Food From Heaven

Revera mirabile est quod manna Deus pluerit patribus et quotidiano coeli pascebantur alimento. Unde dictum est: Panem angelorum manducavit homo . Sed tamen panem illum qui manducaverunt, omnes in deserto mortui sunt: ista autem esca quam accipis, iste panis vivus qui descendit de coelo, vitae aeternae substantiam subministrat; et quicumque hunc manducaverit, non morietur in aeternum: et est corpus Christi. Considera nunc utrum praestantior sit panis angelorum, an caro Christi, quae utique corpus est vitae. Manna illud e coelo, hoc supra coelum; illud coeli, hoc Domini coelorum: illud corruptioni obnoxium, si in diem alterum servaretur; hoc alienum ab omni corruptione, quod quicumque religiose gustaverit, corruptionem sentire non poterit. Illis aqua de petra fluxit, tibi sanguis e Christo: illos ad horam satiavit aqua, te sanguis diluit in aeternum. Judaeus bibit, et sitit: tu cum biberis, sitire non poteris: et illud in umbra, hoc in veritate. Si illud quod miraris, umbra est; quantum istud est, cujus et umbram miraris! Audi quia umbra est quae apud patres facta est: Bibebant, inquit, de consequenti eos petra: petra autem erat Christus. Sed non in pluribus eorum complacitum est Deo; nam prostrati sunt in deserto. Haec autem in figura facta sunt nostra. Cognovisti praestantiora; potior est enim lux quam umbra, veritas quam figura, corpus auctoris quam manna de coelo. Sanctus Ambrosius Mediolanensis, De Mysteriis, Caput VIII Source: Migne PL 16.404c-405b

Truly it is wondrous that God rained manna on the fathers, and daily fed them food from heaven. Whence it is said: 'Man ate the bread of angels.' 1 And yet all those who ate that food died in the wilderness, but this food which you receive, that living Bread which came down from heaven, 2 furnishes the substance of eternal life, and whoever shall eat of this Bread shall never die, and it is the body of Christ. Now consider whether the bread of angels be more excellent or the Flesh of Christ, which is indeed the body of life. That manna came from heaven, the latter is above the heavens; that was of heaven, the latter of the Lord of the heavens; that was liable to corruption, if kept for another day, the latter knows no corruption, for whoever shall taste it in piety shall not be able to know corruption. For them water flowed from the rock, 3 for you blood flowed from Christ; 4 water satisfied them for a time, the blood washes you for eternity. The Jew drinks and thirsts again, you will not be able to thirst after drinking; that was in a shadow, this is in truth. If that which you wonder at is but a shadow, how great must be that whose shadow you wonder at. Hear that what happened with the fathers was a shadow, it is said: 'They drank of that rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ. But with many of them God was not pleased, for they were cast down in the wilderness. And these things were done as a figure concerning us.' 5 You know what is more excellent, that light is better than shadow, truth than a figure, the body of its Giver than manna from heaven. Saint Ambrose, On The Mysteries, Chap 8 1 Ps 78.25 2 Jn 6.51 3 Exod 17.6 4 Jn 6.55 5 1 Cor 10.4-5