Treatise — Gury-Ballerini, Compendium of Moral Theology (8th ed., 1884)

Treatise On the Eucharist

¶1.

Venerable, wonderful, and supremely adorable is the Most Holy Eucharist; for it is, as it were, a compendium of all the mysteries which the divine wisdom and the infinite goodness and mercy of God devised and perfected for the salvation and sanctification of men, according to that saying of Psalm 110.4, 5: The merciful and compassionate Lord has made a memorial of his wonders; he has given food to those who fear him.

¶2.

Hence St. Augustine exclaims, tract 26 on John: O Sacrament of piety! O sign of unity! O bond of charity! He who wishes to live has whence he may live. Let him approach, let him be incorporated, that he may be vivified.

¶3.

The Eucharist can be considered either as Sacrament or as Sacrifice. Hence the present Treatise has two parts.

Within this treatise