which is "drink indeed," it is clear that he himself explains the sense of his words in a manner that leaves no room for reasonable doubt. That those, however, who reject the dogma of the real presence, should endeavor to elude this clear and natural meaning, does not surprise us--the stamp of reality is so visible, more especially in the conclusion of the discourse, that they could not prevent its application to the Eucharist, if they acknowledged that the question here had any reference to the Eucharist. But that Catholic interpreters should have deviated from this so evident sense, and substituted farfetched allegories and forced meanings, this is what we can hardly understand, if we did not know that the inordinate desire of seeing what is not perceived by the rest of men, often makes stars visible, and obscures the sun at mid-day. Let it suffice for us, then, in order to prove that Jesus Christ spoke here of the Eucharist, to observe, that he could not express himself with more energy and clearness, supposing he had wished to speak of it in point of fact. Thus all the Fathers, without exception, and the Church in all the Councils wherein this discourse is cited, have understood it to refer to this divine sacrament. With these authorities and proofs there is associated a conjecture, which has appeared highly reasonable to the best interpreters-that is, that it was natural for Saint John, the only one of the four evangelists who does not speak of the Eucharist when detailing the Last Supper, to speak of it on this occasion. It is easy for us to judge that, having written subsequently to all the others, he wished to omit what they had already related, and to report what they had omitted.

After this explanation, it seems advisable to make some reflections which may serve to justify the wisdom and goodness of the Saviour in the eyes of those who may find it hard to recognize here either the one or the other.

There is no doubt that the reason which induced him to pronounce this discourse, was the design which he entertained of preparing the world for faith in the divine and incomprehensible Eucharist. Apparently he succeeded in this, as regards his apostles; for else why, when he afterwards said to them, Take and eat-this is my body; why, I say, did they not exhibit any surprise, if it were not that what was then performing was merely the accomplish

ment of what he had announced and promised them. But it is certain that this produced quite a contrary effect upon the multitude who heard it; and that, far from increasing their faith, it was only instrumental in quenching the little which some of them began to have in the Saviour. We may, perhaps, be asked if this was not, in some manner, laying a snare for this feeble new-born faith, by submitting it to such a trial? Perhaps here, again, the reader will bear in mind the conduct of the Church, which, in the primitive ages, veiled from the eyes of the catechumens a mystery which gave such a shock to reason and the senses, and only proposed it to them when, by baptism, they had received the habit of faith. Piety seldom allows itself to put such questions as these, which often proceed from a prying and indiscreet curiosity. We are going to answer them with the aid of Him whose works, justified in themselves, do not require our apologies, but who condescends in his goodness to account for his conduct to us, and to suffer us to enter into judgment with him.

Jesus Christ had resolved to institute the Eucharist-a mystery displaying such admirable love and such munificent liberality, that no one can ever suspect its divine author of being deficient in kindness. Before instituting this great sacrament, he wished to prepare men for so wondrous an event; and that he had good reasons for so doing, no one can pretend to doubt.

Thus,

One of these might be that, having the intention of proposing it only to the apostles, he wished that they might have it in their power to say, when announcing it for the first time: "My brethren, this is no invention of ours. Remember what the Saviour said of the real eating of his flesh. What he then promised he has since given, and now distributes it amongst you by our agency.” while trying their faith at the present moment, he makes the way smooth for their future belief. But we must also acknowledge that the course adopted by our Saviour on this occasion was marked by the most considerate kindness. True, he announces the most incomprehensible of all mysteries; but then what pains does he take to prepare the mind for the revelation thereof. He began by curing the sick and infirm; next, compassionating the wants of the people -he satiates them with five loaves and two fishes, by a prodigy so

surprising, and, at the same time, striking the senses so powerfully, that the whole multitude cried out, in a sudden transport, that he is the prophet by excellence, who was to come into the world. Their enthusiasm even impels them to declare him king. He having concealed himself by flight, they cross the lake, and go to seek him all the way to Capharnaum, where, at length, they find him. Could they have been better prepared to hear his divine doctrines; and, if you were to select throughout all their life the moment in which you would presume the greatest facility on their part to hearken to him and believe him, would you not have taken this in preference? It is true, they did not then comprehend his words; but, after having recognized him for a prophet, were they not further bound to admit the truth of his words, until it should please him to give them the gift of understanding? God has performed what he wished;who shall dare to say to him, Why hast thou acted thus? This general answer has ever been sufficient for humble and submissive faith; but it is obvious that this is not the sole reply which can be made here, since it is apparent that Jesus Christ admirably adapted himself to the weakness of those to whom he spoke, and that he did not expose to any trial the faith of this refractory people until he had first employed the means which, by rendering faith easy, gave them less excuse for incredulity.

But it was not merely amongst the people that unbelievers were to be found. "Many of his disciples hearing it, said: This saying is hard, and who can hear it?" They spoke this to one another in a low tone. "But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured, said to them: Doth this scandalize you? If, then, you shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before (6)? It is the

(6) These words are susceptible of two different meanings, which correspond with the two parts of the discourse of the Saviour, and the two objections made by his hearers. They had murmured first, because Jesus Christ had said that he was the living bread descended from heaven. If we apply here his answer, it signifies: you do not wish to believe at present that I am descended from heaven; will you believe it when you shall see me reascend thither? Applied to the real eating of his flesh, it signifies: you find it very hard to believe that I can give you my flesh as food, and my blood as drink, now that I am in the midst of you; how much more incredible shall the thing appear to you when, after having seen me ascend to heaven, you must believe that this flesh, at the same time that it is in heaven, is given as nourishment here on earth? The first

Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing (7). The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life (8). But there are some of you that believe not. For from the beginning"--that is to say, from all eternity, as God and as man, from the moment of his conception, "Jesus knew who they were that did not believe, and who he was that would betray him; and he said: Therefore did I say to you, that no man can come to me, unless it be given him by my Father," a purely gratuitous gift, which cannot be merited by those to whom it is made, but which, being offered to all, makes those responsible who are deprived of it only because they have not wished to receive it; for it is offered in vain if it be not received. A great many of those whom Jesus addressed were just in this predicament, which was the reason why, "after this, many of his disciples went back (9), and walked no more with him.”

Jesus did not appear surprised at this desertion, which he had, of course, foreseen; he even wished to profit by the occasion, to

sense facilitates faith in the incarnation; the second renders more difficult that of the real eating. The second is the most probable, because it is much more probable that Jesus Christ should here reply to the second of the two objections; and, by indicating his presence in different places by means of the Eucharist, we may say he consummates the revelation of this great mystery.

(7) The flesh of Jesus Christ is not vivifying by itself; it is only so by the spirit; that is to say, by the divinity which is united to it, and which communicates itself, through it, to those who eat it. This explanation, which harmonizes well with the text, has nothing in it repugnant to the faith of the real presence. It leaves the preceding words in all their energy, and therein the reality is most clearly expressed, even in the mutilated version of Protestants.

(8) That is to say, pause not at the carnal and revolting sense in which they may appear to minds. your As they promise great benefits, they comprise great mysteries; if you cannot as yet comprehend them, still commence by believing. What could be more proper to dissipate any wrong idea, and to take away every pretext for incredulity?

(9) Many, and not all, as some interpreters state, who have even advanced that Saint Mark and Saint Luke were among the number of the deserters, although it is much more probable that they were not even among the number of the disciples. It is certain that several of these remained inseparably attached to Jesus Christ from his baptism until his ascension. We have a proof of it in these words of Saint Peter, Acts i.: Wherefore of these men who have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus came in and went out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day wherein he was taken up from us, one of these must be made a witness with us of his resurrection.

"He said then to the

teach the world that he had no need of any one, and that he only permitted in his retinue voluntary disciples. twelve: Will you also go away? Lord, answered to him Simon Peter, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life (10). We have believed, and have known that thou art the Christ, the Son of God."

As chief of the apostles, he made this answer in the name of all the others, and in it we recognize, at the same time, his faith, his hope, and the love which made him prefer Jesus Christ to every thing else. We may also remark here the virtuous inclination which he had to judge favorably of his colleagues; for he does not seem to doubt that they were all of the same sentiments as himself. Yet in that he was, of course, mistaken; and, as it was relevant to the glory of Jesus that they should not think he was ignorant at any time of what any one amongst them either was, or should shortly become, "he answered them: Have not I chosen you twelve? and one of you is a devil; now, he meant Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for this same, who was one of the twelve, was about to betray him." But Jesus did not point him out, so that the apprehension of being one day the unhappy criminal of whom he spoke, might make them all both watchful and humble.

(10) These words of Saint Peter are as the repetition of those words of the Saviour: My words are spirit and life. Apparently Saint Peter did not understand any more than the others the mystery which Jesus Christ had just proposed; but he believed that his Master said nothing but the truth, and promised nothing but what was good. That was enough for the time.

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