the Sacrament consists in these words: " THIS IS MY BODY." We read that when they had supped, " Jesus took bread, and blessed and brake and gave to his disciples, saying: take and eat, THIS is MY BODY;" [1] and this form of consecration, made use of by Jesus Christ, has been uniformly and inviolably observed in the Catholic Church. The testimonies of the Fathers in proof of its legitimacy, may be here omitted; to enumerate them would prove an endless task. The decree of the Council of Florence to the same effect, because of easy access to all, it is also unnecessary to cite. The necessity of every other proof is superseded by these words of the Saviour: " This do for a commemoration of me." [2] This command of our Lord embraces not only what he did, but also what he said, and has more immediate reference to his own words uttered not less for the purpose of effecting, than of signifying what they effected. [3] That these words constitute the form is easily proved from reason alone. The form of a Sacrament is that which signifies what is accomplished in the Sacrament: what is accomplished in the Eucharist, that is the conversion of the bread into the true body of our Lord, the words " this is my body," signify and declare; they therefore constitute the form. The words of the Evangelist, " he blessed," go to support this reasoning. They are equivalent to saying: " taking bread, he blessed it, saying, this is my body." [4] The words, " take and eat," it is true, precede the words " this is my body," but they evidently express the use, not the consecration oi the matter, and cannot, therefore constitute the form. But although not necessary to the consecration of the Sacrament, they are not, however, on any account, to be omitted. The conjunction " for," has also u place amongst the words of consecration; otherwise it would follow that if the Sacrament were not to be administered to any one, it should not, or even could not be consecrated; whereas, that the priest by pronouncing the words of our Lord, according to the institution and practice of the Church, truly consecrates the proper matter of the Sacrament, although it should after wards happen never to be administered, admits not the least shadow of doubt.
The form of the consecration of the wine, the other element of this Sacrament, is, for the reasons assigned with regard to the bread, necessary to be accurately known, and clearly understood by the priest. It is firmly to be believed that the form of consecrating the chalice is comprehended in these words: " THIS IS THE CHALICE OF MY BLOOD OF THE NEW AND ETERNAL TESTAMENT: THE MYSTERY OF FAITH: WHICH SHALL BE SHED FOR YOU, AND FOR MANY TO THE REMISSION OF SINS." [5] These words
- ↑ Matt. xxvi. 26. Mark xiv. 22. Luke xxii. 19. 1 Cor. xi. 24.
- ↑ Luke xxii. 19. In decret. de sacrarn. item Trid. sess. 13. c. 1.
- ↑ Quod ad Patres attinet, vid. Amb. 1. 4. de sacram. c. 4. et 5. Chrys. horn, de prodit. Judse. Aug. 1. 3. de Trinit. c. 4. Iren. ]. 4. contr. haer. c. 34. Orig. lib. 8. ooritr. Celsum. Hesich. 1. G. in Levit. c. 22. Cyril. Alex, epist ad Calosorum epis- eop. Tertul. 1. 4. contr. Marc, in Hiear. epist. 1.
- ↑ Matt. xxvi. 26.
- ↑ Decretal. 1. 3. de celeb, raise, c. 6.
