Works › Sermons on the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist
Volume 13 · pp. 779–782
Sermon XXVIII. On Two Other Things Concerning the Preciousness of Christ's Blood
A marker with ≈ is an approximate page boundary, placed by measure of the text; the page photographs remain the authority. In the paired views, clicking a page marker brings that page into view.
### Sermo XXVIII
### De duobus aliis circa pretiositatem sanguinis Christi
Venite, comedite panem meum, et bibite, etc. Prov. ix, 5. Vel alia ut supra.
III.
Tertium circa pretiositatem sanguinis, ut consideratur in cruce fusus, praecipue notandum, est virtutis ejus magnitudo, et haec consistit in tribus: 1. In diaboli destructione, 2. In mundi redemptione, 3. In Dei reconciliatione.
1. De primo, Job, xl, 20: An extrahere poteris Leviathan hamo? supple, sicut ego. Leviathan, sive cetus, est diabolus. Hamus, sive aculeus in esca, est Dei Filius in carne humana absconditus. Hamo isto deceptus et captus est diabolus: quia dum carnem innocentis Christi in cruce mordere, et fundere sanguinem injuste praesumpsit, latens aculeus divinitatis potestatem illius perforando destruxit. Amos, ii, 9: Ego exterminavi Amorrhaeum, id est, armatum inimicum: cujus altitudo, cedrorum altitudo ejus, et fortis ipse quasi quercus. Hoc figuratum est Dan. xiv, 22, 36: Erat draco magnus in Babylone, ... et tulit Daniel picem, et adipem, et pilos, et coxit pariter: fecitque massas, et dedit in os draconis, et diruptus est draco. Pix et pili significant similitudinem carnis peccati, adeps sanguinem Christi, massae ex his sacra membra Salvatoris data in potestatem hostis. Sed dum haec injuste mordere nititur, juste potestas ejus destruitur.
2. De secundo, I ad Cor. vi, 20: Empti estis pretio magno. Ad Eph. i, 7: Habemus redemptionem per sanguinem ejus, scilicet Christi, remissionem peccatorum. I Pet. i, 18 et 19: Non corruptibilibus redempti estis, sed pretioso sanguine Jesu Christi. Hinc canit Ecclesia: "Te ergo quaesumus, famulis tuis subveni, quos pretioso sanguine redemisti." De utroque, ad Heb. ii, 14 et 15: Quia pueri communicaverunt carni, et sanguini, et ipse Christus similiter participavit eisdem: ut per mortem destrueret eum, qui habebat mortis imperium, id est, diabolum: et liberaret eos. Augustinus: "Quid fecit redemptor captivatori vestro? tetendit ei muscipulam, crucem suam: posuit ibi escam corpus et sanguinem suum. Ille autem sanguinem fudit non debitoris, per quod jussus est redimere debitores." Hinc canit Ecclesia: "O crux gloriosa, per quam diabolus est victus, et mundus Christi sanguine redemptus."
3. De tertio, ad Eph. ii, 13 et 14: Vos, qui aliquando eratis longe, facti estis prope in sanguine Christi. Ipse est enim pax nostra, id est, faciens nobis pacem cum Deo. Ad Col. i, 18, 20: Christus est caput corporis Ecclesiae, pacificans per sanguinem crucis, sive quae in terris, sive quae in caelis sunt. Hinc post Passionem et Resurrectionem ostendit Discipulis cruentas manus et latus, dicens: Pax vobis (Joan. xx, 19, 21, 26).
### Sermon XXVIII
### On Two Other Things Concerning the Preciousness of Christ's Blood
Come, eat my bread and drink, etc. Proverbs 9:5. Or other texts as above.
III.
The third thing especially to be noted concerning the preciousness of the blood, as it is considered poured out on the cross, is the magnitude of its power, and this consists in three things: 1. in the destruction of the devil, 2. in the redemption of the world, 3. in reconciliation with God.
1. Concerning the first, Job 40:20: Will you be able to draw out Leviathan with a hook? supply, as I can. Leviathan, or the whale, is the devil. The hook, or point in the bait, is the Son of God hidden in human flesh. By this hook the devil was deceived and captured, because when he unjustly presumed to bite the innocent flesh of Christ on the cross and to pour out his blood, the hidden point of divinity destroyed his power by piercing it. Amos 2:9: I exterminated the Amorite, that is, the armed enemy, whose height was the height of cedars and he himself was strong as an oak. This was figured in Daniel 14:22, 36: There was a great dragon in Babylon, ... and Daniel took pitch and fat and hairs and cooked them together; and he made lumps and gave them into the mouth of the dragon, and the dragon was burst open. Pitch and hairs signify the likeness of the flesh of sin, fat the blood of Christ, and the lumps from these the sacred members of the Savior given into the power of the enemy. But while he strives to bite these unjustly, his power is justly destroyed.
2. Concerning the second, 1 Corinthians 6:20: You have been bought at a great price. Ephesians 1:7: We have redemption through his blood, namely Christ's, the remission of sins. 1 Peter 1:18 and 19: You were redeemed not with corruptible things, but with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Hence the Church sings: "Therefore we ask you, help your servants whom you redeemed with precious blood." Concerning both, Hebrews 2:14 and 15: Because the children communicated in flesh and blood, Christ himself likewise participated in the same things, so that through death he might destroy him who had the dominion of death, that is, the devil, and might free them. Augustine says: "What did the redeemer do to your captor? He stretched out a trap for him, his cross; he placed there as bait his body and blood. But that one poured out the blood of one who was not a debtor, through which he was ordered to redeem the debtors." Hence the Church sings: "O glorious cross, through which the devil was conquered and the world redeemed by Christ's blood."
3. Concerning the third, Ephesians 2:13 and 14: You, who once were far away, have been made near in the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, that is, making peace for us with God. Colossians 1:18, 20: Christ is the head of the body, the Church, making peace through the blood of the cross, whether the things which are on earth or the things which are in heaven. Hence after the Passion and Resurrection he showed the disciples his bloodied hands and side, saying: Peace be to you (John 20:19, 21, 26).
Haec pax cum Deo sive reconciliatio, fit per sanguinem Christi triplici ratione: scilicet, 1. Ratione pretii sufficientis, quod in eo pro nostris debitis solvit, 2. Ratione nostrae formositatis, qua nos Deo gratos fecit, 3. Ratione gratissimae Deo charitatis, quam in facto demonstravit.
1. De primo, Psal. lxviii, 5: Persecuti sunt me inimici mei injuste, scilicet, usque ad mortem crucis: quae non rapui, tunc exsolvebam, scilicet, pretio sanguinis pro bono pacis. Matth. xxvi, 28: Sanguis meus pro vobis effundetur in remissionem peccatorum.
2. De secundo, ad Eph. v, 2: Christus dilexit nos, et tradidit semetipsum pro nobis oblationem, et hostiam Deo in odorem suavitatis. Quasi diceret: Hostia corporis Christi et sanguinis exstitit Deo grata ad effectum nostrae reconciliationis, causa nimiae dilectionis. Nam si Noe justus, ut dicitur Eccli. xliv, 17, in tempore iracundiae factus est reconciliatio, propter justitiam: multo magis Christus, propter nimiam charitatem qua obtulit pro nobis Deo proprium sanguinem.
3. De tertio, ad Roman. v, 9 et 11: Justificati in sanguine Christi, salvi erimus ab ira per ipsum: ... et gloriamur in Deo per Dominum nostrum, per quem reconciliationem accepimus. Item, ad Rom. i, 7: Dilectis Dei, vocatis sanctis, id est, Christi sanguine tinctis, gratia vobis, et pax. Joan. xiii, 5: Mittit aquam in pelvim (Glossa, sanguinem in terram fudit) et coepit lavare pedes discipulorum. Quasi scilicet sanguine suo mundum mundans, nos fecit pulchros et Deo gratos. Apoc. i, 5 et 6: Christus dilexit nos, et lavit nos a peccatis nostris in sanguine suo, et fecit nos regnum et sacerdotes Deo. Ecce, peccatores Dominus sanguine suo lavit, et formosos, ac roseos, et Deo gratos fecit: et in eo sic reconciliavit, ut in curia Dei principes et Reges efficeret.
IV.
Quartum circa pretiositatem sanguinis Christi praecipue notandum, est redemptorum multitudo. Tres enim exercitus magni sanguine ejus sunt redempti scilicet, 1. Manifesti inimici, 2. Antiqui justi, 3. Dubii amici. Primi de vinculo peccati, secundi de limbo inferni, tertii de dubitatione fidei. Propter haec tria effudit sanguinem de tribus locis: 1. De manibus, 2. De pedibus, 3. De vulnere lateris.
This peace with God, or reconciliation, is made through the blood of Christ by a threefold reason: namely, 1. by reason of the sufficient price which in it he paid for our debts, 2. by reason of our beauty by which he made us pleasing to God, 3. by reason of the charity most pleasing to God, which he demonstrated in deed.
1. Concerning the first, Psalm 68:5: My enemies persecuted me unjustly, namely all the way to the death of the cross; what I did not snatch away, then I was paying back, namely at the price of blood for the good of peace. Matthew 26:28: My blood will be poured out for you for the remission of sins.
2. Concerning the second, Ephesians 5:2: Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as an oblation and victim to God in an odor of sweetness. As if he were saying: The victim of the body and blood of Christ existed as pleasing to God for the effect of our reconciliation, because of his exceedingly great love. For if just Noah, as is said in Ecclesiasticus 44:17, was made reconciliation in the time of wrath because of justice, much more Christ, because of the exceedingly great charity by which he offered to God his own blood for us.
3. Concerning the third, Romans 5:9 and 11: Justified in the blood of Christ, we shall be saved from wrath through him; ... and we glory in God through our Lord, through whom we have received reconciliation. Likewise, Romans 1:7: To the beloved of God, called saints, that is, dyed with Christ's blood, grace to you and peace. John 13:5: He sends water into the basin (the Gloss says, he poured blood onto the earth) and began to wash the feet of the disciples. As if, namely, cleansing the world with his blood, he made us beautiful and pleasing to God. Apocalypse 1:5 and 6: Christ loved us and washed us from our sins in his blood, and made us a kingdom and priests to God. Behold, the Lord washed sinners with his blood and made them beautiful, rosy, and pleasing to God; and in it he reconciled them so that he made them princes and kings in the court of God.
IV.
The fourth thing especially to be noted concerning the preciousness of Christ's blood is the multitude of the redeemed. For three great armies have been redeemed by his blood, namely: 1. manifest enemies, 2. the ancient just, 3. doubtful friends. The first from the chain of sin, the second from the limbo of hell, the third from doubt of faith. On account of these three he poured out blood from three places: 1. from the hands, 2. from the feet, 3. from the wound of the side.
I. Primo, de manibus: ut peccatores virtute sanguinis, 1. A vinculis peccatorum solveret, 2. et Absolutos ad se revocaret.
1. De primo, Eccli. l, 16: Porrexit sacerdos magnus manum suam in libatione, et libavit in sanguine uvae; ut scilicet peccatorum vincula disrumperet. Psal. cxv, 16 et 17: Dirupisti vincula mea: tibi sacrificabo hostiam laudis. Augustinus: "Christus sanguinem suum ad hoc fudit, ut peccata nostra deleret." Quo enim diabolus nos tenebat, deletum est sanguine Redemptoris: non autem tenebat nos, nisi vinculis peccatorum.
2. De secundo, scilicet ut absolutos revocaret. Isa. xliv, 22: Revertere ad me quoniam redemi te. Glossa, "sanguine." Quod si feceris, caelum et terra et omnia elementa in salute tua laetabuntur: e contra si non feceris, omnia contra te pugnabunt. Sap. v, 18, 21: Armabit Deus creaturam ad ultionem inimicorum, ... et pugnabit cum illo orbis terrarum contra insensatos. Porrexit ergo Christus manum in cruce, et libavit sanguinem, solvens omnes a vinculis peccatorum: et adhuc quasi avem fugientem, manu cruenta revocat peccatorem. Isa. xlvi, 11: Ego sum vocans ab Oriente avem, et de terra longinqua virum voluntatis meae, scilicet de statu peccati revocans instabilem et refugam animam.
II. Secundo, de pedibus fudit sanguinem: 1. Ut antiquos justos de limbo inferni educendos demonstraret, 2. et Ad patriam caelestem deduceret.
1. De primo, Thren. i, 15: Torcular calcavit Dominus virgini filiae Juda: Arbor et tortura torcularis significat Passionem Christi in ligno crucis: qui vere in torculari calcat, sanguinemque uvae pedibus fundit, et multos ex eo laetos facit. Christus ergo virgini Juda torcular calcavit, quia in Passione crucis de pedibus sanguinem fudit, et justos in fide incorruptos de inferno liberans laetificavit. Zach. ix, 11: Tu quoque in sanguine testamenti tui emisisti vinctos tuos de lacu, in quo non est aqua, scilicet caelestis refrigerii.
2. De secundo, scilicet ut eductos de inferno ad patriam reduceret. Ad Hebr. ix, 11 et 12: Christus assistens Pontifex futurorum bonorum, ... per proprium sanguinem introivit semel in sancta. Et hoc non solus, sed cum magno exercitu justorum, quos de inferno eruens secum duxit: unde ad Eph. iv, 8: Ascendens in altum captivam duxit captivitatem. Isa. lxiii, 1, dicunt Angeli: Quis est iste qui venit de Edom, tinctis vestibus de Bosra? iste formosus in stola sua, gradiens in multitudine fortitudinis suae? id est, ascendens cum multis fidelibus, quos de inferis potenter eduxit, et ad coelos secum vexit.
I. First, from the hands, so that by the power of the blood he might 1. loose sinners from the chains of sins, and 2. call those absolved back to himself.
1. Concerning the first, Ecclesiasticus 50:16: The great priest stretched out his hand in libation and poured a libation in the blood of the grape, namely so that he might break apart the chains of sins. Psalm 115:16 and 17: You have broken apart my chains; to you I will sacrifice the victim of praise. Augustine says: "Christ poured out his blood for this, that he might delete our sins." For that by which the devil was holding us was deleted by the blood of the Redeemer; but he was not holding us except by the chains of sins.
2. Concerning the second, namely that he might call back those absolved. Isaiah 44:22: Return to me because I have redeemed you. The Gloss says: "with blood." If you do this, heaven and earth and all the elements will rejoice in your salvation; on the contrary, if you do not do this, all things will fight against you. Wisdom 5:18, 21: God will arm creation for vengeance against enemies, ... and the whole world will fight with him against the senseless. Therefore Christ stretched out his hand on the cross and poured out blood, loosing all from the chains of sins; and still, as if with a bloody hand, he calls back the sinner like a fleeing bird. Isaiah 46:11: I am calling a bird from the East, and from a distant land the man of my will, namely calling back the unstable and fugitive soul from the state of sin.
II. Secondly, he poured out blood from the feet: 1. so that he might show that the ancient just were to be led out from the limbo of hell, and 2. so that he might lead them to the heavenly homeland.
1. Concerning the first, Lamentations 1:15: The Lord trod the winepress for the virgin daughter of Judah. The tree and torture of the winepress signify the Passion of Christ on the wood of the cross; he who truly treads in the winepress pours out the blood of the grape with his feet and makes many glad from it. Therefore Christ trod the winepress for the virgin Judah, because in the Passion of the cross he poured out blood from his feet, and, freeing from hell the just incorrupt in faith, made them glad. Zechariah 9:11: You also, in the blood of your testament, have sent forth your bound ones from the pit in which there is no water, namely of heavenly refreshment.
2. Concerning the second, namely that he might lead those brought out from hell back to the homeland. Hebrews 9:11 and 12: Christ, standing by as Pontiff of future goods, ... through his own blood entered once into the holy places. And this not alone, but with a great army of the just, whom, rescuing them from hell, he led with himself; hence Ephesians 4:8: Ascending on high, he led captivity captive. Isaiah 63:1, the Angels say: Who is this who comes from Edom, with garments dyed from Bozrah? this one beautiful in his robe, walking in the multitude of his strength? that is, ascending with many faithful whom he powerfully led out from the lower regions and carried with himself to the heavens.
III. Tertio fudit sanguinem de vulnere lateris sui et cordis: 1. Ut discipulos in fide dubios, et alios multos in fide, et bonae vitae stabilitate tentatos, et ideo frigidos, et quasi mortuos calefaceret, 2. Et revivificaret, et sic revivificatis suo sanguine iter coeleste signaret, ut post ipsum ferventer currerent.
1. De primo, Joan. xix, 34: Unus militum lancea latus ejus aperuit, et continuo exivit sanguis: qui scilicet est calidus, et in quo est vita hominis: ut eo frigidos in fide calefaceret, et quasi mortuos in vita bona revivificaret. Psal. ci, 7: Similis factus sum pelicano solitudinis. Pelicanus avis est, pullos mox natos, et contra eam se erigentes occidens, et mortuos triduo deplorans: demum rostro latus proprium fodit, et sanguinem in eos fundit, et ex eo reviviscunt. Sic Christus frigidis in fide et peccatis mortuis subvenit sanguine cordis.
2. De secundo, quod vivificatis ad instar ferae vulneratae iter coeleste suo sanguine signat, et sequendum demonstrat. Cant. iv, 9: Vulnerasti cor meum soror mea sponsa. Quasi diceret: Attende me vulneratum propter te. Vide sanguinem meum, et sequere me. Joan. xx, 19 et 20: Venit Jesus, ... et ostendit discipulis manus et latus suum cruentum, non solum, ut eos in fide confortaret: sed ut se per multas tribulationes sequendum demonstraret. I Pet. ii, 21: Christus passus est pro nobis, vobis relinquens exemplum ut sequamini vestigia ejus. Ad Hebr. xiii, 12 et 13: Christus ut sanctificaret per suum sanguinem populum, extra portam passus est. Exeamus igitur ad eum extra castra, scilicet, delicias carnis fugientes, et Passionem ejus imitantes. Cantic. vi, 14: Fuge dilecte mi, et assimilare capreae hinnuloque cervorum. Quasi diceret: Curre coram nobis, ut fera corde vulnerata, et sanguine tuo coelestem semitam nobis demonstra, donec te comprehendamus, et in te delicias aeternas capiamus. I ad Cor. ix, 24: Sic currite ut comprehendatis. Amen.
III. Thirdly, he poured blood from the wound of his side and heart: 1. so that he might warm the disciples doubtful in faith and many others tempted in faith and in the stability of good life, and therefore cold and as if dead, 2. and revive them, and, revived by his blood, mark the heavenly way so that they might run fervently after him.
1. Concerning the first, John 19:34: One of the soldiers opened his side with a lance, and immediately blood came out, which namely is warm and in which is the life of man, so that by it he might warm those cold in faith and revive those as if dead in good life. Psalm 101:7: I have been made like a pelican of the wilderness. The pelican is a bird killing its chicks soon born and rising up against it, and grieving for the dead for three days; finally it pierces its own side with its beak and pours blood upon them, and from this they live again. Thus Christ came to the aid of those cold in faith and dead in sins by the blood of his heart.
2. Concerning the second, that for those brought to life he marks the heavenly way with his blood after the manner of a wounded wild animal and shows that it is to be followed. Song of Songs 4:9: You have wounded my heart, my sister, my bride. As if he were saying: Attend to me wounded for you. See my blood and follow me. John 20:19 and 20: Jesus came ... and showed the disciples his hands and his bloodied side, not only so that he might strengthen them in faith, but so that he might show that he must be followed through many tribulations. 1 Peter 2:21: Christ suffered for us, leaving you an example that you may follow his footsteps. Hebrews 13:12 and 13: Christ, so that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore let us go out to him outside the camp, namely fleeing the delights of the flesh and imitating his Passion. Song of Songs 6:14: Flee, my beloved, and be like the roe and the young hart. As if he were saying: Run before us, like a wild animal wounded in heart, and by your blood show us the heavenly path, until we comprehend you and take eternal delights in you. 1 Corinthians 9:24: So run that you may comprehend. Amen.
If a page does not appear, its photograph has not been uploaded yet.