Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It seems that the actions performed in celebrating this mystery are not becoming. For, as is evident from its form, this sacrament belongs to the New Testament. But under the New Testament the ceremonies of the old are not to be observed, such as that the priests and ministers were purified with water when they drew nigh to offer up the sacrifice: for we read (Ex. 30:19,20): "Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and feet . . . when they are going into the tabernacle of the testimony . . . and when they are to come to the altar." Therefore it is not fitting that the priest should wash his hands when celebrating mass.

Objection 2: Further, (Ex. 30:7), the Lord commanded Aaron to "burn sweet-smelling incense" upon the altar which was "before the propitiatory": and the same action was part of the ceremonies of the Old Law. Therefore it is not fitting for the priest to use incense during mass.

Objection 3: Further, the ceremonies performed in the sacraments of the Church ought not to be repeated. Consequently it is not proper for the priest to repeat the sign of the cross many times over this sacrament.

Objection 4: Further, the Apostle says (Heb. 7:7): "And without all contradiction, that which is less, is blessed by the better." But Christ, Who is in this sacrament after the consecration, is much greater than the priest. Therefore quite unseemingly the priest, after the consecration, blesses this sacrament, by signing it with the cross.

Objection 5: Further, nothing which appears ridiculous ought to be done in one of the Church's sacraments. But it seems ridiculous to perform gestures, e.g. for the priest to stretch out his arms at times, to join his hands, to join together his fingers, and to bow down. Consequently, such things ought not to be done in this sacrament.

Objection 6: Further, it seems ridiculous for the priest to turn round frequently towards the people, and often to greet the people. Consequently, such things ought not to be done in the celebration of this sacrament.

Objection 7: Further, the Apostle (1 Cor. 13) deems it improper for Christ to be divided. But Christ is in this sacrament after the consecration. Therefore it is not proper for the priest to divide the host.

Objection 8: Further, the ceremonies performed in this sacrament represent Christ's Passion. But during the Passion Christ's body was divided in the places of the five wounds. Therefore Christ's body ought to be broken into five parts rather than into three.

Objection 9: Further, Christ's entire body is consecrated in this sacrament apart from the blood. Consequently, it is not proper for a particle of the body to be mixed with the blood.

Objection 1:: Further, just as, in this sacrament, Christ's body is set before us as food, so is His blood, as drink. But in receiving Christ's body no other bodily food is added in the celebration of the mass. Therefore, it is out of place for the priest, after taking Christ's blood, to receive other wine which is not consecrated.

Objection 1:: Further, the truth ought to be conformable with the figure. But regarding the Paschal Lamb, which was a figure of this sacrament, it was commanded that nothing of it should "remain until the morning." It is improper therefore for consecrated hosts to be reserved, and not consumed at once.

Objection 1:: Further, the priest addresses in the plural number those who are hearing mass, when he says, "The Lord be with you": and, "Let us return thanks." But it is out of keeping to address one individual in the plural number, especially an inferior. Consequently it seems unfitting for a priest to say mass with only a single server present. Therefore in the celebration of this sacrament it seems that some of the things done are out of place.

On the contrary, The custom of the Church stands for these things: and the Church cannot err, since she is taught by the Holy Ghost.

I answer that, As was said above (Question 60, Article 6), there is a twofold manner of signification in the sacraments, by words, and by actions, in order that the signification may thus be more perfect. Now, in the celebration of this sacrament words are used to signify things pertaining to Christ's Passion, which is represented in this sacrament; or again, pertaining to Christ's mystical body, which is signified therein; and again, things pertaining to the use of this sacrament, which use ought to be devout and reverent. Consequently, in the celebration of this mystery some things are done in order to represent Christ's Passion, or the disposing of His mystical body, and some others are done which pertain to the devotion and reverence due to this sacrament.

Reply to Objection 1: The washing of the hands is done in the celebration of mass out of reverence for this sacrament; and this for two reasons: first, because we are not wont to handle precious objects except the hands be washed; hence it seems indecent for anyone to approach so great a sacrament with hands that are, even literally, unclean. Secondly, on account of its signification, because, as Dionysius says (Eccl. Hier. iii), the washing of the extremities of the limbs denotes cleansing from even the smallest sins, according to Jn. 13:10: "He that is washed needeth not but to wash his feet." And such cleansing is required of him who approaches this sacrament; and this is denoted by the confession which is made before the "Introit" of the mass. Moreover, this was signified by the washing of the priests under the Old Law, as Dionysius says (Eccl. Hier. iii). However, the Church observes this ceremony, not because it was prescribed under the Old Law, but because it is becoming in itself, and therefore instituted by the Church. Hence it is not observed in the same way as it was then: because the washing of the feet is omitted, and the washing of the hands is observed; for this can be done more readily, and suffices far denoting perfect cleansing. For, since the hand is the "organ of organs" (De Anima iii), all works are attributed to the hands: hence it is said in Ps. 25:6: "I will wash my hands among the innocent."

Reply to Objection 2: We use incense, not as commanded by a ceremonial precept of the Law, but as prescribed by the Church; accordingly we do not use it in the same fashion as it was ordered under the Old Law. It has reference to two things: first, to the reverence due to this sacrament, i.e. in order by its good odor, to remove any disagreeable smell that may be about the place; secondly, it serves to show the effect of grace, wherewith Christ was filled as with a good odor, according to Gn. 27:27: "Behold, the odor of my son is like the odor of a ripe field"; and from Christ it spreads to the faithful by the work of His ministers, according to 2 Cor. 2:14: "He manifesteth the odor of his knowledge by us in every place"; and therefore when the altar which represents Christ, has been incensed on every side, then all are incensed in their proper order.

Reply to Objection 3: The priest, in celebrating the mass, makes use of the sign of the cross to signify Christ's Passion which was ended upon the cross. Now, Christ's Passion was accomplished in certain stages. First of all there was Christ's betrayal, which was the work of God, of Judas, and of the Jews; and this is signified by the triple sign of the cross at the words, "These gifts, these presents, these holy unspotted sacrifices."

Secondly, there was the selling of Christ. Now he was sold to the Priests, to the Scribes, and to the Pharisees: and to signify this the threefold sign of the cross is repeated, at the words, "blessed, enrolled, ratified." Or again, to signify the price for which He was sold, viz. thirty pence. And a double cross is added at the words---"that it may become to us the Body and the Blood," etc., to signify the person of Judas the seller, and of Christ Who was sold.

Thirdly, there was the foreshadowing of the Passion at the last supper. To denote this, in the third place, two crosses are made, one in consecrating the body, the other in consecrating the blood; each time while saying, "He blessed."

Fourthly, there was Christ's Passion itself. And so in order to represent His five wounds, in the fourth place, there is a fivefold signing of the cross at the words, "a pure Victim, a holy Victim, a spotless Victim, the holy bread of eternal life, and the cup of everlasting salvation."

Fifthly, the outstretching of Christ's body, and the shedding of the blood, and the fruits of the Passion, are signified by the triple signing of the cross at the words, "as many as shall receive the body and blood, may be filled with every blessing," etc.

Sixthly, Christ's threefold prayer upon the cross is represented; one for His persecutors when He said, "Father, forgive them"; the second for deliverance from death, when He cried, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" the third referring to His entrance into glory, when He said, "Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit"; and in order to denote these there is a triple signing with the cross made at the words, "Thou dost sanctify, quicken, bless."

Seventhly, the three hours during which He hung upon the cross, that is, from the sixth to the ninth hour, are represented; in signification of which we make once more a triple sign of the cross at the words, "Through Him, and with Him, and in Him."

Eighthly, the separation of His soul from the body is signified by the two subsequent crosses made over the chalice.

Ninthly, the resurrection on the third day is represented by the three crosses made at the words---"May the peace of the Lord be ever with you."

In short, we may say that the consecration of this sacrament, and the acceptance of this sacrifice, and its fruits, proceed from the virtue of the cross of Christ, and therefore wherever mention is made of these, the priest makes use of the sign of the cross.

Reply to Objection 4: After the consecration, the priest makes the sign of the cross, not for the purpose of blessing and consecrating, but only for calling to mind the virtue of the cross, and the manner of Christ's suffering, as is evident from what has been said (ad 3).

Reply to Objection 5: The actions performed by the priest in mass are not ridiculous gestures, since they are done so as to represent something else. The priest in extending his arms signifies the outstretching of Christ's arms upon the cross. He also lifts up his hands as he prays, to point out that his prayer is directed to God for the people, according to Lam. 3:41: "Let us lift up our hearts with our hands to the Lord in the heavens": and Ex. 17:11: "And when Moses lifted up his hands Israel overcame." That at times he joins his hands, and bows down, praying earnestly and humbly, denotes the humility and obedience of Christ, out of which He suffered. He closes his fingers, i.e. the thumb and first finger, after the consecration, because, with them, he had touched the consecrated body of Christ; so that if any particle cling to the fingers, it may not be scattered: and this belongs to the reverence for this sacrament.

Reply to Objection 6: Five times does the priest turn round towards the people, to denote that our Lord manifested Himself five times on the day of His Resurrection, as stated above in the treatise on Christ's Resurrection (Question 55, Article 3, Objection 3). But the priest greets the people seven times, namely, five times, by turning round to the people, and twice without turning round, namely, when he says, "The Lord be with you" before the "Preface," and again when he says, "May the peace of the Lord be ever with you": and this is to denote the sevenfold grace of the Holy Ghost. But a bishop, when he celebrates on festival days, in his first greeting says, "Peace be to you," which was our Lord's greeting after Resurrection, Whose person the bishop chiefly represents.

Reply to Objection 7: The breaking of the host denotes three things: first, the rending of Christ's body, which took place in the Passion; secondly, the distinction of His mystical body according to its various states; and thirdly, the distribution of the graces which flow from Christ's Passion, as Dionysius observes (Eccl. Hier. iii). Hence this breaking does not imply severance in Christ.

Reply to Objection 8: As Pope Sergius says, and it is to be found in the Decretals (De Consecr., dist. ii), "the Lord's body is threefold; the part offered and put into the chalice signifies Christ's risen body," namely, Christ Himself, and the Blessed Virgin, and the other saints, if there be any, who are already in glory with their bodies. "The part consumed denotes those still walking upon earth," because while living upon earth they are united together by this sacrament; and are bruised by the passions, just as the bread eaten is bruised by the teeth. "The part reserved on the altar till the close of the mass, is His body hidden in the sepulchre, because the bodies of the saints will be in their graves until the end of the world": though their souls are either in purgatory, or in heaven. However, this rite of reserving one part on the altar till the close of the mass is no longer observed, on account of the danger; nevertheless, the same meaning of the parts continues, which some persons have expressed in verse, thus:

"The host being rent---

What is dipped, means the blest;

What is dry, means the living;

What is kept, those at rest."

Others, however, say that the part put into the chalice denotes those still living in this world. while the part kept outside the chalice denotes those fully blessed both in soul and body; while the part consumed means the others.

Reply to Objection 9: Two things can be signified by the chalice: first, the Passion itself, which is represented in this sacrament, and according to this, by the part put into the chalice are denoted those who are still sharers of Christ's sufferings; secondly, the enjoyment of the Blessed can be signified, which is likewise foreshadowed in this sacrament; and therefore those whose bodies are already in full beatitude, are denoted by the part put into the chalice. And it is to be observed that the part put into the chalice ought not to be given to the people to supplement the communion, because Christ gave dipped bread only to Judas the betrayer.

Reply to Objection 1:: Wine, by reason of its humidity, is capable of washing, consequently it is received in order to rinse the mouth after receiving this sacrament, lest any particles remain: and this belongs to reverence for the sacrament. Hence (Extra, De Celebratione missae, chap. Ex parte), it is said: "The priest should always cleanse his mouth with wine after receiving the entire sacrament of Eucharist: except when he has to celebrate another mass on the same day, lest from taking the ablution-wine he be prevented from celebrating again"; and it is for the same reason that wine is poured over the fingers with which he had touched the body of Christ.

Reply to Objection 1:: The truth ought to be conformable with the figure, in some respect: namely, because a part of the host consecrated, of which the priest and ministers or even the people communicate, ought not to be reserved until the day following. Hence, as is laid down (De Consecr., dist. ii), Pope Clement I ordered that "as many hosts are to be offered on the altar as shall suffice for the people; should any be left over, they are not to be reserved until the morrow, but let the clergy carefully consume them with fear and trembling." Nevertheless, since this sacrament is to be received daily, whereas the Paschal Lamb was not, it is therefore necessary for other hosts to be reserved for the sick. Hence we read in the same distinction: "Let the priest always have the Eucharist ready, so that, when anyone fall sick, he may take Communion to him at once, lest he die without it."

Reply to Objection 1:: Several persons ought to be present at the solemn celebration of the mass. Hence Pope Soter says (De Consecr., dist. 1): "It has also been ordained, that no priest is to presume to celebrate solemn mass, unless two others be present answering him, while he himself makes the third; because when he says in the plural, 'The Lord be with you,' and again in the Secrets, 'Pray ye for me,' it is most becoming that they should answer his greeting." Hence it is for the sake of greater solemnity that we find it decreed (De Consecr. dist. 1) that a bishop is to solemnize mass with several assistants. Nevertheless, in private masses it suffices to have one server, who takes the place of the whole Catholic people, on whose behalf he makes answer in the plural to the priest.

Articulus 5

Argumentum 1

Ad quintum sic proceditur. Videtur quod ea quae in celebratione huius sacramenti aguntur, non sunt convenientia. Hoc enim sacramentum ad novum testamentum pertinet, ut ex forma ipsius apparet. In novo autem testamento non sunt observandae caeremoniae veteris testamenti. Ad quas pertinebat quod sacerdos et ministri aqua lavabantur quando accedebant ad offerendum, legitur enim Exod. XXX, lavabunt Aaron et filii eius manus suas ac pedes quando ingressuri sunt ad altare.

Non est ergo conveniens quod sacerdos lavet manus suas inter Missarum solemnia.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, ibidem dominus mandavit quod sacerdos adoleret incensum suave fragrans super altare quod erat ante propitiatorium. Quod etiam pertinebat ad caeremoniam veteris testamenti.

Inconvenienter ergo sacerdos in Missa thurificatione utitur.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, ea quae in sacramentis ecclesiae aguntur, non sunt iteranda. Inconvenienter ergo sacerdos iterat crucesignationes super hoc sacramentum.

Argumentum 4

Praeterea, apostolus dicit, Heb. VII, sine ulla contradictione, quod minus est a maiori benedicitur.

Sed christus, qui est in hoc sacramento post consecrationem, est multo maior sacerdote. Inconvenienter igitur sacerdos post consecrationem benedicit hoc sacramentum cruce signando.

Argumentum 5

Praeterea, in sacramento ecclesiae nihil debet fieri quod ridiculosum videatur. Videtur autem ridiculosum gesticulationes facere, ad quas pertinere videtur quod sacerdos quandoque brachia extendit, manus iungit, digitos complicat, et seipsum incurvat. Ergo hoc non debet fieri in hoc sacramento.

Argumentum 6

Praeterea, ridiculosum etiam videtur quod sacerdos multoties se ad populum vertit, multoties etiam populum salutat. Non ergo debent haec fieri in celebratione huius sacramenti.

Argumentum 7

Praeterea, apostolus, I Cor. I, pro inconvenienti habet quod christus sit divisus.

Sed post consecrationem christus est in hoc sacramento. Inconvenienter igitur hostia frangitur a sacerdote.

Argumentum 8

Praeterea, ea quae in hoc sacramento aguntur, passionem christi repraesentant. Sed in passione christi corpus fuit divisum in locis quinque vulnerum. Ergo corpus christi in quinque partes frangi debet, magis quam in tres.

Argumentum 9

Praeterea, totum corpus christi in hoc sacramento seorsum consecratur a sanguine. Inconvenienter igitur una pars eius sanguini miscetur.

Argumentum 10

Praeterea, sicut corpus christi proponitur in hoc sacramento ut cibus, ita et sanguis christi ut potus. Sed sumptioni corporis christi non adiungitur in celebratione Missae alius corporalis cibus. Inconvenienter igitur sacerdos, post sumptionem sanguinis christi, vinum non consecratum sumit.

Argumentum 11

Praeterea, veritas debet respondere figurae. Sed de agno paschali, qui fuit figura huius sacramenti, mandatur quod non remaneret ex eo quidquam usque mane.

Inconvenienter ergo hostiae consecratae reservantur, et non statim sumuntur.

Argumentum 12

Praeterea, sacerdos pluraliter loquitur audientibus, puta cum dicit, dominus vobiscum, et, gratias agamus.

Sed inconveniens videtur pluraliter loqui uni soli, et maxime minori. Ergo inconveniens videtur quod sacerdos, uno tantum ministro praesente, celebret Missam.

Sic igitur videtur quod inconvenienter aliqua agantur in celebratione huius sacramenti.

Sed Contra

Sed in contrarium est ecclesiae consuetudo, quae errare non potest, utpote spiritu sancto instructa.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod, sicut supra dictum est, in sacramentis aliquid dupliciter significatur, scilicet verbis et factis, ad hoc quod sit perfectior significatio. Significantur autem verbis in celebratione huius sacramenti quaedam pertinentia ad passionem christi, quae repraesentatur in hoc sacramento; vel etiam ad corpus mysticum, quod significatur in hoc sacramento; et quaedam pertinentia ad usum sacramenti, qui debet esse cum devotione et reverentia. Et ideo in celebratione huius mysterii quaedam aguntur ad repraesentandum passionem christi; vel etiam dispositionem corporis mystici; et quaedam aguntur pertinentia ad devotionem et reverentiam usus huius sacramenti.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod ablutio manuum fit in celebratione Missae propter reverentiam huius sacramenti. Et hoc dupliciter.

Primo quidem, quia aliqua pretiosa tractare non consuevimus nisi manibus ablutis. Unde indecens videtur quod ad tantum sacramentum aliquis accedat manibus, etiam corporaliter, inquinatis. Secundo, propter significationem.

Quia, ut dionysius dicit, III cap. Eccles. Hier., extremitatum ablutio significat emundationem etiam a minimis peccatis, secundum illud Ioan. XIII, qui lotus est, non indiget nisi ut pedes lavet.

Et talis emundatio requiritur ab eo qui accedit ad hoc sacramentum. Quod etiam significatur per confessionem quae fit ante introitum Missae.

Et hoc idem significabat ablutio sacerdotum in veteri lege, ut ibidem dionysius dicit. Nec tamen ecclesia hoc servat tanquam caeremoniale veteris legis praeceptum, sed quasi ab ecclesia institutum, sicut quiddam secundum se conveniens.

Et ideo non eodem modo observatur sicut tunc. Praetermittitur enim pedum ablutio, et servatur ablutio manuum, quae potest fieri magis in promptu, et quae sufficit ad significandam perfectam munditiam.

Cum enim manus sit organum organorum, ut dicitur in III de anima, omnia opera attribuuntur manibus.

Unde et in Psalmo dicitur, lavabo inter innocentes manus meas.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod thurificatione non utimur quasi caeremoniali praecepto legis, sed sicut ecclesiae statuto.

Unde non eodem modo utimur sicut in veteri lege erat statutum.

Pertinet autem ad duo. Primo quidem, ad reverentiam huius sacramenti, ut scilicet per bonum odorem depellatur si quid corporaliter pravi odoris in loco fuerit, quod posset provocare horrorem. Secundo, pertinet ad repraesentandum effectum gratiae, qua, sicut bono odore, christus plenus fuit, secundum illud Gen. XXVII, ecce, odor filii mei sicut odor agri pleni; et a christo derivatur ad fideles officio ministrorum, secundum illud II Cor. II, odorem notitiae suae spargit per nos in omni loco.

Et ideo, undique thurificato altari, per quod christus designatur, thurificantur omnes per ordinem.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod sacerdos in celebratione Missae utitur crucesignatione ad exprimendam passionem christi, quae ad crucem est terminata. Est autem passio christi quibusdam quasi gradibus peracta. Nam primo fuit christi traditio, quae facta est a deo, a Iuda, et a Iudaeis. Quod significat trina crucesignatio super illa verba, haec dona, haec munera, haec sancta sacrificia illibata.

Secundo fuit christi venditio. Est autem venditus sacerdotibus, Scribis et Pharisaeis. Ad quod significandum fit iterum trina crucesignatio super illa verba, benedictam, adscriptam, ratam.

Vel ad ostendendum pretium venditionis, scilicet triginta denarios. Additur autem et duplex super illa verba, ut nobis corpus et sanguis, etc., ad designandam personam Iudae venditoris et christi venditi.

Tertio autem fuit praesignatio passionis christi facta in cena.

Ad quod designandum, fiunt tertio duae cruces, una in consecratione corporis, alia in consecratione sanguinis, ubi utrobique dicitur benedixit.

Quarto autem fuit ipsa passio christi. Unde, ad repraesentandum quinque plagas, fit quarto quintuplex crucesignatio super illa verba, hostiam puram, hostiam sanctam, hostiam immaculatam, panem sanctum vitae aeternae, et calicem salutis perpetuae.

Quinto, repraesentatur extensio corporis, et effusio sanguinis, et fructus passionis, per trinam crucesignationem quae fit super illis verbis, corpus et sanguinem sumpserimus, omni benedictione etc.. Sexto, repraesentatur triplex oratio quam fecit in cruce, unam pro persecutoribus, cum dixit, pater, ignosce illis; secundam pro liberatione a morte, cum dixit, deus, deus meus, ut quid dereliquisti me? tertia pertinet ad adeptionem gloriae, cum dixit, pater, in manus tuas commendo spiritum meum.

Et ad hoc significandum, fit trina crucesignatio super illa verba, sanctificas, vivificas, benedicis, etc.. Septimo, repraesentantur tres horae quibus pependit in cruce, scilicet a sexta hora usque ad nonam. Et ad hoc significandum, fit iterum trina crucesignatio ad illa verba, per ipsum, et cum ipso, et in ipso.

Octavo autem, repraesentatur separatio animae a corpore, per duas cruces subsequentes extra calicem factas. Nono autem, repraesentatur resurrectio tertia die facta, per tres cruces quae fiunt ad illa verba, pax domini sit semper vobiscum.

Potest autem brevius dici quod consecratio huius sacramenti, et acceptio sacrificii, et fructus eius, procedit ex virtute crucis christi. Et ideo, ubicumque fit mentio de aliquo horum, sacerdos crucesignatione utitur.

Ad 4

Ad quartum dicendum quod sacerdos post consecrationem non utitur crucesignatione ad benedicendum et consecrandum, sed solum ad commemorandum virtutem crucis et modum passionis christi, ut ex dictis patet.

Ad 5

Ad quintum dicendum quod ea quae sacerdos in Missa facit, non sunt ridiculosae gesticulationes, fiunt enim ad aliquid repraesentandum. Quod enim sacerdos brachia extendit post consecrationem, significat extensionem brachiorum christi in cruce. Levat etiam manus orando, ad designandum quod oratio eius pro populo dirigitur ad deum, secundum illud Thren. III, levemus corda nostra cum manibus ad deum in caelum.

Et Exod. XVII dicitur quod, cum levaret Moyses manus, vincebat Israel.

Quod autem manus interdum iungit, et inclinat se, suppliciter et humiliter orans, designat humilitatem et obedientiam christi, ex qua passus est. Digitos autem iungit post consecrationem, scilicet pollicem cum indice, quibus corpus christi consecratum tetigerat, ut, si qua particula digitis adhaeserat, non dispergatur. Quod pertinet ad reverentiam sacramenti.

Ad 6

Ad sextum dicendum quod quinquies se sacerdos vertit ad populum, ad designandum quod dominus die resurrectionis quinquies se manifestavit, ut supra dictum est in tractatu de resurrectione christi.

Salutat autem septies populum, scilicet quinque vicibus quando se convertit ad populum, et bis quando se non convertit, scilicet ante praefationem cum dicit, dominus vobiscum, et cum dicit, pax domini sit semper vobiscum, ad designandum septiformem gratiam spiritus sancti. Episcopus autem celebrans in festis in prima salutatione dicit, pax vobis, quod post resurrectionem dixit dominus, cuius personam repraesentat episcopus praecipue.

Ad 7

Ad septimum dicendum quod fractio hostiae tria significat, primo quidem, ipsam divisionem corporis christi, quae facta est in passione; secundo, distinctionem corporis mystici secundum diversos status; tertio, distributionem gratiarum procedentium ex passione christi, ut dionysius dicit, III cap. Eccles. Hier..

Unde talis fractio non inducit divisionem christi.

Ad 8

Ad octavum dicendum quod, sicut sergius Papa dicit, et habetur in decretis, de consecr., dist. II, triforme est corpus domini. Pars oblata in calicem Missa corpus christi quod iam resurrexit, demonstrat, scilicet ipsum christum, et beatam virginem, vel si qui alii sancti cum corporibus sunt in gloria.

Pars comesta ambulans adhuc super terram, quia scilicet viventes in terra sacramento uniuntur; et passionibus conteruntur, sicut panis comestus atteritur dentibus.

Pars in altari usque ad finem Missae remanens est corpus christi in sepulcro remanens, quia usque in finem saeculi corpora sanctorum in sepulcris erunt, quorum tamen animae sunt vel in Purgatorio vel in caelo. Hic tamen ritus non servatur modo, ut scilicet una pars servetur usque in finem Missae. Manet tamen eadem significatio partium.

Quam quidam metrice expresserunt, dicentes, hostia dividitur in partes, tincta beatos plene, sicca notat vivos, servata sepultos.

Quidam tamen dicunt quod pars in calicem Missa significat eos qui vivunt in hoc mundo; pars autem extra calicem servata significat plene beatos quantum ad animam et corpus; pars autem comesta significat ceteros.

Ad 9

Ad nonum dicendum quod per calicem duo possunt significari.

Uno modo, ipsa passio, quae repraesentatur in hoc sacramento.

Et secundum hoc, per partem in calicem Missam significantur illi qui adhuc sunt participes passionum christi. Alio modo, potest significari fruitio beata, quae etiam in hoc sacramento praefiguratur. Et ideo illi quorum corpora iam sunt in plena beatitudine, significantur per partem in calicem Missam.

Et est notandum quod pars in calicem Missa non debet populo dari in supplementum communionis, quia panem intinctum non porrexit christus nisi Iudae proditori.

Ad 10

Ad decimum dicendum quod vinum, ratione suae humiditatis, est ablutivum. Et ideo sumitur post perceptionem huius sacramenti, ad abluendum os, ne aliquae reliquiae remaneant, quod pertinet ad reverentiam sacramenti.

Unde extra, de celebrat. Miss., cap. Ex parte, sacerdos vino os perfundere debet postquam totum percepit sacramentum, nisi cum eodem die Missam aliam debuerit celebrare, ne, si forte vinum perfusionis acciperet, celebrationem aliam impediret.

Et eadem ratione perfundit vino digitos quibus corpus christi tetigerat.

Ad 11

Ad undecimum dicendum quod veritas quantum ad aliquid debet respondere figurae, quia scilicet non debet pars hostiae consecratae de qua sacerdos et ministri, vel etiam populus communicat, in crastinum reservari.

Unde, ut habetur de consecr., dist. II, clemens Papa statuit, tanta holocausta in altario offerantur, quanta populo sufficere debeant. Quod si remanserint, in crastinum non reserventur, sed cum timore et tremore clericorum diligentia consumantur.

Quia tamen hoc sacramentum quotidie sumendum est, non autem agnus paschalis quotidie sumebatur; ideo oportet alias hostias consecratas pro infirmis conservare.

Unde in eadem distinctione legitur, presbyter eucharistiam semper habeat paratam, ut, quando quis infirmatus fuerit, statim eum communicet, ne sine communione moriatur.

Ad 12

Ad duodecimum dicendum quod in solemni celebratione Missae plures debent adesse.

Unde soter Papa dicit, ut habetur de consecr., dist. I, hoc quoque statutum est, ut nullus presbyterorum Missarum solemnia celebrare praesumat, nisi, duobus praesentibus sibique respondentibus, ipse tertius habeatur, quia, cum pluraliter ab eo dicitur, dominus vobiscum, et illud in secretis, orate pro me, apertissime convenit ut ipsi respondeatur salutationi.

Unde et, ad maiorem solemnitatem, ibidem statutum legitur quod episcopus cum pluribus Missarum solemnia peragat.

In Missis tamen privatis sufficit unum habere ministrum, qui gerit personam totius populi catholici, ex cuius persona sacerdoti pluraliter respondet.