Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It does not appear to be lawful to receive this sacrament daily, because, as Baptism shows forth our Lord's Passion, so also does this sacrament. Now one may not be baptized several times, but only once, because "Christ died once" only "for our sins," according to 1 Pt. 3:18. Therefore, it seems unlawful to receive this sacrament daily.

Objection 2: Further, the reality ought to answer to the figure. But the Paschal Lamb, which was the chief figure of this sacrament, as was said above (Question 73, Article 9) was eaten only once in the year; while the Church once a year commemorates Christ's Passion, of which this sacrament is the memorial. It seems, then, that it is lawful to receive this sacrament not daily, but only once in the year.

Objection 3: Further, the greatest reverence is due to this sacrament as containing Christ. But it is a token of reverence to refrain from receiving this sacrament; hence the Centurion is praised for saying (Mt. 8:8), "Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldst enter under my roof"; also Peter, for saying (Lk. 5:8), "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." Therefore, it is not praiseworthy for a man to receive this sacrament daily.

Objection 4: Further, if it were a praiseworthy custom to receive this sacrament frequently, then the oftener it were taken the more praise-worthy it would be. But there would be greater frequency if one were to receive it several. times daily; and yet this is not the custom of the Church. Consequently, it does not seem praiseworthy to receive it daily.

Objection 5: Further, the Church by her statutes intends to promote the welfare of the faithful. But the Church's statute only requires Communion once a year; hence it is enacted (Extra, De Poenit. et Remiss. xii): "Let every person of either sex devoutly receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least at Easter; unless by the advice of his parish priest, and for some reasonable cause, he considers he ought to refrain from receiving for a time." Consequently, it is not praiseworthy to receive this sacrament daily.

On the contrary, Augustine says (De Verb. Dom., Serm. xxviii): "This is our daily bread; take it daily, that it may profit thee daily."

I answer that, There are two things to be considered regarding the use of this sacrament. The first is on the part of the sacrament itself, the virtue of which gives health to men; and consequently it is profitable to receive it daily so as to receive its fruits daily. Hence Ambrose says (De Sacram. iv): "If, whenever Christ's blood is shed, it is shed for the forgiveness of sins, I who sin often, should receive it often: I need a frequent remedy." The second thing to be considered is on the part of the recipient, who is required to approach this sacrament with great reverence and devotion. Consequently, if anyone finds that he has these dispositions every day, he will do well to receive it daily. Hence, Augustine after saying, "Receive daily, that it may profit thee daily," adds: "So live, as to deserve to receive it daily." But because many persons are lacking in this devotion, on account of the many drawbacks both spiritual and corporal from which they suffer, it is not expedient for all to approach this sacrament every day; but they should do so as often as they find themselves properly disposed. Hence it is said in De Eccles. Dogmat. liii: "I neither praise nor blame daily reception of the Eucharist."

Reply to Objection 1: In the sacrament of Baptism a man is conformed to Christ's death, by receiving His character within him. And therefore, as Christ died but once, so a man ought to be baptized but once. But a man does not receive Christ's character in this sacrament; He receives Christ Himself, Whose virtue endures for ever. Hence it is written (Heb. 10:14): "By one oblation He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." Consequently, since man has daily need of Christ's health-giving virtue, he may commendably receive this sacrament every day.

And since Baptism is above all a spiritual regeneration, therefore, as a man is born naturally but once, so ought he by Baptism to be reborn spiritually but once, as Augustine says (Tract. xi in Joan.), commenting on Jn. 3:4, "How can a man be born again, when he is grown old?" But this sacrament is spiritual food; hence, just as bodily food is taken every day, so is it a good thing to receive this sacrament every day. Hence it is that our Lord (Lk. 11:3), teaches us to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread": in explaining which words Augustine observes (De Verb. Dom., Serm. xxviii): "If you receive it," i.e. this sacrament, every day, "every day is today for thee, and Christ rises again every day in thee, for when Christ riseth it is today."

Reply to Objection 2: The Paschal Lamb was the figure of this sacrament chiefly as to Christ's Passion represented therein; and therefore it was partaken of once a year only, since Christ died but once. And on this account the Church celebrates once a year the remembrance of Christ's Passion. But in this sacrament the memorial of His Passion is given by way of food which is partaken of daily; and therefore in this respect it is represented by the manna which was given daily to the people in the desert.

Reply to Objection 3: Reverence for this sacrament consists in fear associated with love; consequently reverential fear of God is called filial fear, as was said in the 1.2, Question 67, Article 4, ad 2; 2.2, Question 19, Articles 9,11,12; because the desire of receiving arises from love, while the humility of reverence springs from fear. Consequently, each of these belongs to the reverence due to this sacrament; both as to receiving it daily, and as to refraining from it sometimes. Hence Augustine says (Ep. liv): "If one says that the Eucharist should not be received daily, while another maintains the contrary, let each one do as according to his devotion he thinketh right; for Zaccheus and the Centurion did not contradict one another while the one received the Lord with joy, whereas the other said: 'Lord I am not worthy that Thou shouldst enter under my roof'; since both honored our Saviour, though not in the same way." But love and hope, whereunto the Scriptures constantly urge us, are preferable to fear. Hence, too, when Peter had said, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord," Jesus answered: "Fear not."

Reply to Objection 4: Because our Lord said (Lk. 11:3), "Give us this day our daily bread," we are not on that account to communicate several times daily, for, by one daily communion the unity of Christ's Passion is set forth.

Reply to Objection 5: Various statutes have emanated according to the various ages of the Church. In the primitive Church, when the devotion of the Christian faith was more flourishing, it was enacted that the faithful should communicate daily: hence Pope Anaclete says (Ep. i): "When the consecration is finished, let all communicate who do not wish to cut themselves off from the Church; for so the apostles have ordained, and the holy Roman Church holds." Later on, when the fervor of faith relaxed, Pope Fabian (Third Council of Tours, Canon 1) gave permission "that all should communicate, if not more frequently, at least three times in the year, namely, at Easter, Pentecost, and Christmas." Pope Soter likewise (Second Council of Chalon, Canon xlvii) declares that Communion should be received "on Holy Thursday," as is set forth in the Decretals (De Consecratione, dist. 2). Later on, when "iniquity abounded and charity grew cold" (Mt. 24:12), Pope Innocent III commanded that the faithful should communicate "at least once a year," namely, "at Easter." However, in De Eccles. Dogmat. xxiii, the faithful are counseled "to communicate on all Sundays."

Articulus 10

Argumentum 1

Ad decimum sic proceditur. Videtur quod non liceat quotidie hoc sacramentum suscipere. Sicut enim baptismus repraesentat dominicam passionem, ita et hoc sacramentum.

Sed non licet pluries baptizari, sed semel tantum, quia christus semel tantum pro peccatis nostris mortuus est, ut dicitur I Pet. III.

Ergo videtur quod non liceat hoc sacramentum quotidie suscipere.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, veritas debet respondere figurae. Sed agnus paschalis, qui fuit figura praecipua huius sacramenti, ut supra dictum est, non manducabatur nisi semel in anno. Sed ecclesia semel in anno celebrat christi passionem, cuius hoc sacramentum est memoriale.

Ergo videtur quod non licet quotidie sumere hoc sacramentum, sed semel in anno.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, huic sacramento, in quo totus christus continetur, maxima reverentia debetur. Ad reverentiam autem pertinet quod aliquis ab hoc sacramento abstineat, unde et laudatur centurio, qui dixit, Matth. VIII, domine, non sum dignus ut intres sub tectum meum; et Petrus, qui dixit, Luc. V, exi a me, domine, quia homo peccator ego sum.

Ergo non est laudabile quod homo quotidie hoc sacramentum suscipiat.

Argumentum 4

Praeterea, si laudabile esset frequenter hoc sacramentum suscipere quanto frequentius sumeretur, tanto esset laudabilius. Sed maior esset frequentia si homo pluries in die sumeret hoc sacramentum.

Ergo esset laudabile quod homo pluries in die communicaret.

Quod tamen non habet ecclesiae consuetudo. Non ergo videtur esse laudabile quod aliquis quotidie hoc sacramentum accipiat.

Argumentum 5

Praeterea, ecclesia intendit suis statutis fidelium utilitati providere. Sed ex statuto ecclesiae fideles tenentur solum semel communicare in anno, unde dicitur extra, de poenit. Et remiss., omnis utriusque sexus fidelis suscipiat reverenter ad minus in Pascha eucharistiae sacramentum, nisi forte, de proprii sacerdotis consilio, ob aliquam rationabilem causam, ad tempus ab eius perceptione duxerit abstinendum.

Non ergo est laudabile quod quotidie hoc sacramentum sumatur.

Sed Contra

Sed contra est quod Augustinus dicit, in libro de verbis domini, iste panis quotidianus est, accipe quotidie quod quotidie tibi prosit.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod circa usum huius sacramenti duo possunt considerari. Unum quidem ex parte ipsius sacramenti, cuius virtus est hominibus salutaris. Et ideo utile est quotidie ipsum suscipere, ut homo quotidie eius fructum percipiat.

Unde Ambrosius dicit, in libro de sacramentis, si quoties effunditur sanguis christi, in remissionem peccatorum effunditur, debeo semper accipere, qui semper pecco, debeo semper habere medicinam.

Alio modo potest considerari ex parte sumentis, in quo requiritur quod cum magna devotione et reverentia ad hoc sacramentum accedat. Et ideo, si aliquis se quotidie ad hoc paratum inveniat, laudabile est quod quotidie sumat.

Unde Augustinus, cum dixisset, accipe quod quotidie tibi prosit, subiungit, sic vive ut quotidie merearis accipere.

Sed quia multoties in pluribus hominum multa impedimenta huius devotionis occurrunt, propter corporis indispositionem vel animae, non est utile omnibus hominibus quotidie ad hoc sacramentum accedere, sed quotiescumque se homo ad illud paratum invenerit.

Unde in libro de ecclesiasticis dogmat. Dicitur, quotidie eucharistiae communionem accipere nec laudo nec vitupero.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod per sacramentum baptismi configuratur homo morti christi, in se suscipiens eius characterem, et ideo, sicut christus semel mortuus est, ita solum semel debet homo baptizari. Sed per hoc sacramentum non recipit homo christi characterem, sed ipsum christum, cuius virtus manet in aeternum, unde, ad Heb. X, una oblatione consummavit sanctificatos in sempiternum.

Et ideo, quia quotidie homo indiget salutifera christi virtute, quotidie potest laudabiliter hoc sacramentum percipere.

Et quia praecipue baptismus est spiritualis regeneratio, ideo, sicut homo semel carnaliter nascitur, ita debet semel spiritualiter renasci per baptismum, ut Augustinus dicit, super illud Ioan. III, quomodo potest homo nasci cum sit senex? sed hoc sacramentum est cibus spiritualis, unde, sicut cibus corporalis quotidie sumitur, ita et hoc sacramentum quotidie sumere laudabile est.

Unde dominus, Luc. XI, docet petere, panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie, in cuius expositione Augustinus dicit, in libro de verbis domini, si quotidie acceperis, scilicet hoc sacramentum, quotidie tibi est hodie, tibi christus quotidie resurgit, hodie enim est quando christus resurgit.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod agnus paschalis praecipue fuit figura huius sacramenti quantum ad passionem christi, quae repraesentatur per hoc sacramentum. Et ideo semel tantum in anno sumebatur, quia christus semel mortuus est. Et propter hoc etiam ecclesia semel in anno celebrat memoriam passionis christi.

Sed in hoc sacramento traditur nobis memoriale passionis christi per modum cibi, qui quotidie sumitur. Et ideo quantum ad hoc significatur per manna, quod quotidie populo dabatur in deserto.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod reverentia huius sacramenti habet timorem amori coniunctum, unde timor reverentiae ad deum dicitur timor filialis, ut in secunda parte dictum est.

Ex amore enim provocatur desiderium sumendi, ex timore autem consurgit humilitas reverendi. Et ideo utrumque pertinet ad reverentiam huius sacramenti, et quod quotidie sumatur, et quod aliquando abstineatur.

Unde Augustinus dicit, si dixerit quispiam non quotidie accipiendam eucharistiam, alius affirmat quotidie, faciat unusquisque quod secundum fidem suam pie credit esse faciendum. Neque enim litigaverunt inter se zacchaeus et ille centurio, cum alter eorum gaudens susceperit dominum, alter dixerit, non sum dignus ut intres sub tectum meum, ambo salvatorem honorificantes, quamvis non uno modo.

Amor tamen et spes, ad quae semper Scriptura nos provocat, praeferuntur timori, unde et, cum Petrus dixisset, exi a me, domine, quia peccator homo ego sum, respondit iesus, noli timere.

Ad 4

Ad quartum dicendum quod, quia dominus dicit, panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie, non est pluries in die communicandum, ut saltem per hoc quod aliquis semel in die communicat, repraesentetur unitas passionis christi.

Ad 5

Ad quintum dicendum quod, secundum statum diversum ecclesiae, diversa circa hoc statuta emanarunt. Nam in primitiva ecclesia, quando magis vigebat devotio fidei christianae, statutum fuit ut quotidie fideles communicarent.

Unde Anacletus Papa dicit, peracta consecratione, omnes communicent qui noluerint ecclesiasticis carere liminibus, sic enim et apostoli statuerunt, et sancta Romana tenet ecclesia.

Postmodum vero, diminuto fidei fervore, fabianus Papa indulsit ut, si non frequentius, saltem ter in anno omnes communicent, scilicet in Pascha, in Pentecoste et in nativitate domini.

Soter etiam Papa in cena domini dicit esse communicandum, ut habetur in decretis, de consecr., dist. II.

Postmodum vero, propter iniquitatis abundantiam refrigescente caritate multorum, statuit innocentius III ut saltem semel in anno, scilicet in Pascha, fideles communicent.

Consulitur tamen in libro de ecclesiasticis dogmat., omnibus diebus dominicis communicandum.