THE REAL PRESENCE

CHRIST IN THE EUCHARIST

The Eucharistic Priest
Appendix (1)

HYMNS IN HONOR OF THE MOST BLESSED SACRAMENT

PANGE LINGUA (2)

Pange lingua gloriosi
Corporis mysterium,
Sanguinisque pretiosi,
Quem in mundi pretium
Fructus ventris generosi
Rex effudit Gentium.

Nobis datus,nobis natus
Ex intacta Virgine,
Et in mundo conversatus,
Sparso verbi semine,
Sui moras incolatus
Miro clausit ordine.

In supremae nocte coenae,
Recumbens cum fratribus
Observata lege plene
Cibis in legalibus,
Cibum turbae duodenae
Se dat suis manibus.

Te trina Deitas unaque poscimus,
Sic nos tu visita, sicut te colimus:
Per tuas semitas duc nos quo tendimus,
Ad lucem, quam inhabitas.
Amen.

Sin my tongue, the Saviour’s glory (3)
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 Virgin
Born for us on earth below,
He, as Man, with man conversing,
Stayed, the seeds of truth to sow;
Then He closed in solemn order
Wondrously His life of woe.

On the night of that Last Supper
Seated with His chosen band,
He, the Paschal victim eating,
First fulfills the Law’s command;
Then as Food to all His brethren
Gives Himself with His own hand.

O Triune Deity,
To Thee we meekly pray,
So mayst Thou visit us,
As we our homage pay;
And in Thy footsteps bright
Conduct us on our way
To where Thou dwell’st in cloudless light.
Amen.

VERBUM SUPERNUM (4)

Verbum supernum prodiens,
Nec Patris liquens dexteram,
Ad opus suum exiens,
Venit ad vitae vesperam.

In mortem a discipulo
Suis tradendus aemulis,
Prius in vitae ferculo
Se tradidit discipulis.

Quibus sub bina specie
Carnem dedit et sanguinem;
Ut duplicis substantiae
Totum cibaret hominem.

Se nascens dedit socium,
Convescens in edulium,
Se moriens in pretium,
Se regnans dat in praemium.

O salutaris hostia,
Quae coeli pandis ostium,
Bella premunt hostilia,
Da robur, fer auxilium.

Uni trinoque Domino,
Sit sempiterna gloria:
Qui vitam sine termino
Nobis donet in patria.
Amen.

The Heav’nly Word proceeding forth (5)
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 given
To foemen for His Blood athirst,
Himself, the Living Bread from Heaven,
He gave to His disciples first.

To them He gave, in two-fold kind,
His very Flesh, His very Blood:
In love’s own fulness thus designed
Of the whole man to be the food.

By birth, our fellow-man was He;
Our meat, while sitting at the board;
He died, our ransomer to be;
He ever reigns, our great reward.

O saving Victim opening wide
The gate of heaven to man below,
Our foes press on from every side,
Thine aid supply, Thy strength bestow.

To Thy great Name be endless praise,
Immortal Godhead, One in Three;
O grant us endless length of days
In our true native land, with Thee.
Amen.

ADORO TE DEVOTE (6)

Adoro te devote, latens Deitas,
Quae sub his figuris vere latitas:
Tibi se cor meum totum subjicit,
Quia te contemplans, totum deficit.

Visus, tactus, gustus in te fallitur,
Sed auditu solo tuto creditur.
Credo quidquid dixit Dei Fillus,
Nil hoc verbo veritatis verius.

In cruce latebat sola Deitas,
At hic latet simul et humanitas:
Ambo tamen credens, atque confitens,
Peto quod petivit latro paenitens.

Plagas, sicut Thomas, non intueor:
Deum tamen meum te confiteor.
Fac me tibi semper magis credere,
In te spem habere, te diligere.

O memoriale mortis Domini,
Panis vivus, vitam praestans homini,
Praesta meae menti de te vivere,
Et te illi emper dulce sapere.

Pie pellicane, Jesu Domine,
Me immundum munda tuo sanguine:
Cujus una stilla salvum facere
Totum mundum quit ab omni scelere.

Jesu, quem velatum nunc aspicio
Oro fiat illud quod tam sitio:
Ut te revelata cernens facie,
Visu sim beatus tuae gloriae.
Amen.

Hidden God, devoutly I adore Thee (7)
Truly present underneath these veils:
All my heart subdues itself before Thee,
Since it all before Thee faints and fails.

Not to sight, or taste, or touch be credit,
Hearing only do we trust secure;
I believe, for God the Son hath said it –
Word of Truth that ever shall endure.

On the Cross was veiled Thy Godhead’s splendor,
Here Thy Manhood lieth Hidden too;
Unto both alike my faith I render,
And, as sued the contrite thief, I sue.

Though I look not on Thy wounds with Thomas,
Thee, my Lord, and Thee, my God, I call:
Make me more and more believe Thy promise,
Hope in Thee, and love Thee over all.

O Memorial of my Saviour dying,
Living bread, that givest life to man;
May my soul, its life from Thee supplying,
Taste Thy sweetness, as on earth it can.

Deign, O Jesus, Pelican of heaven,
Me, a sinner, in Thy Blood to lave,
To a single drop of which is given
All the world from all its sin to save.

Contemplating, Lord, Thy hidden presence,
Grant me what I thirst for and implore,
In the revelation of Thine essence
To Behold Thy glory evermore.
Amen.

LAUDA SION (8)

Lauda Sion Salvatorem,
Lauda ducem et pastorem,
In hymnis et canticis.
Quantum potes, tantum aude:
Quia major omni laude,
Nec laudare sufficis.

Laudis thema specialis,
Panis vivus et vitalis
Hodie proponitur.
Quem in sacrae mensa coenae
Turbae fratrum duodenae
Datum non ambigitur.

Sit laus plena, sit sonora,
Sit jucunda, sit decora,
Mentis jubilatio.
Dies enim solemnis agitur,
In qua mensae prima recolitur
Hujus institutio.

In hac mensa novi Regis,
Novem Pascha novae legis,
Phase vetus terminat.
Vetustatem novitas,
Umbram fugat veritas,
Noctem lux eliminat.

Quod in coena Christus gessit,
Faciendum hoc expressit
In sui memoriam.
Docti sacris institutis,
Panim, vinum in salutis
Consecramus hostiam.

Dogma datur Christianis,
Quod in carem transit panis,
Et vinum in sanguinem.
Quod non capis, quod non vides,
Animosa firmat fides,
Praeter rerum ordinem.

Sub diversis speciebus,
Signis tantum, et non rebus,
Latent res eximiae.
Caro cibus, sanguis potus:
Manet tamen Christus totus,
Sub utraque specie.

A sumente non concisus,
Non confractus, non divisus:
Integer accipitur.
Sumit unus, sumunt mille:
Quantum isti, tantum ille:
Nec sumptus consumitur.

Sumunt boni, sumunt mali:
Sorte tamen inaequali,
Vitae, vel iteritus.
Mors est malis, vita bonis:
Vide paris sumptionis,
Quam sit dispar exitus.

Fracto demum Sacramento
Ne vacilles, sed memento,
Tantum esse sub fragmento,
Quantum toto tegitur.
Nulla rei fit scissura:
Signi tantum fit fractura:
Qua nec status, nec statura
Signati minuitur.

Ecce panis angelorum,
Factus cibus viatorum:
Vere panis filiorum,
Non mittendus canibus.
In figuris praesignatur,
Cum Issac immolatur:
Agnus Paschae deputatur:
Datur manna patribus.

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.

Praise, O Sion, praise thy Saviour (9)
Shepherd, Prince, with glad behavior,
Praise in hymn and canticle:
Sing His glory without measure,
For the merit of your Treasure
Never shall your praises fill.

Wondrous theme of mortal singing,
Living Bread and Bread life-bringing.
Sing we on this joyful day:
At the Lord’s own table given
To the twelve as Bread from Heaven,
Doubting not we firmly say.

Sing His praise with voice sonorous;
Every heart shall hear the chorus
Swell in melody sublime:
For this day the Shepherd gave us
Flesh and blood to feed and save us,
Lasting to the end of time.

At the new King’s sacred table,
The new Law’s new Pasch is able
To succeed the ancient Rite:
Old to new its place hath given,
Truth has far the shadows driven,
Darkness flees before the Light.

And as He hath done and planned it –
“Do this” – Hear His love command it,
“For a memory of me.”
Learned, Lord in Thy own science,
Bread and wine, in sweet compliance,
As a Host we offer Thee.

Thus in faith the Christian heareth:
That Christ’s Flesh as bread appeareth,
And as wine His Precious Blood:
Though we feel it not nor see it,
Living Faith that doth decree it
All defects of sense makes good.

Lo! beneath the species dual
(Signs not things), is hid a jewel
Far beyond creation’s reach!
Though His Flesh as food abideth,
And His Blood as drink – He hideth
Undivided under each.

Whoso eateth It can never
Break the Body, rend or sever;
Christ entire our hearts doth fill:
Thousands eat the Bread of Heaven,
Yet as much to one is given:
Christ, though eaten, bideth still.

God and bad, they come to greet Him:
Unto life the former eat Him,
And the latter unto death;
These find death and those find heaven;
See, from the same life-seed given,
How the harvest differeth!

When at last the Bread is broken,
Doubt not what the Lord hath spoken:
In each part the same love token,
The same Christ, our hearts adore:
For no power the Thing divideth –
‘Tis the symbols He provideth,
While the Saviour still abideth
Undimished as before.

Hail, angelic Bread of Heaven,
Now the pilgrim’s hoping-leaven,
Yes, the Bread to children given
That to dogs must not be thrown:
In the figures contemplated,
‘Twas with Issac immolated,
By the Lamb ‘twas antedated,
In the Manna it was known.

O Good Shepherd, still confessing
Love, in spite of our transgressing, -
Here Thy blessed Food possessing,
Make us share Thine every blessing
In the land of life and love:
Thou, whose power hath all completed
And Thy Flesh as Food hath meted,
Make us, at Thy table seated,
By Thy Saints, as friends be greeted,
In Thy paradise above.
Amen.

AVE VERUM (10)

Ave verum Corpus natum
De Maria Virgine,
Vere passum, immolatum
In cruce pro homine,
Cujus latus perforatum
Unda fluxit et sanguine,
Esto nobis praegustatum
Mortis in examine.
O clemens, O pie,
O dulcis Jesu, Fili Mariae.

Hail, true Body, truly born (11)
Of the Virgin Mary mild,
Truly offered, racked and torn,
On the Cross, for man defiled,
From whose love – pierced, sacred side
Flowed Thy true Blood’s saving tide:
Be a foretast sweet to me
In my death’s great agony,
O Thou loving, gentle One,
Sweetest Jesus, Mary’s Son.

ANIMA CHRISTI (12)

Anima Christi, sanctifica me.
Corpus Christi, salva me.
Sanguis Christi, inebria me.
Aqua lateris Christi, lava me.
Passio Christi, conforta me.
O bone Jesu, exaudi me.
Intra tua vulnera absconde me.
Ne permittas me separari a te.
Ab hoste maligno defende me.
In hora mortis meae voca me.
Et jube me venire ad te.
Ut cum sanctis tuis laudem te.
In secula saeculorum.
Amen.

Sanctify me wholly, Soul of Christ adored: (13)
Be my sure Salvation, Body of the Lord:
Fill and satisfy me, O Thou Blood unpriced:
Wash me, Sacred Water, from the side of Christ.
Passion of my Saviour, be my strength in need:
Good and gracious Jesus, to my prayer give heed:
In Thy Wounds most precious let me refuge find:
All the power malignant of the foeman bind:
At death’s final hour, call me to Thy face:
Bid me stand beside Thee in the heavenly place:
There with Saints and Angels I shall sing to Thee
Through the Countless ages of eternity.
Amen.

APPENDIX REFERENCES

1. These Latin hymns with their translations are taken from The Hymns of the Breviary and Missal, by Rev. Mathew Britt, O.S.B.
2. Composed by St. Thomas Aquinas.
3. Translation by Father Caswall.
4. Composition ibid.
5. Translation by J. M. Neale; last two stanzas by Father Caswall.
6. Composition ibid.
7. Translation by John O’Hagan.
8. Composition ibid.
9. Translation by Monsignor Henry, Litt.D., LL.D.
10. Probably composed by Pope Innocent VI.
11. Translation by Rev. Edward F. Garesché, S.J.
12. Author unknown.
13. Translation by T.I. Ball.

As the subject treated in this book is of constant recurrence and priests are often called upon to hold conferences whether in annual retreats to the clergy in general or in spiritual exercises previous to ordinations, it has therefore been deemed useful to add here an abridged analysis of the whole work in order to help the lecturer in reconstruction the subject under its different aspects. From this prospectus it will be easy to draw abundant matter for two conferences according to the two parts of which the work is composed, or else for six lectures according to the number of chapters.

THE EUCHARISTIC PRIEST

PART I

MOTIVES FOR WHICH A PRIEST SHOULD FOSTER IN HIMSELF A EUCHARISTIC LIFE.

First motive:—on account of his own vocation.

Second motive:—on account of his ministry.

Third motive:—on account of the needs proper to his state.

CHAPTER I.—THE SACERDOTAL VOCATION IS ESSENTIALLY EUCHARISTIC:

1. In its dignity:-It has for its object the consecration of the body and blood of Christ; it is not hereditary, but is inspired by the Holy Ghost;
   
   
2. In its origin:-it is conceived at the foot of the altar, whether on the day of the first Communion, or from witnessing the sacred ceremonies, or from the encouragement of some good priest;
   
   
3. In its develoment:—in the Eucharist the young levite finds the means of overcoming the difficulties, both interior and exterior which are opposed to his vocation;
   
   
4. In its complement:-the first Mass transforms the levite, giving him a superiority over the Christian people, superiority which is lacking in the Protestant Minister.

CHAPTER II.—THE SACERDOTAL MINISTRY IS ESSENTIALLY EUCHARISTIC:

1. Inasmuch as it constitutes the priest mediator between God and the people;
   
   
2. In preaching, which should be drawn from the Sacred Scripture, etc., but which, to be efficacious, should have a special reference to the Blessed Eucharist;
   
   
3. In the administration of the sacraments, which are all ordained to the Blessed Eucharist; especially in Penance, which disposes man directly to receive the sacrament of the Altar;
   
   
4. In assisting the dying, especially in warning the faithful not to await to last moment for receiving the Viaticum, and much less, to trust in special helps after apparent death.

CHAPTER III.—THE PRIEST SHOULD HAVE RECOURSE TO THE BLESSED EUCHARIST ESPECIALLY:

1. To avoid the vice of tepidity, thus warding off the evils which this brings along with it;
   
   
2. To maintain himself in the fervor of his vocation, the Blessed Eucharist being the sacrament of fervor;
   
   
3. To grow in faith, purity and holiness of life;
   
   
4. To receive from the Blessed Eucharist those consolations of which he stands in need, especially as his vocation exposes him to many contradictions and anxieties.

PART II

MEANS BY WHICH A PRIEST CAN CULTIVATE IN HIMSELF A EUCHARISTIC LIFE.

First:--By a serious and well-regulated study of theology and Eucharistic literature;

Second:-By worthily celebrating holy Mass;

Third:—By habitually living an interior life in the thought of the Blessed Eucharist.

CHAPTER I.--NECESSITY FOR A SERIOUS STUDY OF THEOLOGY AND EUCHARISTIC LITERATURE.

1. A lively faith_s a necessary condition for the priest to lead a Eucharistic life.
   
   
2. The ordinary means to keep alive faith in the Blessed Eucharist is to draw, from a serious and well-regulated study of theology, an exact knowledge of this Sacrament.
   
   
3. St. Thomas Aquinas, the Doctor and singer of the Blessed Eucharist.
   
   
4. Extraordinary blossoming of Eucharistic literature in these latter times.
   
   
5. Unfortunately theological exactness is sometimes wanting to the detriment of sterling Eucharistic devotion.
   
   
6. How solicitous the Catholic priest should be in preaching the truth and nothing but the truth.

CHAPTER II.—WORTHY CELEBRATION OF HOLY MASS, A SOURCE OF SACERDOTAL HOLINESS.

1. The celebration of Mass is the most holy and important action of the priest.
   
   
2. Preparation for the celebration of Mass—remote and proximate.
   
   
3.  
   
   
4.  
   
   
5. Dispositions for worthily celebrating Mass; beauty of liturgical prayers.
   
   
6. Three particularly important moments during Mass.

CHAPTER III. THE PRACTICE OF HABITUALLY LIVING AN INTERIOR LIFE IN THE THOUGHT OF THE BLESSED EUCHARIST.

1. A description of interior life.
   
   
2. The want of interior spirit paralyses the works of sacerdotal zeal.
   
   
3. The habitual thought of the Blessed Eucharist, a source. of fervor for the priest.
   
   
4. Pious practices to keep alive in one's heart the thought of the Blessed Eucharist: Spiritual Communion; offering of the most precious body and blood of Jesus; visit to the Blessed Sacrament; recitation of the divine office in union with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament; act of faith at the striking of the clock; Association of Priests-Adorers; care of the tabernacle; special devotion to our blessed Lady.

Copyright © 2005 by Rev. Alexis H. M. Lepicier, O.S.M.