ST. THOMAS AQUINAS & THE EUCHARIST. Last week, I paid tribute to Saint Thomas Aquinas [1225-1274] for the great contributions he made to our understanding of the mystery of Christ’s Real Eucharistic Presence. [All past articles on the National Eucharistic Revival are on our Parish website.] He not only ‘coined’ the term ‘Transubstantiation’ to describe how the bread and wine become Christ’s Body and Blood, he crafted the orations we still use for holy Mass on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ or Corpus Christi. He not only wrote theological tomes on and preached about the Most Blessed Sacrament, he even composed many of the hymns we still sing during Eucharistic Adoration: ‘Pange Lingua’ [’Sing My Tongue’] – ‘Panis Angelicus’] – [’Bread of Angels’] – ‘O Salutaris Hostia’ [‘O Saving Victim’ or ‘O Saving Sacrifice’] – and the one I will expound on today: ‘Tantum Ergo’ [‘Therefore so great’] which are the last two verses of ’Pange Lingua.’
This venerable hymn should be known by all, ideally in Latin. Online sites provide the correct pronunciation of the Latin, along with an English translation, so you can learn what we are singing or praying. In one of the highpoints in Holy Thursday’s Mass of the Lord’s Supper, ’Pange Lingua’ is sung as the Blessed Sacrament is carried in a candlelit Procession from the Altar to the Place of Repose where it stays until Holy Communion on Good Friday. Once it reaches the Place of Repose, the last two verses, or the ‘Tantum Ergo,’ are sung. Here are the Latin words, followed by an English translation: Sacramentum Veneremur cernui: Et antiquum documentum Novo cedat ritui: Praestet fides supplementum Sensuum defectui. DOWN in adoration falling,
Lo! the sacred Host we hail, Lo! oe’r ancient forms departing Newer rites of grace prevail; Faith for all defects supplying, Where the feeble senses fail. Genitori, Genitoque Laus et jubilatio, Salus, honor, virtus quoque Sit et benedictio: Procedenti ab utroque Compar sit laudatio. To the everlasting Father, And the Son Who reigns on high With the Holy Spirit proceeding Forth from each eternally, Be salvation, honor blessing, Might and endless majesty.
A MOST POWERFUL HYMN. This hymn so perfectly summarizes what, or rather, Who, is present in the Consecrated Host that the Church grants a PLENARY Indulgence to all who recite or sing it on Holy Thursday or Corpus Christi, and a PARTIAL Indulgence at other times. What is an Indulgence? It is a gift, entrusted to the Church when Jesus gave Saint Peter the Keys or power to loose and bind, offered to those whose sins were
forgiven by being Baptized, which washes away all sin, or by Confessing sins committed after Baptism. They must receive Holy Communion close to when they did whatever gained them an Indulgence, pray for the Holy Father’s intentions, and strive to avoid sin. [There’s no ‘magic’ ‘sin eraser!’] A PARTIAL Indulgence removes SOME of the punishment due to sin; a PLENARY Indulgence removes all punishment due to sin.
Think of it this way: when a parent forgives a child for doing wrong, they may still ‘ground’ the child; but if the child shows signs of true repentance, that punishment could be partially or totally abrogated. Or, if I forgive someone for breaking my window, but I can still require total or partial replacement of the glass – or grant a plenary pardon, freeing them from having to make any repayment whatsoever. So, too, with our sins. Through His Church and her Sacraments, God forgives us, but we must still repair whatever damage we did by our sins. However, through the gift of His grace, and through the granting of an indulgence, God totally remits or limits our responsibility to atone for the fallout of our sins.
So, break out a hymnal, or visit a website that can teach you the English, or better yet, Latin version of this great Eucharistic hymn. That will ‘up’ our chances of one day singing with Saint Thomas Aquinas and all the Angels and Saints in heaven, where we will no longer need sacramental signs to see our Lord and God. And plan to sing it on Holy Thursday night at the Place of Repose!
With God’s love and my prayers,
Very Rev. Michael J. Kreder, VF, KCHS