Article I: On the Various Effects of the Sacrifice

S. Th. III, q. 79, a. 5 and 7.

342. Principle I. The sacrifice of the altar, with respect to God, is latreutic and eucharistic; with respect to us, it is impetratory and propitiatory. - Thus the Council of Trent, sess. 22, can. 3.

The sacrifice of the altar was instituted for four ends, and therefore has a fourfold effect:

A. With respect to God: 1. It is latreutic. For every sacrifice is offered in honor of God and in acknowledgment of His supreme dominion and of our servitude.

This moreover is clear in the case from Mal. I, 11, and from several words of the Mass. To this end corresponds the first effect, the most excellent worship of latria, which procures infinite honor for God.

2. It is also eucharistic, because it is offered for benefits received from God, especially for the benefit of redemption.

This is clear from the very name Eucharist (Matt. XXVI, 27; I Cor. XI, 24) and from several words of the Mass. To this end corresponds the second effect: thanksgiving.

B. With respect to us it is propitiatory, as the Council of Trent defined, sess. 22, c. 1 and 2, can. 3; not indeed as the sacrifice of the cross, which paid the price of redemption of itself sufficient for repairing all sins, but insofar as it obtains the application of the satisfactions and merits of the cross, for obtaining which it was instituted.

According to the etymon of the word and according to the manner of speaking of the Council, the sacrifice is propitiatory because it has power not only negatively to placate God, i.e., to remove His indignation, lest He inflict evils for sins; but also consequently positively to incline and move God to favor, that He may concede remission of sin and reconciliation, and other goods which it befits Him to give to friends. For a) in every hypothesis, an impetratory sacrifice is given for obtaining benefits or graces; b) but with sin supposed, by which we incur the indignation of God, we must first obtain that God's indignation be removed, and thus impetration becomes propitiation, and an impetratory sacrifice becomes propitiatory. In other words, propitiation includes impetration, and adds something, namely that it is also done for placating God offended and repairing sin. Whence these two are not to be considered as two ends adequately distinct and separated.

Hence: 1. The sacrifice is propitiatory in the strict sense, and is offered for sins.

This is established: a) from the doctrine of the Apostle, Heb. V, 1-3, saying that the office of a priest is to offer for sins; but the priest offers no other sacrifice besides the Mass;

b) from the words of Christ saying that in the Eucharist His body is handed over, His blood poured out for many unto the remission of sins (Matt. XXVI, 28; Luke XXII, 19-20);

c) from tradition which is conserved by the Fathers: Origen, hom. 13 in Lev. 3; Tertullian, de cor. mil., 3; Ambrose, de off. I, 48 and exh. ad virg. 14; Cyril of Jerusalem, cat. XXIII, 8-9; Chrysostom, hom. 69 to the people of Antioch; hom. 3 on the Epistle to the Philippians, 4; Jerome, in Tit. I, 8; Augustine, conf. IX, 11-12, and enchir. 110;

d) from the liturgies, even ancient ones, such as those which are called of St. James, St. Chrysostom, St. Basil, and the Syriac.

To this end corresponds the third effect: remission of sins, punishments, and satisfactions.

2. It is also impetratory, and is offered for obtaining graces.

This is established: a) from the words of the Fathers, Councils, and Liturgy;

b) from the fact that Christ not only merited for us on the cross the remission of sins, but also other benefits; but the merits of the cross are to be applied in the Mass;

c) if the Mass has value for the remission of sin and for grace to be restored to enemies, how much more for goods lost by sins to be restored and other goods to be bestowed upon friends.

To this end corresponds the fourth effect: the obtaining of goods both spiritual and temporal conducing to salvation.

343. Observation. - The sacrifice of the altar participates in all forms of sacrifice: in the holocaust, because the mystical oblation of so precious a life signifies the debt of our servitude toward God much more perfectly than that total burning of an animal which was made in the burnt-offering of bulls or rams; in the peace-offering also, because it does not have the horror of blood; finally in the sacrifice for sin, because it represents the expiatory death of Christ, and through this is apt to obtain for those for whom it is offered the application of the general satisfaction presented to God on the cross.¹

¹ Billot, de Ecclesiae Sacramentis, I, de sacrificio, § II.

344. Principle II. The sacrifice of the altar is offered to God alone; nevertheless it can be offered in honor of the Saints. - It is offered to God alone, as is clear from an inspection of the four ends. And nevertheless we celebrate it in honor of the Saints; i.e., 1. for giving thanks to God for the sanctity, victories, virtues, and other marvelous things or goods of the Blessed which God has worked in them or through them, who therefore is praised in them (C. Trid., sess. 22, c. 3); - 2. we offer it for obtaining that the cult of the Saints here on earth may be increased, for example by canonization or by the institution of a feast or by a more solemn celebration; - or 3. for obtaining the patronage of the Saints as an end, that they whose memory we keep on earth may deign to intercede for us in heaven, namely, we ask from God that through the sacrifice we may obtain this grace, that the Saints pray for us in heaven (ibid., c. 3 and can. 5); - 4. we also offer it through the Saints, imploring their patronage, namely, we ask from them that the sacrifice may please God; not indeed as it is offered by Christ or the Church, for thus it always pleases God; but insofar as it is offered by us, that it may be made acceptable to God by the intercession of the Saints.