Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On the Sacrament of the Eucharist · Book VI: On the Sacrifice of the Mass (Second)
Chapter 26: On the Sixth Prayer of the Canon
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. IV, De Sacramento Eucharistiae, Book VI: On the Sacrifice of the Mass (Second Book). The Latin source text is public domain; this English rendering is released with the site. Scripture quotations follow Bellarmine's Vulgate citations, rendered in Douay-Rheims wording where he quotes exactly. Click “Show the Latin” for the original (raw OCR of the scan; scanning errors remain — the scan itself is the authority).
The sixth prayer, which is also the last in the Canon properly so called, begins from those words: “To us sinners also,” and extends as far as “Through all ages of ages” before the Lord's prayer: for the whole Canon is concluded in a loud voice by those words, “Through all ages of ages,” that the people may confirm the whole by responding, “Amen.” Wherefore on the Friday of Holy Week, because the whole Canon which pertains to the consecration is omitted, none of these six prayers is read, nor is it said, “Through all ages of ages,” but immediately after the washing of the hands there is made a transition to the Lord's prayer.
In this prayer the priest prays for himself, and distrusting his own merits, beseeches for himself, from the divine mercy, a part and society with the holy Apostles and Martyrs. Where this is to be noted, that here are named in the first place John; secondly Stephen; thirdly Matthias: concerning whom many doubt why John alone is here repeated of those who are named before the consecration; and why Stephen the deacon is set before Matthias the Apostle; and why Matthias was not named in the former order. And indeed Innocent, and certain others, answer that John is named twice because he was an Apostle and a virgin; and therefore also joined with Stephen, who seemed to excel in the gift of continence, since he was set over the widows. But truer to me seems the opinion of Walafrid, chapter 22, who says that the John who is named in this place is not the Evangelist, but the Baptist, who was also a Martyr of the Lord, and in some way an Apostle, according to that of John 1: There was a man sent from God.
But why Stephen is set before Matthias, the true reason is that here the Church keeps the order of the passion, not of dignity: but John suffered before Stephen, and Stephen before Matthias.
But why Matthias was not named before the consecration in the Canon with the other apostles, I think the cause is twofold: both that there might be also some Apostle of the twelve in this second order, and it might truly be said: “With Thy Apostles and Martyrs”; and also because Matthias was not an Apostle before the passion of the Lord, nor is he read in the order of the Apostles in the Gospels. Nor does it stand in the way that Paul too was not an Apostle before the passion of the Lord, nor is named in the Gospel, and yet is reckoned in the former order; for that is the privilege of Paul, that he is always joined with Peter.
Now against this prayer is the first objection of Luther, who reprehends the priest because he does not pray in this place to be admitted to the fellowship of Christ, as if he did not need it, but only to the fellowship of the Saints: and again, because he only asks a part with the Saints, when Christ is prepared to give not a part, but His whole treasure.
I answer: They are mere calumnies. For the fellowship of the Saints is the fellowship of Christ; for we ask this, that in the kingdom of Christ we may have the fellowship of the Saints, not in the kingdom of the devil the fellowship of the impious. As regards the word "part," it is taken from the divine letters, which by "a part with the Saints" describe all good and happiness. Colossians 1: Who hath made us worthy to be partakers of the lot of the Saints. And John 13:8, the Lord: If I wash thee not, thou shalt have no part with me. Add that this part of the prayer, which Luther so reprehends and derides, Kemnitz on the contrary vehemently praises, page 843: “In the other commemoration of the Saints in the Canon the words are most beautiful. To us sinners also, Thy servants, etc.; this without doubt was the formula of the ancient commemoration of the Saints.” You see, therefore, reader, how well the disciple of Luther agrees with his master.
The second objection is of Luther against that: “Through whom Thou dost always create all these good things”; for he objects that we think that we create Christ. Hither also pertains the thirteenth objection of Kemnitz, who after his manner contends that these were formerly wont to be said before the consecration to commend the almsdeeds of the people.
I answer: These words are nowhere found in the Liturgies, or in the expositors, set before the consecration: but they are found after the consecration in Alcuin and Amalarius, Book 3 on the ecclesiastical offices, chapter 26, and in all later writers; wherefore the conjecture of Kemnitz is empty.
But these words contain nothing absurd, but rather agree most aptly with the conclusion of the Canon: for they commemorate most briefly all the divine benefits about this Sacrament, beginning from the first production of the matter of which it is confected. And so we say that by God through Christ this Sacrament, by reason of the matter, is first created, when namely the bread is created. Secondly sanctified, when it is dedicated by the first oblation to confecting the Sacrament. Thirdly vivified, when it is made a mystery of life, and is converted into the true body of the Lord and into Christ Himself, who is our life, through the consecration. Fourthly blessed, when it receives the effect of every blessing, namely that by its sacramental efficacy it may unite the head with the members. Fifthly, finally, bestowed on us, when it is given to be received, that from it we may draw life. So Alcuin expounds this whole passage, and after him Hugh, Book 2 on the divine offices, chapter 36.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUT XXVI. De sexta oratione Canonis. Sexta oratio, qure et ultima est in canone proprie dicto, incipit ab illis verbis : « Nobis quoque peccatoribus», et extenditur usque ad « Per omnia ssecula saiculorum » ante Do¬ minicam orationem: concluditur enim totus Canon alta voce illis verbis: « Per omnia sa}- cula saiculorum », ut populus totum confir¬ met respondendo, «Arnen ». Quare feria vi. majoris hebdomadae, quia totus Canon, qui pertinet ad consecrationem omittitur, nulla harum sex orationum legitur, nec dicitur, «Per omnia sa}cula saeculorum » , sed imme¬ diate post lotionem manuum, fit transitus ad orationem Dominicam. In hac oratione pro se ipso orat sacerdos, aede suis meritis diffisus, precatur sibi ex divina misericordia partem, et societatem cum sanctis Apostolis, et Martyribus. Ubi il¬ lud est annotandum, hic nominari primo lo¬ co Joannem. Secundo Stephanum. Tertio Matthiam : de quibus multi dubitant cur so¬ lus Joannes hic repetatur ex iis, qui nominan¬ tur ante consecrationem; et cur Stephanus Diaconus preeponatur Matthiee Apostolo, et cur Matthias in priore ordine non fuerit no¬ minatus. Et quidem Innocentius, et quidam alii, respondent Joannem bis nominari, quia fuit Apostolus, et virgo ; et ideo etiam con¬ jungi cum Stephano, qui excellere visus est continentia} dono, cum viduis pra}positus fue¬ rit. Sed verior mihi videtur Walfridi senten¬ tia, cap. 22. qui Joannem, qui hoc loco no¬ minatur, non Evangelistam, sed Baptistam esse dicit, qui Martyr etiam Domini fuit, et aliquo modo Apostolus, juxta illud Joan. i. Fuit homo missus a Deo (1). Cur autem Stephanus Matthise pra}pona- tur, vera ratio est, quia servat hoc loco Ec¬ clesia ordinem passionis, non dignitatis : prius autem passus est Joannes, quam Ste¬ phanus, et prius Stephanus, quam Matthias. Cur vero Matthias ante consecrationem in Canone cum aliis apostolis non sit nominatus, existimo causam esse duplicem, tum ut esset etiam aliquis Apostolus ex duodecim in hoc secundo ordine, ac vere dici posset : «Cum tuis Apostolis, et Martyribus » ; tum etiam quia Matthias non fuit Apostolus ante passio¬ nem Domini, neque legitur in ordine Apo¬ stolorum in Evangeliis. Neque obstat, quod Paulus quoque non fuerit Apostolus ante passionem Domini, neque in Evangelio nomi¬ netur, et tamen in priori ordine recenseatur; nam id est Pauli privilegium, ut semper cum Petro conjungatur. Jam contra hanc orationem, est objectio prima Lutheri, qui reprehendit sacerdotem, quod non precetur hoc loco se admitti ad consortium Christi, quasi eo non indigeat ; sed tantum ad consortium Sanctorum : et rursus, quod solum petat partem cum San- (1 ) Joan. 1, 6. CAPUT XXVII. 431 ctis. cum Christus non partem, sed totum the¬ saurum suum clare paratus sit. Respondeo : Mera; calumniae sunt. Nam consortium Sanctorum est Christi consortium id enim petimus, ut in regno Christi consor¬ tium Sanctorum habeamus, non in regno dia¬ boli consortium impiorum. Quod attinet ad vocem, «Partem», ea desumpta est ex divi¬ nis litteris, qua; per partem cum Sanctis de¬ scribunt omne bonum et felicitatem. Coloss. i. Qui dignos nos fecit in partem sortis San¬ ctorum. Et Joan. xiii. 8. Dominus : Sinon la¬ cero te , non habebis partem mecam (1). Adde, quod hanc partem orationis, quam Lutherus ita reprehendit, ac ridet, e contrario Kemni- tius vehementer laudat, pag. 843. «In altera, inquit, commemoratione Sanctorum in Ca¬ none verba sunt pulcherrima. Nobis quoque peccatoribus famulis tuis, etc., haec absque dubio fuit formula veteris commemorationis Sanctorum. » Haec ille. Vides igitur, Lector, quam bene conveniat discipulo Lutheri cum magistro suo. Secunda objectio est Lutheri contra illud: «Per quem omnia semper bona creas » : Ob¬ jicit enim quod Christum nos creare existime¬ mus. Huc etiam pertinet objectio decima ter¬ tia Kemnitii, qui more suo contendit, haec olim ante consecrationem dici consuevisse ad eleemosynas populi commendandas. Respondeo : Haec verba nusquam inveniun¬ tur in Liturgiis, vel apud expositores, ante consecrationem posita : inveniuntur autem post consecrationem apud Alcuinum, et Ama- larium lib. 3. de officiis Ecclesiasticis, cap. 26. et apud omnes posteriores; quocirca ina¬ nis est Kemnitii conjectura. Nihil autem absurdi haec verba continent, sed potius aptissime conveniunt in Canonis conclusionem : commemorant enim brevis¬ sime omnia beneficia divina circa hoc Sacra¬ mentum, inchoando a prima productione materiae, unde illud conficitur. Itaque dici¬ mus a Deo per Christum hoc Sacramentum ratione materiae. Primo creari, cum panis vi¬ delicet creatur. Secundo sanctificari, cum dedicatur per primam oblationem ad Sacra¬ mentum conficiendum. Tertio vivificari, cum efficitur mysterium vitae, et in verum corpus Domini, et in ipsum Christum, qui est vita nostra, convertitur per consecrationem. Quar¬ to benedici , cum omnis benedictionis effe¬ ctum recipit, ut scilicet Sacramentali effica¬ cia caput cum membris uniat. Quinto deni¬ que, nobis praestari, cum ad sumendum, ut ex eo vitam hauriamus, datur. Ita Alcuinus totum hunc locum exponit, et post eum Hu- go lib. 2. de officiis divinis, cap. 36.