Whether one or thousands eat,
All receive the self-same meat,
Nor the less for others leave.
"Sumunt boni, sumunt mali,
Sorte tamen inaequali
Vitae vel interitus.
Mors est malis, vita bonis:
Vide, paris sumptionis
Quam sit dispar exitus."
Both the wicked and the good
Eat of this celestial Food;
But with ends how opposite!
Here ’tis life, and there tis death;
The same yet issuing to each
In a difference infinite."
See the Thes. Hymnol. of Daniel, II. 97–100, who calls St. Thomas "summus laudator
venerabilis sacramenti," and quotes the interesting, but opposite judgments of Möhler and Luther.
The translation is by Edward Caswall (Hymns and Poems, 2nd ed., 1873, and previously in Lyra
Catholica, Lond., 1849, p. 238). The translation of the last two stanzas is not as felicitous as that
of the other two. The following version preserves the double rhyme of the original:
"Eaten, but without incision,"
"Here alike the good and evil,
Broken, but without division,
High and low in social level,
Each the whole of Christ receives:
Take the Feast for woe or weal:
Thousands take what each is taking,
Wonder! from the self-same eating,
Each one breaks what all are breaking,
Good and bad their bliss are meeting
None a lessened body leaves.
Or their doom herein they seal."
- The doctrine of transubstantiation has always been regarded by Protestants as one of the
fundamental errors and grossest superstitions of Romanism. But we must not forget the underlying
truth which gives tenacity to error. A doctrine cannot be wholly false, which has been believed for
centuries not only by the Greek and Latin churches alike, but as regards the chief point, namely,
the real presence of the very body and blood of Christ—also by the Lutheran and a considerable
portion of the Anglican communions, and which still nourishes the piety of innumerable guests at
the Lord’s table. The mysterious discourse of our Saviour in the synagogue of Capernaum after the
miraculous feeding of the multitude, expresses the great truth which is materialized and carnalized
in transubstantiation. Christ is in the deepest spiritual sense the bread of life from heaven which
gives nourishment to believers, and in the holy communion we receive the actual benefit of his
broken body and shed blood, which are truly present in their power; for his sacrifice, though offered
but once, is of perpetual force to all who accept it in faith. The literal miracle of the feeding of the