onformed to
Christ's death, by receiving His character within him. And therefore,
as Christ died but once, so a man ought to be baptized but once. But
a man does not receive Christ's character in this sacrament; He
receives Christ Himself, Whose virtue endures for ever. Hence it is
written (Heb. 10:14): "By one oblation He hath perfected for ever
them that are sanctified." Consequently, since man has daily need of
Christ's health-giving virtue, he may commendably receive this
sacrament every day.

And since Baptism is above all a spiritual regeneration, therefore,
as a man is born naturally but once, so ought he by Baptism to be
reborn spiritually but once, as Augustine says (Tract. xi in Joan.),
commenting on John 3:4, "How can a man be born again, when he is
grown old?" But this sacrament is spiritual food; hence, just as
bodily food is taken every day, so is it a good thing to receive this
sacrament every day. Hence it is that our Lord (Luke 11:3), teaches
us to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread": in explaining which
words Augustine observes (De Verb. Dom., Serm. xxviii): "If you
receive it," i.e. this sacrament, every day, "every day is today for
thee, and Christ rises again every day in thee, for when Christ
riseth it is today."

Reply Obj. 2: The Paschal Lamb was the figure of this sacrament
chiefly as to Christ's Passion represented therein; and therefore it
was partaken of once a year only, since Christ died but once. And on
this account the Church celebrates once a year the remembrance of
Christ's Passion. But in this sacrament the memorial of His Passion
is given by way of food which is partaken of daily; and therefore in
this respect it is represented by the manna which was given daily to
the people in the desert.

Reply Obj. 3: Reverence for this sacrament consists in fear
associated with love; consequently reverential fear of God is called
filial fear, as was said in the Second Part (I-II, Q. 67, A. 4, ad 2;
II-II, Q. 19, AA. 9, 11, 12); because the desire of receiving arises
from love, while the humility of reverence springs from fear.
Consequently, each of these belongs to the reverence due to this
sacrament; both as to receiving it daily, and as to refraining from
it sometimes. Hence Augustine says (Ep. liv): "If one says that the
Eucharist should not be received daily, while another maintains the
contrary, let each one do as according to his devotion he thinketh
right; for Zaccheus and the Ce