Whether the Aforesaid Expressions Are True?
Objection 1: It seems that the aforesaid expressions are not true.
Because when we say: "This is My body," the word "this" designates a
substance. But according to what was said above (AA. 1, 4, ad 3; Q.
75, AA. 2, 7), when the pronoun "this" is spoken, the substance of
the bread is still there, because the transubstantiation takes place
in the last instant of pronouncing the words. But it is false to say:
"Bread is Christ's body." Consequently this expression, "This is My
body," is false.
Obj. 2: Further, the pronoun "this" appeals to the senses. But the
sensible species in this sacrament are neither Christ's body nor even
its accidents. Therefore this expression, "This is My body," cannot
be true.
Obj. 3: Further, as was observed above (A. 4, ad 3), these words, by
their signification, effect the change of the bread into the body of
Christ. But an effective cause is understood as preceding its effect.
Therefore the meaning of these words is understood as preceding the
change of the bread into the body of Christ. But previous to the
change this expression, "This is My body," is false. Therefore the
expression is to be judged as false simply; and the same reason holds
good of the other phrase: "This is the chalice of My blood," etc.
_On the contrary,_ These words are pronounced in the person of
Christ, Who says of Himself (John 14:6): "I am the truth."
_I answer that,_ There have been many opinions on this point. Some
have said that in this expression, "This is My body," the word "this"
implies demonstration as conceived, and not as exercised, because the
whole phrase is taken materially, since it is uttered by a way of
narration: for the priest relates that Christ said: "This is My body."
But such a view cannot hold good, because then these words would not
be applied to the corporeal matter present, and consequently the
sacrament would not be valid: for Augustine says (Tract. lxxx in
Joan.): "The word is added to the element, and this becomes a
sacrament." Moreover this solution ignores entirely the difficulty
which this question presents: for there is still the objection in
regard to the first uttering of these words by Christ; since it is
evident that then they were employed, not materially, but
significatively. And therefore it must be said that even when spoken
by the priest they are taken significatively, and not merely
materially. Nor does it matter that the priest pronounces them by way
of recital, as though they were spoken by Christ, because owing to
Christ's infinite power, just as through contact with His flesh the
regenerative power entered not only into the waters which came into
contact with Christ, but into all waters throughout the whole world
and during all future ages, so likewise from Christ's uttering these
words they derived their consecrating power, by whatever priest they
be uttered, as if Christ present were saying them.
And therefore others have said that in this phrase the word "this"
appeals, not to the senses, but to the intellect; so that the meaning
is, "This is My body"--i.e. "The thing signified by 'this' is My
body." But neither can this stand, because, since in the sacraments
the effect is that which is signified, from such a form it would not
result that Christ's body was in very truth in this sacrament, but
merely as in a sign, which is heretical, as stated above (Q. 85, A.
1).
Consequently, others have said that the word "this" appeals to the
senses; not at the precise instant of its being uttered, but merely
at the last instant thereof; as when a man says, "Now I am silent,"
this adverb "now" points to the instant immediately following the
speech: because the sense is: "Directly these words are spoken I am
silent." But neither can this hold good, because in that case the
meaning of the sentence would be: "My body is My body," which the
above phrase does not effect, because this was so even before the
utterance of the words: hence neither does the aforesaid sentence
mean this.
Consequently, then, it remains to be said, as stated above (A. 4),
that this sentence possesses the power of effecting the conversion of
the bread into the body of Christ. And therefore it is compared to
other sentences, which have power only of signifying and not of
producing, as the concept of the practical intellect, which is
productive of the thing, is compared to the concept of our
speculative intellect which is drawn from things, because "words are
signs of concepts," as the Philosopher says (Peri Herm. i). And
therefore as the concept of the practical intellect does not
presuppose the thing understood, but makes it, so the truth of this
expression does not presuppose the thing signified, but makes it; for
such is the relation of God's word to the things made by the Word.
Now this change takes place not successively, but in an instant, as
stated above (Q. 77, A. 7). Consequently one must understand the
aforesaid expression with reference to the last instant of the words
being spoken, yet not so that the subject may be understood to have
stood for that which is the term of the conversion; viz. that the
body of Christ is the body of Christ; nor again that the subject be
understood to stand for that which it was before the conversion,
namely, the bread, but for that which is commonly related to both,
i.e. that which is contained in general under those species. For
these words do not make the body of Christ to be the body of Christ,
nor do they make the bread to be the body of Christ; but what was
contained under those species, and was formerly bread, they make to
be the body of Christ. And therefore expressly our Lord did not say:
"This bread is My body," which would be the meaning of the second
opinion; nor "This My body is My body," which would be the meaning of
the third opinion: but in general: "This is My body," assigning no
noun on the part of the subject, but only a pronoun, which signifies
substance in common, without quality, that is, without a determinate
form.
Reply Obj. 1: The term "this" points to a substance, yet without
determining its proper nature, as stated above.
Reply Obj. 2: The pronoun "this" does not indicate the accidents, but
the substance underlying the accidents, which at first was bread, and
is afterwards the body of Christ, which body, although not informed
by those accidents, is yet contained under them.
Reply Obj. 3: The meaning of this expression is, in the order of
nature, understood before the thing signified, just as a cause is
naturally prior to the effect; but not in order of time, because this
cause has its effect with it at the same time, and this suffices for
the truth of the expression.
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