Works › The Book on the Sacrament of the Eucharist
Volume 38 · pp. 405–406
Chapter IV. On Things Consequent upon Both Forms, 1-3
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Marginal label (printed p. 406): Septem causae quare Christus frequenter oculos ad Patrem elevavit.
CAPUT IV.
De consequentibus ad utramque formam.
1. Consequenter tractanda sunt quaedam consequentia ad utramque formam, sicut verbi gratia de tribus, scilicet quod dicitur: « Elevatis oculis suis in caelum, etc. »
Similiter etiam de hoc quod post utriusque sacramenti confectionem dicit sacerdos: « Unde et memores, etc. » Et post pauca: « Offerimus praeclarae majestati tuae, etc., » cum jam totum sit Patri oblatum et sanctificatum, cum tamen sacerdos dicat: « Panem sanctum vitae aeternae, et calicem salutis perpetuae. »
Tertium est de quo quaeritur, cum hoc sacramentum non sumatur nisi in commemorationem passionis, quare fit mentio de resurrectione et ascensione, cum dicitur: « Et ab inferis resurrectionis, et in caelum gloriosae ascensionis. »
De primo autem istorum quaeritur, quare apponitur: « Et elevatis oculis in caelum, » cum hoc nullus posuerit Evangelistarum, nec Apostolus, I ad Corinth. XI, 23 et seq., ubi formam dedit celebrandi sacramentum, de hoc nullam penitus fecit mentionem. Videtur enim, quod in tanto sacramento nihil sit addendum nisi quod auctoritas divina promulgavit. Ad hoc Dionysius dicit in libro de Divinis nominibus 1, quod universaliter non est audendum nobis aliquid dicere praeter hoc quod in sacris libris est promulgatum. Adhuc autem, videtur esse quaedam diminutio potestatis Christi: Christus enim operatur potestate excellentiae virtute deitatis propriae: ministri autem operantur adminiculo clavis, quae sunt invocatio, supplicatio, exorcismus, et hujusmodi. Elevatio autem oculorum in caelum videtur esse invocantis vel supplicantis, qui non virtute propria operatur: et sic videtur in Christo dicere potestatis diminutionem.
Ulterius etiam quaeritur de hoc, quod post confectionem utriusque sacramenti dicitur: « Unde et memores, Domine, etc. » Et infra: « Necnon ab inferis resurrectionis, sed et in caelos gloriosae ascensionis. » Cum enim sacramentum hoc, sicut ipse dicit Christus et testatur Apostolus, sit in commemorationem Dominicae passionis tantum institutum, videtur quod incongrue additur de memoria resurrectionis et ascensionis.
Adhuc, quare non additur eodem modo de memoria consessus ad dexteram Dei Patris, et de reditu ad judicium, cum haec in symbolo sicut et alia contineantur?
Adhuc autem, quid est quod inferius dicitur: « Offerimus praeclarae majestati tuae, » cum jam ante totum per elevationem et confectionem sacramenti sit oblatum?
Adhuc autem, quid est quod dicitur: « Offerimus majestati tuae, » potius quam bonitati? Videtur enim bonitati magis congruum quam majestati, cum Christus in offerendo potius humilitatem et charitatem, quam majestatem exhibuerit.
Adhuc autem ulterius quaeritur, quare dicitur: « De tuis donis ac datis? » quia de alieno illius cujus est offerre, potius est redditio quam oblatio, sicut et Apostolus, ad Roman. XIII, 7: Reddite ergo omnibus debita. Et Dominus, Matth. XXII, 21: Reddite ergo quae sunt Caesaris Caesari, et quae sunt Dei Deo.
Marginal label (printed p. 406): Seven causes why Christ frequently lifted his eyes to the Father.
CHAPTER IV.
On things consequent upon both forms.
1. Consequently certain things consequent upon both forms must be treated, as for example concerning three things, namely what is said: "With his eyes lifted up to heaven, etc."
Similarly also concerning this, that after the confection of each sacrament the priest says: "Whence also mindful, etc." And after a few words: "We offer to your excellent majesty, etc.," when the whole is now offered and sanctified to the Father, although the priest says: "the holy bread of eternal life, and the chalice of perpetual salvation."
The third thing about which inquiry is made is, since this sacrament is received only in commemoration of the passion, why mention is made of the resurrection and ascension, when it is said: "And of the resurrection from the lower regions, and of the glorious ascension into heaven."
Concerning the first of these it is asked why there is appended, "And with eyes lifted up to heaven," since none of the Evangelists placed this, nor did the Apostle, in 1 Corinthians 11:23 and following, where he gave the form of celebrating the sacrament, make any mention at all of this. For it seems that in so great a sacrament nothing should be added except what divine authority promulgated. To this Dionysius says in the book On the Divine Names 1 that universally we must not dare to say anything except what has been promulgated in the sacred books. Moreover, there seems to be a certain diminution of the power of Christ, for Christ operates by the power of excellence through the power of his own deity; but ministers operate by the aid of a key, which are invocation, supplication, exorcism, and things of this kind. But the lifting of the eyes into heaven seems to belong to one invoking or supplicating, who does not operate by his own power; and thus it seems to state in Christ a diminution of power.
Further, it is also asked concerning this, that after the confection of each sacrament it is said: "Whence also mindful, Lord, etc." And below: "And also of the resurrection from the lower regions, and of the glorious ascension into heaven." For since this sacrament, as Christ himself says and the Apostle testifies, was instituted only in commemoration of the Lord's passion, it seems that the memory of the resurrection and ascension is unfittingly added.
Moreover, why is there not added in the same way the memory of the sitting together at the right hand of God the Father and of the return to judgment, since these are contained in the creed just as the others are?
Moreover, what is this which is said below, "We offer to your excellent majesty," when the whole has already before been offered through the elevation and confection of the sacrament?
Moreover, what is this, that it is said, "We offer to your majesty," rather than to your goodness? For it seems more congruent to goodness than to majesty, since Christ in offering displayed humility and charity rather than majesty.
Moreover, it is further asked why it is said, "From your gifts and things given," because concerning the property of another, of him whose it is to offer, there is rather a rendering back than an offering, as also the Apostle says in Romans 13:7: Render therefore to all their dues. And the Lord, Matthew 22:21: Render therefore the things that are Caesar's to Caesar, and the things that are God's to God.
Adhuc autem quaeritur, quare additur: « Hostiam puram, Hostiam sanctam, Hostiam immaculatam, » cum jam sacrificium confectum est, quod purius esse non potest, nec sanctius, nec magis immaculatum?
Quaeritur etiam propter quid illa tria circa hostiam cum signis tribus crucis ponantur?
Adhuc ulterius quaeritur, quia non videtur esse verum quod additur: « Panem sanctum vitae aeternae, » cum jam non sit panis, sed corpus Christi. Eodem modo non videtur verum esse quod subjungit: « Et calicem salutis perpetuae, » cum jam non sit calix, sed sanguis Jesu Christi.
2. Ad haec autem omnia facile est respondere, si ea quae in praemissis habita sunt, in memoria teneantur.
Ad primum enim quod dicitur contra hoc quod est: « Et elevatis oculis in caelum ad te Deum Patrem suum omnipotentem. » Dicendum, quod ex simili addidit Ecclesia: quia, Joan. XI, 41, cum suscitaret Lazarum, dixit Evangelista Joannes: Jesus autem, elevatis sursum oculis, dixit: Pater, gratias ago tibi, etc. Si enim pro vita unius iterum morituri gratias agens elevavit in caelum oculos, multo magis creditur hoc fecisse in confectione universaliter vivifici sacramenti. Similiter cum instruxisset discipulos post coenam, et oraturus esset pro eis ante passionem in ipsa nocte traditionis suae, sicut dicit Evangelista Joannes, XVII, 1: Haec locutus est Jesus, et sublevatis oculis in caelum, dixit: Pater, venit hora, clarifica Filium tuum. Ex quo praesumitur, quod frequenter oculos ad caelum levavit, et forte fecit hoc in omnibus agendis suis: et ideo non est praesumptum, sed de factis Domini et verbis Evangelistarum appositum, praecipue cum hoc Romana Ecclesia credatur traditum accepisse a sanctis Apostolis Petro et Paulo, quos binos sacramentorum traditores habuit, et quorum adhuc corpora mortua custodit: quae etiam Romana Ecclesia numquam haeresi foedata fuit, et nullo umquam schismate divisa, cum omnes aliae Ecclesiae patriarchales et multis haeresibus et haeresiarchis sint foedatae et schismatibus divisae: et ideo, ut creditur, Romana Ecclesia ut ab Apostolis hoc accepit, ita sincerum custodivit.
3. Ad hoc autem quod per rationem in contrarium objicitur, dicendum quod non ostendit aliquam minorationem virtutis sive potestatis: quia Christus non elevavit in caelum oculos, ut per invocationem mutuaret potestatem quam non haberet, sicut sancti viri faciunt per invocationes et supplicationes a Deo aliquid impetrare volentes. Sed quinque causae a sanctis Patribus assignantur, quare frequenter oculos in caelum ad Patrem elevavit.
Moreover, it is asked why there is added, "a pure Host, a holy Host, an immaculate Host," when the sacrifice has now been confected, which cannot be purer, nor holier, nor more immaculate.
It is also asked for what reason those three things concerning the host are placed with the three signs of the cross.
Further still it is asked, because what is added does not seem to be true: "the holy bread of eternal life," since now it is not bread, but the body of Christ. In the same way, what he adds does not seem to be true: "and the chalice of perpetual salvation," since now it is not a chalice, but the blood of Jesus Christ.
2. But it is easy to respond to all these things, if those things which have been had in the preceding matters are held in memory.
For to the first thing that is said against this which is, "And with eyes lifted to heaven to you, God his almighty Father," it must be said that the Church added it from a likeness, because in John 11:41, when he raised Lazarus, the Evangelist John said: But Jesus, with eyes lifted upward, said: Father, I give thanks to you, etc. For if, giving thanks for the life of one who would die again, he lifted his eyes into heaven, much more is he believed to have done this in the confection of the universally life-giving sacrament. Similarly, when he had instructed the disciples after supper and was about to pray for them before the passion on the very night of his handing over, as the Evangelist John says, 17:1: Jesus spoke these things, and with eyes lifted up to heaven, he said: Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son. From this it is presumed that he frequently lifted his eyes to heaven, and perhaps did this in all his actions; and therefore it is not presumed rashly, but appended from the Lord's deeds and the words of the Evangelists, especially since the Roman Church is believed to have received this as handed down from the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, whom it had as two traditors of the sacraments, and whose dead bodies it still guards; which Roman Church also was never defiled by heresy and was never divided by any schism, whereas all the other patriarchal Churches have been defiled by many heresies and heresiarchs and divided by schisms; and therefore, as is believed, as the Roman Church received this from the Apostles, so it guarded it sincere.
3. But to this which is objected by reason to the contrary, it must be said that it does not show any lessening of virtue or power, because Christ did not lift his eyes into heaven so that by invocation he might borrow power which he did not have, as holy men do who wish to obtain something from God through invocations and supplications. But five causes are assigned by the holy Fathers why he frequently lifted his eyes into heaven to the Father.
Notes
- St. Dionysius, book On the Divine Names, chap. 1. (S. Dionysius, Lib. de Divinis nominibus, cap. 1.) ↩
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