and his blood in those things which, from a multitude, are reduced to unity, since the bread is one single reality made of many grains; while the wine is one single drink made of many grapes."91 From a multitude, the Eucharist brings forth a single reality.92 Under the second aspect of the Eucharist, the "sign and reality" (res et sacramentum), one also finds the production of concord. The Eucharist makes the Church, since "by this sacrament the members of the Church are united to their head."93 It is by Eucharistic realism that one has ecclesial peace. In the third level of the sacrament, the "reality" (res tantum), one finds the reality of ecclesial peace and unity in full relief. Since one enters into true communion with Christ, believers are "mutually united by [him]."94 The ultimate effect of the Eucharist is the mutual union of the members of Christ with one another. In short, the Eucharist is called the sacrament of unity and of peace.95 The Eucharist brings about a union of wills around the highest good, the very notion of true concord.96

Although it should not be thought of as a different effect from the communal (since both are caused and lived by charity), the Eucharist as sacrament also causes interior peace by communicating to the recipient a participation in the very peace of Christ and ultimately of God himself.97 According to Aquinas, not only was Christ's time the time of greatest peace, did he come to restore peace, and is peace found in his coming, but Christ is also the way of peace and a share

91 ST III, q. 79, a. 1.92 ST III, q. 73, a. 3, corp.93 In IV sent. d. 8, q. 1, a. 3, qc. 1, sc 1.94 ST III q. 73, a. 4, corp.95 Garrigou-Lagrange concurs and claims that, according to Aquinas, the Eucharist causes peace by uniting all Christians in the profession of one faith. In other words, the Eucharist is like supernatural wisdom and teaches the proper ordo of life, an order necessary for true peace. Likewise, it unites the hearts of all the faithful by strengthening charity, which is the very bond of the Church. Furthermore, all the members of the Christian family are united in the Eucharist in common worship. The diverse classes are united as well as the diverse peoples. All this can only be accomplished by causing charity; see Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, De Eucharistia: Accedunt de Pænitentia Quaestiones Dogmatica: Commentarius in Summam Theologicam S. Thomæ (Turin, IT: R. Berruti, 1943).96 The citations in this footnote are taken from Emery, "The Ecclesial Fruit of the Eucharist," 161n27. ST III q. 67, a. 2; q. 73, a. 2, s.c .; q. 73, a. 4; q. 80, a. 5, ad 2; q. 82, a. 2, arg. 3 and ad 3; q. 83, a. 4, corp. and ad 3.97 In de divinis nominibus, ch. 11, lec. 1.

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Alimentum Pacis: The Eucharist and Peace in St. Thomas Aquinas

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