The Mass of Corpus Christi features the beautiful Sequence, Lauda Sion Salvatorem, just after the Gradual and Alleluia chants. This Eucharistic hymn of praise is a befitting doctrinal tribute to the great mystery of the Sacrament of Sacraments instituted during by Our Lord.
The opening words (used as a title of the sequence composed by St. Thomas Aquinas, about the year 1264, for the Mass of Corpus Christi. That the sequence was written for the Mass is evidenced by the sixth stanza:
Dies enim solemnis agitur
In qua mensae prima recolitur
Hujus institutio.
("for on this solemn day is again celebrated the first institution of the Supper").
Lauda, Sion, Salvatorem,
Lauda ducem et pastorem
In hymnis et canticis.
Quantum poses, tantum aude:
Quia major omni laude
Nec laudare sufficis.
Praise, O Sion, thy Savior,
praise thy Leader and thy Shepherd
in hymns and canticles.
As much as thou canst, so much darest thou,
for He is above all praise,
nor art thou able to praise Him enough.
Laudis thema specialis,
Panis vivus et vitalis Hodie proponitur;
Quem in sacrae mensa coenae
Turbae fratrum duodenae
Datum non ambigitur.
Today there is given us a special theme of praise,
the Bread both living and life-giving,
which, it is not to be doubted,
was given to the assembly of the brethren,
twelve in number, at the table of the holy Supper.
Sit laus plena, sit sonora,
Sit iucunda, sit decora
Mentis iubilatio.
Dies enim solemnis agitur,
In qua mensae prima
recolitur Huius institutio.
Let our praise be full and sounding;
let the jubilations of the soul
be joyous and becoming;
for that solemn day is now being celebrated,
on which is commemorated the
first institution of this table.
In hac mensa novi Regis Novum
Pascha novae legis
Phase vetus terminat.
Vetustatem novitas,
Umbram fugat veritas,
Noctem lux eliminat.
At this table of the new King,
the new Pasch of the New Law
puts an end to the ancient Pasch.
The new supplants the old,
truth puts to flight the shadow,
day banishes night.
Quod in coena Christus gessit,
Faciendum hoc expressit
In sui memoriam
Docti sacris institutis,
Panem, vinum in salutis
Consecramus hostiam.
What Christ did at that Supper,
the same He commanded
to be done in remembrance of Him.
Taught by His sacred precepts,
we consecrate bread and wine
into the Victim of salvation.
Dogma datur Christianis,
Quod in carnem transit panis
Et vinum in sanguinem.
Quod non capis, quod non vides,
Animosa firmat fides
Praeter rerum ordinem.
This is the dogma given to Christians,
that bread is changed into Flesh
and wine into Blood.
What thou dost not understand,
what thou dost not see, a lively faith confirms
in a supernatural manner.
Sub diversis speciebus,
Signis tantum, et non rebus,
Latent res eximiae:
Caro cibus, sanguis potus;
Manet tamen Christus totus
Sub utraque specie.
Under different species in externals
signs only, and not in reality,
wondrous substances lie hidden.
Flesh is food, Blood is drink:
nevertheless Christ remains entire
under each species.
A sumente non concisus,
Non confractus, non divisus
Integer accipitur.
Sumit unus, sumunt mille;
Quantum isti, tantum ille:
Nec sumptus consumitur.
By the recipient the whole is received;
He is neither cut, broken, nor divided.
One receives Him; a thousand receive Him:
as much as the thousand receive,
so much does the one receive;
though eaten He is not diminished.
Sumunt boni, sumunt mali:
Sorte tamen inaequali,
Vitae vel interitus.
Mors est malis, vita bonis:
Vide, paris sumptionis
Quam sit dispar exitus.
The good receive Him, the bad receive Him,
but with what unequal consequences
of life or death.
It is death to the unworthy, life to the worthy:
behold then of a like reception,
how unlike may be the result!
Fracto demum Sacramento,
Ne vacilles, sed memento,
Tantam esse sub fragmento,
Quantum toto tegitur.
Nulla rei fit scissura,
Signi tantum fit fractura,
Qua nec status nec statura
Signati minuitur.
When the Sacrament is broken,
doubt not, but remember,
that there is just as much hidden in a fragment,
as there is in the whole.
There is no division of the substance,
only a breaking of the species takes place,
by which neither the state nor stature
of the substance signified is diminished.
Ecce panis Angelorum,
Factus cibus viatorum,
Vere panis filiorum,
Non mittendus canibus.
In figuris praesignatur,
Cum Isaac immolatur;
Agnus Paschae deputatur,
Datur manna patribus.
Lo, the Bread of Angels
is made the food of earthly
pilgrims: truly it is the Bread of children,
let it not be cast to dogs.
It was prefigured in types,
—when Isaac was immolated,
when the Paschal Lamb was sacrificed,
when Manna was given to the fathers.
Bone Pastor, panis vere,
Jesu, nostri miserere,
Tu nos pasce, nos tuere,
Tu nos bona fac videre,
In terra viventium.
Tu, qui cuncta scis et vales,
Qui nos pascis hic mortales,
Tuos ibi commensales,
Cohaeredes et sodales,
Fac sanctorum civium. Amen.
O Good Shepherd, True Bread,
O Jesus, have mercy
on us: feed us and protect us:
make us see good things in
the land of the living.
Thou who knowest all things
and canst do all things,
who here feedest us mortals,
make us there be Thy guests, the co-heirs,
and companions of the heavenly citizens. Amen.
For on this solemn day is again celebrated the first institution of the Supper.
No other day. THIS DAY!
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