The faith of our fathers - Carmel Apologetics

"THE HOLY EUCHARIST. 335figurative meaning. Now, in the present instance,far from being forced to employ the words abovequoted in a figurative sense, every circumstance connected with the delivery of them obliges us to interpret them in their plain and literal acceptation.To whom did our Saviour address these words?At what time and under what circumstances did Hespeak He ? was addressing His few chosen disciples,to whom He promised to speak in future, not inparables nor in obscure language, but in the wordsof simple truth. He uttered these words the nightbefore His Passion. And when will a person useplainer speech than at the point of death ?These words :This isMy body ; this isMyblood," embodied a new dogma of faith which allwere obliged to believe, and a new law which allwere obliged to practise. They were the last willand testament of our blessed Saviour. What language should be plainer than that which contains anarticle of faith ? What words should be more freefrom tropes and figures than those which enforce adivine law? But, above all, where will you findany words more plain and unvarnished than thosecontained in a last will ?Now, if we understand these words in their plainand obvious, that is, in their Catholic, sense, no language can be more simple and intelligible.But ifwe depart from the Catholic interpretation, then it iaimpossible to attach to them any reasonable meaning.