ay of his limbs.
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QUESTION 83

OF THE RITE OF THIS SACRAMENT
(In Six Articles)

We have now to consider the Rite of this sacrament, under which head
there are six points of inquiry:

(1) Whether Christ is sacrificed in the celebration of this mystery?

(2) Of the time of celebrating;

(3) Of the place and other matters relating to the equipment for this
celebration;

(4) Of the words uttered in celebrating this mystery;

(5) Of the actions performed in celebrating this mystery.

(6) Of the defects which occur in the celebration of this sacrament.
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FIRST ARTICLE [III, Q. 83, Art. 1]

Whether Christ Is Sacrificed in This Sacrament?

Objection 1: It seems that Christ is not sacrificed in the
celebration of this sacrament. For it is written (Heb. 10:14) that
"Christ by one oblation hath perfected for ever them that are
sanctified." But that oblation was His oblation. Therefore Christ is
not sacrificed in the celebration of this sacrament.

Obj. 2: Further, Christ's sacrifice was made upon the cross, whereon
"He delivered Himself for us, an oblation and a sacrifice to God for
an odor of sweetness," as is said in Eph. 5:2. But Christ is not
crucified in the celebration of this mystery. Therefore, neither is
He sacrificed.

Obj. 3: Further, as Augustine says (De Trin. iv), in Christ's
sacrifice the priest and the victim are one and the same. But in the
celebration of this sacrament the priest and the victim are not the
same. Therefore, the celebration of this sacrament is not a sacrifice
of Christ.

_On the contrary,_ Augustine says in the Liber Sentent. Prosp. (cf.
Ep. xcviii): "Christ was sacrificed once in Himself, and yet He is
sacrificed daily in the Sacrament."

_I answer that,_ The celebration of this sacrament is called a
sacrifice for two reasons. First, because, as Augustine says (Ad
Simplician. ii), "the images of things are called by the names of the
things whereof they are the images; as when we look upon a picture or
a fresco, we say, 'This is Cicero and that is Sallust.'" But, as was
said above (Q. 79, A. 1), the celebration of this sacrament is an
image representing Christ's Passion, which is His true sacrifice.
Accordingly the celebration of this sacrament is called Christ's
sacrifice. Hence it is that Ambrose, in commenting on Heb. 10:1,
says: "In Christ was offered up a sacrifice capable of giving eternal
salvation; what then do we do? D