St Thomas Aquinas

This morning due to the ice, we had a communion service. This is only the second time I can remember in 11 years, having a communion service instead of Mass. We were able to sing the English version of some of St. Thomas Aquinas's hymns. I also can't remember singing the English versions. The words just jumped out at me, so I thought that you might like a translation of one of his hymns. 

(Latin) 

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

Verbum caro panem verum 

Verbo carnem efficit; 

Fit sanguis Christi merum. 

Et si sensus deficit, 

Ad firmandum cor sincerum 

Sola fides sufficit.

Tantum ergo sacramentum 

Venereumur cernui. 

Et antiquum documentum 

Novo cedat ritui. 

Praestet fides supplementum 

Sensuum defectui.

Genitori genitoque 

Laus et jubilatio, 

Salus, honor, virtus quoque 

Sit et benedictio. 

Procedenti ab utroque 

Compar sit laudatio.

Amen. 

(English) 

Acclaim, my tongue, this mystery 

Of glorious Body and precious Blood 

Which the King of nations shed for us 

A noble womb's sole fruitful bud. 

Given and born from a Virgin pure, 

Having made this world His dwelling place, 

When the seeds of His words were sown afar 

He ended His stay in wondrous grace. 

With brethren reclining at that last meal, 

He observes in full what the Law demands, 

Then gives Himself as food instead 

To apostles twelve with His own hands. 

The Word in Flesh makes true bread flesh, 

The Blood of Christ then comes from wine. 

Though senses fail to see this truth, 

Faith will make pure hearts incline.

So great a sacrament, therefore, 

Let us revere while kneeling down. 

Let old laws yield to this new rite. 

Let faith, not sense, conviction ground.

Praise and jubilation to the Father; 

Honor, virtue, blessing to the Son; 

And to the One Who proceeds from both 

In equal measure may praise be sung.

Amen

God bless! and stay warm....

HOW MAURUS WALKED UPON THE WATER

THE DIALOGUES OF SAINT GREGORY, SURNAMED DIALOGUS AND THE GREAT, POPE OF ROME AND THE FIRST OF THAT NAME.

CHAPTER SEVEN: HOW MAURUS WALKED UPON THE WATER.

On a certain day, as venerable Bennet was, in his cell, the foresaid young Placidus, the holy man's monk, went out to take up water at the lake, and putting down his pail carelessly, fell in himself after it, whom the water forthwith carried away from the land so far as one may shoot an arrow. The man of God, being in his cell, by and by knew this, and called in haste for Maurus, saying: "Brother Maurus, run as fast as you can, for Placidus, that went to the lake to fetch water, is fallen in, and is carried a good way off."

A strange thing, and since the time of Peter the Apostle never heard of! Maurus, craving his father's blessing, and departing in all haste at his commandment, ran to that place upon the water, to which the young lad was carried by force thereof, thinking that he had all that while gone upon the land: and taking fast hold of him by the hair of his head, in all haste he returned back again: and so soon as he was at land, coming to himself he looked behind him, and then knew very well that he had before run upon the water: and that which before he durst not have presumed, being now done and past, he both marvelled, and was afraid at that which he had done.

Coming back to the father, and telling him what had happened, the venerable man did not attribute this to his own merits, but to the obedience of Maurus: but Maurus on the contrary, said that it was done only upon his commandment, and that he had nothing to do in that miracle, not knowing at that time what he did. But the friendly contention proceeding of mutual humility, the young youth himself that was saved from drowning did determine: for he said that he saw when he was drawn out of the water the Abbot's garment upon his head, affirming that it was he that had delivered him from that great danger.

PETER: Certainly they be wonderful things which you report, and such as may serve for the edification of many : for mine own part, the more that I hear of his miracles, the more do I still desire.

---

Presentation of Mary

Let us give thanks to God for the gift of Mary as our mother.

As Mary was brought to the Temple we are called to do the same. We follow the wonderful and perfect example of Mary. She offered her whole life to God and we are to follow in her footsteps.

What is our offering that we present to God on the altar of are heart each day?

St Elizabeth of Hungary

 



May we see Christ in all we do.



 

 

Collect for her feast day

O God, by whose gift Saint Elizabeth of Hungary
recognized and revered Christ in the poor,
grant, through her intercession,
that we may serve with unfailing charity
the needy and those afflicted.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. +Amen.

 

 

 

St. Gertrude the Great

 

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus Christ, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the Universal Church, for those in my own home and within my family. Amen.

~St. Gertrude

 

"God and the salvation of souls - this was the one object of her life, the one end of every action. From her humility, she had fully persuaded herself that the marvelous graces bestowed on her were given her for others. This holy delusion served two important ends - it saved her from every temptation to spiritual complacence, and it induced her to impart freely to others a knowledge if the revelations and other favors bestowed in her. She was simply according to her own idea, a channel of divine grace to others; and believing this to be her end, she neither spared time nor labor for its accomplishment. Often her rest was shortened and her food forgotten when souls demanded tome or anxious thought. "Not satisfied with even this, she often deprived herself of the sweetness of contemplation when it was necessary to succor the tempted, to console the afflicted, or, what she desired above all else, to enkindle and increase the fire of divine love in any soul. For as iron, when placed in the fire, becomes itself like fire, thus this virgin, burning with love, seemed to be all love, such zeal had she for the salvation of all." "
The life and Revelations of St. Gertrude