Sunday, 6/7/15
Today is the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ. Back in
1240 St. Thomas Aquinas wrote a number of Latin hymns for this feast. Into the
best known of them, Pange Lingua, he fitted his best thoughts about the
Eucharist. Most flowery English translations of the hymn change it. Let me try
giving you a literal translation.
Sing my tongue of the mystery
Of the glorious body
And the precious blood
That the King, and the fruit
Of a generous womb poured out
For the ransom of our world.
Given for us and born
From the untouched Virgin,;
By speaking forth in our world
He seeded it with words,
And at the end of his sojourn,
He marvelously finished all.
At dinner the last night,
Reclining with the brethren,
Having observed the rules
For diet and the rituals,
He gave from his own hands
Food for the crowd of twelve.
The Word made flesh with a word
True bread transformed into flesh.
And wine into the blood of Christ.
And if your senses fail here
For strengthening a sincere heart
Faith alone must suffice.
Such a sacrament, therefore
We venerate with faces turned down.
As the older ways of doing
To the newer rites give way;
With faith supplying
For when all our senses fail.
To Generator and the one Generated
Let there be praise and jubilation,
While health and virtue
Along with blessings
From them are proceeding,
To both of them be one praise.
Amen, Allelua.
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