Choose a topic from Part 3a:
1. The form of a sacrament is the authentic,authoritative, and effective set of words which constitute thematter (or sign) as a sacrament. The form of the HolyEucharist is the consecrating formula of words used in Holy Mass:"This is my body . . . This is my blood."
2. The form of the Holy Eucharist is found in HolyScripture (Matt. 26:27, 28). It consists of the words used by ourLord himself when he instituted this great sacrament.
3. The words of institution, reported by three of the fourEvangelists, were words of instruction to the apostles, whoemployed them as the form of the sacrament of Holy Eucharist.
4. The words of consecration at Mass, uttered by a dulyordained priest who is, in this action, the instrument of Christ,actually change the bread and wine into the substance of Christhimself. Christ is the chief priest at every Mass, for he is theprincipal cause of tran-substantiation, and his power flows throughthe priest (the instrumental cause) who utters the consecratingwords (the form of Holy Eucharist) in the name and thePerson of Christ.
5. The words (that is, the form of thissacrament) are not uttered by the consecrating priest as words of anarrative; they are not merely descriptive or historical words. Thewords are uttered with efficacious power to do and to accomplishwhat they say. The power of the words comes from the divine powerof Christ, in whose Person and by whose direction and will they areuttered over bread and wine by the consecrating priest.
6. The priest pronounces the words of consecration overthe bread, and afterwards over the wine. Some have mistakenlythought that the effectiveness of the words of consecration issuspended, so to speak, until all of them are uttered. Thetruth is that the words of consecration are effective the instantthat they are pronounced. When the consecrating priest says,"This is my body," Christ is instantly present under theappearance of bread; and when, a moment afterwards, the priestsays, "This is my blood," Christ is at once present underthe appearance of wine.
"It is better to be burdened and in company with the strong than to be unburdened and with the weak. When you are burdened you are close to God, your strength, who abides with the afflicted. When you are relieved of the burden you are close to yourself, your own weakness; for virtue and strength of soul grow and are confirmed in the trials of patience."
St John of the Cross, OCD - Doctor of the Church
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"It is not God's will that we should abound in spiritual delights, but that in all things we should submit to his holy will."
Blessed Henry Suso
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"If, devout soul, it is your will to please God and live a life of serenity in this world, unite yourself always and in all things to the divine will. Reflect that all the sins of your past wicked life happened because you wandered from the path of God's will. For the future, embrace God's good pleasure and say to him in every happening: "Yea, Father, for so it hath seemed good in thy sight." "
St Alphonsus de Liguori
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