CORPUS CHRISTI (OPTIONAL) SEQUENCE: LAUDA SION

Zion, praise your Saviour. Praise your leader and shepherd in hymns and canticles. Praise him as much as you can, for he is beyond all praising and you will never be able to praise him as he merits. But today a theme worthy of particular praise is put before us — the living and lifegiving bread that, without any doubt, was given to the Twelve at table during the holy supper. Therefore let our praise be full and resounding and our soul’s rejoicing full of delight and beauty, for this is the festival day to commemorate the first institution of this table. At this table of the new King, the new law’s new Pasch puts an end to the old Pasch. The new displaces the old, reality the shadow and light the darkness. Christ wanted what he did at the supper to be repeated in his memory. And so we, in accordance with his holy directions consecrate bread and wine to be salvation’s Victim. Christ’s followers know by faith that bread is changed into his flesh and wine into his blood. Man cannot understand this, cannot perceive it; but a lively faith affirms that the change, which is outside the natural course of things, takes place.