only to remit all kinds of Sill,
whatever faculties they might otherwise require, but also to absolve from excommunication.
Qualifications Of The Minister
Besides the powers of orders and of
jurisdiction, which are of absolute necessity, the minister of this Sacrament,
holding as he does the place at once of judge and physician, should be gifted
not only with knowledge and erudition, but also with prudence.
As judge, his knowledge, it is evident,
should be more than ordinary, for by it he is to examine into the nature of
sins, and among the various kinds of sins to judge which are grievous and which
are not, keeping in view the rank and condition of the person.
As physician he has also occasion for
consummate prudence, for to him it belongs to administer to the diseased soul
those healing medicines which will not only effect the cure, but prove suitable
preservatives against its future contagion.
The faithful, therefore, will see the great
care that each one should take in selecting (as confessor) a priest, who is
recommended by integrity of life, by learning and prudence, who is deeply
impressed with the awful weight and responsibility of the station which he
holds, who understands well the punishment due to every sin, and can also
discern who are to be loosed and who to be bound.
The Confessor Must Observe The Seal Of
Confession
Since each one is most anxious that his sins
and defilements should be buried in oblivion, the faithful are to be admonished
that there is no reason whatever to apprehend that what is made known in
confession will ever be revealed by the priest to anyone, or that by it the
penitent can at any time be brought into danger of any sort. The laws of the
Church threaten the severest penalties against any priests who would fail to
observe a perpetual and religious silence concerning all the sins confessed to
them. Let the priest, says the great Council of Lateran, take special care,
neither by word or sign, nor by any other means whatever, to betray in the
least degree the sinner.
Duties of the Confessor towards Various
Classes of Penitents
Having treated of the minister of this
Sacrament, the order of our matter requires that we next proceed to explain
some general heads which are of considerable importance with regard to the use
and practice of confession.
Many of the faithful, to whom, as a rule, no
time seems to pass so slowly as that which is appointed by the laws of the
Church for the duty of confession, are so removed from Christian perfection
that, far from bestowing attention on those other matters which are obviously
most efficacious in conciliating the favour and friendship of God, they do not
even try to remember the sins that are to be confessed to the priest.
Since, therefore, nothing is to be omitted
which can assist the faithful in the important work of salvation, the priest
should be careful to observe if the penitent be truly contrite for his sins,
and deliberately and firmly resolved to avoid sin for the future.
The Well Disposed Should Be Exhorted To
Thanksgiving And Perseverance
If the sinner is found to be thus disposed,
he is to be admonished and earnestly exhorted to pour out his heart in
gratitude to God for so great and so singular a blessing, and to supplicate
unceasingly the aid of divine grace, shielded by which he may securely combat
his evil propensities.
He should also be taught not to suffer a day
to pass without devoting a portion of it to meditation on some mystery of the
Passion of our Lord, and to exciting and inflaming himself to the imitation and
most ardent love of his Redeemer. The fruit of such meditation will be to
fortify him more and more every day against all the assaults of the devil. For
what other reason is there why our courage sinks and our strength fails the
moment the enemy makes even the slightest attack on us, but that we neglect by
pious meditation to kindle within us the fire of divine love, which animates
and invigorates the soul?
The Indisposed Should Be Helped
But should the priest perceive that the
penitent is not truly contrite, he will endeavour to inspire him with an
anxious desire for contrition, inflamed by which he may resolve to ask and
implore this heavenly gift from the mercy of God.
Those Who Seek To Excuse Their Sins Should
Be Corrected
The pride of some who seek by vain excuses to
justify or extenuate their offences is carefully to be repressed. If, for
instance, a penitent confesses that he was wrought up to anger, and immediately
transfers the blame of the excitement to another, who, he complains, was the
aggressor, he is to be reminded that such apologies are indications of a proud
spirit, and of a man who either thinks lightly of, or is unacquainted with the
enormity of his sin, while they serve rather to aggravate than to extenuate his
guilt. He who thus labours to justify his conduct seems to say that then only
will he exercise patience, when no one injures him -- a disposition than which
nothing can be more unworthy of a Christian. Instead of lamenting the state of
him who inflicted the injury he disregards the grievousness of the sin, and is
angry with his brother. Having had an opportunity of honouring God by his
exemplary patience, and of correcting a brother by his meekness, he turns the
very means of salvation to his own destruction.
Those Who Are Ashamed To Confess Their
Sins Should Be Instructed
Still more pernicious is the fault of those
who, yielding to a foolish bashfulness, cannot induce themselves to confess
their sins. Such persons are to be encouraged by exhortation, and are to be
reminded that there is no reason whatever why they should fear to disclose
their sins, that to no one can it appear surprising if persons fall into sin,
the common malady of the human race and the natural consequence of human
infirmity.
The Careless Should Be Rebuked
There are others who, either because they
seldom confess their sins, or because they have bestowed no care or attention
on the examination of their consciences, do not know well how to begin or end
their confession. Such persons deserve to be severely rebuked, and are to be
taught that before anyone approaches the tribunal of Penance he should employ
every diligence to excite himself to contrition for his sins, and that this he
cannot do without endeavouring to know and recollect them severally.
The Unprepared Should Be Dismissed Or Led
To Good Disposition
Should the confessor meet persons of this
class entirely unprepared, he should dismiss them without harshness, exhorting
them in the kindest terms to take some time to reflect on their sins, and then
return; but should they declare that they have already done everything in their
power to prepare, and there is reason to apprehend that if sent away they may
not return, their confession is to be heard, particularly if they manifest some
disposition to amend their lives and can be induced to accuse their own
negligence and promise to atone for it at another time by a diligent and
accurate scrutiny of conscience. In such cases, however, the confessor should
proceed with caution. If, after having heard the confession, he is of the
opinion that the penitent did not entirely lack diligence in examining his
conscience or sorrow in detesting his sins, he may absolve him; but if he has
found him deficient in both, he should, as we have already said, admonish him
to use greater care in his examination of conscience, and dismiss him as kindly
as he can.
The Pastor Should Show The Wrong Of Human
Respect
But as it sometimes happens that females, who
may have forgotten some sin in a former confession, cannot bring themselves to
return to the confessor, dreading to expose themselves before the people to the
suspicion of having been guilty of something grievous or of looking for the
praise of extraordinary piety, the pastor should frequently remind the
faithful, both publicly and privately, that no one is gifted with so tenacious
a memory as to be able to recollect all his thoughts, words and actions; that
the faithful, therefore, should they call to mind some sin which they had
previously forgotten, should not be deterred from returning to the priest.
These and many other matters of the same nature demand the attention of priests
in confession.
The Third Part of Penance
Satisfaction
Let us now come to the third part of Penance,
which is called satisfaction. We shall begin by explaining its nature and
efficacy, because the enemies of the Catholic Church have on these subjects
taken ample occasion to sow discord and division, to the serious detriment of
Christians.
General Meaning Of The Word
"Satisfaction,"
Satisfaction is the full payment of a debt;
for that is sufficient or satisfactory to which nothing is wanting. Hence, when
we speak of reconciliation to favour, to satisfy means to do what is sufficient
to atone to the angered mind for an injury offered; and in this sense
satisfaction is nothing more than compensation for an injury done to another.
But, to come to the object that now engages us, theologians make use of the
word satisfaction to signify the compensation man makes, by offering to God
some reparation for the sins he has committed.
Various Kinds Of Satisfaction To God
This sort of satisfaction, since it has
several degrees, can be understood in various senses.
The first and highest degree of satisfaction
is that by which whatever we owe to God on account of our sins is paid
abundantly, even though He should deal with us according to the strictest
rigour of His justice. This degree of satisfaction appeases God and renders Him
propitious to us; and it is a satisfaction for which we are indebted to Christ
our Lord alone, who paid the price of our sins on the cross, and offered to God
a superabundant satisfaction. No created being could have been of such worth as
to deliver us from so heavy a debt. He is the propitiation for our sins, says
St. John, and not for ours only but also for those of the whole world. This
satisfaction, therefore, is full and superabundant, perfectly adequate to the
debt of all sins committed in this world. It gives to man's actions great worth
before God, and without it they would be deserving of no esteem whatever. This
David seems to have had in view when, having asked himself, what shall I render
to the -Lord, for all the things that he hath rendered to me? and finding
nothing besides this satisfaction, which he expressed by the word chalice, a
worthy return for so many and such great favours, he replied: I will take the
chalice of salvation, and I will call upon the name of the Lord.
There is another kind of satisfaction, which
is called canonical, and is performed within a certain fixed period of time.
Hence, according to the most ancient practice of the Church, when penitents are
absolved from their sins, some penance is imposed, the performance of which is
commonly called satisfaction.
By the same name is called any sort of
punishment endured for sin, although not imposed by the priest, but spontaneously
undertaken and performed by ourselves.
Elements Of Sacramental Satisfaction
This, however, does not belong to Penance as
a Sacrament. Only that satisfaction constitutes part of the Sacrament which, as
we have already said, is offered to God for sins at the command of the priest.
Furthermore, it must be accompanied by a deliberate and firm purpose carefully
to avoid sin for the future.
For to satisfy, as some define it, is to pay
due honour to God: and this, it is evident, no person can do, who is not
entirely resolved to avoid sin. Again, to satisfy is to cut off all occasions
of sin, and to close every avenue against its suggestions. In accordance with
this idea of satisfaction some have defined it as a cleansing, which effaces
whatever defilement may remain in the soul from the stains of sin, and which
exempts us from the temporal chastisements due to sin.
Necessity Of Satisfaction
Such being the nature of satisfaction, it
will not be difficult to convince the faithful of the necessity imposed on the
penitent of performing works of satisfaction. They are to be taught that sin
carries in its train two evils, the stain and the punishment. Whenever the
stain is effaced, the punishment of eternal death is forgiven with the guilt to
which it was due; yet, as the Council of Trent declares, the remains of sin and
the temporal punishment are not always remitted.
Of this the Scriptures afford many
conspicuous examples, such as are found in the third chapter of Genesis, in the
twelfth and twenty-second of Numbers, and in many other places. That of David,
however, is the best known and most striking. Although the Prophet Nathan had
announced to him: The Lord also hath taken a-way thy sin, thou shalt not , yet
David voluntarily subjected himself to the most severe penance, imploring night
and day the mercy of God in these words: Wash me yet more from my iniquity, and
cleanse me from my sin; for I know my iniquity, and my sin is always before me.
Thus did he beseech the Lord to pardon not only the crime, but also the
punishment due to it, and to restore him, cleansed from the remains of sin, to
his former state of purity and integrity. This he besought with most earnest
supplications, and yet the Lord punished his transgression with the loss of his
adulterous offspring, the rebellion and death of his beloved son Absalom, and
with the other chastisements and calamities with which he had previously
threatened him.
In Exodus, too, we read that though the Lord
yielded to the prayers of Moses and spared the idolatrous Israelites, yet He
threatened the enormity of their crime with heavy chastisement, and Moses
himself declared that the Lord would take severest vengeance on it, even to the
third and fourth generations.
That such was at all times the doctrine of
the holy Fathers in the Catholic Church, their own testimony most clearly
proves.
Advantages of Satisfaction
It Is Required By God’s Justice And Mercy
Why in the Sacrament of Penance, as in that
of Baptism, the punishment due to sin is not entirely remitted is admirably
explained in these words of the Council of Trent: Divine justice seems to
require that they who through ignorance sinned before Baptism, should recover
the friendship of God in a different manner from those who, after they have
been freed from the thraldom, of sin and the devil and have received the gifts
of the Holy Ghost, dread not knowingly to violate the temple of God and grieve
the Holy Spirit. It is also in keeping with the divine mercy not to remit our
sins without any satisfaction, lest, taking occasion hence, and imagining our
sins less grievous than they are, we should become injurious, as it were, and
contumelious to the Holy Ghost, and should fall into greater enormities,
treasuring up to ourselves wrath against the day of wrath. These satisfactory
penances have, no doubt, great influence in recalling from and, as it were,
bridling against sin, and in rendering the sinner more vigilant and cautious
for the future.
Satisfaction Atones To The Church
Furthermore (these satisfactions) serve as
testimonies of our sorrow for sin committed, and thus atone to the Church which
is grievously insulted by our crimes. God, says St. Augustine, despises not a
contrite and humble heart; but, as heartfelt grief is generally concealed from
others, and is not manifested by words or other signs, wisely, therefore, are
penitential times appointed by those who preside over the Church, in order to
atone to the Church, in which sins are forgiven.
Satisfaction Deters Others From Sin
Besides, the example presented by our
penitential practices serves as a lesson to others, how to regulate their lives
and practice piety. Seeing the punishments inflicted on sin, they must feel the
necessity of using the greatest circumspection through life, and of correcting
their former habits.
The Church, therefore, with great wisdom
ordained that when anyone had committed a public crime, a public penance should
be imposed on him, in order that others, being deterred by fear, might more
carefully avoid sin in future. This has sometimes been observed even with
regard to secret sins of more than usual gravity.
But with regard to public sinners, as we have
already said, they were never absolved until they had performed public penance.
During the performance of this penance, the pastors poured out prayers to God
for their salvation, and ceased not to exhort the penitents to do the same. In
this respect, great was the care and solicitude of St. Ambrose, of whom it is
related that many who came to the tribunal of Penance with hardened hearts were
so softened by his tears as to conceive the sorrow of true contrition. But in
process of time the severity of ancient discipline was so relaxed and charity
grew so cold, that in our days many of the faithful think inward sorrow of soul
and grief of heart unnecessary for obtaining pardon, imagining that a mere
appearance of sorrow is sufficient.
By Satisfaction We Are Made Like Unto
Christ
Again, by undergoing these penances we are
made like unto Jesus Christ our Head, inasmuch as He Himself suffered and was
tempted. As St. Bernard observes, nothing can appear so unseemly as a delicate
member under a head crowned with thorns. To use the words of the Apostle: We
are joint-heirs with Christ, yet so if we suffer with him; and again, If we be
dead with him, we shall live also with him; if we suffer, we shall also reign
with him.
Satisfaction Heals The Wounds Of Sin
St. Bernard also observes that sin produces
two effects: a stain on the soul and a wound; that the stain is removed through
the mercy of God, while to heal the wound inflicted by sin the remedy of
penance is most necessary. When a wound has been healed, some scars remain
which demand attention; likewise, with regard to the soul, after the guilt of
sin is forgiven, some of its effects remain, from which the soul requires to be
cleansed.
St. Chrysostom fully confirms the same
doctrine when he says: It is not enough that the arrow has been extracted from
the body; the wound which it inflicted must also be healed. So with regard to
the soul, it is not enough that sin has been pardoned; the wound which it has
left must also be healed by penance.
St. Augustine also frequently teaches that
penance exhibits at once the mercy and the justice of God, -- His mercy by
which He pardons sin and the eternal punishment due to sin; His justice by
which He exacts temporary punishment from the sinner.
Satisfaction Disarms The Divine Vengeance
Finally, the punishment which the sinner
endures disarms the vengeance of God and averts the punishments decreed against
us. Thus the Apostle says: If we would judge ourselves, we should not be
judged; but whilst we are judged, we are chastised by the Lord, that we be not
condemned with this world. If all this is explained to the faithful, it must
have great influence in exciting them to perform works of penance.
Source of the Efficacy of Satisfactory
Works
Of the great efficacy of penance we may form
some idea, if we reflect that it arises entirely from the merits of the Passion
of Christ our Lord. It is His Passion that imparts to our good actions two
greatest advantages: the first, that we may merit the rewards of eternal glory,
so that a cup of cold water given in His name shall not be without its reward;
the second, that we may be able to satisfy for our sins.
Nor does this lessen the most perfect and
superabundant satisfaction of Christ our Lord, but, on the contrary, renders it
still more conspicuous and illustrious. For the grace of Christ is seen to
abound more, inasmuch as it communicates to us not only what He merited and
paid of Himself alone, but also what, as Head, He merited and paid in His
members, that is, in holy and just men. Hence it can be seen how such great
weight and dignity belong to the good actions of the pious. For Christ our Lord
continually infuses His grace into the devout soul united to Him by charity, as
the head to the members, or as the vine through the branches. This grace always
precedes, accompanies and follows our good works, and without it we can have no
merit, nor can we at all satisfy God.
Hence it is that nothing seems wanting to the
just. Through their works done by the power of God, they are able, on the one
hand, to satisfy God's law, as far as their human and mortal condition will
allow; and, on the other hand, they can merit eternal life, to the fruition of
which they will be admitted if they die in the state of God's grace. Well known
are the words of the Saviour: He that shall drink of the water that I will give
him shall not thirst for ever; but the water that I will give him shall become
in him a fountain of water, springing up into life everlasting.
Conditions for Satisfaction
In satisfaction two things are particularly
required: the one, that he who satisfies be in a state of grace, the friend of
God, since works done without faith and charity cannot be acceptable to God;
the other, that the works performed be such as are of their own nature painful
or laborious. They are a compensation for past sins, and, to use the words of
the holy martyr Cyprian, the redeemers, as it were, of past sins, and must,
therefore, in some way be disagreeable.
It does not, however, always follow that they
are painful or laborious to those who undergo them. The influence of habit, or
the intensity of divine love, frequently renders the soul insensible to things
the most difficult. Such works, however, do not therefore cease to be
satisfactory. It is the privilege of the children of God to be so inflamed with
His love, that while undergoing the most cruel tortures, they are either almost
insensible to them, or bear them all with the greatest joy.
Works Of Satisfaction Are Of Three Kinds
Pastors should teach that all kinds of
satisfaction are reducible to three heads: prayer, fasting and almsdeeds, which
correspond to three kinds of goods which we have received from God, those of
the soul, those of the body and what are called external goods.
Nothing can be more effectual in uprooting
all sin from the soul than these three kinds of satisfaction. For since
whatever is in the world is the concupiscence of the flesh, the concupiscence
of the eyes, and the pride of life, everyone can see that to these three causes
of disease are opposed also three remedies. To the first is opposed fasting; to
the second, almsdeeds; to the third, prayer.
Moreover, if we consider those whom our sins
injure, we shall easily perceive why all kinds of satisfaction are reduced
especially to these three. For those (we offend by our sins) are: God, our
neighbour and ourselves. God we appease by prayer, our neighbour we satisfy by
alms, and ourselves we chastise by fasting.
As this life is chequered by many and various
afflictions, the faithful are to be particularly reminded that those who
patiently bear all the trials and afflictions coming from the hand of God
acquire abundant satisfaction and merit; whereas those who suffer with
reluctance and impatience deprive themselves of all the fruits of satisfaction,
merely enduring the punishment which the just judgment of God inflicts upon
their sins.
One Can Satisfy For Another
In this the supreme mercy and goodness of God
deserve our grateful acknowledgment and praise, that He has granted to our
frailty the privilege that one may satisfy for another. This, however, is a
privilege which is confined to the satisfactory part of Penance alone. As
regards contrition and confession, no one is able to be contrite for another;
but those who are in the state of grace may pay for others what is due to God,
and thus we may be said in some measure to bear each other's burdens.
This is a doctrine on which the faithful
cannot for a moment entertain a doubt, since we profess in the Apostle's Creed
our belief in the Communion of Saints. For since we are all reborn to Christ in
the same cleansing waters of Baptism and are partakers of the same Sacraments,
and, above all, are nourished with the same body and blood of Christ our Lord,
as our food and drink, we are all, it is manifest, members of the same body. As
then the foot does not perform its functions solely for itself, but also for
the sake of the eyes, and as the eyes see not only for their own sake, but for
the general good of all the members, so also works of satisfaction must be
considered common to us all.
This, however, is not true in reference to
all the advantages to be derived from satisfaction. For works of satisfaction
are also medicinal, and are so many remedies prescribed to the penitent to heal
the depraved affections of the soul. It is clear that those who do not satisfy
for themselves can have no share in this fruit of penance.
These three parts of Penance, contrition,
confession and satisfaction, should be fully and clearly explained.
Duties of the Confessor as Regards
Satisfaction
Restitution Must Be Insisted On
Above all, priests should be very careful not
to give absolution to any penitent, whose confession they have heard, without
obliging him to make full satisfaction for any injury to his neighbour’s goods
or character for which he seems responsible. No person is to be absolved until
he has first faithfully promised to restore all that belongs to others.
But as there are many who readily promise to
comply with their duty in this respect, yet are deliberately determined never
to fulfil their promises, these persons should be obliged to make restitution,
and the words of the Apostle are to be frequently pressed upon their minds: He
that stole, let him now steal no more; but rather let him labour, working with
his hands the thing which is good, that he may have something to give to him
that suffereth need.
Quantity And Quality Of Penances Should Be
Reasonable
In imposing penance priests should do nothing
arbitrarily, but should be guided solely by justice, prudence and piety. In
order to show that they follow this rule, and also to impress more deeply on
the mind of the penitent the enormity of his sin, it will be useful sometimes
to remind him of the severe punishments inflicted by the ancient penitential
canons, as they are called, for certain sins. The nature of the sin, therefore,
will regulate the extent of the satisfaction.
No satisfaction can be more salutary than to
require of the penitent to devote, for a certain number of days, some time to
prayer, not omitting to pray to God in behalf of all mankind, and particularly
for those who have departed this life in the Lord.
Voluntary Works Of Penance Should Be
Recommended
Penitents should also be exhorted to
undertake of their own accord the frequent performance of the penances imposed
by the confessor, and thus so to conduct their lives that, having faithfully
complied with everything which the Sacrament of Penance demands, they may never
cease earnestly to practice the virtue of penance.
PUBLIC PENANCES SHOULD SOMETIMES BE GIVEN
Should it be deemed proper sometimes to visit
public crimes with public penance, and should the penitent express great
reluctance of seek to escape from its performance, he should not be listened to
too readily, but should be persuaded to embrace with cheerfulness and readiness
that which will be salutary to himself and to others.
Admonition
These things concerning the Sacrament of
Penance and its several parts should be taught in such a manner as to enable
the faithful not only to understand them perfectly, but also, with the Lord's
help, to resolve to put them in practice piously and religiously.
THE SACRAMENT OF EXTREME UNCTION
Importance Of Instruction On Extreme
Unction
In all thy works, the Scriptures teach,
remember thy last end, and thou shalt never sin, words which convey to the
pastor a silent admonition to omit no opportunity of exhorting the faithful to
constant meditation on death. The Sacrament of Extreme Unction, because
inseparably associated with recollection of the day of death, should, it is
obvious, form a subject of frequent instruction, not only because it is right
to explain the mysteries of salvation, but also because death, the inevitable
doom of all men, when recalled to the minds of the faithful, represses depraved
passion. Thus shall they be less disturbed by the approach of death, and will
pour forth their gratitude in endless praises to God, who has not only opened
to us the way to true life in the Sacrament of Baptism, but has also instituted
that of Extreme Unction, to afford us, when departing this mortal life, an
easier way to heaven.
Names of this Sacrament
In explaining what is more necessary on this
subject we shall follow almost the same order observed in the exposition of the
other Sacraments. Hence we shall first show that this Sacrament is called
Extreme Unction, because among all the unctions prescribed by our Lord to His
Church, this is the last to be administered.
For this reason it was also called by our
predecessors in the faith, the Sacrament of the anointing of the sick, and also
the Sacrament of the dying, names which easily turn the minds of the faithful
to the remembrance of that last hour.
Extreme Unction Is a True Sacrament
That Extreme Unction is strictly speaking a
Sacrament, is first to be explained; and this the words of St. James the
Apostle, promulgating the law of this Sacrament, clearly establish. Is any man,
he says, sick amongst you ? Let him bring in the priests of the church, and let
them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the
prayer of faith shall save the sick man; and the Lord shall raise him up; and
if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him. When the Apostle says that sins
are forgiven, he ascribes to Extreme Unction the nature and efficacy of a
Sacrament.
That such has been at all times the doctrine
of the Catholic Church on Extreme Unction, many Councils testify, and the
Council of Trent denounces anathema against all who presume to teach or think
otherwise. Innocent I also recommends this Sacrament with great earnestness to
the attention of the faithful.
Extreme Unction Is But One Sacrament
Pastors, therefore, should teach that Extreme
Unction is a true Sacrament, and that, although administered with many
anointings, each given with a peculiar prayer, and under a peculiar form, it
constitutes not many, but one Sacrament. It is one, however, not in the sense
that it is composed of inseparable parts, but because each of the parts
contributes to its perfection, as is the case with every object composed of
many parts. As a house which consists of a great variety of parts derives its
perfection from unity of plan, so is this Sacrament, although composed of many
and different things and words, but one sign, and it effects only that one
thing of which it is the sign.
Essential Parts of Extreme Unction
Pastors should also teach what are the
component parts of this Sacrament, its matter and form. These St. James does
not omit, and each is replete with its own peculiar mysteries.
The Matter Of Extreme Unction
Its element, then, or matter, as defined by
Councils, particularly by the Council of Trent, consists of oil consecrated by
the Bishop. Not any kind of oil extracted from fatty or greasy substances, but
olive oil alone (can be the matter of this Sacrament).
Thus its matter is most significant of what
is inwardly effected in the soul by the Sacrament. Oil is very efficacious in
soothing bodily pain, and the power of this Sacrament lessens the pain and
anguish of the soul. Oil also restores health, brings joy, feeds light, and is
very efficacious in refreshing bodily fatigue. All these effects signify what
the divine power accomplishes in the sick man through the administration of this
Sacrament. So much will suffice in explanation of the matter.
The Form Of Extreme Unction
The form of the Sacrament is the word and
solemn prayer which the priest uses at each anointing: By this Holy Unction may
God pardon thee whatever sins thou hast committed by the evil use of sight,
smell or touch.
That this is the true form of this Sacrament
we learn from these words of St. James: Let them pray over him . . . and the
prayer of faith shall save the sick man. Hence we can see that the form is to
be applied by way of prayer. The Apostle does not say of what particular words
that prayer is to consist; but this form has been handed down to us by the
faithful tradition of the Fathers, so that all the Churches retain the form
observed by the Church of Rome, the mother and mistress of all Churches. Some,
it is true, alter a few words, as when for God pardon thee, they say (God)
remit, or (God) spare, and sometimes, May (God) remedy all the evil thou hast
committed. But as there is no change of meaning, it is clear that all
religiously observe the same form.
It should not excite surprise that, while the
form of each of the other Sacraments either absolutely signifies what it
expresses, such as I baptise thee, or I Sign thee with the sign of the cross,
or is pronounced, as it were, by way of command, as in administering Holy
Orders, Receive power, the form of Extreme Unction alone is expressed by way of
prayer. Wisely has it been so appointed. For since this Sacrament is
administered not only for the spiritual grace which it bestows, but also for
the recovery of health, which, however, is not always obtained, therefore use a
deprecative form, in order to implore of God's mercy what the virtue of the
Sacrament does not always and uniformly effect.
The Ceremonies Of Extreme Unction
In the administration of this Sacrament
special rites are also used, consisting principally of prayers offered by the
priest for the recovery of the sick person. There is no Sacrament, the
administration of which is accompanied with more numerous prayers; and with
good reason, for at that moment more than ever the faithful require the
assistance of pious prayers. All who may be present, and especially the pastor,
should pour out their fervent aspirations to God, and earnestly commend to His
mercy the life and salvation of the sufferer.
Institution of Extreme Unction
Having thus proved that Extreme Unction is
truly and properly to be numbered among the Sacraments, we rightly infer that
it owes its institution to Christ our Lord. It was subsequently made known and
promulgated to the faithful by the Apostle St. James.
Our Saviour Himself, however, seems to have
given some indication of it, when He sent His disciples two and two before Him;
for the Evangelist informs us that going forth, they preached that all should
do penance; and they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many who were
sick, and healed them.
This anointing cannot be supposed to have
been invented by the Apostles, but was commanded by our Lord. Nor did its power
arise from any natural virtue. Its efficacy, we must believe, was mystical,
having been instituted to heal the maladies of the soul, rather than to cure
the diseases of the body. This is the doctrine taught by St. Denis, St.
Ambrose, St. Chrysostom and St. Gregory the Great; so that it cannot be at all
doubted that Extreme Unction is to be recognised and venerated as one of the
seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church.
The Subject of Extreme Unction
But although instituted for the use of all,
Extreme Unction is not lo be administered indiscriminately to all.
The Subject Must Be In Danger Of Death
In the first place, it is not to be
administered to persons in sound health, according to these words of St. James:
Is anyone sick amongst you? This is also proved by the fact that Extreme
Unction was instituted as a remedy not only for the diseases of the soul, but
also for those of the body. Now only the sick need a remedy, and therefore this
Sacrament is to be administered to those only whose malady is such as to excite
apprehensions of approaching death.
It is, however, a very grievous sin to defer
the Holy Unction until, all hope of recovery being lost, life begins to ebb,
and the sick person is fast verging into a state of insensibility. It is obvious
that if the Sacrament is administered while consciousness and reason are yet
unimpaired, and the mind is capable of eliciting acts of faith and of directing
the will to sentiments of piety, a more abundant participation of its graces
must be received. Though this heavenly medicine is in itself always salutary,
pastors should be careful to apply it when its efficacy can be aided by the
piety and devotion of the sick person.
The Danger Must Arise From Sickness
Extreme Unction, then, can be administered to
no one who is not dangerously sick; not even to those who are in danger of
death, as when they undertake a perilous voyage, or enter into battle with the
sure prospect of death, or have been condemned to death and are on the way to
execution.
The Person Anointed Must Have Attained The
Use Of Reason
Furthermore, all those who have not the use
of reason are not fit subjects for this Sacrament; and likewise children who,
having committed no sins, do not need the Sacrament as a remedy against the
remains of sin. The same is true of idiots and insane persons, unless they give
indications in their lucid intervals of a disposition to piety, and express a
desire to be anointed. To persons who from their birth never enjoyed the use of
reason this Sacrament is not to be administered; but if a sick person, while in
the possession of his faculties, expresses a wish to receive Extreme Unction
and afterwards becomes delirious he is to be anointed.
Administration of Extreme Unction
The Sacred Unction is to be applied not to
the entire body, but to the organs of sense only, -- to the eyes, on account of
sight; to the ears, on account of hearing; to the nostrils, on account of
smell; to the mouth, on account of taste and speech; to the hands, on account
of touch. The sense of touch, it is true, is diffused throughout the entire
body, yet it is more developed in the hands.
This manner of administering Extreme Unction
is observed throughout the universal Church, and is in keeping with the
medicinal nature of the Sacrament. As in corporal disease, although the malady
affects the entire body, yet the cure is applied to that part only which is the
seat and origin of the disease; so likewise this Sacrament is applied not to
the entire body, but to those members in which the power of sensation is most
conspicuous, and also to the loins, which are, as it were, the seat of
concupiscence, and to the feet, by which we move from one place to another.
Here it is to be observed that, during the
same illness, and while the danger of dying continues the same, the sick person
is to be anointed but once. Should he, however, recover after he has been
anointed, he may receive the aid of this Sacrament as often as he shall have
relapsed into the same danger of death. This Sacrament, therefore, is evidently
to be numbered among those which may be repeated.
Dispositions for the Reception of Extreme
Unction
As all care should be taken that nothing
impede the. grace of the Sacrament, and as nothing is more opposed to it than
the consciousness of mortal guilt, the constant practice of the Catholic Church
must be observed of administering the Sacrament of Penance and the Eucharist
before Extreme Unction.
And next, let parish priests strive to
persuade the sick person to receive this Sacrament from the priest with the
same faith with which those of old who were to be healed by the Apostles used
to present themselves. But the salvation of his soul is to be the first object
of the sick man's wishes, and after that the health of the body, with this
qualification, if it be for the good of his soul.
Nor should the faithful doubt that those holy
and solemn prayers which are used by the priest, not in his own person, but in
that of the Church and of our Lord Jesus Christ, are heard by God; and they are
most particularly to be exhorted on this one point, to take care that the
Sacrament of this most salutary oil be administered to them holily and
religiously, when the sharper conflict seems at hand, and the energies of the
mind as well as of the body appear to be failing.
The Minister of Extreme Unction
Who the minister of Extreme Unction is we
learn from the same Apostle that promulgated the law of the Lord; for he says:
Let him bring in the priests (presbyters). By which name, as the Council of
Trent has well explained, he does not mean persons advanced in years, or of
chief authority among the people, but priests who have been duly ordained by
Bishops with the imposition of hands.
To the priest, therefore, has been committed
the administration of this Sacrament; not, however, to every priest, as holy
Church has decreed, but to the proper pastor who has jurisdiction, or to
another authorised by him to discharge this office.
In this, however, as also in the
administration of the other Sacraments, it is to be most distinctly remembered
that the priest is the representative of Christ our Lord, and of His spouse,
holy Church.
The Effects of Extreme Unction
The advantages we receive from this Sacrament
are also to be accurately explained, so that if nothing else can allure the
faithful to its reception, they may be induced at least by its utility; for we
are naturally disposed to measure almost all things by our interests.
Pastors, therefore, should teach that by this
Sacrament is imparted grace that remits sins, and especially lighter, or as
they are commonly called, venial sins; for mortal sins are removed by the
Sacrament of Penance. Extreme Unction was not instituted primarily for the
remission of grave offences; only Baptism and Penance accomplish this directly.
Another advantage of the Sacred Unction is
that it liberates the soul from the languor and infirmity which it contracted
from sins, and from all the other remains of sin. The time most opportune for
this cure is when we are afflicted with severe illness and danger to life
impends, for it has been implanted in man by nature to dread no human
visitation so much as death. This dread is greatly augmented by the
recollection of our past sins, especially if our conscience accuses us of grave
offences; for it is written: They shall come with fear at the thought of their
sins, and their iniquities shall stand against them to convict them. Another
source of vehement anguish is the anxious thought that we must soon afterwards
stand before the judgment seat of God, who will pass on us a sentence of
strictest justice according to our deserts. It often happens that, struck with
this terror, the faithful feel themselves deeply agitated; and nothing conduces
more to a tranquil death than to banish sadness, await with a joyous mind the
coming of our Lord, and be ready willingly to surrender the deposit entrusted
whenever it shall be His will to demand it back. To free the minds of the
faithful from this solicitude, and fill the soul with pious and holy joy is,
then, an effect of the Sacrament of Extreme Unction.
From it, moreover, we derive another
advantage, which may justly be deemed the greatest of all. For although the
enemy of the human race never ceases, while we live, to meditate our ruin and
destruction, yet at no time does he more violently use every effort utterly to
destroy us, and, if possible, deprive us of all hope of the divine mercy, than
when he sees the last day of life approach. Therefore arms and strength are
supplied to the faithful in this Sacrament to enable them to break the violence
and impetuosity of the adversary, and to fight bravely against him; for the
soul of the sick is relieved and encouraged by the hope of the divine goodness,
strengthened by which it bears more lightly ail the burdens of sickness, and
eludes with greater ease the artifice and cunning of the devil who lies in wait
for it.
Finally, the recovery of health, if indeed
advantageous, is another effect of this Sacrament. And if in our days the sick
obtain this effect less frequently, this is to be attributed, not to any defect
of the Sacrament, but rather to the weaker faith of a great part of those who
are anointed with the sacred oil, or by whom it is administered; for the
Evangelist bears witness that the Lord wrought not many miracles among His own,
because of their unbelief.
It may also be truly said at the Christian
religion, since it has struck its roots more deeply in the minds of men, stands
now less in need of the aids of such miracles than it did formerly, at the
commencement of the rising Church. Nevertheless, faith should be strongly
excited in this respect, and whatever it may please God in His wisdom to do
with regard to the health of the body, the faithful ought to rely on a sure
hope of attaining, by virtue of this sacred oil, health of the soul, and of
experiencing, should the hour of their departure from life be at hand, the
fruit of that glorious assurance: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.
Admonition
We have thus explained briefly the Sacrament
of Extreme Unction. But if these points are developed by the pastor at greater
length and with the care the subject demands, it is not to be doubted that the
faithful will derive very great fruit of piety from his instruction.
THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY ORDERS
Importance Of Instruction On This
Sacrament
If one attentively considers the nature and
essence of the other Sacraments, it will readily be seen that they all depend
on the Sacrament of Orders to such an extent that without it some of them could
not be constituted or administered at all; while others would be deprived of
all their solemn ceremonies, as well as of a certain part of the religious
respect and exterior honour accorded to them. Wherefore in continuing the
exposition of the doctrine of the Sacraments, it will be necessary for pastors
to bear in mind that it is their duty to explain with even special care the
Sacrament of Orders.
This explanation will be highly advantageous.
First of all to the pastor himself, then to all those who have entered on the
ecclesiastical state, and finally to the people in general. To the pastor
himself, because by treating of this subject he himself will be more deeply
moved to stir up within him the grace he has received in this Sacrament; to
those who have been called to the portion of the Lord, partly by animating them
with a like spirit of piety, and partly by affording them an opportunity of
acquiring a knowledge of such things as will enable them all the more easily to
advance to higher orders; to the rest of the faithful, first, because it
enables them to understand the respect due to the Church's ministers, and
secondly, because as it often happens that many may be present who have
destined their children, while yet young, for the Church's service, or who
desire to embrace that life themselves, it is far from right that such persons
should be unacquainted with the principal truths regarding this particular
state.
Dignity of this Sacrament
In the first place, then, the faithful should
be shown how great is the dignity and excellence of this Sacrament considered
in its highest degree, the priesthood.
Bishops and priests being, as they are, God's
interpreters and ambassadors, empowered in His name to teach mankind the divine
law and the rules of conduct, and holding, as they do, His place on earth, it
is evident that no nobler function than theirs can be imagined. Justly,
therefore, are they called not only Angels, but even gods, because of the fact
that they exercise in our midst the power and prerogatives of the immortal God.
In all ages, priests have been held in the
highest honour; yet the priests of the New Testament far exceed all others. For
the power of consecrating and offering the body and blood of our Lord and of
forgiving sins, which has been conferred on them, not only has nothing equal or
like to it on earth, but even surpasses human reason and understanding.
And as our Saviour was sent by His Father,
and as the Apostles and disciples were sent into the whole world by Christ our
Lord, so priests are daily sent with the same powers, for the perfecting of the
saints, for the work of the ministry, and the edifying of the body of Christ.
Requirements in Candidates for Orders
Holiness, Knowledge, Prudence
The burden of this great office, therefore,
should not be rashly imposed on anyone, but is to be conferred on those only
who by their holiness of life, their knowledge, faith and prudence, are able to
bear it.
Divine Call
Let no one take the honour to himself, but he
that is called by God as Aaron was; and they are called by God who are
called by the lawful ministers of His Church.
It is to those who arrogantly intrude themselves into this ministry that the
Lord must be understood to refer when He says: I did not send prophets, yet
they ran. Nothing can be more unhappy and wretched than such a class of men as
this, and nothing more calamitous to the Church of God.
Right Intention
In every action we undertake it is of the
highest importance to have a good motive in view, for if the motive is good,
the rest proceeds harmoniously. The candidate for Holy Orders, therefore,
should first of all be admonished to entertain no purpose unworthy of so
exalted an office.
This subject demands all the greater
attention, since in these days the faithful often sin gravely in this respect.
Some there are who embrace this state to secure the necessaries of life, and
who, consequently, seek in the priesthood, just as other men do in the lowest
walks of life, nothing more or less than gain. Though both the natural and
divine law lay down, as the Apostle remarks, that he who serves the altar
should live by the altar; yet to approach the altar for the sake of gain and
money is one of the very gravest of sacrileges.
Some are attracted to the priesthood by
ambition and love of honours; while there are others who desire to be ordained
simply in order that they may abound in riches, as is proved by the fact that
unless some wealthy benefice were conferred on them, they would not dream of
receiving Holy Orders. It is such as these that our Saviour describes as
hirelings, who, in the words of Ezechiel, feed themselves and not the sheep,
and whose baseness and dishonesty have not only brought great disgrace on the
ecclesiastical state, so much so that hardly anything is now more vile and
contemptible in the eyes of the faithful, but also end in this, that they
derive no other fruit from their priesthood than was derived by Judas from the
Apostleship, which only brought him everlasting destruction.
But they, on the other hand, who are lawfully
called by God, and who undertake the ecclesiastical state with the single
motive of promoting the honour of God, are truly said to enter the Church by
the door.
This, however, must not be understood as if
the same law did not bind all men equally. Men have been created to honour God,
and this the faithful in particular, who have obtained the grace of Baptism,
should do with their whole heart, their whole soul, and with all their
strength.
But those who desire to receive the Sacrament
of Orders, should aim not only at seeking the glory of God in all things-an
obligation admittedly common to all men, and particularly to the faithful --
but also to serve Him in holiness and justice in whatever sphere of His
ministry they may be placed. Just as in the army all the soldiers obey the
general's orders, though they all have not the same functions to discharge, one
being a centurion, another a prefect, so in like manner, though all the
faithful should diligently practice piety and innocence, which are the chief
means of honouring God, yet they who are in Holy Otters have certain special
duties and functions to discharge in the Church. Thus they offer Sacrifice for
themselves and for all the people; they explain God's law and exhort and form
the faithful to observe it promptly and cheerfully; they administer the
Sacraments of Christ our Lord by means of which all grace is conferred and
increased; and, in a word, they are separated from the rest of the people to
fill by far the greatest and noblest of all ministries.
The Twofold Power Conferred by this
Sacrament
Having explained all this, the pastor should
now turn his attention to the special properties of this Sacrament, so that the
faithful who desire to enter into the ecclesiastical state may understand the
nature of the office to which they are called and the extent of the power
bestowed by God on the Church and her ministers.
This power is twofold: the powers of orders
and the power of jurisdiction. The power of orders has for its object the real
body of Christ our Lord in the Blessed Eucharist. The power of jurisdiction
refers altogether to the mystical body of (Christ. The scope of this power is
to govern and rule the Christian people, and lead them to the unending bliss of
heaven.
The Power Of Orders
The power of orders not only embraces the
power of consecrating the Eucharist, but also fits and prepares the souls of
men for its reception. It also embraces all else that can have any reference to
the Eucharist. Regarding this power numerous passages of Sacred Scripture may
be adduced; but the weightiest and most striking are those which are read in
St. John and St. Matthew: As the Father, says our Lord, hath sent me I also
send you. .... Receive ye the Holy Ghost; whose sins you shall forgive they are
forgiven them, and whose sins you shall retain they are retained; and: Amen, I
say to you, whatsoever you shall bind upon earth shall be bound also in heaven;
and whatsoever you shall loose upon earth shall be loosed a also in heaven.
These texts, when expounded by pastors, in accordance with the teaching and
authority of the Fathers, will throw great light on this truth.
Greatness Of This Power
This power far excels that given under the
law of nature to certain ones who had charge of sacred things. The period
previous to the written law must have had its priesthood and its spiritual
power, since it is certain that it had its law; for these two, as the Apostle
testifies, are so closely connected that if the priesthood is transferred, the
law must necessarily be transferred also. Guided, therefore, by a natural
instinct, men recognised that God is to be worshipped; and hence it follows
that in every nation some, whose power might in a certain sense be called
spiritual, were given the care of sacred things and of divine worship.
This power was also possessed by the Jews;
but though it was superior in dignity to that with which priests were invested
under the law of nature, yet it must be regarded as far inferior to the
spiritual power that is found in the New Law. For the latter is heavenly, and
surpasses all the power of Angels; it is derived not from the Mosaic
priesthood, but from Christ our Lord who was a priest, not according to the
order of Aaron, but according to the order of Melchisedech. For He it is who,
Himself endowed with the supreme power of granting grace and remitting sins,
left to His Church this power, although He limited it in extent and attached it
to the Sacraments.
Names of this Sacrament
Hence to exercise this power certain
ministers are appointed and solemnly consecrated, which consecration is called
the Sacrament of Orders, or Sacred Ordination. The Fathers used this word,
which in itself has a most extensive signification, to show the dignity and
excellence of God's ministers.
In fact, order, when understood in its strict
meaning and acceptation, is the arrangement of superior and inferior things so
disposed as to stand in mutual relation towards each other. Now as in this
ministry there are many grades and various functions, and as all these are
disposed and arranged according to a definite plan, the name Order has been well
and properly applied to it.
Holy Orders Is a Sacrament
That Sacred Ordination is to be numbered
among the Sacraments of the Church, the Council of Trent has established by the
same line of reasoning as we have already used several times. Since a Sacrament
is a sign of a sacred thing, and since the outward action in this consecration
denotes the grace and power bestowed on him who is consecrated, it becomes
clearly evident that Order must be truly and properly regarded as a Sacrament.
Thus the Bishop, handing to him who is being ordained a chalice with wine and
water, and a paten with bread, says: Receive the power of offering sacrifice,
etc. In these words, pronounced along with the application of the matter, the
Church has always taught that the power of consecrating the Eucharist is
conferred, and that a character is impressed on the soul which brings with it
grace necessary for the due and proper discharge of that office, as the Apostle
declares thus: I admonish thee that thou stir up the grace of God which is in
thee, by the imposition of my hands; for God hath not given us the spirit of
fear, but of power, and of love, and of sobriety.
Number of Orders
Now, to use the words of the holy Council:
The ministry of so sublime a priesthood being a thing all divine, it is but
befitting its worthier and more reverent exercise that in the Church's
well-ordered disposition there should be several different orders of ministers
destined to assist the priesthood by virtue of their office, -- orders arranged
in such a way that those who have already received clerical tonsure should be
raised, step by step, from the lower to the higher orders.
It should be taught, therefore, that these
orders are seven in number, and that this has been the constant teaching of the
Catholic Church. These orders are those of porter, lector, exorcist, acolyte,
subdeacon, deacon and priest.
That the number of ministers was wisely
established thus may be proved by considering the various offices that are
necessary for the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the
consecration and administration of the Blessed Eucharist, this being the
principal scope of their institution.
They are divided into major or sacred, and
minor orders. The major or sacred orders are priesthood, deaconship and
subdeaconship; while the minor orders are those of acolyte, exorcist, lector
and porter, concerning each of which we shall now say a few words so that the
pastor may be able to explain them to those especially whom he knows to be
about to receive any of the orders in question.
Tonsure
In the beginning should be explained first
tonsure, and it should be shown that this is a sort of preparation for the
reception of orders. As men are prepared for Baptism by exorcisms and for
Matrimony by engagement, so to those who dedicate themselves to God by tonsure
the way is opened that leads to the Sacrament of Orders; for by the cutting off
of hair is signified the character and disposition of him who desires to devote
himself to the sacred ministry.
The Name "Cleric"
Regarding the name cleric, which is then
given him for the first time, it is derived from the fact that he thereby
begins to take the Lord for his lot and inheritance, just as those, who among
the Jews were attached to the service of God, were forbidden by the Lord to
have any part of the ground that would be distributed in the land of promise: ,
he said, am thy portion and inheritance. And although these words are true of
all the faithful, yet it is certain that they apply in a special way to those
who consecrate themselves to the service of God.
Origin And Meaning Of Tonsure
The hair of the head is cut off in the form
of a crown. It should be always worn thus, and should be enlarged according as
one is advanced to higher orders.
The Church teaches that this usage is derived
from Apostolic origin, as mention is made of it by the most ancient and
authoritative Fathers, such as St. Denis the Areopagite, St. Augustine and St.
Jerome.
It is said that the Prince of the Apostles
first introduced this usage in memory of the crown of thorns which was put upon
our Saviour's head, so that the devices resorted to by the impious for the
ignominy and torture of Christ might be used by His Apostles a sign of honour
and glory, as well as to signify that the ministers of the Church should strive
to resemble Christ our Lord and represent Him in all things.
Some, however, assert that by tonsure is
denoted the royal dignity, that is, the portion reserved especially for those
who are called to the inheritance of the Lord. It will readily be seen that
what the Apostle Peter says of all the faithful: You are a chosen generation, a
kingly priesthood, a holy nation, applies especially and with much greater
reason to the ministers of the Church.
Still there are some who consider that by the
circle, which is the most perfect of all figures, is signified the profession
of a more perfect life undertaken by ecclesiastics; while in view of the fact
that the hair of their heads, which is a kind of bodily superfluity, is cut
off, others think that it denotes contempt for external things, and detachment
of soul from all human cares.
The Minor Orders
Porter
After tonsure it is customary to advance to
the first order, which is that of porter. The function (of porter) is to guard
the keys and doors of the church, and to allow no one to enter there to whom
access has been forbidden. Formerly the porter used to assist at the Holy
Sacrifice of the Mass, to see that no one approached too near the altar, or
disturbed the priest during the celebration of the divine mysteries. Other
duties were also assigned to him, as may be seen from the ceremonies used at
his ordination.
Thus the Bishop, taking the keys from the
altar, hands them to him who is being made porter, and says: Let your conduct
be that of one who has to render to God an account of those things that are
kept under these keys.
How great was the dignity of this order in
the ancient Church may be inferred from a usage which exists in the Church in
these times. For the office of treasurer, which is still numbered among the
more honourable functions of the Church, was entrusted to porters, and carried
with it also the guardianship of the sacristy.
Reader
The second degree of orders is the office of
reader, whose duty it is to read in the church in a clear and distinct voice
the books of the Old and of the New Testament, and especially those which are
read during the nocturnal psalmody. Formerly it was also his duty to teach the faithful
the first rudiments of the Christian religion.
Hence it is that when ordaining him, the
Bishop, in the presence of the people, handing him a book in which are set down
all that regards this office, says: Take, and be you an announcer of the word
of God; if you faithfully and profitably discharge your office, you shall have
a part with those who from the be- ginning have well ministered the word of
God.
Exorcist
The third order is that of exorcists, to whom
is given the power to invoke the name of the Lord over those who are possessed
by unclean spirits. Hence the Bishop when ordaining them presents to them a
book in which the exorcisms are contained, and at the same time pronounces this
form of words: Take, and commit to memory, and have the power of imposing hands
over the possessed, whether baptised or catechumen.
Acolyte
The fourth degree is that of acolytes, and it
is the last of the orders that are called minor and not sacred. Their duty is
to attend and serve the ministers who are in major orders, that is, the deacon
and subdeacon, in the Sacrifice of the altar. They also carry and attend to the
lights during the celebration of the Sacrifice of the Mass, and especially
during the reading of the Gospel, from which fact they are also called candle-bearers.
Therefore at the ordination of acolytes the
Bishop observes the following rite: First of all he carefully warns them of the
nature of their office; then hands to each of them a light, saying: Receive
this candlestick and candle, and remember that henceforth you are given the
charge of lighting the candles of the church, in the name of the Lord. Then he
hands them empty cruets in which are presented the wine and water for the
Sacrifice, saying: Receive these cruets to supply wine and water for t) c
Eucharist of Christ's blood, in the name of the Lord.
The Major Orders
Subdeacon
From the minor orders, which are not sacred,
and of which we have been speaking until now, one lawfully enters and ascends
to major and Sacred Orders.
Now the subdiaconate is the first degree of
(major orders). Its function, as the name itself indicates, is to serve the
deacon at the altar. It is the subdeacon who should prepare the altar linen,
the vessels and the bread and wine necessary for the celebration of the Holy
Sacrifice. He also it is who presents water to the Bishop or priest when he
washes his hands during the Sacrifice of the Mass. It is also the subdeacon who
now reads the Epistle which in former times was read at Mass by the deacon. He
assists as witness at the Holy Sacrifice, and guards the celebrant from being
disturbed by anyone during the sacred ceremonies.
The various duties that pertain to the
subdeacon are indicated by the solemn ceremonies used at his ordination. In the
first place the Bishop warns him that the obligation of perpetual continence is
attached to this order, and declares that no one is to be admitted among the
subdeacons who is not ready and willing to accept the obligation in question.
Then, after the solemn recitation of the Litanies, the Bishop enumerates and
explains the duties and functions of the subdeacon. Thereupon each one of those
who are being ordained receives the chalice and sacred paten from the Bishop;
and, to show that he is to serve the deacon, the subdeacon receives from the
archdeacon cruets filled with wine and water, together with a basin and towel
with which to wash and dry the hands. At the same time the Bishop pronounces
these words: See what sort of ministry is entrusted to you; I admonish you
therefore, to show yourself worthy to please God. Other prayers follow, and
finally, when the Bishop has clothed the subdeacon with the sacred vestments,
for each of which there are special words and ceremonies, he gives kiln the
book of the Epistles, saying: Receive the book of the Epistles with power to
read them in the Holy Church of God, as well for the living as for the dead.
Deacon
The second degree of Sacred Orders is that of
the deacons, whose functions are much more extensive and have always been
regarded as more holy. His duty it is to be always at the side of the Bishop,
guard him while he preaches, serve him and the priest during the celebration of
the divine mysteries, as well as during the administration of the Sacraments,
and to read the Gospel in the Sacrifice of the Mass. In former times he
frequently warned the faithful to be attentive to the holy mysteries; he
administered our Lord's blood in those churches in which the custom existed
that the faithful should receive the Eucharist under both species; and to him
was entrusted the distribution of the Church's goods, as well as the duty of
providing for all that was necessary to each one's sustenance. To the deacon
also, as the eye of the Bishop, it belongs to see who they are in the city a
that lead a good and holy life, and who not; who are present at the Holy
Sacrifice and sermons at appointed times, and who not; so that he may be able
to give an account of all to the Bishop, and enable him to admonish and advise
each one privately, or to rebuke and correct publicly, according as he may deem
more profitable. He should also read out the list of the catechumens and
present to the Bishop those who are to be admitted to orders. Finally in the
absence of a Bishop or priest, he can explain the Gospel, but not from the
pulpit, thus letting it be seen that this is not his proper office.
The Apostle shows the great care that should
be taken that no one unworthy of the diaconate be promoted to this order, when
in his Epistle to Timothy he sets forth a deacon's character, virtues and
integrity. The same point is also gathered from the rites and solemn ceremonies
which the Bishop employs when ordaining him. The Bishop uses more numerous and
more solemn prayers at the ordination of a deacon than at that of a subdeacon,
and he also adds other kinds of sacred vestments. Moreover, he imposes hands on
him, just as we read the Apostles used to do when ordaining the first deacons.
Finally, he hands him the book of the Gospels, with these words: Receive the
power to read the Gospel in the Church of God both for the living and the dead
in the name of the Lord.
Priest
The third and highest degree of all Sacred
Orders is the priesthood. The Fathers of the first centuries usually designated
those who had received this order by two names. At one time they called them
presbyters -- a Greek word signifying elders, not only because of the ripe
years very necessary for this order, but much more on account of their gravity,
knowledge and prudence; for it is written: Venerable old age is not that of
long time nor counted by the number of years; but the understanding of a man is
grey hairs and an unspotted life is old age. At other times they call them
priests, both because they are consecrated to God, and because to them it
belongs to administer the Sacraments and take charge of things sacred and
divine.
Twofold Priesthood
But as Sacred Scripture describes a twofold
priesthood, one internal and the other external, it will be necessary to have a
distinct idea of each to enable pastors to explain the nature of the priesthood
now under discussion.
The Internal Priesthood
Regarding the internal priesthood, all the
faithful are said to be priests, once they have been washed in the saving
waters of Baptism. Especially is this name given to the just who have the
Spirit of God, and who, by the help of divine grace, have been made living
members of the great High-priest, Jesus Christ; for, enlightened by faith which
is inflamed by charity, they offer tip spiritual sacrifices to God on the altar
of their hearts. Among such sacrifices must be reckoned every good and virtuous
action done for the glory of God.
Hence we read in the Apocalypse: Christ hath
washed us front our sins. in his own blood and hath made us a kingdom, and
priests to God and his Father. In like manner was it said by the Prince of the
Apostles: Be you also as living stones built up, a spiritual house a holy
priesthood offering up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ;
while the Apostle exhorts us to present our bodies a living sacrifice holy ,
pleasing unto God your reasonable service. And long before this David had said:
A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit: a contrite and humble heart O God
thou wilt not despise. All this clearly regards the internal priesthood.
The External Priesthood
The external priesthood, on the contrary,
does not pertain to the faithful at large, but only to certain men who have
been ordained and consecrated to God by the lawful imposition of hands and by
the solemn ceremonies of holy Church, and who are thereby devoted to a
particular sacred ministry.
This distinction of the priesthood can be
seen even in the Old Law. That David spoke of the internal priesthood, we have
just shown. On the other hand, everyone knows the many and various precepts
given by the Lord to Moses and Aaron regarding the external priesthood. Along
with this He appointed the whole tribe of Levi to the ministry of the Temple,
and He forbade by law that anyone belonging to another tribe should dare to
intrude himself into that function. Hence it was that King Ozias was afflicted
with leprosy by the Lord for having usurped the sacerdotal ministry, and had to
suffer grave chastisements for his arrogance and sacrilege.
Now as the same distinction (of a twofold)
priesthood may be noted in the New Law, the faithful should be cautioned that
what we are now about to say concerns that external priesthood which is
conferred on certain special individuals. This alone belongs to the Sacrament
of Holy Orders.
Functions of the Priesthood
The office of a priest, then, is to offer
Sacrifice to God and to administer the Sacraments of the Church. This is proved
by the very ceremonies used at his ordination. When-ordaining a priest, the
Bishop first of all imposes hands on him, as do all the other priests who are
present. Then he puts a stole on his shoulders and arranges it over his breast
in the form of a cross, declaring thereby that the priest is clothed with power
from on high, enabling him to carry the cross of Christ our Lord and the sweet
yoke of God's law, and to inculcate this law not only by words, but also by the
example of a most holy and virtuous life.
He next anoints his hands with holy oil, and
then gives him the chalice with wine and the paten with a host, saying at the
same time: Receive the power to offer Sacrifice to God and to celebrate Masses
both for the living and for the dead. By these words and ceremonies the priest
is constituted an interpreter and mediator between God and man, which indeed
must be regarded as the principal function of the priesthood.
Lastly, placing his hands a second time on
the head (of the person ordained the Bishop) says: Receive the Holy Ghost;
whose sins you shall forgive they are forgiven them, and whose sins you shall
retain they are retained, thus communicating to him that divine power of
forgiving and retaining sin which was given by our Lord to His disciples. Such,
then, are the special and principal functions of the sacerdotal order.
Degrees of the Priesthood
Priests
Now although (the sacerdotal order) is one
alone, yet it has various degrees of dignity and power. The first degree is
that of those who are simply called priests, and of whose functions we have
hitherto been speaking.
Bishops
The second is that of Bishops, who are placed
over the various dioceses to govern not only the other ministers of the Church,
but the faithful also, and to promote their salvation with supreme vigilance
and care. Hence it is that in Sacred Scripture they are often called pastors of
the sheep. Their office and duty has been well described by St. Paul in his
sermon to the Ephesians, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles; while St.
Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, has also laid down a divine rule for the
exercise of the episcopal office. And if Bishops strive to conform their
actions according to this rule, there can be no doubt that they will be good
pastors and will be also esteemed as such. Bishops are also called pontiffs.
This name is derived from the pagans, who thus designated their chief priests.
Archbishops
The third degree is that of Archbishops, who
preside over a number of Bishops and who are called Metropolitans, because they
are Bishops of those cities which are regarded as the metropolis of their
respective provinces. Hence they enjoy greater dignity and more extensive power
than Bishops, although their Ordination is the same.
Patriarchs
In the fourth degree come Patriarchs, that is
to say, the first and highest of the Fathers. Formerly, besides the Roman
Pontiff, there were in the universal Church only four Patriarchs, who, however,
were not of equal dignity. Thus Constantinople, though it reached the
patriarchal honour only after all the others, yet it obtained a higher rank by
reason of being the capital of the Empire. Next in rank came the Patriarch of
Alexandria, which Church had been founded by St. Mark the Evangelist by order
of the Prince of the Apostles. The third was that of Antioch, where Peter fixed
his first See. Finally, that of Jerusalem, a See first governed by James, the
brother of our Lord.
The Pope
Above all these, the Catholic Church has
always placed the Supreme Pontiff of Rome, whom Cyril of Alexandria, in the
Council of Ephesus, named the Chief Bishop, Father and Patriarch of the whole
world. He sits in that chair of Peter in which beyond every shadow of doubt the
Prince of the Apostles sat to the end of his days, and hence it is that in him
the Church recognises the highest degree of dignity, and a universality of
jurisdiction derived, not from the decrees of men or Councils, but from God
Himself. Wherefore he is the Father and guide of all the faithful, of all the Bishops,
and of all the prelates, no matter how high their power and office; and as
successor of St. Peter, as true and lawful Vicar of Christ our Lord, he governs
the universal Church.
From what has been said, therefore, pastors
should teach what are the principal duties and functions of the various
ecclesiastical orders and degrees, and also who is the minister of this
Sacrament.
The Minister of Holy Orders
Beyond all doubt, it is to the Bishop that
the administration (of orders) belongs, as is easily proved by the authority of
Holy Scripture, by most certain tradition, by the testimony of all the Fathers,
by the decrees of the Councils, and by the usage and practice of Holy Church.
It is true that permission has been granted
to some abbots occasionally to administer those orders that are minor and not
sacred; yet there is no doubt whatever that it is the proper office of the
Bishop, and of the Bishop alone to confer the orders called holy or major.
To ordain subdeacons, deacons and priests,
one Bishop suffices; but in accordance with an Apostolic tradition that has
been always observed in the Church, Bishops are consecrated by three Bishops.
The Recipient of Holy Orders
We now come to indicate who are fit to
receive this Sacrament, and especially the priestly order, and what are the
principal dispositions required of them.
From (what we shall lay down concerning the
dispositions requisite for the priesthood) it will be easy to determine what
ought to be observed in conferring the other orders, due account being taken of
the office and dignity of each. Now the extreme caution I hat should be used in
conferring this Sacrament is gathered from the fact that, while all the other
Sacraments impart grace to the recipient for his own use and sanctification,
he, on the other hand, who receives Holy Orders is made partaker of heavenly
grace precisely that by his ministry he may promote the welfare of the Church
and therefore of all mankind.
Hence we readily understand why it is that
ordinations take place only on special days, on which, moreover, in accordance
with a very ancient practice of the Catholic Church, a solemn fast is appointed
in order that by holy and fervent prayer the faithful may obtain from God
ministers who will be well qualified to exercise properly and to the advantage
of the Church the power of so great a ministry.
Qualifications for the Priesthood
Holiness Of Life
The chief and most necessary quality
requisite in him who is to be ordained a priest is that he be recommended by
integrity of life and morals: first because, by procuring or permitting his
ordination while conscious of mortal sin, a man renders himself guilty of a new
and enormous crime; and secondly, because the priest is bound to give to others
the example of a holy and innocent life.
In this connection pastors should set forth
the rules which the Apostle laid down to Titus and Timothy, and he should also
explain that those bodily defects, which, by the Lord's command excluded from
the service of the altar in the Old Law, should for the most part be understood
of deformities of soul in the New Law. This is why the holy custom has been
established in the Church that he who is about to be admitted to orders should
first take great care to cleanse his conscience in the Sacrament of Penance.
Competent Knowledge
In the second place there is required of the
priest not only that knowledge which concerns the use and administration of the
Sacraments; but he should also be versed in the science of Sacred Scripture, so
as to be able to instruct the people in the mysteries of the Christian faith
and the precepts of the divine law, lead them to piety and virtue, and reclaim
them from sin.
The priest's duties are twofold. The first is
to consecrate and administer the Sacraments properly; the second is to instruct
the people entrusted to him in all that they must know or do in order to be
saved. Hence the words of the Prophet Malachias: The lips of the priest shall
keep knowledge, and they shall seek the Law at his mouth; because he is the
angel of the Lord of hosts.
Now to fulfil the first of these duties it is
enough for him to be endowed with a moderate share of knowledge. As for the
second, it is no mere ordinary, but very special knowledge that is required. At
the same time, however, it should be remembered that a profound knowledge of
abstruse questions is not demanded of all priests in an equal degree. It is
enough that each one knows all that is necessary for the discharge of his
office and ministry.
Canonical Fitness
This Sacrament should not be conferred on
children, nor on the insane or mad, because they are devoid of the use of
reason. Yet if it does happen to be administered to them, we must
unhesitatingly believe that the sacramental character becomes impressed on
their souls. As for the precise age requisite for the reception of the various
orders, this will easily be found in the decrees of the Council of Trent.
Slaves also are excluded. He who is not his
own master and who is in the power of another, should not be dedicated to the
divine service.
Homicides and men of blood are also rejected,
because they are excluded by a law of the Church and are declared irregular.
The same must be said of the illegitimate and
of all those not born in lawful wedlock. It is only right that those who are
dedicated to the divine service should have nothing in them which could expose
them to the well-deserved derision or contempt of others.
Finally, those who are notably maimed or
deformed should not be admitted. A defect or deformity of this kind cannot but
offend the eye and stand in the way of the due administration of the
Sacraments.
Effects of Holy Orders
This much being explained, it now remains for
pastors to point out the effects of this Sacrament. It is evident that the Sacrament
of Orders, while mainly concerned, as already explained, with the welfare and
beauty of the Church, nevertheless also confers on the soul of him who is
ordained the grace of sanctification, fitting and qualifying him for the proper
discharge of his functions and for the administration of the Sacraments, in the
same way as by the grace of Baptism each one is qualified to receive the other
Sacraments.
Another grace is clearly conferred by this
Sacrament; namely, a special power with reference to the most Blessed Sacrament
of the Eucharist. This power is full and perfect in the priest, because he
alone can consecrate the body and blood of our Lord; but it is greater or less
in the inferior ministers in proportion as their ministry approaches the Sacrament
of the Altar.
This power is also called a spiritual
character, because those who have been ordained are distinguished from the rest
of the faithful by a certain interior mark impressed on the soul, by which they
are dedicated to the divine worship. It is this grace which the Apostle seems
to have had in view when he said to Timothy: Neglect not the grace that is in
thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with imposition of hands of the
priesthood; and again: I admonish thee, that thou stir up the grace of God
which is in thee by the imposition of my hands.
Admonition
This much will suffice for the Sacrament of
Orders. We have aimed at presenting nothing more than the principal points that
bear on the subject, so as to supply the pastor with sufficient matter for
instructing the faithful, and directing them to Christian piety.
THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY
Importance Of Instruction On This
Sacrament
As it is the duty of the pastor to seek the
holiness and perfection of the faithful, his earnest desires must be in full
accordance with those expressed by the Apostle when writing to the Corinthians:
I would that all men were even as myself, that is, that all should embrace the
virtue of continence. No greater happiness can befall the faithful in this life
than to have their souls distracted by no worldly cares, the unruly desires of
the flesh tranquillised and restrained, and the mind fixed on the practice of
piety and the contemplation of heavenly things.
But as, according to the same Apostle, every
one hath his proper gift from God, one after this manner, and another after
that; and as marriage is gifted with great and divine blessings, so much so as
truly and properly to hold a place among the other Sacraments of the Catholic
Church, and as its celebration was honoured by the presence of our Lord
Himself, it is clear that this subject should be explained, particularly since
we find that St. Paul and the Prince of the Apostles have in many places
minutely described to us not only the dignity but also the duties of the
married state. Filled with the Spirit of God (these Apostles) well understood
the numerous and important advantages which must flow to Christian society from
a knowledge, and an inviolable observance by the faithful of the sanctity of
marriage; while they saw that from ignorance or disregard of (its holiness),
many and serious calamities and losses must be brought upon the Church.
Nature and Meaning of Marriage
The nature and meaning of marriage are,
therefore, to be first explained. Vice not infrequently assumes the semblance
of virtue, and hence care must be taken that the faithful be not deceived by a
false appearance of marriage, and thus stain their souls with turpitude and
wicked lusts. To explain this subject, let us begin with the meaning of the
word itself.
Names Of This Sacrament
The word matrimony is derived from the fact
that the principal object which a female should propose to herself in marriage
is to become a mother; or from the fact that to a mother it belongs to
conceive, bring forth and train her offspring.
It is also called wedlock (conjugium) from
joining together, because a lawful wife is united to her husband, as it were,
by a common yoke.
It is called nuptials, because, as St.
Ambrose observes, the bride veiled her face through modesty -- a custom which
would also seem to imply that she was to be subject and obedient to her
husband.
Definition Of Matrimony
Matrimony, according to the general opinion
of theologians, is defined: The conjugal union of man and woman, contracted
between two qualified persons, which obliges them to live together throughout
life.
In order that the different parts of this
definition may be better understood, it should be taught that, although a
perfect marriage has all the following conditions, -- namely, internal consent,
external compact expressed by words, the obligation and tie which arise from
the contract, and the marriage debt by which it is consummated; yet the
obligation and tie expressed by the word union alone have the force and nature
of marriage.
The special character of this union is marked
by the word conjugal. This word is added because other contracts, by which men
and women bind themselves to help each other in consideration of money received
or other reason, differ essentially from matrimony.
Next follow the words between qualified
persons; for persons excluded by law cannot contract marriage, and if they do
their marriage is invalid. Persons, for instance, within the fourth degree of
kindred, a boy before his fourteenth year, and a female before her twelfth, the
ages established by law, cannot contract marriage.
The words, which obliges them to live
together throughout life, express the indissolubility of the tie which binds
husband and wife.
Essence And Cause Of Marriage
Hence it is evident that marriage consists in
the tie spoken of above. Some eminent theologians, it is true, say that it
consists in the consent, as when they define it: The consent of the man and
woman. But we are to understand them to mean that the consent is the efficient
cause of marriage, which is the doctrine of the Fathers of the Council of
Florence; because, without the consent and contract, the obligation and tie
cannot possibly exist.
The Kind of Consent Required in Matrimony
It is most necessary that the consent be
expressed in words denoting present time.
Mutual
Marriage is not a mere donation, but a mutual
agreement; and therefore the consent of one of the parties is insufficient for
marriage, the consent of both being essential.
External
To declare this consent words are obviously
necessary. If the internal consent alone, without any external indication, were
sufficient for marriage, it would then seem to follow as a necessary
consequence, that were two persons, living in the most separate and distant
countries, to consent to marry, they would contract a true and indissoluble
marriage, even before they had mutually signified to each other their consent
by letter or messenger -- a consequence as repugnant to reason as it is opposed
to the decrees and established usage of holy Church.
Present
Rightly was it said that the consent must be
expressed in words which have reference to present time; for words which
signify a future time, promise, but do not actually unite in marriage. Besides,
it is evident that what is to be done has no present existence, and what has no
present existence can have little or no firmness or stability. Hence a man who
has only promised to marry a certain woman acquires by the promise no marriage
rights, since his promise has not yet been fulfilled. Such promises are, it is
true, obligatory, and their violation involves the offending party in a breach
of faith. But he who has once entered into the matrimonial alliance, regret it
as he afterwards may, cannot possibly change, or invalidate, or undo what has
been done.
As, then, the marriage contract is not a mere
promise, but a transfer of right, by which the man actually yields the dominion
of his body to the woman, the woman the dominion of her body to the man, it
must therefore be made in words which designate the present time, the force of
which words abides with undiminished efficacy from the moment of their
utterance, and binds the husband and wife by a tie that cannot be broken.
Instead of words, however, it may be
sufficient for marriage to substitute a nod or other unequivocal sign of
internal consent. Even silence, when the result of female modesty, may be
sufficient, provided the parents answer for their daughter.
The Essence of Marriage Constituted by the
Consent
Hence pastors should teach the faithful that
the nature and force of marriage consists in the tie and obligation; and that,
without consummation, the consent of the parties, expressed in the manner
already explained, is sufficient to constitute a true marriage. It is certain
that our first parents before their fall, when, according to the holy Fathers,
no consummation took place, were really united in marriage. Hence the Fathers
say that marriage consists not in its use but in the consent. This doctrine is
repeated by St. Ambrose in his book On Virgins.
Twofold Consideration of Marriage
When these matters have been explained, it
should be taught that matrimony is to be considered from two points of view,
either as a natural union, since it was not invented by man but instituted by
nature; or as a Sacrament, the efficacy of which transcends the order of
nature.
Marriage As A Natural Contract
As grace perfects nature, and as that was not
first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; afterwards that which is
spiritual, the order of our matter requires that we first treat of Matrimony as
a natural contract, imposing natural duties, and next consider what pertains to
it as a Sacrament.
Instituted By God
The faithful, therefore, are to be taught in
the first place that marriage was instituted by God. We read in Genesis that
God created them male and female, and blessed them, saying: "Increase and
multiply"; and also: "It is not good for man to be alone: let us make
him a help like unto himself.,' And a little further on: But for Adam there was
not found a helper like himself. Then the Lord God cast a deep sleep upon Adam;
and when he was fast asleep, he took one of his ribs, and filled up flesh for
it. And the Lord God built a rib which he took from Adam. into a woman, and
brought her to Adam; and Adam said: "This is now bone of my bones, and
flesh of my flesh: she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man:
wherefore a man shall leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife;
and they shall be two in one flesh," These words, according to the
authority of our Lord Himself, as we read in St. Matthew, prove the divine
institution. of Matrimony.
Marriage Is Indissoluble By Divine Law
Not only did God institute marriage; He also,
as the Council of Trent declares, rendered it perpetual and indissoluble.' What
God hath joined together, says our Lord, let not man separate.
Although it belongs to marriage as a natural
contract to be indissoluble, yet its indissolubility arises principally from
its nature as a Sacrament, as it is the sacramental character that, in all its
natural relations, elevates marriage to the highest perfection. In any event,
dissolubility is at once opposed to the proper education of children, and to
the other advantages of marriage.
Marriage Not Obligatory On All
The words increase and multiply, which were
uttered by the Lord, do not impose on every individual an obligation to marry,
but only declare the purpose of the institution of marriage. Now that the human
race is widely diffused, not only is there no law rendering marriage
obligatory, but, on the contrary, virginity is highly exalted and strongly
recommended in Scripture as superior to marriage, and as a state of greater
perfection and holiness. For our Lord and Saviour taught as follows: He that
can take it, let him take it; and the Apostle says: Concerning virgins I have
no commandment from the Lord; but I give counsel as having obtained mercy from
the Lord to be faithful.
The Motives And Ends Of Marriage
We have now to explain why man and woman
should be joined in marriage. First of all, nature itself by an instinct
implanted in both sexes impels them to such companionship, and this is further
encouraged by the hope of mutual assistance in bearing more easily the
discomforts of life and the infirmities of old age.
A second reason for marriage is the desire of
family, not so much, however, with a view to leave after us heirs to inherit
our property and fortune, as to bring up children in the true faith and in the
service of God. That such was the principal object of the holy Patriarchs when
they married is clear from Scripture. Hence the Angel, when informing Tobias of
the means of repelling the violent assaults of the evil demon, says: I will
show thee who they are over whom the devil can prevail; for they who in such
manner receive matrimony as to shut out God from themselves and from their
mind, and to give themselves to their lust, as the horse and mule which have
not understanding, over them the devil hath power. He then adds: Thou shalt
take the virgin with the fear of the Lord, moved rather for love of children
than for lust, that in the seed of Abraham thou mayest obtain a blessing in
children. It was also for this reason that God instituted marriage from the
beginning; and therefore married persons who, to prevent conception or procure
abortion, have recourse to medicine, are guilty of a most heinous crime --
nothing less than wicked conspiracy to commit murder.
A third reason has been added, as a
consequence of the fall of our first parents. On account of the loss of
original innocence the passions began to rise in rebellion against right
reason; and man, conscious of his own frailty and unwilling to fight the
battles of the flesh, is supplied by marriage with an antidote by which to
avoid sins of lust. For fear of fornication, says the Apostle, let every man
have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband; and a little
after, having recommended to married persons a temporary abstinence from the
marriage debt, to give themselves to prayer, he adds: Return together again,
lest Satan tempt you for your incontinency.
These are ends, some one of which, those who
desire to contract marriage piously and religiously, as becomes the children of
the Saints, should propose to themselves. If to these we add other causes which
induce to contract marriage, and, in choosing a wife, to prefer one person to another,
such as the desire of leaving an heir, wealth, beauty, illustrious descent,
congeniality of disposition -- such motives, because not inconsistent with the
holiness of marriage, are not to be condemned. We do not find that the Sacred
Scriptures condemn the Patriarch Jacob for having chosen Rachel for her beauty,
in preference to Lia.
So much should be explained regarding
Matrimony as a natural contract.
Marriage Considered as a Sacrament
It will now be necessary to explain that
Matrimony is far superior in its sacramental aspect and aims at an incomparably
higher end. For as marriage, as a natural union, was instituted from the
beginning to propagate the human race; so was the sacramental dignity
subsequently conferred upon it in order that a people might be begotten and
brought up for the service and worship of the true God and of Christ our
Saviour.
Thus when Christ our Lord wished to give a
sign of the intimate union that exists between Him and His Church and of His
immense love for us, He chose especially the sacred union of man and wife. That
this sign was a most appropriate one will readily appear from the fact that of
all human relations there is none that binds so closely as the marriage-tie,
and from the fact that husband and wife are bound to one another by the bonds
of the greatest affection and love. Hence it is that Holy Writ so frequently
represents to us the divine union of Christ and the Church under the figure of
marriage.
Marriage Is A Sacrament
That Matrimony is a Sacrament the Church,
following the authority of the Apostle, has always held to be certain and
incontestable. In his Epistle to the Ephesians he writes: Men should love their
wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man
ever hated his own flesh, but nourisheth it and cherisheth it, as also Christ
doth the church; for we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his
bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall adhere
to his wife, and they shall be two in one flesh. This is a great sacrament; but
I speak in Christ and in the church. Now his expression, this is a great
sacrament, undoubtedly refers to Matrimony, and must be taken to mean that the
union of man and wife, which has God for its Author, is a Sacrament, that is, a
sacred sign of that most holy union that binds Christ our Lord to His Church.
That this is the true and proper meaning of
the Apostle's words is shown by the ancient holy Fathers who have interpreted
them, and by the explanation furnished by the Council of Trent. It is
indubitable, therefore, that the Apostle compares the husband to Christ, and
the wife to the Church; that the husband is head of the wife as Christ is the
head of the Church; and that for this very reason the husband should love his
wife and the wife love and respect her husband. For Christ loved his church,
and gave himself for her; while as the same Apostle teaches, the church is
subject to Christ.
That grace is also signified and conferred by
this Sacrament, which are two properties that constitute the principal
characteristics of each Sacrament, is declared by the Council as follows: By
his passion Christ, the Author and Perfecter of the venerable Sacraments,
merited for us the grace that perfects the natural love (of husband and wife),
confirms their indissoluble union, and sanctifies them. It should, therefore,
be shown that by the grace of this Sacrament husband and wife are joined in the
bonds of mutual love, cherish affection one towards the other, avoid illicit attachments
and passions, and so keep their marriage honourable in all things, . . . and
their bed undefiled.
Marriage before Christ
It Was Not A Sacrament
How much the Sacrament of Matrimony is
superior to the marriages made both previous to and under the (Mosaic) Law may
be judged from the fact that though the Gentiles themselves were convinced
there was something divine in marriage, and for that reason regarded
promiscuous intercourse as contrary to the law of nature, while they also
considered fornication, adultery and other kinds of impurity to be punishable
offences; yet their marriages never had any sacramental value.
Among the Jews the laws of marriage were
observed far more religiously, and it cannot be doubted that their unions were
endowed with more holiness. As they had received from God the promise that in
the seed of Abraham all nations should be blessed," it was justly
considered by them to be a very pious duty to bring forth children, and thus
contribute to the propagation of the chosen people from whom Christ the Lord
and Saviour was to derive His birth in His human nature. Still their unions
also fell short of the real nature of a Sacrament.
Before Christ Marriage Had Fallen From Its
Primitive Unity And Indissolubility
It should be added that if we consider the
law of nature after the fall and the Law of Moses we shall easily see
that-marriage had fallen from its original honour and purity. Thus under the
law of nature we read of many of the ancient Patriarchs that they had several
wives at the same time; while under the Law of Moses it was permissible, should
cause exist, to repudiate one's wife by giving her a bill of divorce. Both
these (concessions) have been suppressed by the law of the Gospel, and marriage
has been restored to its original state.
Christ Restored to Marriage its Primitive
Qualities
Unity Of Marriage
Though some of the ancient Patriarchs are not
to be blamed for having married several wives, since they did not act thus
without divine dispensation, yet Christ our Lord has clearly shown that
polygamy is not in keeping with the nature of Matrimony. These are His words:
For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave unto his
wife, and they shall be two in one flesh; and He adds: wherefore they are no
more two but one flesh. In these words He makes it clear that God instituted
marriage to be the union of two, and only two persons. The same truth He has
taught very distinctly in another passage, wherein He says: Whosoever shall put
away his wife and marry another, committeth adultery against her; and if the
wife shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth
adultery. For if it were lawful for a man to have several wives, there is no
reason why he who takes to himself a second wife, along with the wife he
already has, should be regarded as more guilty of adultery than if he had
dismissed his first wife and taken a second.
Hence it is that when an infidel who,
following the customs of his country has married several wives, happens to be
converted to the true religion, the Church orders him to dismiss all but the
first, and regard her alone as his true and lawful wife.
Indissolubility Of Marriage
The self-same testimony of Christ our Lord
easily proves that the marriage-tie cannot be broken by any sort of divorce.
For if by a bill of divorce a woman were freed from the law that binds her to
her husband, she might marry another husband without being in the least guilty
of adultery. Yet our Lord says clearly: Whosoever shall put away his wife and
shall marry another committeth adultery. Hence it is plain that the bond of
marriage can be dissolved by death alone, as is confirmed by the Apostle when
he says: A woman is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her
husband die she is at liberty; let her marry whom she will, only in the Lord;
and again: To them that are married, not I but the Lord commandeth, that the
wife depart not from her husband; and if she depart that she remain unmarried
or be reconciled to her husband. To the wife, then, who for a just cause has
left her husband, the Apostle offers this alternative: Let her either remain
unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. Nor does holy Church permit husband
and wife to separate without weighty reasons.
Advantages Of Indissolubility
Lest, however, the law of Matrimony should
seem too severe on account of its absolute indissolubility, the advantages of
this indissolubility should be pointed out.
The first (beneficial consequence) is that
men are given to understand that in entering Matrimony virtue and congeniality
of disposition are to be preferred to wealth or beauty -- a circumstance that
cannot but prove of the very highest advantage to the interests of society at
large.
In the second place, if marriage could be dissolved
by divorce, married persons would hardly ever be without causes of disunion,
which would be daily supplied by the old enemy of peace and purity; while, on
the contrary, now that the faithful must remember that even though separated as
to bed and board, they remain none the less bound by the bond of marriage with
no hope of marrying another, they are by this very fact rendered less prone to
strife and discord. And even if it sometimes happens that husband and wife
become separated, and are unable to bear the want of their partnership any
longer, they are easily reconciled by friends and return to their common life.
The pastor should not here omit the salutary
admonition of St. Augustine who, to convince the faithful that they should not
consider it a hardship to receive back the wife they have put away for
adultery, provided she repents of her crime, observes: Why should not the
Christian husband receive back his wife when the Church receives her? And why
should not the wife pardon her adulterous but penitent husband when Christ has
already pardoned him? True it is that Scripture calls him foolish who keepeth
an adulteress ; but the meaning refers to her who refuses to repent of her
crime and quit the disgraceful course she has entered on.
From all this it will be clear that Christian
marriage is far superior in dignity and perfection to that of Gentiles and
Jews.
The Three Blessings of Marriage
The faithful should also be shown that there
are three blessings of marriage: children, fidelity and the Sacrament. These
are blessings which to some degree compensate for the inconveniences referred
to by the Apostle in the words: Such shall have tribulation of the flesh, and
they lead to this other result that sexual intercourse, which is sinful outside
of marriage, is rendered right and honourable.
Offspring
The first blessing, then, is a family, that
is to say, children born of a true and lawful wife. So highly did the Apostle
esteem this blessing that he says: The woman shall be saved by bearing
children.' These words are to be understood not only of bearing children, but
also of bringing them up and training them to the practice of piety; for the
Apostle immediately subjoins: If she continue in faith. Scripture says: Hast
thou children? Instruct them and bow down their necks from childhood. The same
is taught by the Apostle; while Tobias, Job and other holy Patriarchs in Sacred
Scripture furnish us with beautiful examples of such training. The duties of
both parents and children will, however, be set forth in detail when we come to
speak of the fourth Commandment.
Fidelity
The second advantage of marriage is faith,
not indeed that virtue which we receive in Baptism; but the fidelity which
binds wife to husband and husband to wife in such a way that they mutually
deliver to each other power over their bodies, promising at the same time never
to violate the holy bond of Matrimony. This is easily inferred from the words
pronounced by Adam when taking Eve as his wife, and which were afterwards
confirmed by Christ our Lord in the Gospel: Wherefore a man shall leave father
and mother and shall cleave to his wife and they shall be two in one flesh. It
is also inferred from the words of the Apostle: The wife hath not power of her
own body, but the husband: and in like manner, the husband hath not power of
his own body but the wife. Justly, then, did the Lord in the Old Law ordain the
most severe penalties against adulterers who violated this conjugal fidelity.
Matrimonial fidelity also demands that they
love one another with a special, holy and pure love; not as adulterers love one
another but as Christ loves His Church. This is the rule laid down by the
Apostle when he says: Husbands, love your wives as Christ also loved the church.
And surely (Christ's) love for His Church was immense; it was a love inspired
not by His own advantage, but only by the advantage of His spouse.
Sacrament
The third advantage is called the Sacrament,
that is to say, the indissoluble bond of marriage. As the Apostle has it: The
Lord commanded that the wife depart not from the husband, and if she depart
that she remain unmarried or be reconciled to' her husband; and let not the
husband put away his wife. And truly, if marriage as a Sacrament represents the
union of Christ with His Church, it also necessarily follows that just as
Christ never separates Himself from His Church, so in like manner the wife can
never be separated from her husband in so far as regards the marriage-tie.
The Duties of Married People
The more easily to preserve the holy state
(of marriage) from dissensions, the duties of husband and wife as inculcated by
St. Paul and by the Prince of the Apostles must be explained.
Duties Of A Husband
It is the duty of the husband to treat his
wife generously and honourably. It should not be forgotten that Eve was called
by Adam his companion. The woman, he says, whom thou gavest me as a companion.
Hence it was, according to the opinion of some of the holy Fathers, that she
was formed not from the feet but from the side of man; as, on the other hand,
she was not formed from his head, in order to give her to understand that it
was not hers to command but to obey her husband.
The husband should also be constantly
occupied in some honest pursuit with a view to provide necessaries for the
support of his family and to avoid idleness, the root of almost every vice.
He is also to keep all his family in order,
to correct their morals, and see that they faithfully discharge their duties.
Duties Of A Wife
On the other hand, the duties of a wife are
thus summed up by the Prince of the Apostles: Let wives be subject to their
husbands. that if any believe not the word, they may be won without the word by
the conversation of the wives, considering your chaste conversation with fear.
Let not their adorning be the outward plaiting of the hair, or the wearing of
gold, or the putting on of apparel: but the hidden man of the heart in the
incorruptibility of a quiet and meek spirit, which is rich in the sight of God.
For after this manner heretofore the holy women also, who trusted in God,
adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed
Abraham, calling hint lord.
To train their children in the practice of
virtue and to pay particular attention to their domestic concerns should also
be especial objects of their attention. The wife should love to remain at home,
unless compelled by necessity to go out; and she should never presume to leave
home without her husband's consent.
Again, and in this the conjugal union chiefly
consists, let wives never forget that next to God they are to love their
husbands, to esteem them above all others, yielding to them in all things not
inconsistent with Christian piety, a willing and ready obedience.
The Law of the Church on Marriage
The Rite To Be Observed
Having explained these matters, pastors
should next teach what rites are to be observed in contracting marriage. There
is no need, however, that we dwell on these questions here. The Council of Trent
has laid down fully and accurately what must be chiefly observed; and this
decree will not be unknown to pastors. It will suffice, then, to admonish
them-to study to make themselves acquainted, from the doctrine of the Council,
with what regards this subject, and to explain it carefully to the faithful.
But above all, lest young persons, whose
period of life is marked by extreme indiscretion, should be deceived by a
merely nominal marriage and foolishly rush into sinful love-unions, the pastor
cannot too frequently remind them that there can be no true and valid marriage
unless it be contracted in the presence of the parish priest, or of some other
priest commissioned by him, or by the Ordinary, and that of a certain number of
witnesses.
The Impediments Of Marriage
The impediments of marriage are also to be
explained, a subject so minutely and accurately treated by many grave and
learned writers on the virtues and vices as to render it an easy task to draw
upon their labours, particularly as the pastor has occasion to have such works
continually in his hands. The instructions, therefore, which such books
contain, and also the decrees of the Council with regard to the impediments
arising from spiritual relationship, from public honesty, and from fornication,
the pastor should peruse with attention and expound with care.
The Recipient of Matrimony
Dispositions With Which The Sacrament Is
To Be Approached
From the above may be learned the
dispositions with which the faithful should contract matrimony. They should
consider that they are about to enter upon a work that is not human but divine.
The example of the Fathers of the Old Law, who esteemed marriage as a most holy
and religious rite, although it had not then been raised to the dignity of a
Sacrament, shows the singular purity of soul and piety (with which Christians
should approach marriage).
Consent Of Parents
Among other things, children should be
exhorted earnestly that they owe as a tribute of respect to their parents, or
to those under whose guardianship and authority they are placed, not to
contract marriage without their knowledge, still less in defiance of their
express wishes. It should be observed that in the Old Law children were always
given in marriage by their fathers; and that the will of the parent is always
to have very great influence on the choice of the child, is clear from these
words of the Apostle He that giveth his virgin in marriage doth well; and he
that giveth her not, doth better.
The Use Of Marriage
Finally, the use of marriage is a subject
which pastors should so treat as to avoid any expression that may be unfit to
meet the ears of the faithful, that may be calculated to offend the piety of
some, or excite the laughter of. others. The words of the Lord are chaste
words; and the teacher of a Christian people should make use of the same kind
of language, one that is characterised by singular gravity and purity of soul.
Two lessons of instruction to the faithful are, then, to be specially insisted
upon.
The first is that marriage is not to be used
for purposes of lust or sensuality, but that its use is to be restrained within
those limits which, as we have already shown, have been fixed by the Lord. It
should be remembered that the Apostle admonishes: They that have wives, let
them be as though they had them not, and that St. Jerome says: The love which a
wise man cherishes towards his wife is the result of judgment, not the impulse
of passion; he governs the impetuosity of desire, and is not hurried into
indulgence. There is nothing more shameful than that a husband should love his
wife as an adulteress.
But as every blessing is to be obtained from
God by holy prayer, the faithful are also to be taught sometimes to abstain
from the marriage debt, in order to devote themselves to prayer. Let the
faithful understand that (this religious continence), according to the proper
and holy injunction of our predecessors, is particularly to be observed for at
least three days before Communion, and oftener during the solemn fast of Lent.
Thus will they find the blessings of marriage
to be daily increased by an abundance of divine grace; and living in the
pursuit of piety, they will not only spend this life in peace and tranquillity,
but will also repose in the true and firm hope, which confoundeth not, of
arriving, through the divine goodness, at the possession of that life which is
eternal.
PART
III : THE DECALOGUE
Importance Of Instruction On The
Commandments
St. Augustine in his writings remarks that
the Decalogue is the summary and epitome of all laws: Although the Lord had
spoken many things, He gave to Moses only two stone tablets, called
"tables of testimony," to be placed in the Ark. For if carefully
examined and well understood, whatever else is commanded by God will be found
to depend on the Ten Commandments which were engraved on those two tables, just
as these Ten Commandments, in turn, are reducible to two, the love of God and
of our neighbour, on which "depend the whole law and the prophets."
Since, then, the Decalogue is a summary of
the whole Law, the pastor should give his days and nights to its consideration,
that he may be able not only to regulate his own life by its precepts, but also
to instruct in the law of God the people committed to his care. The lips of the
priest shall keep knowledge, and they shall seek the law at his mouth, because
he is the angel of the Lord of hosts. To the priests of the New Law this
injunction applies in a special manner; they are nearer to God, and should be transformed
from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord. Since Christ our Lord has
called them light, it is their special duty to be a light to them that are in
darkness, the instructors of the foolish, the teachers of infants; and if a man
be overtaken in any fault, they who are spiritual should instruct such a one.
In the tribunal of penance the priest holds
the place of a judge, and pronounces sentence according to the nature and
gravity of the offence. Unless, therefore, he is desirous that his ignorance
should prove an injury to himself and to others, he must bring with him to the
discharge of this duty the greatest vigilance and the most practiced
acquaintance with the interpretation of the law, in order to be able to
pronounce, according to this divine rule, on every act and omission; and, as
the Apostle says, to teach sound doctrine, free from error, and heal the
diseases of the soul, which are sins, in order that the people may be
acceptable to God, pursuers of good works.
Motives for Observing the Commandments
In these instructions the pastor should
propose to himself and to others motives for keeping the Commandments
God Is The Giver Of The Commandments
Now among all the motives which induce men to
obey this law the strongest is that God is its author. True, it is said to have
been delivered by angels, but no one can doubt that its author is God. This is
most clear not only from the words of the Legislator Himself, which we shall
shortly explain, but also from innumerable other passages of Scripture that
will readily occur to pastors.
Who is not conscious that a law is inscribed
on his heart by God, teaching him to distinguish good from evil, vice from
virtue, justice from injustice? The force and import of this unwritten law do
not conflict with that which is written. Who is there, then, who will dare to
deny that God is the author of the written, as He is of the unwritten law ?
But, lest the people, aware of the abrogation
of the Mosaic Law, may imagine that the precepts of the Decalogue are no longer
obligatory, it should be taught that when God gave the Law to Moses, He did not
so much establish a new code, as render more luminous that divine light b which
the depraved morals and long-continued perversity of man had at that time
almost obscured. It is most certain that we are not bound to obey the
Commandments because they were delivered by Moses, but because they are
implanted in the hearts of all, and have been explained and confirmed by Christ
our Lord.
The reflection that God is the author of the
law is highly useful, and exercises great influence in persuading (to its
observance); for we cannot doubt His wisdom and justice, nor can we escape His
infinite power and might. Hence, when by His Prophets He commands the law to be
observed, He proclaims that He is the Lord God; and the Decalogue itself opens:
I am the Lord thy God; and elsewhere (we read): If I am a master, where is my
fear?
That God has deigned to make clear to us His
holy will on which depends our eternal salvation (is a consideration) which,
besides animating the faithful to the observance of His Commandments, must call
forth their gratitude Hence Scripture, in more passages than one, recalling
this great blessing, admonishes the people to recognise their own dignity and
the bounty of the Lord Thus in Deuteronomy it is said: This is your wisdom and
understanding in the sight of nations, that hearing all these precepts they may
say: Behold a wise and understanding people, a great nation; again, in the Psalm
(we read): He hath not done in like manner to every nation, and his judgments
he hath not made manifest to them.
The Commandments Were Proclaimed With
Great Solemnity
If the pastor explain the circumstances which
accompanied the promulgation of the Law, as recorded in Scripture, the faithful
will easily understand with what piety and humility they should receive and
reverence the Law received from God.
All were commanded by God that for three days
before the promulgation of the Law they should wash their garments and abstain
from conjugal intercourse, in order that they might be more holy and better
prepared to receive the Law, and that on the third day they should be in
readiness When they had reached the mountain from which the Lord was to deliver
the Law by Moses, Moses alone was commanded to ascend the mountain. Thither
came God with great majesty, filling the place with thunder and lightning, with
fire and dense clouds, and began to speak to Moses, and delivered to him the
Commandments
In this the divine wisdom had solely for
object to admonish us that the law of the Lord should be received with pure and
humble minds, and that over the neglect of His commands impend the heaviest
chastisements of the divine justice.
The Observance Of The Commandments Is Not
Difficult
The pastor should also teach that the
Commandments of God are not difficult, as these words of St Augustine are alone
sufficient to show: How, I ask, is it said to be impossible for man to love --
to love, I say, a beneficent Creator, a most loving Father, and also, in the
persons of his , brethren to love his own flesh? Yet, "he who loveth has
fulfilled the law." Hence the Apostle St. John expressly says that the
commandments of God are not heavy; for as St. Bernard observes, nothing more
just could be exacted from man, nothing that could confer on him a more exalted
dignity, nothing more advantageous. Hence St. Augustine, filled with admiration
of God's infinite goodness, thus addresses God : What is man that Thou wouldst
be loved by him ? And if he loves Thee not, Thou threatenest t him with heavy
punishment. Is it not punishment enough that I love Thee not ?
But should anyone plead human infirmity to
excuse himself for not loving God, it should be explained that He who demands
our love pours into our hearts by the Holy Ghost the fervour of His love; and
this good Spirit our heavenly Father gives to those that ask him with reason,
therefore, did St. Augustine pray: Give what thou commandest and command what
thou pleasest. As, then, God is ever ready to help us, especially since the
death of Christ the Lord, by which the prince of this world was cast out, there
is no reason why anyone should be disheartened by the difficulty of the
undertaking. To him who loves, nothing is difficult.
The Observance Of The Commandments Is
Necessary
Furthermore, it will contribute much to
persuade (obedience to the law) if it is explained that such obedience is
necessary, especially since in these our days there are not wanting those who,
to their own serious injury, have the impious hardihood to assert that the
observance of the law, whether easy or difficult, is by no means necessary to
salvation.
This wicked and impious error the pastor
should refute from Scripture, especially from the same Apostle by whose
authority they attempt to defend their wickedness. What, then, are the words of
the Apostle? Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the
keeping of the commandments of God. Again, inculcating the same doctrine, he
says: , new creature, in Christ, alone avails. By a new creature in Christ he
evidently means him who observes the Commandments of God; for, he who observes
the Commandments of God loves God, as our Lord Himself testifies in St. John:
If anyone love me, he will keep my word.
A man, it is true, may be justified, and from
wicked may become righteous, before he has fulfilled, by external acts, each of
the Commandments; but no one who has arrived at the use of reason can be
justified, unless he is resolved to keep all of God's Commandments.
The Observance Of The Commandments Is
Attended By Many Blessings
Finally, to leave nothing unsaid that may be
calculated to induce the faithful to an observance of the law, the pastor
should point out how abundant and sweet are its fruits. This he will easily
accomplish by referring to the eighteenth Psalm, which celebrates the praises
of the divine law. The highest eulogy of the law is that it proclaims the glory
and the majesty of God more eloquently than even the heavenly bodies, whose beauty
and order excite the admiration of all peoples, even the most uncivilised, and
compel them to acknowledge the glory, wisdom and power of the Creator and
Architect of the universe.
The law of the Lord also converts souls to
God; for knowing the ways of God and His holy will through the medium of His
law, we turn our steps into the ways of the Lord.
It also gives wisdom to little ones; for they
alone who fear God are truly wise. Hence, the observers of the law of God are
filled with pure delights, with knowledge of divine mysteries, and are blessed
with plenteous joys and rewards both in this life and in the life to come.
In our observance of the law, however, we
should not act so much for our own advantage as for the sake of God who, by
means of the law, has revealed His will to man. If other creatures are obedient
to God's will, how much more reasonable that man should follow it?
God's Goodness Invites Us To Keep His
Commandments
Nor should it be omitted that God has
preeminently displayed His clemency and the riches of His goodness in this,
that while He might have forced us to serve His glory without a reward, He has,
notwithstanding, deigned to identify His own glory with our advantage, thus
rendering what tends to His honour, conducive to our interests.
This is a great and striking consideration;
and the pastor, therefore, should teach in the concluding words of the Prophet
that in keeping them there is a great reward. Not only are we promised those
blessings which seem to have reference to earthly happiness, such, for example,
as to be blessed in the city, and blessed in the field: but we are also
promised a great reward in heaven, good measure, pressed down, shaken together
and running over, which, aided by the divine mercy, we merit by our holy and
pious actions.
The Promulgation of the Law
I am the Lord thy God who brought thee out of
the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt not have strange
gods before me. Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing. The Law,
although delivered to the Jews by the Lord from the mountain, was long before
written and impressed by nature on the heart of man, and was therefore rendered
obligatory by God for all men and all times.
The People To Whom The Law Was Given
It will be very useful, however, to explain
carefully the words in which it was proclaimed to the Hebrews by Moses, its
minister and interpreter, and also the history of the Israelites, which is so
full of mysteries.
Epitome Of Jewish History
(The pastor) should first tell that from
among the nations of the earth God chose one which descended from Abraham; that
it was the divine will that Abraham should be a stranger in the land of Canaan,
the possession of which He had promised him; and that, although for more than
four hundred years he and his posterity were wanderers before they dwelt in the
promised land, God never withdrew from them, throughout their wanderings, His
protecting care. They passed from nation to nation and from one kingdom to
another people; He suffered no man to hurt them, and He even reproved kings for
their sakes.
Before they went down into Egypt He sent
before them one by whose prudence they and the Egyptians were rescued from
famine. In Egypt such was His kindness towards them that although opposed by
the power of Pharaoh who sought their destruction, they increased to an
extraordinary degree; and when they were severely harassed and cruelly treated
as slaves, God raised up Moses as a leader to lead them out in a strong hand.
It is especially this deliverance that the Lord refers to in the opening words
of the Law: I am the Lord thy God who brought thee out of the land of Egypt,
out of the house of bondage.
Lessons To Be Drawn From Jewish History
From all this the pastor should especially
note that out of all the nations God chose only one whom He called His people,
and by whom He willed to be known and worshipped; not that they were superior
to other nations in justice or in numbers, and of this God Himself reminds the
Hebrews, but rather because He wished, by the multiplication and aggrandisement
of an inconsiderable and impoverished nation, to display to mankind His power
and goodness.
Such having been their condition, he was
closely united to them, and loved them, and Lord of heaven and earth as He was,
He disdained not to be called their God. He desired that the other nations
might thus be excited to emulation and that mankind, seeing the happiness of
the Israelites, might embrace the worship of the true God. In the same way St.
Paul says that by discussing the happiness of the Gentiles and their knowledge
of the true God, he provoked to emulation those who were his own flesh.
The faithful should next be taught that God
suffered the Hebrew Patriarchs to wander for so long a time, and their
posterity to be oppressed and harassed by a galling servitude, in order to
teach us that none are friends of God except those who are enemies of the world
and pilgrims on earth, and that an entire detachment from the world gives us an
easier access to the friendship of God. Further He wished that, being brought
to His service, we should understand how much happier are they who serve God,
than they who serve the world. Of this Scripture itself admonishes us: Yet they
shall serve him, that they may know the difference between my service and the
service of the kingdom of the earth.
(The pastor) should also explain that God
delayed the fulfilment of His promise until after the lapse of more than four
hundred years, in order that His people might be sustained by faith and hope;
for, as we shall show when we come to explain the first Commandment, God wishes
His children to depend on Him at all times and to repose all their confidence
in His goodness.
The Time And Place In Which The Law Was
Promulgated
Finally, the time and place, in which the
people of Israel received this Law from God should be noted. They received it
after they had been delivered from Egypt and had come into the wilderness; in
order that, impressed by the memory of a recent benefit and awed by the
dreariness of the place in which they journeyed, they might be the better
disposed to receive the Law. For man becomes closely attached to those whose
bounty he has experienced, and when he has lost all hope of assistance from his
fellow-man, he then seeks refuge in the protection of God.
From all this we learn that the more detached
the faithful are from the allurements of the world and the pleasures of sense,
the more disposed they are to accept heavenly doctrines. As the Prophet has
written: Whom shall he teach knowledge, and whom shall he make to understand
the hearing? Them that are weaned from the milk, that are drawn away from the
breasts.
THE FIRST
COMMANDMENT : "I am the lord thy god, who brought thee out of the land
of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt not have strange gods before
me. Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing, nor the likeness of any
thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, nor of those things
that are in the waters under the earth. Thou shalt not adore them, nor serve
them. I am the lord thy god, mighty, jealous, visiting the iniquity of the
fathers upon the children, to the third and fourth generation of them that hate
me, and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my
commandments."
"I am the Lord thy God"
The pastor should use his best endeavours to
induce the faithful to keep continually in view these words: I am the Lord thy
God. From them they will learn that their Lawgiver is none other than their
Creator, by whom they were made and are preserved, and that they may truly
repeat: He is the Lord our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the
sheep of his hand. The frequent and earnest inculcation of these words will
also serve to induce the faithful more readily to observe the Law and avoid
sin.
"Who Brought thee out of the Land of
Egypt, out of the House of Bondage"
The next words, who brought thee out of the
land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, seem to relate solely to the Jews
liberated from the bondage of Egypt. But if we consider the meaning of the
salvation of the entire human race, those words are still more applicable to
Christians, who are liberated by God not from the bondage of Egypt, but from
the slavery of sin and the powers of darkness, and are translated into the kingdom
of his beloved Son. Contemplating the greatness of this favour, Jeremias
foretold: Behold the days come, saith the Lord, when it shall be said no more:
The Lord liveth that brought forth. the children of Israel out of the land of
Egypt; but: The Lord liveth that brought the children of Israel out of the land
of the north and out of all the lands to which I cast them out; and I will
bring them again into their land which gave to their fathers. Behold, I send
many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them, etc. And, indeed, our
most indulgent Father has gathered together, through His beloved Son, His
children that were dispersed, that being made free from sin and made the
servants of justice, we may serve before him in holiness and justice all our
days.'
Against every temptation, therefore, the
faithful should arm themselves with these words of the Apostle as with a
shield: Shall we who are dead to sin live any longer therein? We are no longer
our own, we are His who died and rose again for us. He is the Lord our God who
has purchased us for Himself at the price of His blood. Shall we then be any
longer capable of sinning against the Lord our God, and crucifying Him again?
Being made truly free, and with that liberty wherewith Christ has made us free,
let us, as we heretofore yielded our members to serve injustice, henceforward
yield them to serve justice to sanctification.
"Thou shalt not have Strange Gods
before Me"
The pastor should teach that the first part
of the Decalogue contains our duties towards God; the second part, our duties
towards our neighbour. The reason (for this order) is that the services we
render our neighbour are rendered for the sake of God; for then only do we love
our neighbour as God commands when we love him for God's sake. The Commandments
which regard God are those which were inscribed on the first table of the Law.
The Above Words Contain A Command And A
Prohibition
(The pastor) should next show that the words
just quoted contain a twofold precept, the one mandatory, the other
prohibitory. When it is said: Thou shalt not have strange gods before me, it is
equivalent to saying: Thou shalt worship me the true God; thou shalt not worship
strange gods.
What They Command
The (mandatory part) contains a precept of
faith, hope and charity. For, acknowledging God to be immovable, immutable,
always the same, we rightly confess that He is faithful and entirely just.
Hence in assenting to His oracles, we necessarily yield to Him all belief and
obedience. Again, who can contemplate His omnipotence, His clemency, His
willing beneficence, and not repose in Him all his hopes? Finally, who can
behold the riches of His goodness and love, which He lavishes on us, and not
love Him? Hence the exordium and the conclusion used by God in Scripture when
giving His commands: I, the Lord.
What They Forbid
The (negative) part of this Commandment is
comprised in these words: Thou shalt not have strange gods before me. This the
Lawgiver subjoins, not because it is not sufficiently expressed in the
affirmative part of the precept, which means: Thou shalt worship me, the only
God, for if He is God, He is the only God; but on account of the blindness of
many who of old professed to worship the true God and yet adored a multitude of
gods. Of these there were many even among the Hebrews, whom Elias reproached
with having halted between two sides, and also among the Samaritans, who
worshipped the God of Israel and the gods of the nations.
Importance Of This Commandment
After this it should be added that this is
the first and principal Commandment, not only in order, but also in its nature,
dignity and excellence. God is entitled to infinitely greater love and obedience
from us than any lord or king. He created us, He governs us, He nurtured us
even in the womb, brought us into the world, and still supplies us with all the
necessaries of life and maintenance.
Sins Against This Commandment
Against this Commandment all those sin who
have not faith. hope and charity. such sinners are very numerous, for they
include all who fall into heresy, who reject what holy mother the Church
proposes for our belief, who give credit to dreams. fortune-telling, and such
illusions; those who, despairing of salvation, trust not in the goodness of
God; and those who rely solely on wealth, or health and strength of body. But
these matters are developed more at length in treatises on sins and vices.
Veneration And Invocation Of Angels And Saints
Not Forbidden By This Commandment
In explanation of this Commandment it should
be accurately taught that the veneration and invocation of holy Angels and of
the blessed who now enjoy the glory of heaven, and likewise the honour which
the Catholic Church has always paid even to the bodies and ashes of the Saints,
are not forbidden by this Commandment. If a king ordered that no one else
should set himself up as king, or accept the honours due to the royal person,
who would be so foolish as to infer that the sovereign was unwilling that
suitable honour and respect should be paid to his magistrates? Now although
Christians follow the example set by the Saints of the Old Law, and are said to
adore the Angels, yet they do not give to Angels that honour which is due to
God alone.
And if we sometimes read that Angels refused
to be worshipped by men, we are to know that they did so because the worship
which they refused to accept was the honour due to God alone.
It Is Lawful To Honour And Invoke The
Angels
The Holy Spirit who says: Honour and glory to
God alone, commands us also to honour our parents and elders; and the holy men
who adored one God only are also said in Scripture to have adored, that is,
supplicated and venerated kings. If then kings, by whose agency God governs the
world, are so highly honoured, shall it be deemed unlawful to honour those
angelic spirits whom God has been pleased to constitute His ministers, whose
services He makes use of not only in the government of His Church, but also of the
universe, by whose aid, although we see them not, we are every day delivered
from the greatest dangers of soul and body ? Are they not worthy of far greater
honour, since their dignity so far surpasses that of kings?
Add to this their love towards us, which, as
we easily see from Scripture, prompts them to pour out their prayers for those
countries over which they are placed, as well as for us whose guardians they
are, and whose prayers and tears they present before the throne of God Hence
our Lord admonishes us in the Gospel not to offend the little ones because
their angels in heaven always see the face of their Father who is in heaven.
Their Intercession, therefore, we ought to
invoke, because they always see tile face of God, and are constituted by Him
the willing advocates of our salvation. The Scriptures bear witness to such
invocation. Jacob entreated the Angel with whom he wrestled to bless him; nay,
he even compelled him, declaring that he would not let him go until he had
blessed him. And not only did he invoke the blessing of the Angel whom he saw,
but also of him whom he saw not. The angel, said he, who delivers me from all
evils, bless these boys.
It Is Lawful To Honour And Invoke The
Saints
From all this we may conclude that to honour
the Saints who nave slept in the Lord, to invoke them, and to venerate their
sacred relics and ashes, far from diminishing, tends considerably to increase
the glory of God, in proportion as man's hope is thus animated and fortified,
and he himself encouraged to imitate the Saints.
This is a practice which is also supported by
the authority' of the second Council of Nice, the Councils of Gangra, and of
Trent, and by the testimony of the Fathers. In order, however, that the pastor
may be the better prepared to meet the objections of those who deny this
doctrine, he should consult particularly St. Jerome against Vigilantius and St.
Damascene. To the teaching of these Fathers should be added as a consideration
of prime importance that the practice was received from the Apostles, and has
always been retained and preserved in the Church of God.
But who can desire a stronger or more
convincing proof than that which is supplied by the admirable praises given in
Scripture to the Saints? For there are not wanting eulogies which God Himself
pronounced on some of the Saints. If, then, Holy Writ celebrates their praises,
why should not men show them singular honour ?
A stronger claim which the Saints have to be
honoured and invoked is that they constantly pray for our salvation and obtain
for us by their merits and influence many blessings from God. If there is joy
in heaven over the conversion of one sinner, will not the citizens of heaven
assist those who repent? When they are invoked, will they not obtain for us the
pardon of sins, and the grace of God ?
Objections Answered
Should it be said, as some say, that the
patronage of the Saints is unnecessary, because God hears our prayers without
the intervention of a mediator, this impious assertion is easily met by the
observation of St. Augustine: There are many things which God does not grant
without a mediator and intercessor. This is confirmed by the well-known
examples of Abimelech and the friends of Job who were pardoned only through the
prayers of Abraham and of Job
Should it be alleged that to recur to the
patronage and intercession of the Saints argues want or weakness of faith, what
will (the objectors) answer regarding the centurion whose faith was highly
eulogised by the Lord God Himself, despite the fact that he had sent to the
Redeemer the ancients of the Jews, to intercede for his sick servant?
True, there is but one Mediator, Christ the
Lord, who alone has reconciled us to the heavenly Father through His blood, and
who, having obtained eternal redemption, and having entered once into the
holies, ceases not to intercede for us. But it by no means follows that it is
therefore unlawful to have recourse to the intercession of the Saints. If,
because we have one Mediator Jesus Christ, it were unlawful to ask the
intercession of the Saints, the Apostle would never have recommended himself
with so much earnestness to the prayers of his brethren on earth. For the
prayers of the living would lessen the glory and dignity of Christ's
Mediatorship not less than the intercession of the Saints in heaven.
The Honour And Invocation Of Saints Is
Approved By Miracles
But who would not be convinced of the honour
due the Saints and of the help they give us by the wonders wrought at their
tombs? Diseased eyes, hands, and other members are restored to health; the dead
are raised to life, and demons are expelled from the bodies of men ! These are
facts which St. Ambrose and St. Augustine, most unexceptionable witnesses,
declare in their writings, not that they heard, as many did, nor that they
read, as did man- very reliable men, but that they saw.
But why multiply proofs? If the clothes, the
handkerchiefs, and even the very shadows of the Saints, while yet on earth,
banished disease and restored health, who will have the hardihood to deny that
God can still work the same wonders by the holy ashes, the bones and other
relics of the Saints ? Of this we have a proof in the restoration to life of
the dead body which was accidentally let down into the grave of Eliseus, and
which, on touching the body (of the Prophet), was instantly restored to life.
"Thou shalt not make to thyself a
graven thing, nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the
earth beneath, nor of those things that are in the waters under the earth: thou
shalt not adore them nor serve them"
Some, supposing these words which come next
in order to constitute a distinct precept, reduce the ninth and tenth
Commandments to one. St. Augustine, on the contrary, considering the last two
to be distinct Commandments, makes the words just quoted a part of the first
Commandment. His division is much approved in the Church, and hence we
willingly adopt it. Furthermore, a very good reason for this arrangement at
once suggests itself. It was fitting that to the first Commandment should be
added the rewards or punishments entailed by each one of the Commandments.
The Above Words Do Not Forbid All Images
Let no one think that this Commandment
entirely forbids the arts of painting, engraving or sculpture. The Scriptures
inform us that God Himself commanded to be made images of Cherubim, and also
the brazen serpent. The interpretation, therefore, at which we must arrive, is
that images are prohibited only inasmuch as they are used as deities to receive
adoration, and so to injure the true worship of God.
They Forbid Idols And Representations Of
The Deity
As far as this Commandment is concerned, it
is clear that there are two chief ways in which God's majesty can be seriously
outraged. The first way is by worshipping idols and images as God, or believing
that they possess any divinity or virtue entitling them to our worship, by
praying to, or reposing confidence in them, as the Gentiles did, who placed
their hopes in idols, and whose idolatry the Scriptures frequently condemn. The
other way is by attempting to form a representation of the Deity, as if He were
visible to mortal eyes, or could be reproduced by colours or figures. Who, says
Damascene, can represent God, invisible, as He is, incorporeal, uncircumscribed
by limits, and incapable of being reproduced under any shape. This subject is
treated more at large in the second Council of Nice. Rightly, then, did the
Apostles say (of the Gentiles): They changed the glory of the incorruptible God
into a likeness of birds, and of four-footed beasts, and of creeping things;
for they worshipped all these things as God, seeing that they made the images
of these things to represent Him. Hence the Israelites, when they exclaimed
before the image of the calf: These are thy gods, Israel, that have brought
thee out of the land of Egypt, are denounced as idolaters, because they changed
their glory into the likeness of a calf that eateth grass.
When, therefore, the Lord had forbidden the
worship of strange gods, He also forbade the making of an image of the Deity
from brass or other materials, in order thus utterly to do away with idolatry.
It is this that Isaias declares when he asks: To whom then have you likened
God, or what image will you make for hill? That this is the meaning of the
prohibition contained in the Commandment is proved, not only from the writings
of the holy Fathers, who, as may be seen in the seventh General Council, give
to it this interpretation: but is also clearly declared in these words of
Deuteronomy, by which Moses sought to withdraw the people from the worship of
idols: You saw not, he says, any similitude in the day that the Lord spoke to
you in Horeb, from the midst of the fire. These words this wisest of
legislators spoke, lest through error of any sort, they should make an image of
the Deity, and transfer to any thing created, the honour due to God.
They Do Not Forbid Representations Of The
Divine Persons And Angels
To represent the Persons of the Holy Trinity
by certain forms under which they appeared in the Old and New Testaments no one
should deem contrary to religion or the law of God. For who can be so ignorant
as to believe that such forms are representations of the Deity? -- forms, as
the pastor should teach, which only express some attribute or action ascribed
to God. Thus when from the description of Daniel God is painted as the Ancient
of days, seated on a throne, with the books opened before hint, the eternity of
God is represented and also the infinite wisdom, by which He sees and judges
all the thoughts and actions of men.'
Angels, also, are represented under human
form and with wings to give us to understand that they are actuated by
benevolent feelings towards mankind, and are always prepared to execute the Lord's
commands; for they are all ministering spirits, sent to minister for them who
shall receive the inheritance of salvation.
What attributes of the Holy Ghost are
represented under the forms of a dove, and of tongues of fire, in the Gospel
and in the Acts of the Apostles, is a matter too well known to require lengthy
explanation.
They Do Not Forbid Images Of Christ And
The Saints
But to make and honour the images of Christ
our Lord, of His holy and virginal Mother, and of the Saints, all of whom were
clothed with human nature and appeared in human form, is not only not forbidden
by this Commandment, but has always been deemed a holy practice and a most sure
indication of gratitude. This position is confirmed by the monuments of the
Apostolic age, the General Councils of the Church, and the writings of so many
among the Fathers, eminent alike for sanctity and learning, all of whom are of
one accord upon the subject.
Usefulness Of Sacred Images
But the pastor should not content himself
with showing that it is lawful to have images in churches, and to pay them
honour and respect, since this respect is referred to their prototypes. He
should also show that the uninterrupted observance of this practice down to the
present day has been attended with great advantage to the faithful, as may be
seen in the work of Damascene on images, and in the seventh General Council,
the second of Nice.
But as the enemy of mankind, by his wiles and
deceits, seeks to pervert even the most holy institutions, should the faithful
happen at all to offend in this particular, the pastor, in accordance with the
decree of the Council of Trent's should use every exertion in his power to
correct such an abuse, and, if necessary, explain the decree itself to the
people.
He will also inform the unlettered and those
who may be ignorant of the use of images, that they are intended to instruct in
the history of the Old and New Testaments, and to revive from time to time
their memory; that thus, moved by the contemplation of heavenly things, we may
be the more ardently inflamed to adore and love God Himself. He should, also,
point out that the images of the Saints are placed in churches, not only to be
honoured, but also that they may admonish us by their examples to imitate their
lives and virtues.
"I am the Lord thy God, mighty,
jealous, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, to the third
and fourth generation of them that hate me, and showing mercy unto thousands of
them that love me, and keep my commandments."
In this concluding clause of this Commandment
two things occur which demand careful exposition. The first is, that while, on
account of the enormous guilt incurred by the violation of the first
Commandment, and the propensity of man towards its violation, the punishment is
properly indicated in this place, it is also attached to all the other
Commandments.
Every law enforces its observance by rewards
and punishments; and hence the frequent and numerous promises of God in Sacred
Scripture. To omit those that we meet almost on every page of the Old
Testament, it is written in the Gospel: If thou wilt enter into life, keep the
commandments; and again: He that doth the will of my Father who is in heaven,
he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; and also: Every tree that doth not
yield good fruit shall be cut down and cast into the fire; Whosoever is angry
with his brother shall be guilty of the judgment; If you will not forgive men,
neither will your Father forgive you your offences.
How The Sanction Contained In The Above
Words Should Be Proposed
The other observation is that this concluding
part (of the Commandment) is to be proposed in a very different manner to the
spiritual and to the carnal Christian. To the spiritual who is animated by the
Spirit of God, and who yields to Him a willing and cheerful obedience, it is,
in some sort, glad tidings and a strong proof of the divine goodness towards
him. In it he recognises the care of his most loving God, who, now by rewards,
now by punishments, almost compels His creatures to adore and worship Him. The
spiritual man acknowledges the infinite goodness of God towards himself in
vouchsafing to issue His commands to him and to make use of his service to the
glory of the divine name. And not only does he acknowledge the divine goodness,
he also cherishes a strong hope that when God commands what He pleases, He will
also give strength to fulfil hat He commands.
But to the carnal man, who is not yet freed
from a servile spirit and who abstains from sin more through fear of punishment
than love of virtue, (this sanction) of the divine law, which closes each of
the Commandments, is burdensome and severe. Wherefore they should be encouraged
by pious exhortation, and led by the hand, as it were, in the way of the law.
The pastor, therefore, as often as he has occasion to explain any of the
Commandments should keep this in view.
Mighty
But both the carnal and the spiritual should be spurred on, especially by two considerations which are contained in this concludi