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Objection 1: It seems that the matter of this sacrament is not bread
and wine. Because this sacrament ought to represent Christ's
Passion more fully than did the sacraments of the Old Law. But the
flesh of animals, which was the matter of the sacraments under the Old
Law, shows forth Christ's Passion more fully than bread and wine.
Therefore the matter of this sacrament ought rather to be the flesh of
animals than bread and wine.
Objection 2: Further, this sacrament is to be celebrated in every
place. But in many lands bread is not to be found, and in many places
wine is not to be found. Therefore bread and wine are not a suitable
matter for this sacrament.
Objection 3: Further, this sacrament is for both hale and weak.
But to some weak persons wine is hurtful. Therefore it seems that
wine ought not to be the matter of this sacrament.
On the contrary, Pope Alexander I says (Ep. ad omnes orth.
i): "In oblations of the sacraments only bread and wine mixed with
water are to be offered."
I answer that, Some have fallen into various errors about the matter
of this sacrament. Some, known as the Artotyrytae, as Augustine
says (De Haeres. xxviii), "offer bread and cheese in this
sacrament, contending that oblations were celebrated by men in the
first ages, from fruits of the earth and sheep." Others, called
Cataphrygae and Pepuziani, "are reputed to have made their
Eucharistic bread with infants' blood drawn from tiny punctures over
the entire body, and mixed with flour." Others, styled Aquarii,
under guise of sobriety, offer nothing but water in this sacrament.
Now all these and similar errors are excluded by the fact that Christ
instituted this sacrament under the species of bread and wine, as is
evident from Mt. 26. Consequently, bread and wine are the proper
matter of this sacrament. And the reasonableness of this is seen
first, in the use of this sacrament, which is eating: for, as water
is used in the sacrament of Baptism for the purpose of spiritual
cleansing, since bodily cleansing is commonly done with water; so
bread and wine, wherewith men are commonly fed, are employed in this
sacrament for the use of spiritual eating.
Secondly, in relation to Christ's Passion, in which the blood was
separated from the body. And therefore in this sacrament, which is
the memorial of our Lord's Passion, the bread is received apart as
the sacrament of the body, and the wine as the sacrament of the blood.
Thirdly, as to the effect, considered in each of the partakers.
For, as Ambrose (Mag. Sent. iv, D, xi) says on 1 Cor.
11:20, this sacrament "avails for the defense of soul and
body"; and therefore "Christ's body is offered" under the species
of bread "for the health of the body, and the blood" under the
species of wine "for the health of the soul," according to Lev.
17:14: "The life of the animal is in the blood."
Fourthly, as to the effect with regard to the whole Church, which is
made up of many believers, just "as bread is composed of many grains,
and wine flows from many grapes," as the gloss observes on 1 Cor.
10:17: "We being many are . . . one body," etc.
Reply to Objection 1: Although the flesh of slaughtered animals
represents the Passion more forcibly, nevertheless it is less suitable
for the common use of this sacrament, and for denoting the unity of the
Church.
Reply to Objection 2: Although wheat and wine are not produced in
every country, yet they can easily be conveyed to every land, that
is, as much as is needful for the use of this sacrament: at the same
time one is not to be consecrated when the other is lacking, because it
would not be a complete sacrament.
Reply to Objection 3: Wine taken in small quantity cannot do the
sick much harm: yet if there be fear of harm, it is not necessary for
all who take Christ's body to partake also of His blood, as will be
stated later (Question 80, Article 12).
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