Page:Complete ascetical works of St Alphonsus v6.djvu/29

the body of Jesus Christ entirely; that is, the Church triumphant and the Church militant: in heaven, by the glorious union of Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Virgin, of the angels, of the saints with God, and among themselves in the bosom of God in which the sacrifice is perfect and eternal: on earth, by Holy Mass and Communion, in which all the faithful partake of the same victim under the Eucharistic veil. The body of the Redeemer, immolated on the Cross, had, therefore, to be transformed in a twofold manner; namely, by the resurrection, for the consummation of the sacrifice in heavenly glory; by the Eucharist, for the consummation of the sacrifice in earthly combats. This twofold consummation of the true sacrifice was typified in the ceremonies of the Old Law: the burning of the victim represented heavenly Communion, and the eating of it represented earthly Communion. But in heaven, as in Holy Mass, we have not only consummation, but we have all the parts of the Sacrifice of the Cross and of the sacrifices of the Old Law. Hence, three kinds of sacrifices, or three degrees, are to be distinguished. In the Old Law there were figures without the reality; in the New Law we have the reality under the figures or appearances; in glory we have the reality exposed and unveiled. Such is, briefly, the thought of Père De Condren, wisely developed by him who published it. Such is, also, without doubt, the thought of St. Alphonsus; for otherwise we should not understand what he says on page 22, where he explains the text taken from Daniel.—Ed.