XII About the third miracle wrought in consecration
XII
About the third miracle wrought in consecration
A. (3) The third miracle, yea, the most miraculous sign in the consecration of the Sacrament of the Altar, is that the whole substance of the bread is changed into the Body of Jesus, in such a way that the accidents of bread remain; that is to say, colour, taste, and such things surrounding our Lord’s Body, and evident to I our senses. It has been proved that bread is changed in consecration into the Body of Christ, and it is clear that the accidents remain, so that they can be reached by our senses. Such a change is supernatural, and is properly called conversion or transubstantiation: for anything altogether like it is not found in nature. But it can be shown by a threefold likeness that this may be done.
1. The first likeness to show that the substance of bread may be changed, while the accidents remain, is taken from the prophetic grace. Thus Eliseus threw salt into the bitter water, and it was changed to sweet. Now, in this example, four things are to be considered: the container and the contained, the worker and the work. The container is the species or outward brightness; the contained is the inward bitterness. This passes away, and is changed into the fourth, or the thing worked, that is, the sweetness; and it is done by the third, namely, the worker, that is, by the prophetic grace. So it is, in a way, when bread is changed into the Body of our Lord. The first thing, the container, that is, the outward species of bread, remains. The second thing, or the thing contained, that is, the substance of bread, is changed into the fourth, the Body of Christ; and this is done by the third or worker, that is, by the word of God.
2. The second likeness is taken from spiritual conversion. Samuel promised Saul that he should be changed and have spiritual life. In this conversion or change the same four things are to be considered, namely, the container and the contained, the worker and the work. For in the state of sin our outward man is fair and pleasant; but our inward man is sick, being full of poison and the bitterness of sin. Thus when a man is converted by the Spirit of God, though the outward body remain the same, the inward bitterness and weakness of sin are changed into the health and sweetness of grace. The first, that is, the outward species of the body, remains; the second, that is, the bitterness of sin, passes into the fourth, namely, the sweetness of grace: and this is done by the third, that is to say, by the Spirit of God. So it comes about, as has been said before, in the consecration of our Lord’s Body.
To one converted Eugenius says, ‘How great and how worthy of praise are those benefits which are worked by the might of the goodness of God! It ought not to be to you a new and impossible thing that earthly things are changed into the Body of Christ. You have only to look at yourself, and you will see that though, laying aside past wickedness, you have been suddenly clothed with new goodness, yet nothing has been added to the outside, but all the change is inward.’
3. The third likeness is taken from natural change. We see that eggs placed under a hen are changed into flesh, yea, into a living chicken. In this change also those four things just spoken of may be found. For there is the container, that is, the shell, as it were the outward species of the egg; the contained, that is, the yolk, as it were the inward substance of the egg; the worker, that is, nature; and the work, that is, the flesh of the chicken. The first, namely, the shell, the outward species, remains; the second, namely, the inside, or inward substance, passes on and is changed into the fourth, or the body of the living bird; and this is done by the third, namely, nature, the worker. This is indeed a wonderful likeness, for during some days the egg looks outwardly the same, when it is not really an egg, but the whole body of a living bird, veiled by the shell. As therefore in this case the hen works by nature, so in the Sacrament of the Altar the Holy Ghost works by His own almighty power. If therefore you put under a hen one egg or two eggs or more, and those are changed by nature into flesh, the outside remaining the same, how much more can the Holy Ghost by His own power, while the species of bread remain outwardly the same, change one Host on the Altar, or most Hosts, into the Body of our Lord!
N. Note the verse about the Body of Christ: ‘Body born of bread, Body born of the Virgin.’ Speaking of the substance of bread, it does not say that bread is the matter for the Body of Christ, but that bread is changed into the Body of Christ. The first is conversion; the second is material.
R. Look at this from a moral point of view. When an inanimate creature, like bread, is changed into that which is better, by the word of God and His Spirit, can we describe the hardness of the hearts of sinners, who are not drawn to conversion even by many words and many works of the Holy Ghost? They are harder than rock, as Jeremias says, and will not return. This hardness is final impenitence, of which the course is threefold; a, a long habit of sinning; b, unbelief in the justice of God; c, the temptations of the enemy.
a. The evil custom, growing on us, becomes almost like a law; so that Scripture asks if the leopard can change his spots or the Ethiopian his skin. The habit of sinning becomes, as it were, a second nature; but things impossible to man are possible to God. Sinners who have gone on for long in sin seem to change their nature; but it is God who works in them. St. Augustin says, ‘Thou didst call me, O Lord, and I sighed, bound as I was, not by the iron of another, but by my own self-will. For an enemy had hold of my will, and by this he forged a chain and bound me. From my perverted will there sprang up lust. As I served that lust it grew up into a habit, and when I did not resist the habit it became a necessity.’
b. Such men do away with the providence of God. They do not understand that He rewards the good and punishes the wicked; but they think that all things are ruled by chance. Thus they are like the fool of whom David speaks, and are hardened and hateful.
c. A wicked spirit has hold of the souls of these men, and rules in them, and blinds them so that they do not see God. They listen to his lying promises, and he leads them away. They grow harder and harder, more unclean and more unbelieving; and their end is death, that is, death in the unutterable woe where God is not and cannot be.
The Voice of the Holy Ghost
(3) About the third miracle in consecration; 1. A prophetic grace; The men of the city said to Eliseus, … The waters are very bad.… He said, Bring me a new vessel, and put salt in it. When they had brought it, he went out to the spring of the waters and cast the salt into it, and said, Thus saith the Lord, I have healed these waters, and there shall be no more in them death or barrenness. And the waters, were healed to this day, according to the word of Eliseus which he spoke. 4 Kings 2:19–22.
2. Spiritual conversion; The Spirit of the Lord shall come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be changed into another man. When, therefore, these signs shall happen to thee, do whatsoever thy hand shall find, for the Lord is with thee, 1 Kings 10:6, 7.
3. Natural change; R. Hardness of heart; O Lord, Thy eyes are upon truth; Thou hast struck them, and they have not grieved; Thou hast bruised them, and they have refused to receive correction; they have made their faces harder than the rock, and have refused to return. Jer. 5:3.
a. A habit of sin; If the Ethiopaian can change his skin and the leopard his spots, you also may do well when you have learned evil. Jer. 13:23.
b. Unbelief in the justice of God; It shall come to pass at that time that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and will visit upon the men that are settled on their lees; that say in their hearts, The Lord will not do good, nor will He do evil. Soph. 1:12.
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, and are become abominable in their ways. Ps. 13:1, 2.
c. Temptations of the enemy; They will not set their thoughts to return to their God; for the spirit of fornication is in the midst of them, and they have not known the Lord. Osee 5:4.
Evil suretiship hath undone many of good estate, and hath tossed them as a wave of the sea. It hath made powerful men to go from place to place round about, and they have wandered in strange countries. Ecclus. 29:23, 24.
Be sober and watch, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goeth about, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Pet. 5:8.
Thanksgiving
O Holy Ghost, who doest wonders in nature and in grace, convert me to Thyself more and more. Take from me my heart of stone and make it a heart of flesh, on which may be written hymns of praise and love, for Thou art the Spirit of the living God. Thou art the light shining out of darkness. Shine in my heart, and give me the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Strengthen me that I may always bear about in my body the dying of Jesus, that in me the life of Jesus may be manifested. Let Thy grace abound through many in thanksgiving to the glory of God; let it abound in my heart. Thy miracles are known on every Altar where Jesus gives to us the Bread of Life, His own Body and Blood. I have received Him into my soul; I have received the Incarnate Word, God and man. From Him with the Father Thou dost ever proceed. We give thanks and love and praise and glory and blessing to Thee. Thou, with Jesus, our Lord, art most high in the glory of God the Father.