Original Douay–Rheims AnnotationsMatthew 26

This waste.

^◦ Cost bestowed upon Christ's body then alive, being to the same not necessary, seemed to the disciples lost and fruitless: so the like bestowed upon the same body in the Sacrament, upon altars, or Churches, seemeth to the simple lost, or less meritorious, than if the same were bestowed upon the poor.

• ◦ Cost upon Churches, altars, &c.

Good work.

^[1] Cost bestowed for religion, devotion, and signification, is a meritorious work, and often more meritorious than to give to the poor, though both be very good, and in some case the poor are to be preferred: yea ^[2] in certain cases of necessity, the Church will break the very consecrated vessels and jewels of silver and gold, and bestow them in works of mercy. But we may remember very well, and our fathers knew it much better, that the poor were then best relieved, when most was bestowed upon the Church.

• 1 Relief of the poor.
• 2 Ambros. li. 2. Off. c. 28.

Have not.

^◦ We have him not in visible manner as he conversed on the earth with his disciples, needing relief like other poor men: but we have him after another sort in the B. Sacrament, and yet have him truly and really the self same body. Therefore he saith, they should not have him, because they should not so have him, but after another manner. As when he said Luc. 24 as though he were not then with them, When I was with you.

• ◦ Christ always with us in the B. Sacrament.

Twelve.

^◦ It must needs be a great mystery that he was to work in the institution of the new Sacrifice by the marvelous transmutation of bread and wine into his body and blood. Whereas he admitted none (although many present in the city) but the twelve Apostles, which were already taught to believe it without contradiction Io. 6, and were to have the administration and consecration thereof by the Order of Priesthood, which also was there given them to that purpose. Whereas at the eating of the Paschal lamb all the family was wont to be present.

• ◦ A wonderful mystery in the institution of the B. Sacrament.

He took bread.

Here at once is instituted, for the continuance of the external office of Christ's eternal Priesthood according to the order of Melchisedec, ^[1] both a Sacrifice and a Sacrament, though the Scriptures give neither of these names to this action: and our Adversaries without all reason or religion accept in a sort the one, and utterly deny the other. A Sacrifice, in that it is ordained to continue the memory of Christ's death and oblation upon the Cross, and the application of the general virtue thereof to our particular necessities, by consecrating the several elements, not into Christ's whole person as it was born of the virgin or now is in heaven, but the bread into his body apart, as betrayed, broken, and given for us: the Wine into his blood apart, as shed out of his body for remission of sins and dedication of the new Testament, which be conditions of his person as he was in sacrifice and oblation. In which mystical and unspeakable manner, he would have the Church to offer and sacrifice him daily, and he in mystery and Sacrament dieth, though now not only in heaven, but also in the Sacrament, he be indeed per Concomitantiam (as the Church calleth it, that is by sequel of all his parts to each other) whole, alive, and immortal. Which point because our Adversaries understand not, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God ^[2], they blaspheme, and abuse the people to their damnation. It is also a Sacrament, in that it is ordained to be received into our bodies and to feed the same to resurrection and immortality, and to give grace and salvation to our souls, if we worthily receive it.

• 1 The holy Eucharist is both a Sacrifice and a Sacrament.
• 2 Mat. 22, 29.

Blessed.

^[1] Our Adversaries for the two words that are in Greek and Latin, benedixit, and, gratias egit, he blessed, he gave thank, use only the later, of purpose to signify that Christ blessed not nor consecrated the bread and the wine, and so by that blessing wrought any effect upon them, but gave thanks only to his Father, as we do in saying grace. But the truth is that the word εὐλογεῖν, signifieth properly to bless, and is referred to the thing that is blessed, as Luc. 9 of the fishes, εὐλόγησεν αὐτοὺς, benedixit eis, he blessed them, and thereby wrought in them that wonderful multiplication. So the blessing of God is always effectual: and therefore here also he blessed the bread, and by that blessing, with the words following, made it his body ^[2]. Ambros. li. de his qui initi. myst. c. 9. Aug. ep. 59. ad Paulinum. Now whereas taking the cup it is said, he gave thanks. We say that it is all one with blessing, and that he blessed the cup, as before the bread: as it is evident by these words of S. Paul ^[3], Calix cui benedicimus, the cup which we bless: and therefore he calleth it, Calicem benedictionis, the cup of blessing, using the same Greek word that is spoken of the bread. But why is it then said here, he gave thanks? Because we translate the words faithfully as in the Greek and the Latin, and because the sense is all one, as we are taught by S. Paul before alleged, and by the Fathers, which call this giving of thanks over the cup or over the bread, the blessing thereof. S. Justin. in fin. 2. Apol. Panem Eucharistisatum: ^[4] S. Irenee li. 4. c. 34. Panem in quo gratiæ actæ sunt. S. Cyprian de coen. Do. Calix solemni benedictione sacratus. that is, The bread blessed by giving thanks upon it, The cup consecrated by solemn blessing.

• 1 The blessing of Christ referred to the creatures and working an effect in them.
• 2 Consecration.
• 3 1. Cor. 10, 16.
• 4 τὸν ἄρτον εὐχαριστηθέντα.

This is.

^◦ The bread and the Wine be turned into the body and blood of Christ by the same omnipotent power by which the world was made, and the word was incarnate in the womb of the virgin. Damasc. li. 4. c. 14. Cypr. de Coen. Domini. Amb. li. de myst init. c. 9.

• ◦ Transubstantiation.

My body.

^◦ He said not, This bread is a figure of my body: or, This Wine is a figure of my blood: but, This is my body, and, This is my blood. Damasc. li. 4. c. 14. Theophyl. in hunc locum. Conc. 2. Nic. act. 6, to. 4. eiusdem actionis in fine. When some Fathers call it a figure or sign, they mean the outward forms of bread and wine.

• ◦ No figurative but a real presence.

Blood of the new Testament.

As the old Testament was dedicated with blood in these words, This is the blood of the Testament &c. Heb. 9. So here is the institution of the new Testament in Christ's blood, by these words, This is the blood of the new Testament &c. ^◦ which is here mystically shed, and not only afterward upon the Cross: for the Greek is the present tense in all the Evangelist's, and S. Paul: and likewise speaking of the body 1 Cor. 11. it is in the Greek the present tense, and Luc. 22. and there also in the Latin. And the Heretics themselves so put it in their translations.

• ◦ ἐκχυνόμενον. κλώμενον. διδόμενον.

Fruit of the vine.

^[1] S. Luke putteth these words before he come to the consecration, whereby it seemeth that he speaketh of the wine of the Paschal lamb, and therefore nameth it, the fruit of the vine, but if he speak of the wine which was now his blood, he nameth it notwithstanding wine, as S. Paul nameth the other bread, for three causes: first because it was so before: as Eve is called Adam's bone ^[2], and, Aaron's rod devoured their rods ^[3]. Whereas they were not now rods, but serpents. And, He tasted the water turned into wine ^[4]. Whereas it was now wine and not water: and such like. Secondly, because it keepeth the forms of bread and wine, and things are called as they appear: as when Raphael is called a young man Tob. 5. and, Three men appeared to Abraham Gen. 18. Whereas they were three Angels, thirdly, because Christ in this Sacrament is very true and principal bread and wine, feeding and refreshing us in body and soul to everlasting life.

• 1 The elements after consecration called bread & wine.
• 2 Gen. 2.
• 3 Exo. 7.
• 4 Io. 2.

Not as I will.

A perfect example of obedience and submitting ourself and our wills to God's will and ordinance in all adversity: and that we should desire nothing temporal, but under the condition of his holy pleasure and appointment.

Watch and pray.

^[1] Hereof came Vigils and Nocturnes, that is, watching and praying in the night, commonly used in the Primitive Church of all Christians, as is plain by S. Cyprian ^[2] and ^[3] S. Hierom: but afterward and until this day, specially of Religious persons.

• 1 Vigils and Nocturnes.
• 2 De orat. Do. nu. 15.
• 3 * Adv. Vigilant. ep. 53.

Wench.

^◦ S. Gregory declaring the difference of the Apostles before the receiving of the Holy Ghost and after, saith thus: Even this very Pastor of the Church himself, at whose most sacred body we sit, how weak he was, the wench can tell you: but how strong he was after, his answer to the high Priest declareth, Act. 5, 29: We must obey God rather than men. Greg. ho. 20. Io. Evang.

• ◦ The virtue of the Holy Ghost.

To curse.

^◦ A goodly example and warning to man's infirmity, and to take heed of presumption, and to hang only upon God in tentations.

• ◦ Man's infirmity.

Wept bitterly.

^◦ S. Ambrose in his Hymn that the Church useth at Lauds, speaking of this, saith, Hoc ipsa Petra ecclesiæ canente, culpam diluit. When the Cock crew, the Rock of the Church himself washed away his fault. S. August. 1. Retract. c. 21.

• ◦ Peter's tears and repentance.