Wednesday, June 10, 2009

LOOKING FOR A CORPUS CHRISTI HYMN?

This time last year I came across a new hymn for Corpus Christi on the Cantica Nova website. (Musicians and liturgical planners will find that site very useful as it is quite traditional in genre while at the same time encouraging of new compositions.)

So, in case you are still choosing hymns for Sunday (or tomorrow . . . if you live in countries where Corpus Christi is kept on the Thursday!) and are looking for something new, here are the words. The metre is 76767676. We had it as the Entrance Hymn and used the tune "Crüger." Note the copyright . . . And visit the Cantica Nova website.

How light the bread of angels
upon the human tongue!
This precious weight of glory
that binds the Church in one!
The flesh with all its passions
could never match the bliss
Of mind and heart and memory
caught up in heaven’s kiss.

How blessèd is this banquet,
Christ’s sweet and costly meal.
The love within the Godhead
mysteriously revealed:
When God the Son gives glory
to God the Father high,
As God the Holy Spirit
effects the sacrifice.

Forth from his wounded body,
the water and the blood,
The glad’ning stream of heaven
swells to a mighty flood.
It winds throughout the ages
and flows into the hearts
Of saints he makes from sinners
with skilful healing arts.

This food, so light, refreshing,
shall speed our pilgrim way,
Until that happy morning
when dawn turns into day.
Upon the holy mountain,
within God’s holy hall,
The Father and the Spirit,
and Christ, our all in all.

by Kathleen Pluth © 2005 Cantica Nova Publications

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