Hymns extracted from the Office of Corpus Christi¹

Sing, My Tongue

Hymn from Vespers[translated by Rev. Edward Caswell (1814–1878)]

Sing, my tongue, the savior’s glory,of his flesh the mystery sing;of the blood, all price exceeding,shed by our immortal king,destined, for the world’s redemption,from a noble womb to spring.

Of a pure and spotless Virginborn for us on earth below,he, as man, with man conversing,stayed, the seeds of truth to sow;then he closed in solemn orderwondrously his life of woe.

On the night of that last supper,seated with his chosen band,he the pascal victim eating,first fulfills the law’s command;then as food to his apostlesgives himself with his own hand.

Word made flesh, the bread of natureby his word to flesh he turns;wine into his blood he changes;what though sense no change discerns?only be the heart in earnest,faith her lesson quickly learns.

Down in adoration falling,lo! the sacred host we hail;lo! o’er ancient forms departing,newer rites of grace prevail;faith for all defects supplying,where the feeble senses fail.

To the everlasting Father,and the Son who reigns on high,with the Holy Ghost proceedingforth from each eternally,be salvation, honor, blessing,might and endless majesty. Amen.

Let This Our Solemn Feast

Hymn from Matins[translated by John David Chambers (1805–1893)]

Let this our solemn feastwith holy joys be crowned;and from each loving breastthe voice of gladness sound;let ancient things depart,and all be new around,in every act and voice and heart.

Remember we that eve,that Supper last and dread,when Christ, as we believe,the lamb and leavenless breadunto his brethren brought,and thus the law obeyed,of old time to the fathers taught.

But when the law’s repastwas o’er, the type complete,to his disciples lastthe Lord his flesh to eat,the whole to all, no lessthe whole to each, doth mete,with his own hand as we confess.

He gave the weak and frail,his body for their food;the sad for their regale,the chalice of his blood;and said, Take ye of this,my cup with life imbued,o drink ye all this draught of bliss.

That sacrifice so heto institute did will,and by a sure decreethat office to fulfill,to priests alone confide,to whom pertaineth stillto take, and to the rest divide.

Lo! angels’ bread is madethe bread of mortal man;shows forth this heavenly breadthe end which types began;o wondrous boon indeed!upon his Lord now cana poor and humble servant feed!

Thee, deity triuneyet one! we meekly prayo visit us right soon,as we our homage pay;and in thy footsteps bright,conduct us on our way,to where thou dwell’st in cloudless light! Amen.

The Heavenly Word Proceeding Forth

Hymn from Lauds[translated by John Mason Neale (1818–1866)]

The heavenly Word proceeding forth,yet leaving not the Father’s side,and going to his work on earth,had reached at length life’s eventide.

By false disciple to be givento foemen for his life athirst,himself, the living bread from heaven,he gave to his disciples first.

In twofold form of sacrament,he gave his flesh, he gave his blood,that man, of soul and body blent,might wholly feed on mystic food.

By birth man’s fellow-man was he,his meat while sitting at the board;he died, our ransomer to be,he reigns to be our great reward.

O saving Victim, opening widethe gate of heaven to man below;our foes press hard on every side,thine aid supply, thy strength bestow.

All praise and thanks to thee ascendfor evermore, blest one in three;O grant us life that shall not end,in our true native land with thee. Amen.

Praise, O Zion

Sequence from the Mass[translated by St. Robert Southwell, sj (1561–1595)]

Praise, O Zion! Praise thy Savior,praise thy captain and thy pastor,with hymns and solemn harmony.

What power affords perform indeed;his worths all praises far exceed,no praise can reach his dignity.

A special theme of praise is read,a living and life-giving bread,is on this day exhibited;

Which in the supper of our Lord,to twelve disciples at his boardnone doubts was delivered.

Let our praise be loud and free,full of joy and decent glee,with minds’ and voices’ melody;

For now solemnize we that day,which doth with joy to us displaythe prince of this mystery.

At this board of our new ruler,of new law, new paschal orderthe ancient rite abolisheth;

Old decrees be new annuled,shadows are in truths fulfilled,day former darkness finisheth.

That at supper Christ performed,to be done he straitly chargedfor his eternal memory.

Guided by his sacred orders,bread and wine upon our altarsto saving host we sanctify.

Christians are by faith assuredthat to flesh the bread is changed,the wine to blood most precious:

That no wit nor sense conceiveth,firm and grounded faith believeth,in strange effects not curious.

Under kinds two in appearance,two in show but one in substance,lie things beyond comparison;

Flesh is meat, blood drink most heavenly,yet is Christ in each kind wholly,most free from all division.

None that consumeth doth rend him,none that takes him doth divide him,received he whole persevereth.

Be there one or thousands hosted,one as much as all receivedhe by no eating perisheth.

Both the good and bad receive him,but effects are diverse in them,true life or true destruction.

Life to the good, death to the wicked,mark how both alike receivedwith far unlike conclusion.

When the priest the host divideth,know that in each part abidethall that the whole host covered.

Form of bread, not Christ is broken,not of Christ, but of his token,is state or stature altered.

Angels’ Bread made pilgrims’ feedingtruly bread for children’s eating,to dogs not to be offered.

Signed by Isaac on the altar,by the lamb and paschal supper,and in the manna figured.

Jesu, food and feeder of us,here with mercy feed and friend us,then grant in heaven felicity!

Lord of all, whom here thou feedest,fellows, heirs, guests with thy dearest,make us in heavenly company! Amen.

Godhead Here in Hiding

Hymn (adapted from the prayer)[translated by Gerard Manley Hopkins, sj (1844–1889)]

Godhead here in hiding, whom I do adore,Masked by these bare shadows, shape and nothing more,See, Lord, at thy service low lies here a heart,Lost, all lost in wonder at the God thou art.

Seeing, touching, tasting are in thee deceived:How says trusty hearing? that shall be believed;What God’s Son has told me, take for truth I do;Truth himself speaks truly or there’s nothing true.

On the cross thy godhead made no sign to men,Here thy very manhood steals from human ken:Both are my confession, both are my belief,And I pray the prayer of the dying thief.

I am not like Thomas, wounds I cannot see,But can plainly call you Lord and God as he;Let me to a deeper faith daily nearer move,Daily make me harder hope and dearer love.

O thou our reminder of Christ crucified,Living bread, the life of us for whom he died,Lend this life to me then: feed and feast my mind,There be thou the sweetness man was meant to find.

Bring the tender tale true of the pelican;Bathe me, Jesu Lord, in what thy bosom ran –Blood whereof a single drop has power to winAll the world forgiveness of its world of sin.

Jesu, whom I look at shrouded here below,I beseech thee send me what I thirst for so,Some day to gaze on thee face to face in lightAnd be blest for ever with thy glory’s sight. Amen.

Each Man has Virtue

A sonnet said to be written by St. Thomas Aquinas¹

Each man has virtue to the extent that he has understanding;and he has worth in proportion to his virtue;and he possesses goodness to the extent that he aims for it,and to the extent that he takes a noble delight in honor.

And this noble delight, in so far as it has its effect,adorns the fine joy which surges in the heart;for such joy adorns to the extent that it shines forththrough likeness with its proper subject.

Whoever, then, wishes to see how much honorand perfect praise another person meritslet him consider to what desire the lover turns his heart.For, though everyone desires to be happy,this is especially true of the man who, for honor,works faithfully, his gaze fixed on that crown.