A. 10 - The Communion of Saints, the Forgiveness of Sins

The Communion of Saints, the Forgiveness of Sins

As in our natural body where the operation of one member works for the good of the entire body, so also is it with a spiritual body, namely the Church. (Parallel texts: ST Supplement, q. 21, a. 1; q. 26, a. 1.) Because all the faithful are one body, the good of one member is communicated to another: and every one members, one of another (Rom 12:5). So, among the points of faith which the apostles have handed down is that there is a common sharing of goods in the Church. This is expressed in the words: the communion of saints. Among the various members of the Church, the principal member is Christ, because he is the head: he made him head over all the Church, which is his body (Eph 1:22–23). Christ communicates his goods with all Christians, just as the power of the head is communicated to all the members. (Parallel texts: ST III.3.8, ad 3; III.8; 69.1, ad 2; 89.1; ST Supplement, q. 10, a. 4; q. 24, a. 3, ad 1; q. 87, a. 2, ad 3.) This communication takes place through the sacraments of the Church, in which operates the power of the Passion of Christ, which in turn operates for the conferring of grace unto the remission of sins. (Parallel texts: ST III.65.1, 2, 4; In IV Sent. 2.1.2–3; SCG IV.58.) These sacraments of the Church are seven in number.

The first is baptism, which is a certain spiritual regeneration. Just as there can be no physical life unless man is first born in the flesh, so spiritual life or grace cannot be had unless man is spiritually reborn. This rebirth is effected through baptism: unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:5). It must be known that, just as a man can be born but once, so only once is he baptized. Hence, the holy fathers added: I confess one baptism.

The power of baptism consists in this, that it cleanses someone of all sins as regards both their guilt and their punishment. For this reason, no penance is imposed on those who are baptized, no matter to what extent they had been sinners. Moreover, if they should die immediately after baptism, they would without delay go to heaven. Another result is that, although only priests may baptize ex officio, yet any one may baptize in a case of necessity, provided that the proper form of baptism is used, which is: I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. This sacrament receives its power from the Passion of Christ: all we who are baptized in Christ Jesus are baptized in his death (Rom 6:3). (Parallel texts: ST III.48.1, 2, 6.) Accordingly, just as Christ was in the sepulcher for three days, so there is a threefold immersion in water.

The second sacrament is confirmation. Just as they who are physically born need certain powers to act, so those who are reborn spiritually must have the strength of the Holy Spirit which is imparted to them in this sacrament. In order that they might become strong, the apostles received the Holy Spirit after the Ascension of Christ: stay you in the city till you be endowed with power from on high (Luke 24:49). This power is given in the sacrament of confirmation. They, therefore, who have the care of children should be very careful to see that they are confirmed, because great grace is conferred in confirmation. He who is confirmed will, when he dies, enjoy greater glory than one not confirmed, because greater grace will be his.

The Eucharist is the third sacrament. In the physical life, after man is born and acquires powers, he needs food to sustain and strengthen him. Likewise, in the spiritual life after being fortified, he has need of spiritual food. This is the body of Christ: unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you (John 6:54). According to the prescribed law of the Church, (See Fourth Lateran Council, canon 21.) every Christian must at least once a year receive the body of Christ, and in a worthy manner and with a clean conscience: for he who eats and drinks unworthily, that is, by being conscious of unconfessed mortal sin on his soul, or with no intent to abstain from it, eats and drinks judgment to himself (1 Cor 11:29).

The fourth sacrament is penance. In the physical life, one who is sick and does not have recourse to medicine, dies; so in the spiritual order, one becomes ill because of sin. Thus, medicine is necessary for recovery of health. This medicine is the grace which is conferred in the sacrament of penance: who forgives all your iniquities; who heals all your diseases (Ps 103 [102]:3). Three things must be present in the sacrament of penance: contrition, which is sorrow for sin, together with a resolution not to sin again; confession of sins, which is complete; and satisfaction, which is accomplished by good works.

Extreme unction is the fifth sacrament. In this life there are many things which prevent one from a perfect purification of one’s sins. But since no one can enter into eternal life until he is well cleansed, there is need of another sacrament which will purify man of his sins, and both free him from sickness and prepare him for entry into the heavenly kingdom. This is the sacrament of extreme unction. That this sacrament does not always restore health to the body is due to this, that perhaps to live is not to the advantage of the soul’s salvation. Is any man sick amongst you? Let him bring in the priests of the Church and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick man. And the Lord shall raise him up; and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him (Jas 5:14–15). It is now clear that fullness of life is had from these five sacraments.

It is necessary that these sacraments be administered by appointed ministers. Therefore, the sacrament of orders is necessary, by whose powers these sacraments are dispensed. Nor need one pay attention to the life of such ministers, if here and there one fail in his office. Rather, remember the virtue of Christ through whose merits the sacraments have their efficacy, and in whose name the ministers are but dispensers: let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ and the dispensers of the mysteries of God (1 Cor 4:1). This then is the sixth sacrament, namely orders.

The seventh sacrament is matrimony, and in it men, if they live uprightly, are saved; and thereby they are enabled to live without mortal sin. Sometimes the partners in marriage fall into venial sin, when their concupiscence does not extend beyond the goods of matrimony. But if they do go beyond such goods, they sin mortally.

By these seven sacraments we receive the remission of sins, and so in the Creed there follows immediately: the forgiveness of sins. The power was given to the apostles to forgive sins. We must believe that the ministers of the Church receive this power from the apostles, and the apostles received it from Christ, and thus the priests have the power of binding and loosing. Moreover, we believe that there is the full power of forgiving sins in the Church, although it operates from the highest to the lowest, that is, from the Pope down through the prelates.

We must also know that not only is the efficacy of the Passion of Christ communicated to us, but also the merits of his life. And, moreover, all the good that all the saints have done is communicated to all who are in the state of grace, because all are one: I am a partaker of all those who fear you (Ps 119 [118]:63). Therefore, he who lives in charity participates in all the good that is done in the entire world. Yet he for whom some good work is done benefits more specially, since one man certainly can make satisfaction for another. Thus, through this communion we receive two benefits. One is that the merits of Christ are communicated to all; the other is that the good of one is communicated to another. Those who are excommunicated, however, because they are cut off from the Church, forfeit their share of all the good that is done, and this is a far greater loss than being bereft of all material things. There is a danger lest the devil impede this spiritual help in order to tempt one. When one is thus cut off, the devil can easily overcome him. Thus it was in the primitive Church that, when one was excommunicated, the devil even physically attacked him.