XXIX About the Blood of Jesus in the second way, that is, as received in the most Holy Sacrament
XXIX
About the Blood of Jesus in the second way, that is, as received in the most Holy Sacrament
B. We have considered in the last two Meditations the priceless preciousness of the Blood of Jesus, as He shed it in the day of the agony of His Heart on the Cross. Now we think of it as it is drunk by the faithful in the Blessed Sacrament; and about this three things have to be thought of: (1) why the Holy Sacrament is given under two species; (2) why the people do not receive the Blood of Jesus under the species of wine as the priests do; (3) what is the benefit of the Blood of Jesus as His people receive it at the Altar.
(1) The twofold species of food and drink, that is, of bread and wine, is ordained for three reasons: 1, for the fulfilling of this kingly banquet; 2, for the redemption of our bodies and souls together, and for their nourishment together; 3, to set always before us the memory of the Passion of our Lord in a clearer way.
1. The great feast of Assuerus in the third year of his reign may be taken as teaching us about the feast which our King makes. He does this not in the first year nor the second year, that is, not before the law nor under the law, but in the third year, that is, the law of grace. Now for His faithful, great and little, He ever sets forth a banquet of food and drink. To show the beauty and perfection of His Feast and His Table, He gives us the Holy Sacrament under the species of bread and wine together. For if either of these were wanting a banquet would not be greatly praised.
2. Melchisedech offered bread and wine for a token, signifying the redemption of our bodies in the bread, and in the wine the redemption of our souls. The Master, in the fourth chapter of the Sentences, says, ‘Why is the Sacrament of the Altar taken under two species, when in each Christ is whole? It is indeed to show that He assumed our whole human nature, body and soul, and that He redeemed the whole. The bread is referred to the flesh which it nourishes, and the wine to the soul; … for in the blood is the life. Hence if it were only taken under one species it would be signified to have power only for one, that is, for body or soul, and not for both together:’ as indeed it has.
3. You drink His Blood in the Sacred Host in memory of His Passion. For the Passion of Jesus is brought more vividly before our minds by thoughts of His Blood than by thoughts of His Body. The blood in Egypt was for a sign. As the lamb without blemish was slain for the bringing Israel out of Egypt, so the Blood of Jesus is the proper and express memorial of His Passion. When the Moabites saw the waters red, they knew that, after fighting, the kings had been slain. Jesus is the King of the humble, and the devil is king of the children of pride. Jesus was grievously wounded in His Passion, when He saved His servants from the slavery of the devil. In this battle Jesus was wounded to death; but by death He destroyed him who had power of death, that is, the devil. When He was carried out of the battle dead He was the conqueror for evermore in His high places.
(2) The people do not receive the Precious Blood under the species of wine for a threefold reason: 1, we must have a fitting vessel to hold the Precious Blood; 2, we must avoid the danger of spilling it, because of the crowds that gather round the Altar; 3, we must guard against error in the faith.
1. The vessel in which wine is kept needs to be more carefully prepared than that which is made for bread, so it is granted only to priests to receive the Precious Blood under the species of wine; for they are, as it were, the vessels of the Lord specially consecrated for this, bound by holy religion, and adorned with the beauty of virtue. Hence in Scripture they are likened to a chosen vessel in three ways: a, to a consecrated Altar; b, to a bowl with bands; c, to a cup of gold.
a. The priest ought to be a vessel specially consecrated and specially holy. He ought also to be an Altar worthy of receiving the Blood of our Lord. It is said, ‘The Altar of the holocaust signifies the life of the just, who daily crucify their flesh with its affections and desires, and offer themselves a living sacrifice to God. The Altar of the holocausts is the pure faith, the true doctrine, and the good lives of the ministers of Christ.’
b. Moses put half of the blood of the victims in bowls. The bowl is a vessel for wine, bound round about with many bands, signifying the life of religious priests, guarded by virtues, and fit to receive the Blood of the Lord. The Holy Ghost tells us to put our feet into the fetters of Wisdom, and our necks into her chains, promising that these chains will be to us the beauty of life and salvation. Religiousness guards the heart and gives it great gladness.
c. The priest should be like a vessel of solid gold, adorned with every precious stone, that is, with every kind of virtue. It is said, ‘Such a chosen vessel is needed to receive the Blood of Jesus under the species of wine.’
2. We must avoid the danger of spilling the Precious Blood; and there would be danger of this, because of the crowds that gather round the Altar. Hence it is that our Lord at the Last Supper gave to His Apostles, who were His priests, and few in number, not only His Body under the species of bread, but also His Blood under the species of wine; but to the crowd of men in the desert He gave bread without drink.
3. We must avoid the danger of error. If an ignorant people were to receive the Holy Blood under the species of wine, they could be hardly got to believe that it is also under the species of bread, whereas it is in deed and in truth under each species. As under the species of the consecrated wine there is the Blood of Jesus by transubstantiation, so there is His Body by annexion; and as under the species of bread there is the Body of Jesus by transubstantiation, so there also truly is His Blood by annexion. For these two things, the Body of Jesus and His Blood, nay, these four things, His Body and Blood and Soul and Godhead, can now never again be separated. Hence as the priest receives the Blood of Jesus sacramentally from the chalice, so the people receive it concomitantly under the species of bread from the very Body of Jesus; and it is just as profitable to them and just as sweet as it is to the priests, who receive it under the species of wine in the chalice. When the Bride says that her Beloved is a cluster of Cyprus to her, she means that two things are in the cluster. There is the grape, that is, the Body of Jesus for food, and from the grape flows the sweetness of His Blood for drink. By this refreshing drink our Lord strengthens our souls till He brings them to everlasting life.
The Voice of the Holy Ghost
About the Blood of Jesus; Taking the chalice He gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, Drink ye all of this; for this is My Blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many for the remission of sins. St. Matt. 26:27, 28.
Having taken the chalice, giving thanks He gave it to them; and they all drank of it. And He said to them, This is My Blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many. St. Mark 14:23, 24.
(1) Bread and wine; 1. A kingly feast; In the third year of his reign he (Assuerus) made a great feast for all the princes and for his servants.… They that were invited drank in golden cups, and the meats were brought in divers vessels one after the other. Wine also in abundance, and of the best, was presented, as was worthy of a king’s magnificence. Esth. 1:3, 7.
2. Redemption of body and soul; Melchisedech, the King of Salem, bringing forth bread and wine, for he was the priest of the Most High God, blessed him and said, Blessed be Abram by the Most High God who made heaven and earth. Gen. 14:18, 19.
The Lord hath sworn, and He will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedech. Ps. 109:4.
3. The memory of His Passion; In like manner also the chalice, after He had supped, saying, This chalice is the new testament in My Blood; this do ye, as often as ye shall drink, for the commemoration of Me. 1 Cor. 11:25.
The blood shall be to you for a sign in the houses where you shall be; and I will see the blood, and will pass over you. Ex. 12:13.
They rose early in the morning, and the sun being now up and shining upon the waters, the Moabites saw the waters over against them red like blood. And they said, It is the blood of the sword; the kings have fought among themselves. 4 Kings 3:22, 23.
He beholdeth every high thing; He is king over all the children of pride. Job 41:25.
N. The kings; He hath gathered together his fury against Me, and threatening Me he hath gnashed with his teeth upon Me; My enemy hath beheld Me with terrible eyes.… He hath taken Me by My neck, and hath broken Me, and hath set Me up to be his mark. He hath compassed Me round about with his lances.… He hath torn Me with wound upon wound, and hath rushed in upon Me like a giant. Job 16:10, 13–15.
Arise, arise, put on thy strength, O arm of the Lord; arise as in the days of old, as in the ancient generations. Hast Thou not struck the proud one and wounded the dragon? Hast Thou not dried up the sea, the water of the mighty deep? Hast Thou not made the depth of the sea a way, that Thy ransomed might pass over? Is. 51:9, 10.
Turn thy hand and carry me out of the army, for I am grievously wounded. And the battle was fought that day: and the King of Israel stood in his chariot against the Syrians, and in the evening he died; and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot. 3 Kings 22:34, 35.
He, the Conqueror, will lead me upon my high places singing psalms. Hab. 3:19.
That through death He might destroy him who had the empire of death, that is to say, the devil. Heb. 2:14.
(2) Communion in one kind; 1. A fitting vessel; a. A consecrated Altar; The blood of thy victims thou shalt pour on the Altar, and the flesh thou thyself shalt eat. Deut. 12:27.
Thy Altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are they that dwell in Thy house, O Lord; they shall praise Thee for ever and ever. Ps. 83:4, 5.
b. A bowl with bands; Then Moses took half of the blood and put it into bowls; and the rest he poured upon the Altar. Ex. 24:6.
Put thy feet into her (Wisdom’s) fetters, and thy neck into her chains.… Then shall her fetters be a strong defence for thee and a firm foundation, and her chain a robe of glory. For in her is the beauty of life, and her bands are a healthful binding. Thou shalt put her on as a robe of glory, and thou shalt set her upon thee as a crown of joy. Ecclus. 6:25, 30–32.
The fear of the Lord is the religiousness of knowledge. Ecclus. 1:17.
c. A golden cup; As a massive vessel of gold adorned with every precious stone. Ecclus. 50:10.
2. Few and many; When evening was come, He cometh with the Twelve: and when they were at table and eating, Jesus saith, Amen I say to you, one of you that eateth with Me shall betray Me. St. Mark 14:17, 18.
The men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed to them that were sat down; in like manner also of the fishes as much as they would. St. John 6:10, 11.
3. Danger of error; A cluster of cyprus my Love is to me. Cantic. 1:13.
The Lord alone was his leader.… He set him on a high land … that he might drink the purest blood of the grape. Deut. 32:12–14.
My Blood is drink indeed.… He that … drinketh My Blood abideth in Me and I in him. St. John 6:56, 57.
Thanksgiving
O Jesus, Thou hast destroyed Leviathan and the dragon, for Thou hast taken our nature and hast redeemed us by Thy Blood. O Jesus, Thou art our peace. Thou hast made peace by the Blood of Thy Cross. Being justified in Thy Blood, we receive reconciliation from Thee. We adore Thy Blood flowing from the wounds in Thy hands and feet and side.
Thou hast trodden the wine-press for me. I come to Thee, for Thou hast redeemed me. Thou art my beautiful One, and my loved One, walking in the greatness of Thy strength. Thou comest to my heart from Edom, with Thy dyed raiment from Bosra. Thou comest to me in Thy white raiment that is sprinkled with Blood. Thou hast come to me now in Thy Sacrament of Love. I bless Thee and praise Thee and thank Thee, with all my soul, O King and Spouse and God. Coming to me now, Thy Five Wounds are on Thy Body, but pain and sorrow can fall on Thee no more. The glittering lance does not sink into Thy side. Thy people love Thee and adore Thee and rejoice in Thy light. For Thee the winter is past, and the rain over and gone. O King of my heart, what a feast is Thine which Thou ever makest for Thy princes and Thy children. There is abundance of corn and wine, the wheat of the elect and the wine of virgins. The plenteousness of Thy heavenly banquet is worthy of Thy magnificence and love.
Let me be a golden vessel for Thee, studded with precious stones. By this Bread of Life and this wine of God which Thou hast given me, let me be before Thee as the flower of roses in the days of the spring, and as the lilies that are on the brink of the water, and as the sweet-smelling frankincense in time of summer. Let me be as a bright fire, and as frankincense burning in that fire. Let me ever stretch forth my hands to pour forth a drink-offering to Thee, an offering of a soul thirsting for Thee, as a hart thirsts for the brooks of water. Let my voice ever be heard for a remembrance before Thee, my God. Now, at Thy Altar, by Thy love and pity, I have drunk the purest blood of the grape. I have drunk Thy Blood, my Jesus, in the Sacred Host. That Blood is in me a well-spring of holiness and joy and everlasting life. My Jesus, I love Thee and thank Thee for this, and will thank Thee for ever and ever. Thy name is the Word of God.