Article — Merkelbach, Summa Theologiae Moralis
Article III: On the Form of the Consecration of Wine
S. Th. III, q. 78, a. 3.
230. The sense of the form consecrating wine. - In the words: This is the chalice of My blood..., by which wine is consecrated:
- This is not to be taken adverbially, but sounds the same as this; just as it is the same to say: this thing is bread or this one is bread.
- Chalice of My blood is a figurative locution according to metonymy, by which the container is put for the contained, so that the sense is: This is My blood contained in the chalice. For the blood of Christ in the sacrament is contained insofar as it is the drink of the faithful, which had to be designated by a vessel accommodated to this.
- Of My blood: it is the principal humor of the body, abstracting from this, that it is contained in the body or separated from it.
- Of the testament is taken either a) for a promise, pact, covenant, or b) for a sign left by the one promising. Now:
a) In the Old Law the covenant concerned earthly promises; in the New Law there is the promise of heavenly inheritance made by Christ to us sinners, which has no force unless offered by the death of Christ Himself unto the remission of sins. Therefore the blood of Christ is part of the promise or of the new covenant.
b) The blood poured out on the cross, and also the blood poured in the chalice which represents the pouring out of the cross, is the authentic sign left by Christ, unto the confirmation of the promise, and the instrument by which the covenant is sanctioned; and in this way the chalice is not only said to contain the blood by which the New Testament is sanctioned, but also, as Paul and Luke say, is the New Testament itself. In the same way in the Old Testament the covenant was sanctioned by the blood of animals by Moses when he sprinkled the people, saying, Ex. XXIV, 8: This is the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you.
- New, both because it is now exhibited, and so that it may be distinguished against the old; and eternal, both because from eternity the covenant was preordained, and because it is concerning the goods of eternal inheritance, and because it endures unto eternity.
- Mystery of faith, because the blood of Christ is in a hidden mode in the sacrament, and can be known by faith alone, and the Passion of Christ justifies through faith.
- Which for you, receiving, and for many, i.e., all as to sufficiency, shall be poured out on the Cross and, during the whole New Law, in this sacrament, or according to the Greek text: is poured out, i.e., now in the supper and shortly after in the Passion; unto the remission of sins, which is the effect of the Passion of Christ as equally of this sacrifice.
231. The form of the consecration of wine is fitting. - It fits
a) as to the conversion, which is signified in the same way as in the form of bread;
b) as to the added words, by which the power of the blood is designated. For this is ordered to three things: 1. and principally to the eternal inheritance (Heb. X, 19), for designating which it is said: of the new and eternal testament; 2. to the justice of grace which is through faith (Rom. III, 25), and therefore it is said: mystery of faith; 3. to removing sins which are the impediments of the two aforesaid things (Heb. IX, 14), and as to this there is added: Which...
But blood consecrated separately represents the Passion of Christ more expressly, and therefore mention is made of the Passion and of the fruit of the work rather in the consecration of the blood than in the consecration of the body, which is the subject of the Passion, as is also designated through the words: which shall be delivered for you, i.e., is subjected to the Passion.
232. Practical notices. - 1. Concerning invalid and doubtful forms, let judgment be made in the same way as for the form of bread.
- Valid but gravely illicit would be the form: this chalice, this drink is My blood; - this is the chalice, the new testament in My blood (as Luke has it); - this is My blood of infinite value; - this is My blood; - likewise in the Latin Church: this (hic, not adverbially but masculine) or this (hoc) is My blood.
- The omission of the word new, or eternal, and mystery of faith does not render the form invalid, because they are implicitly said in the others.1
1 Cf. the Salmanticenses, morals, tr. 4, c. 5, point 2, n. 39.