Lauda Sion

by Saint Thomas Aquinas, 13th Century

 

 

Lauda Sion Salvatorem,
lauda ducem et pastorem
in hymnis et canticis.

Praise, O Sion, your Savior,
praise your leader and shepherd,
in hymns and canticles.

Quantum potes, tantum aude:
quia major omni laude,
nec laudare sufficis.

Do not hesitate to strive
your best: for he is above
all praise, and you cannot
praise him enough.

Laudis thema specialis
panis vivus et vitalis
hodie proponitur.
Quem in sacrae mensa cenae,
turbae fratrum duodenae
datum non ambigitur.

A special theme of praise
is, on this day, proposed to us,
the living and life-giving bread.
The bread which, without any
doubt, was given to the assembly
of the twelve brethren, at the
table of the Holy Supper.

Sit laus plena, sit sonora,
sit jucunda, sit decora,
mentis jubilatio.
Dies enim solemnis agitur,
in qua mensae prima recolitur
hujus institutio.

Let our praise be full and loud,
let the joy of each soul resound
in pleasing and becoming tones.
For this is the solemn day on
which we commemorate the
origin of this banquet.

In hac mensa novi Regis,
novum Pascha novae legis,
phase vetus terminat.
vetustatem novitas,
umbram fugat veritas,
noctem lux eliminat.

At this table of the new King,
the new Pasch of the new law
puts an end to the ancient rite.
The new rite drives away the old,
truth puts to flight the shadow,
the light of day banishes the
darkness of night.

Quod in coena Christus gessit,
faciendum hoc expressit
in sui memoriam.
Docti sacris institutis,
panem, vinum in salutis
consecramus hostiam.

What Christ did at the
Last Supper, he ordered us to
do in remembrance of him.
Taught by his sacred precept,
we consecrate bread and wine
into the host of salvation.

Dogma datur Christianis,
quod in carnem transit panis,
et vinum in sanguinem.
Quod no capis, quod non vides,
animosa firmat fides,
praeter rerum ordinem.

This is a dogma given
to Christians that bread is
changed into Jesus' flesh,
and wine into his blood.
What you do not understand,
what you do not see, a lively
faith confirms in a super-
natural manner.

Sub diversis speciebus,
signis tantum, et non rebus,
latent res eximiae.
Caro cibus, sanguis potus:
manet tamen Christus totus
sub utraque specie.

Under different species,
which are but signs, not
real things, a priceless
treasure lies hidden.
His flesh is food, his blood
is drink: yet Christ remains
entire under each species.

A sumente non concisus,
non confractus, non divisus,
integer accipitur.
Sumit unus, sumunt mille,
quantum isti, tantum ille,
nec sumptus consumitur.

He who partakes of him
neither severs, nor breaks, nor
divides him; he receives him entire.
Whether one or a thousand
receive him, one receives as
much as a thousand do: and when
received he is not diminished.

Sumunt boni, sumunt mali:
sorte tamen inaequali,
vitae, vel interitus.
Mors est malis, vita bonis:
vide paris sumptionis
quam sit dispar exitus.

Both the good and the wicked
receive him: but with the unequal
result of life or death.
He brings death to the unworthy,
and life to the just: see how unlike
are the effects of a like communion.

Fracto demum sacrmento
ne vacilles, sed memento
tantum esse sub fragmento
quantum toto tegitur.
Nulla rei fit scissura:
signi tantum fit fractura,
qua nec status nec statura
signati minuitur.

Then indeed when the bread is
broken, doubt not, but remember that
there is as much in one fragment
as lies hidden in the whole.
There is no division of the substance
itself, but only a breaking of the
species, by which neither the state
nor the size of the substance signified is altered.

Ecce panis angelorum,
factus cibus viatorum:
vere panis filiorium,
non mittendus canibus.

Behold the bread of angels
which has become the food of
earthly pilgrims: truly it is the bread
of God's children, which must not
be cast to the dogs.

In figuris praesignatur,
cum Isaac immolatur,
agnus Paschae deputatur,
datur manna patribus.

It was prefigured in types,
when Isaac was immolated,
when the paschal Lamb was sacrificed,
when manna was given to the fathers.

Bone pastor, panis vere,
Jesu, nostri miserere:
tu nos pasce, nos tuere,
tu nos bona fac videre
in terra viventium.
Tu qui cuncta scis et vales,
qui nos pascis hic mortales:
tuos ibi commensales,
coheredes et sodales,
fac sanctorum civium.
Amen.  Alleluia

O Good Shepherd, true bread,
Jesus, have mercy on us:
feed us and protect us, make us see
your blessings in the land of the living.
You whose knowledge and power
are boundless, you who feed us
mortals here below, make us, there
in heaven, your guests, the co-heirs
and companions of your saints.
Amen.  Alleluia.

 

 

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