SECUENCIA DE CORPUS POR STO TOMAS DE AQUINO

 

Sequentia Thomæ de Aquino. infra octavam ad libitum Celebrantis omitti potest, iuxta Rubricas. Lauda, Sion, Salvatórem, lauda ducem et pastórem in hymnis et cánticis. Quantum potes, tantum aude: quia maior omni laude, nec laudáre súfficis. Laudis thema speciális, panis vivus et vitális hódie propónitur. Quem in sacræ mensa cenæ turbæ fratrum duodénæ datum non ambígitur. Sit laus plena, sit sonóra, sit iucúnda, sit decóra mentis iubilátio. Dies enim sollémnis agitur, in qua mensæ prima recólitur huius 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, animosa fírmat fides, præter rerum órdinem. 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: ínteger 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 meménto, 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, Iesu, 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, coherédes et sodáles fac sanctórum cívium. Amen. Allelúia.

11 Gradual Ps. 144:15-16. The eyes of all look hopefully to You, O Lord; and You give them their food in due season. V. You open Your hand; and satisfy the desire of every living thing. Alleluia, alleluia. John 6:56-57 V. My Flesh is food indeed, and My Blood is drink indeed. He who eats My Flesh, and drinks My Blood, abides in Me and I in him. Sequentia O Sion, thy Redeemer praising, Songs of joy to Him upraising, Laud thy Pastor and thy Guide: Swell thy notes most high and daring; For His praise is past declaring, And thy loftiest powers beside. ‘Tis a theme with praise that gloweth, For the bread that life bestoweth Goes this day before us out; Which, His holy supper taking, To the brethren twelve His breaking None hath ever called in doubt. Full, then, be our praise and sounding, Modest and with joy abounding Be our mind’s triumphant state; For the festal’s prosecution, When the first blest institution Of this feast we celebrate. In the new King’s new libation, In the new law’s new oblation, Ends the ancient Paschal rite; Ancient forms new substance chaseth, Typic shadows truth displaceth, Day dispels the gloom of night. When He did at supper seated, Christ enjoined to be repeated, When His love we celebrate: Thus obeying His dictation, Blood and wine of our salvation, We the victim consecrate. ‘Tis for Christian faith asserted, Bread is into flesh converted, Into blood the holy wine: Sight and intellect transcending, Nature’s laws to marvel bending, ‘Tis confirmed by faith divine. Under either kind remaining, Form, not substance, still retaining, Wondrous things our spirit sees: Flesh and blood thy palate staining, Yet still Christ entire remaining, Under either species. All untorn for eating given, Undivided and unriven, Whole He’s taken and unrent; Be there one, or crowds surrounding, He is equally abounding, Nor, though eaten, ever spent. Both to good and bad ‘tis broken, But on each a different token or of life, or death attends: Life to good, to bad damnation; Lo, of one same manducation How dissimilar the ends. When the priest the victim breaketh, See thy faith in no wise shaketh, Know that every fragment taketh All that ‘neath the whole there lies: This in Him no fracture maketh, ‘Tis the figure only breaketh, Form, or state, no change there taketh Place in what it signifies. Bread, that angels eat in heaven, Now becomes the pilgrim’s leaven, Bread in truth to children given, That must ne’er to dogs be thrown. He, in ancient types disguised, Was the Isaac sacrificed, For the feast a lamb devised, Manna to the Fathers shown. Bread, whose shepherd-care doth tend us, Jesu Christ, Thy mercy send us, Do Thou feed us, Thou defend us, Lead us where true joys attend us, In the land where life is given: Thou all ken and might possessing, Mercies aye to us largessing, Make us share Thy cup of blessing, Heritage and love’s caressing With the denizens of heaven. Amen. Alleluia.