the sixth chapter of St. John, in which are developed the manifold effects of this Sacrament; or if, glancing through the life and actions of our Lord, he shows that if they who received him beneath their roof during his mortal life, [1] or were restored to health by touching his vesture, or even the hem of his garment, [2] were justly deemed happy, how much more happy we, into whose souls, resplendent as he is with unfading glory, he, disdains not to enter, to heal all our spiritual wounds, to enrich us with his choicest gifts, and to unite us to himself!
But to excite the faithful to emulate better gifts, [3] the pastor will also point out who they are who derive these inestimable blessings from a participation of the holy mysteries, reminding them that Christians may communicate differently and with different effects. Hence our predecessors in the faith, as we read in the Council of Trent, [4] distinguished three classes of communicants Some receive the Sacrament only: such are those sinners who dread not to approach the holy mysteries with polluted lips and depraved hearts, who, as the Apostle says, " eat and drink unworthily." [5] Of this class of communicants St. Augustine says: " He who dwells not in Christ, and in whom Christ does not dwell, most certainly eats not spiritually his flesh, although carnally and visibly he press with his teeth the Sacrament of his flesh and blood." [6] Not only, therefore, do those who receive the Holy Eucharist with these dispositions, obtain no fruit from its participation, but, as the Apostle says, " they eat and drink judgment to themselves." [7] Others are said to receive the Holy Eucharist in spirit only: they are those who, inflamed with a lively " faith that worketh by charity," [8] participate in desire, of this celestial food, from which they receive, if not the entire, at least very considerable fruit. Lastly, there are some who receive the Holy Eucharist both spiritually and sacramentally, those who, according to the advice of the Apostle, having first proved themselves, [9] approach this divine banquet, adorned with the nuptial garment, [10] and derive from it all those superabundant graces which we have already mentioned. Those, therefore, who, having it in their power to receive, with due preparation, the Sacrament of the body and blood of the Lord, are yet satisfied with a spiritual communion only, manifestly deprive themselves of a heavenly treasure of inestimable value. We now come to point out the manner in which the faithful should be previously prepared for sacramental communion. To demonstrate the necessity of this previous preparation, the example or the Saviour is to be proposed to the faithful. Before he gave to his Apostles the Sacrament of his body and blood, although they were already clean, he washed their feet, to declare that we must use extreme diligence to bring with us to its participation the greatest integrity and innocence of soul. In
