es this sacrament sins
more grievously than the believer who is in sin; and shows greater
contempt towards Christ Who is in the sacrament, especially if he
does not believe Christ to be truly in this sacrament; because, so
far as lies in him, he lessens the holiness of the sacrament, and the
power of Christ acting in it, and this is to despise the sacrament in
itself. But the believer who receives the sacrament with
consciousness of sin, by receiving it unworthily despises the
sacrament, not in itself, but in its use. Hence the Apostle (1 Cor.
11:29) in assigning the cause of this sin, says, "not discerning the
body of the Lord," that is, not distinguishing it from other food:
and this is what he does who disbelieves Christ's presence in this
sacrament.

Reply Obj. 3: The man who would throw this sacrament into the mire
would be guilty of more heinous sin than another approaching the
sacrament fully conscious of mortal sin. First of all, because he
would intend to outrage the sacrament, whereas the sinner receiving
Christ's body unworthily has no such intent; secondly, because the
sinner is capable of grace; hence he is more capable of receiving
this sacrament than any irrational creature. Hence he would make a
most revolting use of this sacrament who would throw it to dogs to
eat, or fling it in the mire to be trodden upon.
_______________________

SIXTH ARTICLE [III, Q. 80, Art. 6]

Whether the Priest Ought to Deny the Body of Christ to the Sinner
Seeking It?

Objection 1: It seems that the priest should deny the body of Christ
to the sinner seeking it. For Christ's precept is not to be set aside
for the sake of avoiding scandal or on account of infamy to anyone.
But (Matt. 7:6) our Lord gave this command: "Give not that which is
holy to dogs." Now it is especially casting holy things to dogs to
give this sacrament to sinners. Therefore, neither on account of
avoiding scandal or infamy should this sacrament be administered to
the sinner who asks for it.

Obj. 2: Further, one must choose the lesser of two evils. But it
seems to be the lesser evil if the sinner incur infamy; or if an
unconsecrated host be given to him; than for him to sin mortally by
receiving the body of Christ. Consequently, it seems that the course
to be adopted is either that the sinner seeking the body of Christ be
exposed to infamy, or that an unconsecrated host be given to him.

Obj. 3: Further, the body of Christ is sometimes given to t