Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It seems that two ways ought not to be distinguished of eating Christ's body, namely, sacramentally and spiritually. For, as Baptism is spiritual regeneration, according to Jn. 3:5: "Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost," etc., so also this sacrament is spiritual food: hence our Lord, speaking of this sacrament, says (Jn. 6:64): "The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life." But there are no two distinct ways of receiving Baptism, namely, sacramentally and spiritually. Therefore neither ought this distinction to be made regarding this sacrament.

Objection 2: Further, when two things are so related that one is on account of the other, they should not be put in contra-distinction to one another, because the one derives its species from the other. But sacramental eating is ordained for spiritual eating as its end. Therefore sacramental eating ought not to be divided in contrast with spiritual eating.

Objection 3: Further, things which cannot exist without one another ought not to be divided in contrast with each other. But it seems that no one can eat spiritually without eating sacramentally; otherwise the fathers of old would have eaten this sacrament spiritually. Moreover, sacramental eating would be to no purpose, if the spiritual eating could be had without it. Therefore it is not right to distinguish a twofold eating, namely, sacramental and spiritual.

On the contrary, The gloss says on 1 Cor. 11:29: "He that eateth and drinketh unworthily," etc.: "We hold that there are two ways of eating, the one sacramental, and the other spiritual."

I answer that, There are two things to be considered in the receiving of this sacrament, namely, the sacrament itself, and its fruits, and we have already spoken of both (Questions 73,79). The perfect way, then, of receiving this sacrament is when one takes it so as to partake of its effect. Now, as was stated above (Question 79, Articles 3,8), it sometimes happens that a man is hindered from receiving the effect of this sacrament; and such receiving of this sacrament is an imperfect one. Therefore, as the perfect is divided against the imperfect, so sacramental eating, whereby the sacrament only is received without its effect, is divided against spiritual eating, by which one receives the effect of this sacrament, whereby a man is spiritually united with Christ through faith and charity.

Reply to Objection 1: The same distinction is made regarding Baptism and the other sacraments: for, some receive the sacrament only, while others receive the sacrament and the reality of the sacrament. However, there is a difference, because, since the other sacraments are accomplished in the use of the matter, the receiving of the sacrament is the actual perfection of the sacrament; whereas this sacrament is accomplished in the consecration of the matter: and consequently both uses follow the sacrament. On the other hand, in Baptism and in the other sacraments that imprint a character, they who receive the sacrament receive some spiritual effect, that is, the character. which is not the case in this sacrament. And therefore, in this sacrament, rather than in Baptism, the sacramental use is distinguished from the spiritual use.

Reply to Objection 2: That sacramental eating which is also a spiritual eating is not divided in contrast with spiritual eating, but is included under it; but that sacramental eating which does not secure the effect, is divided in contrast with spiritual eating; just as the imperfect, which does not attain the perfection of its species, is divided in contrast with the perfect.

Reply to Objection 3: As stated above (Question 73, Article 3), the effect of the sacrament can be secured by every man if he receive it in desire, though not in reality. Consequently, just as some are baptized with the Baptism of desire, through their desire of baptism, before being baptized in the Baptism of water; so likewise some eat this sacrament spiritually ere they receive it sacramentally. Now this happens in two ways. First of all, from desire of receiving the sacrament itself, and thus are said to be baptized, and to eat spiritually, and not sacramentally, they who desire to receive these sacraments since they have been instituted. Secondly, by a figure: thus the Apostle says (1 Cor. 10:2), that the fathers of old were "baptized in the cloud and in the sea," and that "they did eat . . . spiritual food, and . . . drank . . . spiritual drink." Nevertheless sacramental eating is not without avail, because the actual receiving of the sacrament produces more fully the effect of the sacrament than does the desire thereof, as stated above of Baptism (Question 69, Article 4, ad 2).

Articulus 1

Argumentum 1

Ad primum sic proceditur. Videtur quod non debeant distingui duo modi manducandi corpus christi, scilicet spiritualiter et sacramentaliter. Sicut enim baptismus est spiritualis regeneratio, secundum illud Ioan. III, nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua et spiritu sancto etc., ita etiam hoc sacramentum est cibus spiritualis, unde dominus, loquens de hoc sacramento, dicit, Ioan. VI, verba quae ego locutus sum vobis, spiritus et vita sunt.

Sed circa baptismum non distinguitur duplex modus sumendi, scilicet sacramentalis et spiritualis. Ergo neque circa hoc sacramentum debet haec distinctio adhiberi.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, ea quorum unum est propter alterum, non debent ad invicem dividi, quia unum ab alio speciem trahit.

Sed sacramentalis manducatio ordinatur ad spiritualem sicut ad finem. Non ergo debet sacramentalis manducatio contra spiritualem dividi.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, ea quorum unum non potest esse sine altero, non debent contra se dividi. Sed videtur quod nullus possit manducare spiritualiter nisi etiam sacramentaliter manducet, alioquin antiqui patres hoc sacramentum spiritualiter manducassent. Frustra etiam esset sacramentalis manducatio, si sine ea spiritualis esse posset. Non ergo convenienter distinguitur duplex manducatio, scilicet sacramentalis et spiritualis.

Sed Contra

Sed contra est quod, super illud I Cor. XI, qui manducat et bibit indigne etc., dicit Glossa, duos dicimus esse modos manducandi, unum sacramentalem, et alium spiritualem.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod in sumptione huius sacramenti duo sunt consideranda, scilicet ipsum sacramentum, et effectus ipsius, de quorum utroque supra iam dictum est.

Perfectus igitur modus sumendi hoc sacramentum est quando aliquis ita hoc sacramentum suscipit quod percipit eius effectum. Contingit autem quandoque, sicut supra dictum est, quod aliquis impeditur a percipiendo effectum huius sacramenti, et talis sumptio huius sacramenti est imperfecta. Sicut igitur perfectum contra imperfectum dividitur, ita sacramentalis manducatio, per quam sumitur solum sacramentum sine effectu ipsius, dividitur contra spiritualem manducationem, per quam aliquis percipit effectum huius sacramenti quo spiritualiter homo christo coniungitur per fidem et caritatem.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod etiam circa baptismum, et alia huiusmodi sacramenta, similis distinctio adhibetur, nam quidam suscipiunt tantum sacramentum, quidam vero sacramentum et rem sacramenti. Hic tamen differt quia, cum alia sacramenta perficiantur in usu materiae, percipere sacramentum est ipsa perfectio sacramenti, hoc autem sacramentum perficitur in consecratione materiae, et ideo uterque usus est consequens hoc sacramentum. In baptismo autem, et aliis sacramentis characterem imprimentibus, illi qui accipiunt sacramentum, recipiunt aliquem spiritualem effectum, scilicet characterem, quod non accidit in hoc sacramento. Et ideo magis in hoc sacramento distinguitur usus sacramentalis a spirituali quam in baptismo.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod sacramentalis manducatio quae pertingit ad spiritualem, non dividitur contra spiritualem, sed includitur ab ea. Sed illa sacramentalis manducatio contra spiritualem dividitur quae effectum non consequitur, sicut imperfectum quod non pertingit ad perfectionem speciei, dividitur contra perfectum.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod, sicut supra dictum est, effectus sacramenti potest ab aliquo percipi, si sacramentum habeatur in voto, quamvis non habeatur in re. Et ideo, sicut aliqui baptizantur baptismo flaminis, propter desiderium baptismi, antequam baptizentur baptismo aquae; ita etiam aliqui manducant spiritualiter hoc sacramentum antequam sacramentaliter sumant.

Sed hoc contingit dupliciter. Uno modo, propter desiderium sumendi ipsum sacramentum, et hoc modo dicuntur baptizari et manducare spiritualiter et non sacramentaliter, illi qui desiderant sumere haec sacramenta iam instituta. Alio modo, propter figuram, sicut dicit apostolus, I Cor. X, quod antiqui patres baptizati sunt in nube et in mari, et quod spiritualem escam manducaverunt et spiritualem potum biberunt.

Nec tamen frustra adhibetur sacramentalis manducatio, quia plenius inducit sacramenti effectum ipsa sacramenti susceptio quam solum desiderium, sicut supra circa baptismum dictum est.