s the spirit that quickeneth; the
flesh profiteth nothing": as if He were to say, according to
Augustine's exposition on Ps. 4 [*On Ps. 98:9]: "Give a spiritual
meaning to what I have said. You are not to eat this body which you
see, nor to drink the blood which they who crucify Me are to spill.
It is a mystery that I put before you: in its spiritual sense it will
quicken you; but the flesh profiteth nothing."

Obj. 2: Further, our Lord said (Matt. 28:20): "Behold I am with you
all days even to the consummation of the world." Now in explaining
this, Augustine makes this observation (Tract. xxx in Joan.): "The
Lord is on high until the world be ended; nevertheless the truth of
the Lord is here with us; for the body, in which He rose again, must
be in one place; but His truth is spread abroad everywhere."
Therefore, the body of Christ is not in this sacrament in very truth,
but only as in a sign.

Obj. 3: Further, no body can be in several places at the one time.
For this does not even belong to an angel; since for the same reason
it could be everywhere. But Christ's is a true body, and it is in
heaven. Consequently, it seems that it is not in very truth in the
sacrament of the altar, but only as in a sign.

Obj. 4: Further, the Church's sacraments are ordained for the profit
of the faithful. But according to Gregory in a certain Homily (xxviii
in Evang.), the ruler is rebuked "for demanding Christ's bodily
presence." Moreover the apostles were prevented from receiving the
Holy Ghost because they were attached to His bodily presence, as
Augustine says on John 16:7: "Except I go, the Paraclete will not
come to you" (Tract. xciv in Joan.). Therefore Christ is not in the
sacrament of the altar according to His bodily presence.

_On the contrary,_ Hilary says (De Trin. viii): "There is no room for
doubt regarding the truth of Christ's body and blood; for now by our
Lord's own declaring and by our faith His flesh is truly food, and
His blood is truly drink." And Ambrose says (De Sacram. vi): "As the
Lord Jesus Christ is God's true Son so is it Christ's true flesh
which we take, and His true blood which we drink."

_I answer that,_ The presence of Christ's true body and blood in this
sacrament cannot be detected by sense, nor understanding, but by
faith alone, which rests upon Divine authority. Hence, on Luke 22:19:
"This is My body which shall be delivered up for you," Cyril says:
"Doubt not whether this be true; but tak