The Aristotelian Eucharist

As a kid, when you got a new toy, what did you do? You probably, played with a piece of material wealth until you grew used to it. Similarly, once one attains a new bit of fundamental knowledge, it moves them to find every bit of its implications and uses. Using our new term "transubstantiation", we were/are able to render our beliefs much more precisely. In light of this term, we were able to describe and understand one of the core Christian mysteries in a new and more profound way. This term made sense of the empirical vs. spiritual problem. Thomistic eucharistic theology satisfies the intellectual/philosophical comprehension of the bread and wine becoming Christ’s Body and Blood without change of empirical qualities.

The Aristotelian-based theology allows for a predicable understanding of what the Eucharist is/His nature, explaining that the substance of the bread and wine is not preserved nor its substantial form in the sacrament.[1] Rather, it is instantaneously replaced by the substance of Christ in a supernatural process: Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.[2] Yet, the accidents of bread and wine remain.[3] This rendering preserves both the truth of the Church teaching preceding Berengarius and a predicable intelligibility of the sacrament.[4] This new understanding solidifies the nature of the other sacraments, needing both matter and form, and implicitly refutes the Gnostic/Platonic notion of matter being, at least, less good than the spiritual. Rather, the fact that Christ becomes substantially present through this sacrament in actuality and grace demonstrates God’s incarnational encounter with man. This sacrament, which is the source of all grace and re-presenting of the Paschal sacrifice/fulfilled Passover, demonstrates the incarnational nature of all of the sacraments and thereby the way God encounters us through them: in the physical and the spiritual.[5] The substance-accident via transubstantiation understanding was affirmed at the Council of Trent (1545-1563).[6] The Council of Trent, apparently making use of Aquinas’s distinctions, premises the concept of transubstantiation and discusses the nature of the substance and its implications (especially concerning Christ’s location compared to his presence in the Eucharist).[7] The Council goes so far as to conclude that transubstantiation “thus defined is a natural inference from the words of Scripture. When instituting this Sacrament, our Lord himself said: ‘this is my body’: the word ‘this’ expresses the entire substance of the thing present; and therefore, if the substance of the bread remained, our Lord could not have said: ‘This is my body’”.[8] Thus, the Council of Trent affirmed the Aquinian theology and determined that the new rendering of the theology is orthodox via its congruousness to both scripture and previous Church teaching. No less does it answer the problem realized by the of empiricism.

In conclusion, Aristotlean metaphysics seems to make better sense of reality in general in both practical and epistemological ways. Using well-developed concepts of form, matter, substance, and accidents, we can understand reality, in general, but specifically in even illusory mysteries such as the Eucharist, Sacramental theology, etc. Platonism is a great analogical/mythical way of understanding reality and still leaves plenty of room for Christianity to superimpose meaning on the metaphysical system, but it is largely abstract even if it provides a healthy perspective of the change and difficulties of earthly life. Of course, the metaphysical systems are really only beneficial insofar as they serve man's good, understanding, etc. Platonism is good insofar as it helps us to dwell in heaven while on earth, and understand what analogy really means, and the importance/role of abstract concepts. Aristotle's metaphysics helps us understand reality practically and empirically, from the ground up. Thomistic metaphysics makes use of both, in doing so these realities that are both real and contrary to our common experience are brought to new light. Is this not a pretty effective and beneficial new toy, "transubstantiation"?

A compilation/ synthesis of the two Pange Lingua Hymns:

Down in adoration falling,

Lo, the sacred Host we hail,

Lo, o'er ancient forms departing

Newer rites of grace prevail:

Faith for all defects supplying,

When the feeble senses fail.

Soon the sweetest blossom wasting,

Droops its head and withered lies;

Early thus to Calvary hasting,

On the cross the Saviour dies;

Freely death for all men tasting,

There behold our sacrifice.

Bend, O noble Tree, thy branches;

Let thy fibres yielding be,

Let the rigid strength be softened

Which in birth was given thee.

That the limbs of my dear Jesus

 May be stretched most tenderly.

To the Everlasting Father

And the Son who comes on high

With the Holy Ghost proceeding

Forth from each eternally,

Be salvation, honor, blessing,

Might and endless majesty.

FN:

1. ST, III, Q. 75, A. 2., ST, III, Q. 75, A. 6.
2. ST, III, Q. 75, A. 3-4.; ST, III, Q. 75, A.7.
3. ST, III, Q. 75, A. 5.; Patrick J Connolly. “Thomas White on the Metaphysics of Transubstantiation.”, 527
4. ST, III, Q. 75, A. 1.; Code of Canon Law, Book 4, Part I, Title III, in Code of Canon Law: Latin-English Edition (Washington, DC: Canon Law Society of America, 1999).
5. Cf. CCC, 1366, 1151.
6. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Compendium on the Eucharist (Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2016), 5.
7. Cf. Jeremiah Donovan, trans. The Catechism of the Council of Trent: Pub. by Command of Pope Pius the Fifth. First American ed. (Baltimore: F. Lucas, jr.) 1829, pg. 161.
8. Ibid.