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Above: Allegory of the Holy Eucharist by Miguel Cabrera (1750)
Editor’s note: to promote the observance of the traditional Corpus Christi Octave as a part of our Crusade of Eucharistic Reparation, we will publish each day the Patristic readings from the Octave, as contained in pre-55 breviaries. The following readings and responsories come from the Roman office as promulgated after Trent in 1570.
Nocturn II
V. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May God the Father Omnipotent, be to us merciful and clement. Amen.
Reading 4
From the Sermons of St. Thomas Aquinas.
Lesser works, 57
It serveth well therefore to the edifying of the faithful to make memorial of the institution of this so health-giving and so wonderful a Sacrament, that we may worship the unspeakable way by the which the Divine Presence in-dwelleth in this Sacrament, Which we see, and may praise the power of God whereby in this Sacrament are wrought so many wonders, yea, and also give God some of those thanks which we owe unto Him for this so health-giving gift of His loving-kindness. It is true that on the Day of the Supper of the Lord, on which day we know it to have been that He ordained this Sacrament, at the solemn celebration of the Mass, the memory of the instituting thereof is more particularly mentioned, but all the rest of the Services on that day deal chiefly with Christ Suffering, to worshipping of Whom the Church doth at that season give all her mind.
V. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R. Thanks be to God.
R. As they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blest it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said:
* Take, eat this is My Body.
V. The men of my tabernacle said: O that we had of his flesh, we cannot be satisfied.
R. Take, eat this is My Body.
V. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May Christ to all His people give, for ever in His sight to live. Amen.
Reading 5
But, that the congregation of Christ’s faithful people might celebrate with an whole Festal Office all to itself the institution of this so great Sacrament, Urban IV., Bishop of Rome, being touched with love toward this said Sacrament, hath made a godly ordinance that the memory of the said institution should be celebrated by all the faithful upon the Fifth Day of the week, next after the Eighth Day of Pentecost. From one end of the year to the other we use this Sacrament to our souls’ health, and we more particularly celebrate the institution thereof at that season wherein the Holy Ghost taught the hearts of the disciples to acknowledge the mysteries thereof, for then it was, as we read, that “they continued steadfastly in [the Apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in] breaking of Bread, [and in prayers.”] (Acts ii. 42).
V. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R. Thanks be to God.
R. Jesus took the cup, after supper, saying: This cup is the New Testament in My Blood.
* This do in remembrance of Me.
V. My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
R. This do in remembrance of Me.
V. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May the Spirit’s fire Divine in our hearts enkindled shine. Amen.
Reading 6
And, moreover, to the end that on the aforesaid Thursday, and the seven days next following, the memory of this health-giving Institution might be the more honourably celebrated, and the Feast thereby be held in more excellent worship, the abovenamed Bishop of Rome, after the manner of the doles which in Cathedral Churches are given to such as come to the singing or saying of the Canonical Hours by night and day, hath out of his Apostolic bounty granted spiritual rewards to all such as in their own persons are present in the Church at the diverse Canonical Hours during all this Festival, thereby to stir up the faithful to come to the keeping of this great Feast in greater eagerness and numbers.
V. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R. Thanks be to God.
R. I am that Bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
* This is the Bread Which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
V. I am the living Bread Which came down from heaven, if any man eat of this Bread, he shall live for ever.
R. This is the Bread Which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
R. This is the Bread Which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
Nocturn III
V. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May the Gospel’s holy lection be our safety and protection. Amen.
Reading 7
From the Holy Gospel according to John
John 6:56-59
At that time, Jesus said unto the multitudes of the Jews: My Flesh is meat indeed and My Blood is drink indeed. And so on.
Homily by St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo
27th Tract on John.
We have heard from the Gospel the words of the Lord which follow, those that formed the subject of my earlier discourse. To your ears and understandings we owe a discourse on these also, and to-day it becometh very well, for it is upon that Body of the Lord, Which He professeth Himself that He “will give for the life of the world,” “that a man may eat thereof and not die.” He hath made manifest how He giveth, and What is His Gift, where He saith: “He that eateth My Flesh and drinketh My Blood, dwelleth in Me and I in him.” The sign to show whether a man hath or hath not eaten that Flesh and drunk that Blood, is whether or not he dwelleth in Christ and Christ in him, whether or not he is a guest of Christ and Christ of his, whether or not he so cleaveth unto Christ, that Christ be not parted from him.
V. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R. Thanks be to God.
R. He that eateth My Flesh and drinketh My Blood,
* Dwelleth in Me, and I in him.
V. What nation is there so great, who hath gods so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is to us
R. Dwelleth in Me, and I in him.
V. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. God’s most mighty strength alway be His people’s staff and stay. Amen.
Reading 8
This hath He taught, and warned us, by words of deep meaning, to be in His Body as members whose Head is He, eating His Flesh, and cleaving alway to His Oneness. Many of His disciples when they had heard this went back, and walked no more with Him for they understood not by Flesh any flesh other than such as they themselves were made of. The Apostle saith, and very true it is “To be carnally minded is death” (Rom. viii. 6). The Lord giveth us His Flesh to eat, and to understand it carnally is death. Where He saith: “Whoso eateth My Flesh is life” we must not eat His Flesh carnally, whom it is written “Many of His disciples” (not His enemies) when they heard this, said “This is an hard saying who can hear it?”
V. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R. Thanks be to God.
R. As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father,
* So he that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me.
V. With the bread of life and understanding hath the Lord fed him.
R. So he that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
R. So he that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me.
V. Grant, Lord, a blessing.
Benediction. May He that is the Angels’ King to that high realm His people bring. Amen.
Reading 9
If His disciples took His words for an hard saying, how did His enemies take them? And, nevertheless, thus it behoved to speak them if all men were not to understand them. A Divine mystery ought to make us thoughtful, not to repel us and yet, when the Lord Jesus Christ spoke thus in mystery, many of His disciples went back and walked no more with Him. They did not believe him to be saying some great thing, and covering with those words some grace. They understood but as they pleased, even after the manner of men, that Jesus was able, or that Jesus meant, to give that Flesh wherewith the Word is clothed on, as it were, in slices, to them that believe on Him. And they said “This is an hard saying who can hear it?”
V. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R. Thanks be to God.
