PANGE LINGUA

In 1264, in response to growing demands, Pope Urban IV instituted the feast of the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, Corpus Christi. He asked St Thomas Aquinas, one of the greatest thinkers that the Church has ever produced, to compose hymns to be sung on the feast. Today we still wonder at the gift of poetry that he displayed.



Among his hymns was ‘Ecce Panis Angelorum’ and ‘Pange Lingua’ which most of us are familiar with. If you do not know the Pange Lingua, you will probably know its last two verses, the Tantum Ergo, sung at Benediction. On this great feast of Corpus Christi, I take the liberty of offering my own translation of the Pange Lingua.

Oh tongue of mine, sing of the Mystery of the glorious body and precious blood.

This is the price paid to redeem the world.

which the King pours it out upon the peoples from his generous breast,

He was given to us, born to us from the immaculate Virgin.

And, after living in our world and scattering the seed of his word,

he climaxed his dwelling among us in this amazing way.

In that greatest of suppers, celebrating with his friends,

after they had eaten the Passover meal as laid down by the Old Law,

from his own hands he gave himself as food to his twelve companions.

The Word took our flesh; now he turns actual bread into his flesh.

And (wine) is transformed into his actual blood.

If our senses cannot perceive (the great Mystery),

Sincere hearts are assured of it by the light of faith.

Let your eyes gaze with wonder at this holy revelation of God.

The Old Covenant with God is completed by this new intimacy.

Let your faith perceive what your senses can not.

Praise the Father, the Son and the Spirit!

Do it with overflowing joy, and be blessed!