Page:The Great Encyclical Letters of Pope Leo XIII.djvu/538



532 THE MOST HOLY EUCHARIST.

and feed upon that bread of angels which here they eat under the sacramental veils." *

History bears witness that the virtues of the Christian life have flourished best wherever and whenever the fre- quent reception of the Eucharist has most prevailed. And on the other hand it is no less certain that in days when men have ceased to care for this heavenly bread, and have lost their appetite for it, the practice of Chris- tian religion has gradually lost its force and vigor. And indeed it was as a needful measure of precaution against a complete falling away that Innocent III., in the Council of the Lateran, most strictly enjoined that no Christian should abstain from receiving the communion of the Lord's body at least in the solemn paschal season. But it is clear that this precept was imposed with regret, and only as a last resource; for it has always been the desire of the Church that at every Mass some of the faithful should be present and should communicate. "The Holy Synod would wish that in every celebration of the Mass some of the faithful should take part, not only by devoutly assisting thereat, but also by the sacramental reception of the Eucharist, in order that they might more abundantly partake of the fruits of this holy Sacrifice." ^

Most abundant, assuredly, are the salutary benefits which are stored up in this most venerable mystery, regarded as a Sacrifice; a Sacrifice which the Church is accordingly wont to offer daily "for the salvation of the whole world." And it is fitting, indeed in this age it is specially important, that by means of the united efforts of the devout, the outward honor and the inward reverence paid to this Sacrifice should be alike increased. Accord- ingly it is Our wish that its manifold excellence may be both more widely known and more attentively considered.

There are certain general principles the truth of which

> Cone. Trid., Sess. XXII., c. vi.

^ Cone. Trid., Sess. XIII. de Euchar. c. viii.