READINGS: CORPUS CHRISTI

Invitatory Psalm & BACK


Psalm 23: Hebrew English     Then BACK
Psalm 42: Hebrew English     Then BACK
Psalm 81: Hebrew English     Then BACK

חָכְמוֹת בָּנְתָה בֵיתָהּ — מָסְכָה יֵינָהּ אַף עָרְכָה שֻׁלְחָנָהּ׃

Even & Odd Years: Exodus 24:1-11 וְאֶל־מֹשֶׁה אָמַר עֲלֵה אֶל־יְהוָה אַתָּה וְאַהֲרֹן נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא וְשִׁבְעִים מִזִּקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶם מֵרָחֹק׃ וְנִגַּשׁ מֹשֶׁה לְבַדּוֹ אֶל־יְהוָה וְהֵם לֹא יִגָּשׁוּ וְהָעָם לֹא יַעֲלוּ עִמּוֹ׃ וַיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה וַיְסַפֵּר לָעָם אֵת כָּל־דִּבְרֵי יְהוָה וְאֵת כָּל־הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים וַיַּעַן כָּל־הָעָם קוֹל אֶחָד וַיֹּאמְרוּ כָּל־הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר יְהוָה נַעֲשֶׂה׃ וַיִּכְתֹּב מֹשֶׁה אֵת כָּל־דִּבְרֵי יְהוָה וַיַּשְׁכֵּם בַּבֹּקֶר וַיִּבֶן מִזְבֵּחַ תַּחַת הָהָר וּשְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה מַצֵּבָה לִשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ וַיִּשְׁלַח אֶת־נַעֲרֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיַּעֲלוּ עֹלֹת וַיִּזְבְּחוּ זְבָחִים שְׁלָמִים לַיהוָה פָּרִים׃ וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה חֲצִי הַדָּם וַיָּשֶׂם בָּאַגָּנֹת וַחֲצִי הַדָּם זָרַק עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּחַ׃ וַיִּקַּח סֵפֶר הַבְּרִית וַיִּקְרָא בְּאָזְנֵי הָעָם וַיֹּאמְרוּ כֹּל אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר יְהוָה נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע׃ וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה אֶת־הַדָּם וַיִּזְרֹק עַל־הָעָם וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה דַם־הַבְּרִית אֲשֶׁר כָּרַת יְהוָה עִמָּכֶם עַל כָּל־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה׃ וַיַּעַל מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא וְשִׁבְעִים מִזִּקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ וַיִּרְאוּ אֵת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְתַחַת רַגְלָיו כְּמַעֲשֵׂה לִבְנַת הַסַּפִּיר וּכְעֶצֶם הַשָּׁמַיִם לָטֹהַר׃ וְאֶל־אֲצִילֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא שָׁלַח יָדוֹ וַיֶּחֱזוּ אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִים וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׁתּוּ׃

Even Years: San Cyril of Alexandria, Homily 10 (PG 77,1016-1018) Τί τερμνότερον, καὶ τί ἡδύτερον τοῖς φιλοθέοις, καὶ τοῖς ὄντως ἐφιεμένοις ζωῆς, ἢ Θεοῦ ἐναπολαύειν διηνεκῶς, καὶ ταῖς θείαις αὐτοῦ ἐπαναπαύεσθαι μνήμαις; Εἰ γὰρ δὴ οἱ σιτίων καὶ ποτῶν ἐμφορούμενοι, καὶ τὰς σφετέρας ἐπισφαλεῖς ἡδυπαθείας τιθηνεύοντες, εὐθανλέστερον καὶ ὑψαυχένιον τὸ σαρκίον κατασκευάζουσι, ποσαχῶς οἱ τῶν ψυχῶν ἐπιμεληταὶ, καὶ ἐπὶ ὕδατος ἀναπαύσεως ἐκτρεφόμενοι, φημὶ δὴ, τοῦ θείου κηρύγματος, ἐλλαμπρυνθήσονται μὲν ἱματισμῷ διαχρύσῳ, κατὰ τὸν προφήτην, περιβεβλημένοι, καὶ πεποικιλμένοι... Ἐπεὶ οὖν πρὸς τὴν κορωνίκα τῶν ζωοποιῶν μυστηρίων, ἐκ τοῦ πνευματικοῦ σταδίου κατηντήσαμεν, καὶ πρόκειται ἡμῖν εἰς ἐφόδιον ἀθανασίας τὰ παρὰ τοῦ Δεσπότου ὑπὲρ λόγον δωρήματα, φέρε ὅσοι τρυφᾶτε τῶν ἀποῤῥήτων, καὶ τῆς οὐρανίου κλήσεως μέτοχοι, προθυμότατα τὴν νυμφικὴν περιστολισάμενοι ἀκήρατον πίστιν, συνδράσωμεν ἐπὶ τὸ μυστικὸν δεῖπνον. Χριστὸς ἡμᾶς σήμερον ἑστιᾶται, Χριστὸς ἡμῖν σήμερον διακονεῖ, Χριστὸς ἀναπαύει ὁ φιλάνθρωπος. Φοβερὸν τὸ λαλούμενον, φοβερὸν τὸ τελούμενον· ὁ μόσχος ὁ σιτευτὸς θυσιάζεται, ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ ὁ αἵρων τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου σφαγιάζεται. Ὁ Πατὴρ εὐφραίνεται, ὁ Υἱὸς ἑκουσίως ἱερουργεῖται, οὐχ ὑπὸ τῶν θεομάχων σήμερον, ἀλλ ὑφ ἑαυτοῦ, ἵνα δείξῃ ἑκούσιον τὸ σωτήριον πάθος. Βούλει σοι χαρακτηρίσω τεκμήριον μέγιστον τῶν λαλουμένων; Πρόσεχε μὴ τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ βραχυλογίᾳ, μηδὲ τῇ περὶ ἡμᾶς εὐτελείᾳ, ἀλλὰ τῇ μεγαλοφυΐᾳ τῶν τάδε προκεκηρυχότων, καὶ τῇ περὶ τούτων ἀξιοπιστίᾳ... Ἴδες πηλίκον τὸ ἀξίωμα τοῦ κύρυκος; Ἀθρει καὶ τῶν δι αὐτοῦ σοι προμηνυθέντων τὴν δύναμιν. Ἡ σοφία, φησὶν, ᾠκοδόμησεν ἑαυτῇ οἶκον, καὶ ὑπήρεισε στύους ἑπτά· ἔσφαξε τὰ ἑαυτῆς θύματα, ἐκέρασεν εἰς κρατῆρα τὸν ἑαυτῆς οἶνον, καὶ ἡτοιμάσατο τὴν ἑαυτῆς τράπεζαν... Ταῦτά σοι, ἀγαπητὲ, τῶν νῦν τελουμένων τὰ σύμβολα. Ταῦτά σοι τῆς ἐνταῦθα πανδαισίας τὰ ἐντρυφήματα, ὁ μεγαλόδωρος ἕτοιμος, αἱ θεῖαι δωρεαὶ πρόκεινται. Ἡ μυστικὴ τράπεζα εὐτρέπισται, ὁ ζωοποιὸς κρατὴρ κεκέραται· ὁ βασιλεὺς τῆς δόξης μεταστέλλεται, ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑποδέχεται, ὁ σαρκωθεὶς Θεὸς Λόγος προτρέπεται, ἡ οἰκοδομήσασα ἑαυτῇ ναὸν ἀχειροποίητον τοῦ Θεοῦ Πατρὸς ἐνυπόστατος Σοφία, τὸ ἑαυτῆς σῶμα ὡς ἄρτον διανέμει, καὶ τὸ ζωοποιὸν αὐτῆς αἷμα, ὡς οἶνον ἐπιδίδωσιν. Ὦ μυστηρίου φοβεροῦ! ὦ οἰκονομίας ἀφράστου! ὦ συγκαταβάσεως ἀκαταλήπτου! ὦ εὐσπλαγχνίας ἀνεξιχνιάστου· ὁ πλαστουργὸς τῷ πλάσματι ἑαυτὸν εἰς άπόλαυσιν προτίθησιν, ἡ αὐτοζωὴ τοῖς θνητοῖς ἑαυτὸν εἰς βρῶσιν καὶ πόσιν χαρίζεται. Δεῦτε, φάγετε τὸν ἐμὸν ἄρτον, παρακελεύεται, καὶ πίετε οἶνον, ὃν ἐκάρασα ὑμῖν. Ἐγὼ ἐμαυτὸν εἰς βρῶσιν ἡτοίμασα, ἐγὼ ἐμαυτὸν τοῖς ποθοῦσί με ἐκέρασα. Ἑκουσίως γέγονα σὰρξ ζωὴ ὑπάρχων, αὐτθαιρέτως μετέσχον αἴματος καὶ σαρκὸς, Λόγος καὶ χαρακτὴρ ἐνυπόστατος τοῦ Πατρός μου ὑπάρχων, διὰ τὸ σῶσαι ὑμᾶς. Γεύσασθε, καὶ ἴδετε, ὅτι χρηστὸς ἐγὼ Κύριος.

Odd Years: Thomas Aquinas, Officium Corporis Christi "Sacerdos" Unigenitus siquidem Dei filius, suae divinitatis volens nos esse participes, nostram naturam assumpsit ut homines deos faceret factus homo. Since it was the will of God's only-begotten Son that we should share in his divinity, he assumed our nature in order that by becoming man he might make us divine. Et hoc insuper quod de nostro assumpsit, totum nobis contulit ad salutem. Corpus namque suum pro nostra reconciliatione in ara crucis hostiam obtulit Deo patri, sanguinem suum fudit in pretium simul et lavacrum, ut redempti a miserabili servitute a peccatis omnibus mundaremur. Moreover, when he took our flesh he dedicated the whole of its substance to our salvation. He offered his body to God the Father on the altar of the cross as a sacrifice for our reconciliation. He shed his blood for our ransom and purification, so that we might be redeemed from our wretched state of bondage and cleansed from all sin. Et ut tanti beneficii iugis in nobis maneret memoria, corpus suum in cibum et sanguinem suum in potum sub specie panis et vini sumendum fidelibus dereliquit. But to ensure that the memory of so great a gift would abide with us for ever, he left his body as food and his blood as drink for the faithful to consume in the form of bread and wine. O pretiosum et admirandum convivium salutiferum et omni suavitate repletum. Quid enim hoc convivio pretiosius esse potest, quo non carnes vitulorum et hircorum ut olim in lege, sed nobis Christus sumendus proponitur Deus verus? Quid hoc sacramento mirabilius? In ipso namque panis et vinum in corpus Christi et sanguinem substantialiter convertuntur, ideoque Christus Deus et homo perfectus sub modici panis specie continetur. O precious and wonderful banquet, that brings us salvation and contains all sweetness! Could anything be of more intrinsic value? Under the old Law it was the flesh of calves and goats that was offered, but here Christ himself, the true God, is set before us as our food. What could be more wonderful than this? For in it the substance of the bread and wine is changed into the body and blood of Christ, and therefore Christ, perfect God and man, is contained under the appearance of a little bread and wine. It fulfilled the foreshaddowing of ancient rites, and was the greatest of the miracles he worked, which he left as a unique comfort to his disciples saddened by his absence. Manducatur utique a fidelibus sed minime laceratur. Quinimmo diviso sacramento integer perseverat. Accidentia etiam sine subiecto in eodem subsistunt, ut fides locum habeat, dum visibile invisibiliter sumitur aliena specie occultatum, et sensus a deceptione immunes reddantur, qui de accidentibus iudicant sibi notis. He is therefore eaten by the faithful, but in no way is he mangled. Indeed when the Sacrament is divided, he remains whole under each particle. The accidents, however, remain here without any subject. And this, that faith may be exercised when what is visible is invisibly received, hidden under another appearance; furthermore, that the senses, which judge of the accidents according to appearances, may be preserved from error. Nullum etiam sacramentum est isto salubrius quo purgantur peccata, virtutes augentur, et mens omnium spiritualium charismatum abundantia inpinguatur. No other sacrament has greater healing power; through it sins are purged away, virtues are increased, and the soul is enriched with an abundance of every spiritual gift. Offertur in Ecclesia pro vivis et mortuis, ut omnibus prosit, quod est pro salute omnium institutum. It is offered in the Church for the living and the dead, so that what was instituted for the salvation of all may be for the benefit of all. Suavitatem denique huius sacramenti nullus exprimere sufficit, per quod spiritualis dulcedo in suo fonte gustatur, et recolitur memoria illius quam in sua passione Christus monstravit excellentissimae caritatis. Yet, in the end, no one can fully express the sweetness of this sacrament in which spiritual delight is tasted at its very source, and in which we renew the memory of that surpassing love for us which Christ revealed in his passion. Unde ut arctius huius caritatis immensitas cordibus infigeretur fidelium, in ultima cena quando Pascha cum discipulis celebrato transiturus erat ex hoc mundo ad patrem, hoc sacramentum instituit, tamquam passionis suae memoriale perenne, figurarum veterum impletivum, miraculorum ab ipso factorum maximum, et de sua contristatis absentia solatium singulare reliquit. It was to impress the vastness of this love more firmly upon the hearts of the faithful that our Lord instituted this sacrament at the Last Supper. As he was on the point of leaving the world to go to the Father, after celebrating the Passover with his disciples, he left it as a perpetual memorial of his passion. It fulfilled the foreshaddowing of ancient rites, and was the greatest of the miracles he worked, which he left as a unique comfort to his disciples saddened by his absence.

GOSPELS FOR THE THREE CYCLES
*A* , *B* , *C*

Te Deum [English]

Prayer