solicitous to feed and nourish the soul every day with this heavenly food. The soul stands not less in need of spiritual, than the body of corporal food. Here it will be found most useful to recapitulate the inestimable advantages which, as we have already shown, flow from sacramental communion, and the manna also which was a figure of this Sacrament, and of which the Israelites had occasion to partake every day, may be used as a further illustration. [1] The Fathers, who earnestly recommended the frequent participation of this Sacrament, may be adduced as additional authority to enforce the necessity of frequent communion; and the words, " thou sinnest daily, receive daily," convey the sentiments not alone of St. Augustine, but of all the Fathers who have written on the subject. [2]
That there was a time when the faithful approached the Holy Communion every day, we learn from the Acts of the Apostles. All who then professed the faith of Christ, burned with such pure and ardent charity, that devoting themselves, as they did unceasingly, to prayer and other works of piety, [3] they were found prepared to communicate daily. This devout practice, which seems to have been interrupted for a time, was again partially revived by Pope Anacletus, a most holy martyr, who commanded, that all the ministers who assisted at the holy sacrifice, should communicate, an ordinance, as the Pontiff declares, of Apostolic institution. [4] It was also for a long time the practice of the Church, that, as soon as the sacrifice was ended, the priest, turning to the congregation, invited the faithful to the holy table in these words: " Come, brethren, and receive the communion;" and those who were prepared, advanced to receive the holy mysteries with hearts animated by the most fervent devotion. [5] But subsequently, when charity and devotion declined amongst Christians, and the faithful very seldom approached the holy communion, it was decreed by Pope Fabian, that all should communicate thrice every year, at Christmas, at Easter, and at Pentecost, a decree which was afterwards con firmed by many Councils, particularly by the first of Agath. [6] Such, at length, was the decay of piety, that not only was this holy and salutary practice unobserved, but communion was deferred for years. The Council of Lateran, therefore, decreed that all the faithful should communicate, at least, once a year, at Easter, and that the omission should be chastised by exclu-
- ↑ Exod. xvi. 21, 22.
- ↑ Ad frequentem communionem hortantur Auguatin. de verbis Domini serm. 28. sed hie sermo cum nonsit August, sed Ambr. lib. 5. de sacram c. 4. rejectus est in appendicem tomi 10. item vide eundem Aug. Epist. 118. c. 3. item, Ignat. ad Kphes. satis ante finem. Basil. Epist. ad Cajsar. patr. Ambr. lib. 3. de sacr. c. 4. Chrysost. hom. 61. ad pop. Antioch. Cypr. de Ora. Dominica ad hffic verba, panem nostram quot Hieron. Epist. 28, ad Lucin. vers. finem. Cyril, c. 3. in Joan. c. 37. vide etiarn de consecr. dist. 2. per multa capita hac de re.
- ↑ Acts ii. 42. 46.
- ↑ De consec. dist 2, c. 10.
- ↑ De quotidiana communione vide Dionys. de Eccles. Hierarch. c. 3, parte 2, Hieron. Epist. 28, ad Luein.Greg. lib. 2, dialog, c. 23. Item vide lib. de Eccl dog- mat, c. 53, et citatur de consec. dist. 2, c. 13.
- ↑ Fab. decret habes de cons. dist. 2. c. 16. et ib. citatur Concil. Agathensc c. 18. c. saeculares.
