Dist. 12, Part 2, Art. 1, Q. 3
by St. Bonaventure
Source text: Public Domain Mark 1.0. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://bonaventure.wrootpress.com/browse/4/d/12/q/bon-sent-IV-d12-p2-a1-q3
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### Question III. *What is the efficacy of this Sacrament.*

Thirdly it is asked what is the efficacy of this Sacrament. And the Master says that it is the remission of venial sins and the augmentation of the virtues. And that it is so, it seems.

1. Innocent: "The Eucharist frees from evil and preserves in good, blots out venial [sins] and guards against mortal [ones]." "By the power of this Sacrament also all the virtues are increased, and the fruits of all graces abound."

2. Likewise, *by reason* it seems so: because this is said to be the Sacrament of union; either therefore because it unites anew, or because it unites more. Not because it unites anew: therefore because it unites more; but if it unites more: therefore it increases the virtues.

3. Likewise, if it unites more, then that which [unites] less is repugnant to it; but this is venial [sin], because Augustine [says]: "He loves you less who loves anything together with you," and this is said of the venial: therefore, etc.

4. Likewise, "the flesh of Christ is like a burning coal"; but it belongs to a burning coal to drive away cold and to intensify heat: therefore this Sacrament represses the cold motions of fault and intensifies the living motions of grace: therefore it blots out and augments.

5. Likewise, this Sacrament is offered daily: therefore, if it is not in vain, it gives therefore something of which we have daily need; but that of which we have daily need is liberation from venial evil and advance in good, because charity either falls away or advances: therefore, etc.

**On the contrary:** 1. Of one Sacrament there ought to be one principal effect: therefore it is not [ordered] to these two aforesaid effects.

Likewise, that it is not [ordered] to the remission of venial [sins], is shown on the contrary:

2. First: because he who approaches this Sacrament either approaches contrite or not. If contrite: then the fault has been remitted to him; if not contrite: then the fault remains: therefore the Eucharist has no effect upon venial [sins]. If you say that contrition is not always sufficient; granted that it be so great that it suffices, then this Sacrament will have no effect, and yet he is better disposed.

3. Likewise, if the effect of this Sacrament is the blotting out of venial [sins]: then he who sins venially nullifies its effect, just as he who sins mortally nullifies the effect of baptism; but a man is necessarily bound to sin venially, therefore [he is bound] also to nullify this Sacrament: therefore it ought never to be received, because no one ought ever to offer insult to this Sacrament.

Likewise, that the augmentation of the virtues is not the effect of this Sacrament, it seems:

4. Because, if this [were so], then someone who receives this Sacrament daily would very quickly become perfect; but we see this to be false: therefore, etc.

5. Likewise, the augmentation of the virtues is the effect of baptism and confirmation, as the Master said above, and likewise the remission of venial [sins]: therefore not of this Sacrament.

> **Conclusion.** The efficacy of this Sacrament is to unite the already-united more closely in a threefold way.

**Respondeo:** It must be said that, since this Sacrament is [a Sacrament] of union, its first effect is either to unite or to unite more; but not to unite anew, as was shown above, but to unite more those already united. Now to unite more is [done] in three ways: either because someone is united by a greater bond, as he is united more who has greater charity; or because he is united by the same bond more closely, as he who according to the same habit loves more fervently; or because [he is united] by the same [bond] more firmly, as he who is more rooted in the same habit. — This Sacrament is therefore said to unite more because it renders the one who worthily approaches more fervent, like a burning coal; and again, it renders him stronger, like good food. And from this, that it renders charity more enkindled, it helps toward the consuming of the rust of venial sin; from this, that it strengthens more, it helps toward the avoiding of all crimes; and by reason of both it avails toward the augmentation of the virtues, and especially of charity, which is the bond, not as regards essence, but as regards fervor or rootedness. For fervor is daily diminished through venial [sins], and [so is] rootedness; therefore it is necessary that what is lost be restored through this food. — From these things the objections are clear. For the reasons [adduced] for the first part are to be granted.

1. As to what is objected, that of one Sacrament there is one effect; it must be said that this is true [of] the first [effect]; and that is to unite more, and through it [the Sacrament] has these two as consequents.

2. To that which is objected, that venial [sins] are blotted out in contrition; it must be said that this is not the first effect, but comes about as a consequence, when a man has need; as for instance when the fervor of charity is not of itself so intense as to blot out venial sins, the divine coal is joined [to it], by which it is invigorated, and once invigorated it blots out the venial [sins]; nevertheless, even if he has no venial [sins], the fervor of charity is invigorated.

3. To the other it must be said that the effect of this Sacrament is not nullified by any venial [sin]: because the venial does not take away grace, as the mortal takes [it] away; and it is possible for one venial [sin] to be remitted while another is not remitted. Hence the venial neither nullifies antecedently by producing pretense, nor consequently by emptying out the fruit; nor is it necessary that other venial [sins] be blotted out, but according as a man better disposes himself, charity is invigorated against them; whence there is more and less in different [persons].

4. To that which is objected concerning augmentation, it must be said that the augmentation is understood as regards fervor, not as regards essence. And as regards fervor not all advance in this way, on account of the many venial [sins] which they commit, which diminish it.

5. The last is manifest, because neither of these is the first and proper effect of this Sacrament, but [rather] to unite more, as has been seen.