athers,
Doctors, and Church writers of every age say the same. If it were not
so, some one ought to be able to find the time when the doctrine was
invented, and the person who invented it. But, since no one has been
able to find the inventor of this doctrine and practice, the time or
place of the invention, we rightly conclude that they came down to us
from the time of Christ, and had Christ for an author. (Berengarius, in
the eleventh century, was the first who denied this doctrine.) If, then,
Christ is the author, is not the Catholic practice reasonable?

But I don't understand the Catholic doctrine regarding the Blessed
Sacrament, some one may say; therefore it is contrary to reason. Dear
reader, did the consummate puerility, silliness, foolishness of such an
objection ever present itself to you? Do you understand the Blessed
Trinity? And is it contrary to reason? No. Although above reason, it is
not against it. Do you understand how Jesus Christ is both God and man?
Do you understand any mystery? No. If you did it would no longer be a
mystery. For a mystery is something above human intelligence. It is
something incomprehensible to us, for it pertains to the divine
intelligence. And as well might you attempt to pour the mighty ocean
into a small hole on the shore, as attempt to hold with your limited
capacity the illimitable ocean of divinity. The proper office of reason
is to examine the evidences of revelation, and see if God has spoken.
But it constitutes no part of its office to dispute the word of God.
That God has spoken is evident from the fulfilment of many prophecies
and the authority of many miracles. That these prophecies have been
fulfilled, and these miracles performed, is as certain as is any
historical fact. Reason teaches us this. It teaches us, too, that no one
but God (or by the power of God) can prophesy; no one but God can
derogate from the order of nature, by the performance of a miracle.
Reason teaches us, then, that God has spoken. When we know God speaks,
genuine reason will dictate that we humbly believe His holy word. Thus
will true reason ever act. And when God says, "This is My body," it will
not hesitate to believe.

We all believe that at the baptism of Our Saviour by St. John Baptist,
the Holy Ghost appeared in the form of a dove. Now, is it not as
reasonable for Jesus Christ, the second person of the Blessed Trinity,
to appear in the form of bread as it was for the Holy Ghost, the thi