Communion, a Medicine for the Possessed

If we had this knowledge, or rather faith, which I spoke of above, that is, to believe that all things are brought about by God and ordered for the good of our souls, we would not only never despise them, but would rather pray for them without ceasing as our own members, and suffer with them with all our hearts and the fullest affection. For “when one member suffers, all the members suffer with it.” We know that we cannot possibly be made perfect without them, since they are members of us, just as we read that those who went before us could not reach the fullness of the promise without us. For the apostle speaks of them like this: “And all these, approved by the witness of faith, did not receive the promise, since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us.” [a]

But we never remember holy communion being forbidden them. On the contrary, they thought that, if it were possible, it ought to be given to them every day. Nor, according to the words of the gospel which you apply so unfittingly in this sense, “Do not give what is holy to dogs,” ought we to believe that holy communion becomes food for the demon, and not a purification and safeguard of body and soul. For when a man receives it, it burns out, so to speak, and puts to flight the spirit that has its seat in his members or is trying to lurk in them. In this way we have lately seen Abbot Andronicus and many others cured. For the enemy will abuse the possessed man more and more if he sees him cut off from the heavenly medicine, and will tempt him more often and more fearfully the further he sees him removed from this spiritual remedy.