Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It would seem that men are not bound by precept to make oblations. Men are not bound, at the time of the Gospel, to observe the ceremonial precepts of the Old Law, as stated above (1.2, Question 103, Articles 3,4). Now the offering of oblations is one of the ceremonial precepts of the Old Law, since it is written (Ex. 23:14): "Three times every year you shall celebrate feasts with Me," and further on (Ex. 23:15): "Thou shalt not appear empty before Me." Therefore men are not now under a necessity of precept to make oblations.

Objection 2: Further, before they are made, oblations depend on man's will, as appears from our Lord's saying (Mt. 5:23), "If . . . thou offer thy gift at the altar," as though this were left to the choice of the offerer: and when once oblations have been made, there is no way of offering them again. Therefore in no way is a man under a necessity of precept to make oblations.

Objection 3: Further, if anyone is bound to give a certain thing to the Church, and fails to give it, he can be compelled to do so by being deprived of the Church's sacraments. But it would seem unlawful to refuse the sacraments of the Church to those who refuse to make oblations according to a decree of the sixth council , quoted I, qu. i, can. Nullus: "Let none who dispense Holy Communion exact anything of the recipient, and if they exact anything let them be deposed." Therefore it is not necessary that men should make oblations.

On the contrary, Gregory says : "Let every Christian take care that he offer something to God at the celebration of Mass."

I answer that, As stated above (Question 85, Article 3, ad 3), the term "oblation" is common to all things offered for the Divine worship, so that if a thing be offered to be destroyed in worship of God, as though it were being made into something holy, it is both an oblation and a sacrifice. Wherefore it is written (Ex. 29:18): "Thou shalt offer the whole ram for a burnt-offering upon the altar; it is an oblation to the Lord, a most sweet savor of the victim of the Lord"; and (Lev. 2:1): "When anyone shall offer an oblation of sacrifice to the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour." If, on the other hand, it be offered with a view to its remaining entire and being deputed to the worship of God or to the use of His ministers, it will be an oblation and not a sacrifice. Accordingly it is essential to oblations of this kind that they be offered voluntarily, according to Ex. 25:2, of "every man that offereth of his own accord you shall take them." Nevertheless it may happen in four ways that one is bound to make oblations. First, on account of a previous agreement: as when a person is granted a portion of Church land, that he may make certain oblations at fixed times, although this has the character of rent. Secondly, by reason of a previous assignment or promise; as when a man offers a gift among the living, or by will bequeaths to the Church something whether movable or immovable to be delivered at some future time. Thirdly, on account of the need of the Church, for instance if her ministers were without means of support. Fourthly, on account of custom; for the faithful are bound at certain solemn feasts to make certain customary oblations. In the last two cases, however, the oblation remains voluntary, as regards, to wit, the quantity or kind of the thing offered.

Reply to Objection 1: Under the New Law men are not bound to make oblations on account of legal solemnities, as stated in Exodus, but on account of certain other reasons, as stated above.

Reply to Objection 2: Some are bound to make oblations, both before making them, as in the first, third, and. fourth cases, and after they have made them by assignment or promise: for they are bound to offer in reality that which has been already offered to the Church by way of assignment.

Reply to Objection 3: Those who do not make the oblations they are bound to make may be punished by being deprived of the sacraments, not by the priest himself to whom the oblations should be made, lest he seem to exact, something for bestowing the sacraments, but by someone superior to him.

Articulus 1

Argumentum 1

Ad primum sic proceditur. Videtur quod homines non teneantur ad oblationes ex necessitate praecepti. Non enim homines tempore evangelii tenentur ad observanda caeremonialia praecepta veteris legis, ut supra habitum est.

Sed oblationes offerre ponitur inter caeremonialia praecepta veteris legis, dicitur enim Exod. XXIII, tribus vicibus per singulos annos mihi festa celebrabitis, et postea subditur, non apparebis in conspectu meo vacuus.

Ergo ad oblationes non tenentur nunc homines ex necessitate praecepti.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, oblationes, antequam fiant, in voluntate hominis consistunt, ut videtur per hoc quod dominus dicit, Matth. V, si offers munus tuum ad altare, quasi hoc arbitrio offerentium relinquatur. Postquam autem oblationes sunt factae, non restat locus iterato eas offerendi.

Ergo nullo modo aliquis ex necessitate praecepti ad oblationes tenetur.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, quicumque aliquid tenetur reddere ecclesiae, si non reddat, potest ad id compelli per subtractionem ecclesiasticorum sacramentorum. Sed illicitum videtur his qui offerre noluerint ecclesiastica sacramenta denegare, secundum illud decretum sextae synodi quod habetur I, qu. I, nullus qui sacram communionem dispensat, a percipiente gratiam aliquid exigat, si vero exegerit, deponatur.

Ergo non tenentur homines ex necessitate ad oblationes.

Sed Contra

Sed contra est quod Gregorius dicit, omnis christianus procuret ad Missarum solemnia aliquid deo offerre.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod, sicut dictum est, nomen oblationis commune est ad omnes res quae in cultum dei exhibentur. Ita quod si aliquid exhibeatur in cultum divinum quasi in aliquod sacrum quod inde fieri debeat consumendum, et oblatio est et sacrificium, unde dicitur Exod. XXIX, offeres totum arietem in incensum super altare, oblatio est domino, odor suavissimus victimae dei; et Levit. II dicitur, anima cum obtulerit oblationem sacrificii domino, simila erit eius oblatio.

Si vero sic exhibeatur ut integrum maneat, divino cultui deputandum vel in usus ministrorum expendendum, erit oblatio et non sacrificium. Huiusmodi ergo oblationes de sui ratione habent quod voluntarie offerantur, secundum illud Exod. XXV, ab homine qui offert ultroneus, accipietis eas.

Potest tamen contingere quod aliquis ad oblationes teneatur quadruplici ratione. Primo quidem, ex praecedenti conventione, sicut cum alicui conceditur aliquis fundus ecclesiae, ut certis temporibus certas oblationes faciat. Quod tamen habet rationem census. Secundo, propter praecedentem deputationem sive promissionem, sicut cum aliquis offert donationem inter vivos vel cum relinquit in testamento ecclesiae aliquam rem, mobilem vel immobilem, in posterum solvendam. Tertio modo, propter ecclesiae necessitatem, puta si ministri ecclesiae non haberent unde sustentarentur. Quarto modo, propter consuetudinem, tenentur enim fideles in aliquibus solemnitatibus ad aliquas oblationes consuetas. Tamen in his duobus ultimis casibus remanet oblatio quodammodo voluntaria, scilicet quantum ad quantitatem vel speciem rei oblatae.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod in nova lege homines non tenentur ad oblationem causa solemnitatum legalium, ut in exodo dicitur, sed ex quibusdam aliis causis, ut dictum est.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod ad oblationes faciendas tenentur aliqui et antequam fiant, sicut in primo et tertio et quarto modo, et etiam postquam eas fecerint per deputationem sive promissionem; tenentur enim realiter exhibere quod est ecclesiae per modum deputationis oblatum.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod illi qui debitas oblationes non reddunt possunt puniri per subtractionem sacramentorum, non per ipsum sacerdotem cui sunt oblationes faciendae, ne videatur pro sacramentorum exhibitione aliquid exigere, sed per superiorem aliquem.