Beginning of Chapter III

Latin (Borgnet)English

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CAPUT III. Quod hoc sacramentum faciat communicare sanctis.

Dicitur iterum communio, quia nos omnibus sanctis facit communicare, ut si quid deficit in singulis, ex communibus abundantiis omnium sanctorum suppleatur. Sic habemus virtutes Patriarcharum, revelationes et illuminationes et fruitiones Prophetarum, justitias Legislatorum, demonstrationes et praeconia praeconum Christi cum Joanne Baptista demonstrantium, dignitates Apostolorum, victorias Martyrum, sanctitates Confessorum, religionem Monachorum, puritatem Anachoritarum, doctrinas saluberrimas Doctorum, munditiam Virginum, luctum Viduarum, eleemosynas domesticas, curas gentium, poenitentiae lamenta poenitentium, splendorem honestatis innocentium, et omnia merita sanctorum: haec enim omnia quae a Christo in corpus ejus mysticum fluxerunt, in efficientia corporis ejus et sanguinis consistunt, et de quolibet in quemlibet per charitatem spiritus Christi referuntur et redundant. Unde dicitur, ad Coloss. I, 12 et 13: Gratias agentes Deo Patri, qui dignos nos fecit in partem sortis sanctorum in lumine, qui eripuit nos de potestate tenebrarum, et transtulit in regnum filii dilectionis suae. Per communionem enim Christi sortem omnis gratiae communicamus cum omnibus sanctis, translati in regnum omnium sanctorum suorum, per hoc quod corpori et sanguini ejus communicamus: quia unitas suorum membrorum ad cor et caput, et una participatio spiritus Christi in omnibus membris ejus naturalibus signat et causat totius corporis mystici communionem et sancti Spiritus communicationem: et sic sors gratiae et gloriae uniuscujusque sancti communicatur aliis, ut spiritualiter impleatur in nobis quod de Ecclesia primitivorum scribitur, Act. IV, 33 et seq.: Gratia magna erat in omnibus illis. Neque enim quisquam egens erat inter illos: quotquot enim possessores agrorum aut domorum erant, vendentes afferebant pretia eorum quae vendebant, et ponebant ante pedes Apostolorum: dividebatur autem singulis, prout cuique opus erat. Si enim ad uniuscujusque necessitatem et idoneitatem dividit Spiritus corporis Christi bona sanctorum, ut omnes abundent, et nullus egens inveniatur. I ad Corinth. XII, 11: Haec omnia operatur unus atque idem Spiritus, dividens singulis prout vult. Sic dicit Psalmista, Psal. CXVIII, 63: Particeps ego sum omnium timentium te, et custodientium mandata tua, hoc est, tui corporis communione participem me facies omnium te timentium. Sic se ditatum dicit Psalmista, Psal. XV, 6: Funes ceciderunt mihi in praeclaris: etenim haereditas mea praeclara est mihi: quia mensurantes funes nobis omnium adjiciunt merita sanctorum, sicut dicit Apostolus, ad Coloss. I, 16 et seq.: Quoniam in ipso condita sunt universa in caelo et in terra, hoc est, in Angelis et in hominibus sanctis, visibilia et invisibilia, sive Throni, sive Dominationes, sive Principatus, sive Potestates: omnia per ipsum et in ipso creata sunt, et ipse est ante omnes, et

CHAPTER III. That this sacrament makes one communicate with the saints.

It is again called communion, because it makes us communicate with all the saints, so that if anything is lacking in individuals, it may be supplied from the common abundances of all the saints. Thus we have the virtues of the Patriarchs, the revelations and illuminations and enjoyments of the Prophets, the justices of the Lawgivers, the demonstrations and proclamations of the heralds of Christ demonstrating with John the Baptist, the dignities of the Apostles, the victories of the Martyrs, the holinesses of the Confessors, the religion of Monks, the purity of Anchorites, the most salutary teachings of Doctors, the cleanness of Virgins, the mourning of Widows, domestic alms, cares of peoples, the laments of penance of penitents, the splendor of honorable conduct of the innocent, and all the merits of the saints. For all these things which flowed from Christ into his mystical body consist in the efficacy of his body and blood, and from any one into any other they are referred and overflow through the charity of the Spirit of Christ. Hence it is said, Colossians 1:12 and 13: "Giving thanks to God the Father, who made us worthy for a part of the lot of the saints in light, who rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of his love." For through communion of Christ we communicate the lot of every grace with all the saints, transferred into the kingdom of all his saints, through this, that we communicate in his body and blood, because the unity of his members to the heart and head, and one participation of the Spirit of Christ in all his natural members, signifies and causes the communion of the whole mystical body and the communication of the Holy Spirit. And thus the lot of grace and glory of each saint is communicated to others, so that spiritually there may be fulfilled in us what is written concerning the Church of the first ones, Acts 4:33 and following: "Great grace was in them all. For neither was anyone needy among them; for as many as were possessors of fields or houses, selling them, brought the prices of the things which they were selling, and placed them before the feet of the Apostles; but it was divided to individuals, according as each had need." For if the Spirit of the body of Christ divides the goods of the saints according to the necessity and fitness of each, so that all abound and none is found needy. I Corinthians 12:11: "One and the same Spirit works all these things, dividing to individuals as he wills." Thus the Psalmist says, Psalm 118:63: "I am a participant of all those fearing you and keeping your commandments," that is, by communion of your body you will make me a participant of all those fearing you. Thus the Psalmist says that he has been enriched, Psalm 15:6: "The measuring cords have fallen to me in splendid places; for indeed my inheritance is splendid to me," because the measuring cords add to us the merits of all the saints, as the Apostle says, Colossians 1:16 and following: "Because in him all things in heaven and on earth were founded," that is, in Angels and in holy men, "visible and invisible, whether Thrones or Dominations or Principalities or Powers: all things have been created through him and in him, and he is before all, and"

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omnia in ipso constant. Et ipse est caput corporis Ecclesiae, qui est principium, primogenitus ex mortuis, ut sit in omnibus ipse primatum tenens. Sic ergo ex ipso fluit in membra, et ex uno membrorum redundat ad aliud, propter unam sui corporis communionem. Sicut enim in corpore naturali sanguinem et spiritum unum membrum redundat in aliud, ita multo magis in spiritualibus membris corporis mystici unum membrum Spiritus communionem transmittit in aliud, propter unam sui corporis communionem. Unde, I ad Corinth. XII, 26: Si quid patitur unum membrum, compatiuntur omnia membra: sive gloriatur unum membrum, congaudent omnia membra.

Haec est communio sanctorum de qua dicimus in symbolo: « Credo in Spiritum sanctum, sanctorum communionem, » hoc est, in Spiritum sanctum qui facit sanctorum communionem: quia sicut secundum naturam unus est spiritus unius corporis, ita unius Christi corporis unus est Spiritus sanctus, qui in totum corpus vehit vitam et virtutem, et omnia quae sunt membris propria, facit esse communia. Ad Ephes. IV, 4: Unum corpus, et unus spiritus. Hinc est, quod dicitur, Ezechiel. I, 20: Spiritus vitae erat in rotis.

Sic ergo facit unitas corporum communionem sanctorum.

all things consist in him. And he is the head of the body of the Church, who is the beginning, firstborn from the dead, so that he himself may be holding primacy in all things. Thus therefore from him it flows into the members, and from one of the members it overflows to another, on account of the one communion of his body. For just as in a natural body one member overflows blood and spirit into another, so much more in the spiritual members of the mystical body one member transmits the communion of the Spirit into another, on account of the one communion of his body. Hence, I Corinthians 12:26: "If one member suffers anything, all the members suffer together; or if one member is glorified, all the members rejoice together."

This is the communion of saints concerning which we say in the creed: "I believe in the Holy Spirit, the communion of saints," that is, in the Holy Spirit who makes the communion of saints; because just as according to nature there is one spirit of one body, so of the one body of Christ there is one Holy Spirit, who carries life and power into the whole body and makes all things which are proper to the members to be common. Ephesians 4:4: "One body and one spirit." Hence it is said, Ezekiel 1:20: "The spirit of life was in the wheels."

Thus therefore the unity of bodies makes the communion of saints.