Feast of Corpus Christi

I've often mentioned how much I love the Easter Season. About five years ago, something clicked in my brain and the way the liturgical calendar is organized with all its feasts and fasts throughout the calendar year made sense (I must be very slow because it took me 5 yrs to get it). We've been praying for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in preparation of Pentecost and then to celebrate the Holy Trinity, I had no words. My heart overflows with gratitude for all the blessings, I simply fall to my knees in Adoration.

We sing about "owning the mystery" but every explanation is a poor approximation. I am very conscious of having a relationship with each Person of the Holy Trinity. God the Father feels distant to me, probably because my earthly father was largely absent from my life. Jesus, the second Person of the Trinity is my BEST Friend. It is truly through Him that I even have a relationship with Father-God (Jesus gave us the Our Father prayer and Pope Francis is messing with the translation...here's a very good article on why we should keep it just as it is. Thank you, Msgr. Pope. I'd love for him to be the Pope so that we could call him Pope Pope--and yes, I know I'm being very juvenile). The Holy Spirit is depicted as a dove but to me He is breath. I probably ask Him over a dozen times each day to come take His rightful place within my poor heart, bringing with Him all His gifts, Light and Love. I wish the new calendar wouldn't call it "ordinary" time but time after Pentecost. It preserves the relationship. 

 







Today is the Feast of Corpus Christi (the link has the fascinating story of how it came to be) and we'll celebrate it on Sunday with a High Mass. It's so nice to have all the music organized, thanks to Post-Its (link has the story of its serendipitous discovery). We'll sing Mass 1, Lux et Origo, composed in the 10th century. I feel such a connection to all those nameless monks from so long ago, and all the way back to the apostles. St. Thomas Aquinas composed many of the hymns for this Feast in the 12th century. I marvel at his poetry; it's packed with theology. Ex., this Sequence Lauda Sion Salvatorem. I'm picking up enough Latin that some verses give me pause--here's the translation copied from Wikipedia. 

Latin text

English translation

Lauda Sion Salvatórem Lauda ducem et pastórem In hymnis et cánticis. Quantum potes, tantum aude: Quia major omni laude, Nec laudáre súfficis. Laudis thema speciális, Panis vivus et vitális, Hódie propónitur. Quem in sacræ mensa cœnæ, Turbæ fratrum duodénæ Datum non ambígitur. Sit laus plena, sit sonóra, Sit jucúnda, sit decóra Mentis jubilátio. Dies enim solémnis ágitur, In qua mensæ prima recólitur Hujus institútio. In hac mensa novi Regis, Novum Pascha novæ legis, Phase vetus términat. Vetustátem nóvitas, Umbram fugat véritas, Noctem lux elíminat. Quod in cœna Christus gessit, Faciéndum hoc expréssit In sui memóriam. Docti sacris institútis, Panem, vinum, in salútis Consecrámus hóstiam. Dogma datur Christiánis, Quod in carnem transit panis, Et vinum in sánguinem. Quod non capis, quod non vides, Animósa firmat fides, Præter rerum ordinem. Sub divérsis speciébus, Signis tantum, et non rebus, Latent res exímiæ. Caro cibus, sanguis potus: Manet tamen Christus totus, Sub utráque spécie. A suménte non concísus, Non confráctus, non divísus: Integer accípitur. Sumit unus, sumunt mille: Quantum isti, tantum ille: Nec sumptus consúmitur. Sumunt boni, sumunt mali: Sorte tamen inæquáli, Vitæ vel intéritus. Mors est malis, vita bonis: Vide paris sumptiónis Quam sit dispar éxitus. Fracto demum Sacraménto, Ne vacílles, sed memento, Tantum esse sub fragménto, Quantum toto tégitur. Nulla rei fit scissúra: Signi tantum fit fractúra: Qua nec status nec statúra Signáti minúitur. Ecce panis Angelórum, Factus cibus viatórum: Vere panis filiórum, Non mitténdus cánibus. In figúris præsignátur, Cum Isaac immolátur: Agnus paschæ deputátur Datur manna pátribus. Bone pastor, panis vere, Jesu, nostri miserére: Tu nos pasce, nos tuére: Tu nos bona fac vidére In terra vivéntium. Tu, qui cuncta scis et vales: Qui nos pascis hic mortáles: Tuos ibi commensáles, Cohærédes et sodáles, Fac sanctórum cívium. Amen. Allelúja.

Sion, lift up thy voice and sing: Praise thy Savior and thy King, Praise with hymns thy shepherd true. All thou canst, do thou endeavour: Yet thy praise can equal never Such as merits thy great King. See today before us laid The living and life-giving Bread, Theme for praise and joy profound. The same which at the sacred board Was, by our incarnate Lord, Giv'n to His Apostles round. Let the praise be loud and high: Sweet and tranquil be the joy Felt today in every breast. On this festival divine Which records the origin Of the glorious Eucharist. On this table of the King, Our new Paschal offering Brings to end the olden rite. Here, for empty shadows fled, Is reality instead, Here, instead of darkness, light. His own act, at supper seated Christ ordain'd to be repeated In His memory divine; Wherefore now, with adoration, We, the host of our salvation, Consecrate from bread and wine. Hear, what holy Church maintaineth, That the bread its substance changeth Into Flesh, the wine to Blood. Doth it pass thy comprehending? Faith, the law of sight transcending Leaps to things not understood. Here beneath these signs are hidden Priceless things, to sense forbidden, Signs, not things, are all we see. Flesh from bread, and Blood from wine, Yet is Christ in either sign, All entire, confessed to be. They, who of Him here partake, Sever not, nor rend, nor break: But, entire, their Lord receive. Whether one or thousands eat: All receive the self-same meat: Nor the less for others leave. Both the wicked and the good Eat of this celestial Food: But with ends how opposite! Here 't is life: and there 't is death: The same, yet issuing to each In a difference infinite. Nor a single doubt retain, When they break the Host in twain, But that in each part remains What was in the whole before. Since the simple sign alone Suffers change in state or form: The signified remaining one And the same for evermore. Behold the Bread of Angels, For us pilgrims food, and token Of the promise by Christ spoken, Children's meat, to dogs denied. Shewn in Isaac's dedication, In the manna's preparation: In the Paschal immolation, In old types pre-signified. Jesu, shepherd of the sheep: Thou thy flock in safety keep, Living bread, thy life supply: Strengthen us, or else we die, Fill us with celestial grace. Thou, who feedest us below: Source of all we have or know: Grant that with Thy Saints above, Sitting at the feast of love, We may see Thee face to face. Amen. Alleluia.