Thursday after the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity
First Class with a privileged Octave of the second Order
Entrance Hymn: Ps. lxxx: 17
He fed them with the finest wheat alleluia! and filled them with honey from the rock, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! [Ps.] Sing joyfully to God, our helper, sing aloud to the God of Jacob. Glory be.... He fed them....
Collect:
O God, we possess a lasting memorial of Thy passion in the wondrous sacrament. Grant that we may So venerate the mysteries of Thy Body, and Blood, that we may always feel within ourselves the effects of Thy redemption; Thou who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God world without end. Amen.
Epistle: 1 Corinthians xi: 23-29
A reading from the Epistle of Blessed Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians.
Brethren: I myself received from the Lord (what I also delivered to you), that the Lord Jesus, on the night in which He was betrayed, Took bread, and giving thanks broke, and said, "Take and eat. This is My Body which shall be given up for you; do this in remembrance of Me." In like manner also the cup, after He had supped, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My Blood. Do this, as often as you drink It, in remembrance of Me. For as often as you shall eat this Bread and drink the Cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until He comes." Therefore, whoever eats this Bread or drinks this Cup unworthily, will be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. But let a man prove himself, and so let Him eat of that Bread and drink of the Cup; for he who eats and drinks unworthily, without distinguishing the Body of the Lord, eats and drinks judgment to himself.
Gradual: Ps. cxliv: 15-16
The eyes of all look hopefully to Thee, 0 Lord, and Thou givest
them food in due season. Thou openest Thy hand, and fill every living
creature with blessing.
Alleluia, alleluia. [John vi; 56-57] My Flesh is food indeed, and
My Blood is drink indeed. He who eats My Flesh, and drinks My Blood,
abides in Me, and I in him. Alleluia!
Sequence: Lauda Sion
omitted in Masses during the Octave
Praise, O Sion, praise the Savior,
Shepherd, Prince, with glad behavior,
Praise in hymn and canticle;
Sing His glory without measure
For the merit of Thy treasure
Never shall Thy praises fill.
Gracious theme of mortal singing,
Living Bread, and Bread life-giving,
Do we sing 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
Sweet 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 has given,
Truth has far the shadows driven,
Darkness flees before the Light.
And as He has done and planned it--
"Do this" -- hear His love command it,
"My own memory to renew."
Taught so Lord, in Thine own science,
Bread and wine in sweet compliance,
As a host we offer Thee.
In faith thus strong the Christian hears:
Christ's very Flesh as bread appears,
And as wine His precious Blood,
Though we feel it not, nor see it,
Living faith does so decree it,
All defects of sense makes good.
Yes, beneath the species dual
(Signs not things), is hid a jewel
Far beyond creation's reach!
Though as food His Flesh He hides,
Beneath the wine His Blood abides--
Undivided under each.
He who eats of It can never
Break the Body, rend, or sever;
Christ entire our hearts does fill:
Thousands eat the bread of heaven,
Yet as much to one is given:
Christ though eaten, is with still.
Good and bad, they come to greet Him:
Unto life the first ones eat Him,
Unto death the latter go,
These find death while those find heaven;
See, from like white Host is given
Harvest yielding weal or woe.
When at last the bread is broken,
Do not doubt what Christ has spoken:
In each part the same love-token,
That same Lord our hearts adore
No powers can this thing divide--
The symbols are what He provides,
The Savior all the while abides
Undiminished as before.
Bread of angel spirits, hail!
Pilgrim's hope in life's dark vale,
Food for children who are frail,
To the dogs must not be thrown:
In old figures contemplated,
It was with Isaac immolated,
By the Lamb was antedated,
In the manna it was known.
O Good Shepherd, all confessing
Love in spite of our transgressing--
Here your blessed food possessing,
Make us share in every blessing
In the land of life and love.
Lord, whose power has all completed,
And your Flesh as food has meted,
Make us, at Thy table seated,
By Thy saints, like friends be greeted,
In that paradise above. Amen. Alleluia
Gospel: John vi: 56-59
+ The continuation of the Holy Gospel according to John:
At that time, Jesus said to the crowds of the Jews; "My Flesh is food indeed, and My Blood is drink indeed. He who eats My Flesh, and drinks My Blood, abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father has sent Me, and as I live because of the Father, so he who eats of Me, he shall live because of Me. This is the Bread that has come down from heaven not as your fathers ate the manna and died. He who eats this Bread shall live forever.
Credo.
Offertory: Leviticus xxi: 6
The priests of the Lord offer incense and loaves to God; therefore they shall be sacred to their God, and shall not profane His name. Alleluia
Secret
O Lord, graciously bestow upon Thy Church the gifts of unity and peace, which are symbolized in this sacrifice we offer Thee. Through our Lord Jesus Christ....
Communion Hymn: 1 Corinthians xi: 26-27
For as often as you shall eat this Bread and drink the Cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until He comes." Therefore, whoever eats this Bread or drinks this Cup unworthily, will be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. Alleluia!
Postcommunion
O Lord, grant, we beseech Thee, that we may enjoy the eternal presence of Thy divinity; foreshadowed by our earthly reception of Thy precious Body and Blood; who liveth and reigneth with God the Father....
