Sermon XIII. On the Three Marvels Which Are Considered in the Possession of Christ's Body

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### Sermo XIII

### De tribus mirabilibus quae considerantur in corporis Christi possessione

Venite, comedite, etc. Prov. ix, 5. Ut supra. Mirabilia opera tua Domine, et anima mea cognoscit nimis. Psal. cxxxviii, 14. Vel aliud simile.

Dicto jam supra de tribus mirabilibus in corporis Christi consecratione, hic dicendum est de tribus mirabilibus quae etiam fiunt virtute et perfectione consecrationis, et attenduntur in ejusdem corporis possessione, id est, dum post consecrationem illud adhuc exterius nobiscum habemus.

I. Mirabile est, quod tam magna res continetur sub tam parva specie panis.

II. Quod unum et idem corpus est in pluribus locis.

III. Quod licet sit in pluribus locis, tamen per partes non est divisum, sed manet in se conjunctum.

Primum mirabile signum considerandum in possessione Dominici corporis est quod tam magna res, scilicet, verum et integrum corpus Christi, continetur sub tam parva specie panis. Et hujus mirabilis rei triplex potest ratio assignari. Prima est demonstratio magnitudinis sapientiae artificis tantae rei. Secunda, aequalitas potentiae Christi, cum potentia Dei. Tertia, sufficiens causa ad finem Sacramenti.

I. Prima ratio, quod tam parva species panis fiat verum et integrum corpus Christi, est demonstratio magnitudinis sapientiae artificis tantae rei Spiritus sancti. Videmus enim quod artifices, quanto sunt in arte sculpendi peritiores, tanto sculpunt imagines subtiliores. Unde si artificibus offeratur materia gemmae vel metalli valde parva, et rogetur in ea fieri imago subtilissima: minus subtilis respondet, quod eam facere non possit: quam tamen maxime subtilis in arte facile facit. Sic fit ad demonstrandam incomparabilem Spiritus sancti sapientiam, sub minima specie Sacramenti facile facit totum corpus Christi. Hinc Sap. viii, 22: Spiritus sanctus dicitur esse subtilis, non enim potes ei tam subtilem partem panis in altari proponere, quin sciat et possit eam in verum corpus Christi convertere. Damascenus: « Quomodo fiet istud, ait Virgo, quoniam virum non cognosco? Respondit Angelus, Spiritus sanctus superveniet in te: et tu quaeris quo modo panis fiet corpus Christi, maxime tam parvus, dico tibi et ego, Spiritus sanctus superveniet, et ipse faciet haec quae super naturam sunt, et super intelligentiam. »

II. Secunda ratio ad idem, similitudo potentiae Christi cum potentia Dei. Quidquid enim potest Filius Dei per naturam, hoc potest Filius hominis propter personae unitatem. Matth. xxviii, 18: Data est mihi omnis potestas in caelo, et in terra. Ambrosius super illud verbum Angeli, Hic erit magnus, et Filius Altissimi vocabitur (Luc. i, 32): Non ideo erit magnus, « quod ante partum Virginis magnus non fuerit: sed quia potentiam quam Dei Filius ante tempora naturaliter habet, hic erit ex tempore accepturus: quia sicut in unam personam, ita in unam potentiam conveniunt Dei et hominis Filius: » Sed Dei Filius verbum Patris illam habuit potentiam, quod minima parte corporis opere Spiritus sancti de Virgine separata se vestivit, et se vere in eam inclusit: secundum illud, Verbum caro factum est, et habitavit in nobis (Joan. i, 14): ergo similem potestatem dedit homini Christo, scilicet, ut possit facere corpus suum esse sub minima specie panis. Psal. xcvii, 2: Dominus in Sion magnus. Sion interpretatur speculum, ut dicit Augustinus, et Papias. Et dubium non est, quod magna imago tam expresse et tam integre apparet in tam parvo speculo, sicut in magno. Magnus ergo Dominus in Sion, id est, in speculo esse dicitur: quia verum corpus Christi tam integraliter esse sub parva specie panis, sicut sub magna recte creditur.

### Sermon XIII

### On the Three Marvels Which Are Considered in the Possession of Christ's Body

Come, eat, etc. Proverbs 9:5. As above. Your works are marvelous, O Lord, and my soul knows exceedingly. Psalm 138:14. Or another similar text.

Having already spoken above about the three marvels in the consecration of Christ's body, here one must speak about the three marvels which also happen by the power and perfection of consecration and are attended to in the possession of the same body, that is, while after consecration we still have it outwardly with us.

I. It is marvelous that so great a thing is contained under so small a species of bread.

II. That one and the same body is in many places.

III. That although it is in many places, nevertheless it is not divided by parts, but remains joined together in itself.

The first marvelous sign to be considered in the possession of the Lord's body is that so great a thing, namely the true and whole body of Christ, is contained under so small a species of bread. And a threefold reason can be assigned for this marvelous thing. The first is the demonstration of the greatness of the wisdom of the artisan of so great a thing. The second is the equality of the power of Christ with the power of God. The third is a sufficient cause for the end of the Sacrament.

I. The first reason that so small a species of bread becomes the true and whole body of Christ is the demonstration of the greatness of the wisdom of the artisan of so great a thing, the Holy Spirit. For we see that the more skilled artisans are in the art of sculpting, the subtler images they sculpt. Hence if a very small material of gem or metal is offered to artisans, and they are asked that a very subtle image be made in it, the less subtle artisan answers that he cannot make it; yet one maximally subtle in the art easily makes it. Thus, to demonstrate the incomparable wisdom of the Holy Spirit, under the smallest species of the Sacrament he easily makes the whole body of Christ. Hence Wisdom 8:22: The Holy Spirit is said to be subtle; for you cannot propose to him so subtle a part of bread on the altar that he does not know and cannot convert it into the true body of Christ. Damascene says: "'How will this happen,' says the Virgin, 'since I do not know man?' The Angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you.' And you ask in what way bread will become the body of Christ, especially bread so small; I also say to you: the Holy Spirit will come upon it, and he himself will make these things which are above nature and above understanding."

II. The second reason for the same thing is the likeness of the power of Christ with the power of God. For whatever the Son of God can do by nature, the Son of man can do this because of the unity of the person. Matthew 28:18: All power has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Ambrose, on that word of the Angel, He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High (Luke 1:32): He will not be great for this reason, "that he was not great before the birth from the Virgin, but because the power which the Son of God has naturally before the ages, this one will receive in time, because as the Son of God and the Son of man come together into one person, so also into one power." But the Son of God, the Word of the Father, had that power, that by the work of the Holy Spirit, with the smallest part of a body separated from the Virgin, he clothed himself and truly enclosed himself in it, according to that saying, The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). Therefore he gave similar power to Christ the man, namely that he can make his body be under the smallest species of bread. Psalm 97:2: The Lord is great in Sion. Sion is interpreted mirror, as Augustine and Papias say. And there is no doubt that a great image appears as expressly and as wholly in a small mirror as in a large one. Therefore the Lord is said to be great in Sion, that is, in the mirror, because the true body of Christ is rightly believed to be as wholly under a small species of bread as under a large one.

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III. Tertia ratio ad idem, est sufficiens causa ad finem Sacramenti, et finis Sacramenti est animam fidelem spiritualiter cibare, et contra malum et ad bonum confortare. Causa hujus efficiens est corpus Christi: et id potest tam plene sub specie panis parva, quam sub magna: quia sub utraque aequaliter unitum est Deo, ex quo fluit omnis virtus in Sacramento. Quantumcumque enim parva sit species illa panis, ibi est totum corpus Christi per conversionem, sanguis per connexionem, anima per conjunctionem, et deitas integra per unionem: unde certum est quod habet rationem cibandi spiritualiter et confortandi animam. Exod. xvi, 18: Qui minus paraverat, non reperit minus de manna, quam qui plus collegerat. Hilarius: « Ubi pars est corporis, id est, minima pars Sacramenti, ibi est et totum corpus. Eadem enim ratio est in corpore, quae in manna, quod in ejus figura praecessit, de quo dicitur: Qui plus collegit, non habuit amplius: atque qui minus paraverat, non habuit minus. » Non est enim quantitas visibilis in hoc aestimanda mysterio, sed virtus spiritualis. Unde qui multum vel magnum panem consecrat, non habet amplius quam verum corpus Domini: et qui parvum, non habet minus quam integrum corpus Christi ad salutem sui.

II.

Secundum mirabile signum circa corpus Domini, quod unum et idem corpus est in pluribus locis, in pluribus hostiis, in pluribus portionibus. Et hoc probatur tribus modis. Primo per veracem prophetiam, secundo per manifestam rationem, tertio per visibilem similitudinem.

III. The third reason for the same thing is a sufficient cause for the end of the Sacrament, and the end of the Sacrament is to feed the faithful soul spiritually and to strengthen it against evil and toward good. The efficient cause of this is the body of Christ, and it can do this as fully under a small species of bread as under a large one, because under each it is equally united to God, from whom all power flows in the Sacrament. For however small that species of bread may be, there is the whole body of Christ by conversion, the blood by connection, the soul by conjunction, and the whole deity by union; hence it is certain that it has the character of spiritually feeding and strengthening the soul. Exodus 16:18: He who had prepared less did not find less of the manna than he who had gathered more. Hilary says: "Where there is a part of the body, that is, the smallest part of the Sacrament, there is also the whole body. For the same reason exists in the body as in the manna, which preceded in its figure, concerning which it is said: He who gathered more had no more, and he who had prepared less had no less." For visible quantity must not be estimated in this mystery, but spiritual power. Hence he who consecrates much or large bread does not have more than the true body of the Lord; and he who consecrates small bread does not have less than the whole body of Christ for his salvation.

II.

The second marvelous sign concerning the body of the Lord is that one and the same body is in many places, in many hosts, in many portions. And this is proved in three ways: first through truthful prophecy, secondly through manifest reason, thirdly through visible likeness.

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I. Probatur, quod corpus Christi potest esse in pluribus locis, per prophetiam. Mal. i, 10 et 11, ad Judaeos: Non est mihi voluntas in vobis, dicit Dominus exercituum; et munus non suscipiam de manu vestra. Ab Ortu enim solis usque ad Occasum, magnum est nomen meum in gentibus, et in omni loco sacrificatur, et offertur nomini meo oblatio munda. Ecce loca plurima exprimit, et unam oblationem mundam fidelium dicit. Exod. xx, 24: In omni loco in quo memoria fuerit nominis mei: veniam ad te, et benedicam tibi. Memoria nominis Domini est sacrificium altaris, scilicet corpus Christi, quod fieri jussit in commemorationem nominis ejus. Hoc fit in multis locis: et in hoc venit unus Dominus ad benedicendum nobis.

II. Probatur idem per manifestam rationem, quae est, quod Filius hominis participat potentiam Filii Dei, propter personae unitatem. Ambrosius: « Sicut in unam personam, ita in unam potentiam conveniunt Dei, et hominis Filius. » Unde sicut Dei filius est essentialiter in omnibus rebus: ita dedit Filio hominis, ut corpus ejus sacramentaliter esse posset in pluribus locis. Augustinus: « Intelligendum est corpus Christi esse in uno loco, id est, in caelo ubi ascendit ad dexteram Patris, » scilicet visibiliter in forma humana: « veritas tamen ejus, id est, divinitas ubique est. » Veritas ejus, id est, verum corpus in omni altari sacramentaliter est, ubi celebratur. Innocentius III: « Disposuit coelestis altitudo consilii, ut sicut tres personae sunt in unitate essentiae, scilicet Pater, et Filius, et Spiritus sanctus: ita tres essent substantiae in unitate personae, scilicet divinitas Christi, corpus, et anima. » Cum ergo Christus secundum naturam divinam, tribus modis existat in rebus, scilicet in omnibus per essentiam, in solis justis per gratiam, in homine assumpto per unionem: voluit ut idem ipse secundum naturam humanam etiam tribus modis in rebus existeret: in caelo localiter, in Verbo personaliter, in altari sacramentaliter. Unde sicut secundum divinitatem, totus essentialiter est in omnibus rebus: ita, secundum humanitatem, totus sacramentaliter est pluribus locis.

III. Probatur idem per visibilem similitudinem, quae cunctis in speculo declaratur. Nam si faciei tuae plura proponis specula, in omnibus aequaliter et integraliter una facies apparebit. Et si unum speculum in plura frusta etiam parva confringas, perfecte tua facies in singulis erit. Speculum multiplicetur et in plura frangatur: tamen facies in omnibus manet una, nec mutatur. Sic est revera in Sacramento Christi, qui speculum dicitur et imago Dei. Sap. vii, 26: Speculum est sine macula Dei majestatis, et imago bonitatis illius. Si ergo speculum, id est, forma panis in partes plures dividatur: in singulis erit imago unita divinitati, id est, verum corpus Christi. Hieronymus: « Singuli fidelium accipiunt Christum Dominum, et in singulis portionibus totum est, nec per singulos minuitur, sed integrum se praebet in singulis. »

I. That the body of Christ can be in many places is proved through prophecy. Malachi 1:10 and 11, to the Jews: I have no will in you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will not receive a gift from your hand. For from the rising of the sun even to its setting, my name is great among the nations, and in every place a clean oblation is sacrificed and offered to my name. Behold, he expresses very many places and names one clean oblation of the faithful. Exodus 20:24: In every place in which there will be remembrance of my name, I will come to you and bless you. The remembrance of the name of the Lord is the sacrifice of the altar, namely the body of Christ, which he commanded to be made in commemoration of his name. This happens in many places, and in this one Lord comes to bless us.

II. The same thing is proved through manifest reason, which is that the Son of man participates in the power of the Son of God because of the unity of the person. Ambrose says: "As the Son of God and the Son of man come together into one person, so also into one power." Hence just as the Son of God is essentially in all things, so he gave to the Son of man that his body could be sacramentally in many places. Augustine says: "It must be understood that the body of Christ is in one place, that is, in heaven, where he ascended to the right hand of the Father," namely visibly in human form; "nevertheless his truth, that is, deity, is everywhere." His truth, that is, the true body, is sacramentally on every altar where it is celebrated. Innocent III says: "The heavenly height of counsel disposed that, just as there are three persons in the unity of essence, namely Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, so there would be three substances in the unity of person, namely Christ's divinity, body, and soul." Therefore since Christ according to the divine nature exists in things in three ways, namely in all things by essence, in the just alone by grace, and in the assumed man by union, he willed that the very same one according to human nature also exist in things in three ways: in heaven locally, in the Word personally, on the altar sacramentally. Hence just as according to divinity he is wholly and essentially in all things, so according to humanity he is wholly and sacramentally in many places.

III. The same thing is proved through a visible likeness, which is declared to all in a mirror. For if you set many mirrors before your face, one face will appear in all equally and wholly. And if you break one mirror into many pieces, even small ones, your face will be perfectly in each one. Let the mirror be multiplied and broken into many pieces; nevertheless the face remains one in all and is not changed. So it truly is in the Sacrament of Christ, who is called the mirror and image of God. Wisdom 7:26: It is a mirror without stain of the majesty of God and an image of his goodness. Therefore if the mirror, that is, the form of bread, is divided into several parts, in each one will be the image united to deity, that is, the true body of Christ. Jerome says: "Each of the faithful receives Christ the Lord, and in each portion the whole is present; nor is he diminished through individuals, but he offers himself whole in each."

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III.

Tertium mirabile signum circa corpus Domini, quod licet in pluribus locis, vel hostiis, vel portionibus est: tamen per partes non dividitur, vel non est divisum, sed manet in se integrum et conjunctum. I ad Cor. i, 13: Divisus est Christus? Quasi diceret: Non est divisus. Quia licet sit in caelo localiter, in corde justi spiritualiter, in multis locis sacramentaliter: tamen manet in se conjunctum. Et hujus mirabilis rei est ratio ineffabilis, unio hominis et Dei, carnis et Verbi. Unde sicut Verbum Dei ubique est, et totum replet caelum et mundum, manens indivisum: sic dedit corpori quod assumpsit, et in unitate personae univit, in multis locis posse esse, et in se conjunctum manere. Gregorius: « Sicut divinitas Verbi Dei una est, quae totum implet multis locis mundum: ita licet multis et innumerabilibus diebus illud consecretur corpus, non sunt tamen multa corpora Christi, sed unum corpus cum illo quod assumpsit de Virgine, et quod dedit Apostolis. » Divinitas enim Verbi, quae ubique est, replet illud, et conjungit: et facit ut sicut ipsa una est, ita veritas corporis Christi unum est corpus sic in veritate. Augustinus: « Quando Christum manducamus, partes de illo non facimus: sed in Sacramento fit hoc: Unusquisque accipit partem suam in sacramento, et manet integer totus in seipso, manet integer totus in caelo, manet in corde tuo. Totus enim erat apud Patrem, quando venit in Virginem: implevit illam, non recessit ab illo: venit in carnem, ut eum homines manducarent: et manebat integer apud Patrem, ut Angelos pasceret. »

Rogandus est ergo Dominus, licet nos simus necessario corporaliter ab invicem divisi, ut simus per ipsum semper conjuncti spiritualiter in charitate, et digne nos pascat suo in praesenti sacramento et plena visione sui cum Angelis in futuro. Amen.

III.

The third marvelous sign concerning the body of the Lord is that although it is in many places, or hosts, or portions, nevertheless it is not divided by parts, or is not divided, but remains whole and joined in itself. 1 Corinthians 1:13: Has Christ been divided? As if he were saying: He is not divided. For although he is in heaven locally, in the heart of the just spiritually, and in many places sacramentally, nevertheless he remains joined in himself. And the reason of this marvelous thing is ineffable: the union of man and God, of flesh and the Word. Hence just as the Word of God is everywhere and wholly fills heaven and the world, remaining undivided, so he gave to the body which he assumed and united in unity of person that it could be in many places and remain joined in itself. Gregory says: "Just as the divinity of the Word of God is one, which fills the whole world in many places, so although that body is consecrated on many and innumerable days, nevertheless there are not many bodies of Christ, but one body with that which he assumed from the Virgin and which he gave to the Apostles." For the deity of the Word, which is everywhere, fills it and joins it, and makes it that, just as deity itself is one, so the truth of the body of Christ is one body thus in truth. Augustine says: "When we eat Christ, we do not make parts from him; but in the Sacrament this happens: Each person receives his part in the sacrament, and he remains whole, entire in himself; he remains whole, entire in heaven; he remains in your heart. For he was whole with the Father when he came into the Virgin; he filled her and did not withdraw from him; he came into flesh so that men might eat him; and he remained whole with the Father so that he might feed Angels."

Therefore the Lord must be begged that, although we are necessarily bodily divided from one another, we may be always joined spiritually in charity through him, and that he may worthily feed us with his sacrament in the present and with the full vision of himself with the Angels in the future. Amen.