PE

ENCYCLICAL LETTER

OF

Bis Holiness Pope leo XIII.

TO THE PATRIARCHS, PRIMATES, ARCHBISHOPS, AND OTHER ORDINARIES, IN PEACE AND COMMUNION WITH THE APOSTOLIC SEE, ON THE BLESSED EUCHARIST.

LEO XIII, POPE

To the Patriarchs, Primates, Archbishops, and other Ordinaries in Peace and Communion with the Apostolic See:

Venerable Brethren, Healt: and Apostolic Benediction.

The wonderful zeal for the salvation of men of which Jesus-Christ has given us so bright an example We, in accordance with the sanctity of Our Office, strive to study and imitate unceasingly, and, with His help, We shall continue to follow the same Divine model as long as life remains in Us. As it is Our lot to live in times bitterly hostile to trut and justice, We have endeavored to supply abundantly as far as lay in Our power, by teaching, admonishing, and working, whataoever might seem likely to avert the contagion of error in its various forms, or strengthen the energies of Christian life. In this connection there are two things within the memory of the faithful, intimately connecting one

with the other, the accomplishment of which fills Us

with eonsolation in the midst of so many sorrows, One is, that we declared it most desirable that the whole human race should be consecrated in a special manner to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ. the Redeemer: the other, that We most earnestly exhorted all bearing the Christian name to adhere steadf; astly to Him W ho by divine authority is for all men the Way the Trat) . and the Life.

And now : truth, watching wit "lance ove the fortunes of the Church in these evi days, We are impelled by hc ‘same A postolie | ve to add something whieh will erown and finish We project We had in mind ; namely, to recommend to the Christian world ^v a special act of Our authority the Most Holy Eucharist.

The Blessed Kucharist is the most div ine gift to us nearly from the inmost heart with the d sire of oue desiring this i man and instituted chiefly for th vonuerous cli posal ot

fruits of His Redemption. In this matter We have

bo manifes'e Lby Our auth wity and zeal not a little

is pleasant to remember, among other

y legitimate approval and privileges,

y mereused the number of institutes and sodalities

ed to the perpetu | adoration of ie Divine Host :

i Ve also took care to have Kucha stic Congresses

held with suitable splendor and corresponding useful-

ness: and that We made Patron of those and sinilar

works, the heavenly Pasehal Bavlon, who stood out in

his day Has th nost devout W shipper of the Eucharisti myster\

Therefore, Venerable Brethren. it is well to fix our minds on « aim features of this inystery. in defending fl d illustrating whieh the vA al of the Chureh has COIIStantly been manifested, and not unfri quently erowned bv the palm v marty rdom, w hil st the doctrine itself has called forth the | arnine and i oquence of the greatest men and the most noble minster-pieees in various arts, Here it will be Om duty to point out cle arly and ex pressiv the power that is in this niystery to eure the evila and

rows, One | whole hu- Manner to eemer: the bearing the hu Who by Truth, and

lanee ovo :» W are somethiny d in mind :

| Oy à Spearist.

lisposal of ‘We have not a little ionge other privileges, | sodalities vine Host :

'Ongresses ne usefulid similar ood out in ucharistic

to fix our defending has COIISrowned bv itself has t vreatest ious arts, d ex press- ^ evils and

meet the necessities of the present age. And surely, as Christ, at the close of His mortal life, left this Sacrament as the great monument of His love for men, as the greatest support “for the life of the world" (Joann. vi, 52) so We, who are likewise soon to depart, can desire nothing more eagerly than to exeite and nourish in the minds of all men feelings of grateful love and religious devotion towards this most wonderful Sacrament, in which We believe, are to be found the hope and assurance of salvation and peace.

[t may be a cause of surprise to some that We should think this age, so universally disturbed and groaning under so great a burden, should be best aided by such remedies and helps, and persons shall not be wanting, perhaps, who will treat our utterances with fe wtidious indifference. This comes chiefly from pride : and pride is a vice which weakens ( ‘hristian faith and produces such a terrible darkness about divine things that of many it is said: “Whatever things they know not, they blaspheme" (Judae 10) But so far are We from being averted from the purpose We have in view that We believe more tirmly than ever that it will bring light to those who are well disposed, and obtain, by the brothe rly intereession of the devout, pardon from God for those who revile holy things.

To know with full and perfect faith what is the virtue of the Most Holy Eueharist isto know what (30d, made Man, accomplished for the salvation of the human race in His infinite merey. For as it is a duty to true faith to proelaim our belief in Christ and. worship the Macy me Author of our salvation, Who by His wisdom, laws, example, and the shedding of His blood renewed all things, it is a duty of equul obligation to worship Him Who is really present in the Eucharist, that so He may abide among men to the end of the world, and by the perennial communication of Himself

make them sharers in the blessings of His Redemption.

Naw ha who etre ously Wu vol’ ously eonsidors

the blessings flowing from the Holy Euchurist sees at

once that in it are contained in the most eminent degree all other blessings of every kind: for from it that life flows which is truly life: “The bread which I will give is My flesh for the life of the world” (Joann. Vh. 04) Not in one way alone is Christ the Life. Christ, Who assigned as the cause of His coming among men that He might bring them a sure fulness of life, that was more than human: “I am come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly” (Joann. x. 10). For as soon as “the goodness and compassien of God our Saviour" (Tit. iii., 4) appeared upon earth, a power at once came forth that almost created a new order of things and influenced every department of civil and domestic society. Thence new relations between man and man; new rights, public and private : new duties ; a new direction given to institutions, laws, arts, and sciences, The thoughts and studies of men were drawn towards the truth « of religion and the sanetity of morals; and hence a life given to men truly heavenly and divine. All this is frequently ts MT in the sacred writings; the tree of life, the word of life, the book of life, the erown of life, and expressly, E bread of life.

But this life about which we are speaking bears an express resemblance to the natural life of man, and so, just as the one is nourished by food, and grows strong, so does the other likewise require to be supported and strengthened by food. And here it is well to recall the time and manner in which Christ moved the minds of men and exeited them to receive suitably and righteously the living Bread which he was about to give them. For where the faine had spread abroad of the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves which He had w rought on the shore of Tiberias, nany people followed Him SO that their hunger, too, might be appeased Then Jesus, seizing the opportunity, just as when He infused into the Samaritan woman at the well a thirst for the water “springing up into life everlasting” (Joann. vi, 27). But this bread. as Jesus continues to show. is not that heavenly manna given to their fathers wandering through

t degree that life will give vi, 02) ist, Who ven that hat was ave life, For as our Sa- * at once f things domestic nd manu; new disciences.

towards als; and | divine.

‘ed writk of life, le, bears an |, and so, s strong, rted and ecall the minds of ghteousve them.

iracle of wrought | Him so sn Jesus, sed into he water 27). But at heavthrough

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the desert; nor is it that which they themselves had lately received from Him in astonishment ; but He Himself 1s the true bread which he gives: “I am the bread of life" (Joann. vi, 48). He inculcates still further this same lesson both by council and preeept: “If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh for the life of the world” (Joann. vi 52). And the gravity of the command He thus shows clearly : “Amen, amen, I say unto you: Except you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you shall not have life in you" (Joann. vi., 54). Away, therefore, with that common and most pernicious error of those who believe that the Holy Eucharist is only for those who, free from business and troubled in mind, resolve to seek repose in some design of a more religious life. For the Holy Eucharist, than which there is nothing more excellent or salutary, is for all, whatsoever their employment or dignity, who wish (and there is no cne who should not wish) to nourish in themselves the life of Divine Grace, of which the ultimate end is the attainment of life eternal.

Would that those whose genius or industry or authority eould do so much to guide the men and affairs of the age, would think rightly of eternal life, and impart the knowledge of it to others. But alas, We see

through Jesus Christ, from Whom men have received,

MG ill aiti ee sis

and still receive, the best and choicest gilts. But the chief souree and fountain-head of all these gifts is the Holv Eucharist, which, while it nourishes and supports that life for which we strive so ardently, exalts in the hiehest degree that dignity of human nature which Seenns » hiehly valued in. these days. For what ean b iore desirable than to. be made as far TS ipators aud. partners in the Divine nature But this is what Christ does in the Eucharist, raising man up to Divine things by the aid of grace, and unitine Himself to him by bonds so close. For there is | differenee between the food of the body and the

od of the soul, th "mer ds converted into us, but the latter e erts us into itself; and it is to this

that Augustine refers when he puts the words into the mouth of Christ-—‘You shall not change Me into thee as

food of thy Hes] but thou shalt be changed into Me.” (Conf. l, vu E)

But this most excellent Sacrament, which renders men participators of the Divine nature, also enables the soul of man to advance in every class of the higher virtues. And tirst is faith At all times faith has had its issailants: for although it exalts the minds of men with

knowledue of the most lofty things, yet while it has re-

vealed that there exist things above nature, it conceals heir precise character, and so seems to depress the hu-

n d. Formerly only this or that article of faith

us attacked : afterwa war was Waved much more Wiel ly itil dt Dhnally À to be affirmed that re vas nothin it all above nature Now, for rene ing in thre ind the vigor and fervor « h there is nothing more suitable than the mystery of thi Eucharist, which is properly called the mystet { faith ; for truly in this O1 rv by rea of its wonderful abundance and vari F inivael mtained the whole supernatural orden He has made a remembranee of His wonderful

rks. being a merciful and gracious Lord *He hath vol XU bo Chem { { loni hi (Ps OX, | 9) For if God ackuowleduwed what He w rought ebove nature as due

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