[Officium]
Festum Sanctissimi Corporis Christi

[Ant Vespera]
Christ the Lord, being made an High Priest for ever * after the order of Melchisedec, hath offered bread and wine.;;109
He hath made His wonderful works to be remembered; * the Lord is gracious and full of compassion. He hath given meat unto them that fear Him.;;110
I will take the cup of salvation, * and offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving.;;115
Let the children of the Church be like olive-plants * round about the table of the Lord.;;127
The Lord, That maketh peace in the borders of the Church, * filleth her with the finest of the wheat.;;147

[Hymnus Vespera]
v. Sing, my tongue, the Saviour's glory,
Of his flesh the mystery sing;
Of the blood, all price exceeding,
Shed by our immortal King,
Destined, for the world's redemption,
From a noble womb to spring.
_
Of a pure and spotless Virgin
Born for us on earth below,
He, as man, with man conversing,
Stayed, the seeds of truth to sow;
Then he closed in solemn order
Wondrously his life of woe.
_
On the night of that last supper
Seated with his chosen band,
He, the paschal victim eating,
First fulfills the law's command:
Then as food to all his brethren
Gives himself with his own hand.
_
Word made flesh, the bread of nature
By his word to flesh he turns;
Wine into his blood he changes:
What though sense no change discerns?
Only be the heart in earnest,
Faith her lesson quickly learns.
_
!If the Office is celebrated before the exposed Blessed Sacrament, the following verses are said on bended knee.
_
Down in adoration falling,
Lo! the sacred Host we hail;
Lo! o'er ancient forms departing,
Newer rites of grace prevail;
Faith for all defects supplying,
Where the feeble senses fail.
_
To the everlasting Father,
And the Son who reigns on high,
With the Holy Ghost proceeding
Forth from each eternally,
Be salvation, honour, blessing,
Might, and endless majesty.
Amen.

[Versum 1]
V. Thou didst send them from heaven, alleluia.
R. Bread able to content every man's delight, alleluia.

[Ant 1]
O Lord, how kindly is thy Spirit; * even thine, Whose sustenance declared thy sweetness unto thy children when Thou didst send them from heaven bread tempering itself to every man's liking. O Thou, Who hast filled the hungry with good things, and the rich, that are proud in the imagination of their hearts, Thou hast sent empty away.

[Oratio]
O God, under a marvelous sacrament you have left us the memorial of thy Passion; grant us, we beseech thee, so to venerate the sacred mysteries of thy Body and Blood, that we may ever perceive within us the fruit of thy Redemption.
$Qui vivis

[Invit]
O come, and let us worship Christ, Of all the nations Lord, * Who doth, to them that feed on Him, The Bread of Life afford.

[Hymnus Matutinum]
v. At this our solemn feast,
Let holy joys abound,
And from the inmost breast
Let songs of praise resound;
Let ancient rites depart,
And all be new around,
In ev'ry act and voice and heart.
_
Remember we that eve,
When, the last supper spread,
Christ, as we all believe,
The lamb, with leavenless bread,
Among his brethren shared,
And thus the law obeyed,
Of old unto their sires declared.
_
The typic lamb consumed,
The legal feast complete,
The Lord unto the twelve
His body gave to eat;
The whole to all, no less
The whole to each, did mete
With his own hands, as we confess.
_
He gave them, weak and frail,
His flesh, their food to be;
On them, downcast and sad,
His blood bestowèd he:
And thus to them he spake,
“Receive this cup from me,
And all of you of this partake.”
_
So he this sacrifice
To institute did will,
And charged his priests alone
That office to fulfil:
In them he did confide:
To whom pertaineth still
To take, and to the rest divide.
_
Thus angels' bread is made
The bread of man today:
The living bread from heaven
With figures doth away:
O wondrous gift indeed!
The poor and lowly may
Upon their Lord and Master feed.
_
O Triune Deity,
To thee we meekly pray,
So mayst thou visit us,
As we our homage pay;
And in thy footsteps bright
Conduct us on our way
To where thou dwell'st in cloudless light.
Amen.

[Ant Matutinum]
The Lord brought forth His fruit in the season of His death, * even that fruit whereof if any man eat, he shall live for ever.;;1
His faithful ones which are increased by the fruit of His corn and His wine * do lay them down in peace and sleep in Christ.;;4
Us, being many, hath the Lord made one body, * for we are all partakers of that one cup, which is not the communion of the blood of bulls, but of God Himself.;;15
V. He gave them of the bread of heaven, alleluia.
R. Man did eat Angels' bread, alleluia.
The Lord remember our offering, * and accept our burnt-sacrifice.;;19
The Lord prepareth His Table before us * in the presence of our enemies.;;22
Let them that keep holiday around the table of the Lord * make the voice of joy and praise to be heard [in the house of God.];;41
V. He fed them with the finest of the wheat, alleluia.
R. And with honey out of the Rock did He satisfy them, alleluia.
I will go unto the Altar of God * I will feed on Christ, Which is the Renewer of my youth.;;42
The Lord hath fed us * with the finest of the wheat, and with honey out of the Rock hath He satisfied us.;;80
It is at thine Altar, O Lord, * that we do feed on Christ, for Whom our heart and our flesh crieth out.;;83
V. Thou bringest forth food out of the earth, alleluia.
R. And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, alleluia.

[Lectio1]
Lesson from the first letter of St. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians
!1 Cor 11:20-22
20 When you come therefore together into one place, it is not now to eat the Lord's supper.
21 For every one taketh before his own supper to eat. And one indeed is hungry and another is drunk.
22 What, have you not houses to eat and to drink in? Or despise ye the church of God; and put them to shame that have not? What shall I say to you? Do I praise you? In this I praise you not.

[Responsory1]
R. The whole assembly of the children of Israel shall kill the lamb toward the evening of the Passover.
* And they shall eat the flesh, and unleavened bread.
V. Even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us therefore let us keep the feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
R. And they shall eat the flesh, and unleavened bread.

[Responsory2]
R. Ye shall eat flesh, and shall be filled with bread.
* This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat.
V. Moses gave you not that Bread from heaven, but My Father giveth you the true Bread from heaven.
R. This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat.

[Lectio3]
!1 Cor 11:27-32
27 Therefore whosoever shall eat this bread, or drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord.
28 But let a man prove himself: and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of the chalice.
29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord.
30 Therefore are there many infirm and weak among you, and many sleep.
31 But if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
32 But whilst we are judged, we are chastised by the Lord, that we be not condemned with this world.

[Responsory3]
R. Elijah looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals at his head, and he arose, and did eat and drink;
* And went in the strength of that meat [forty days and forty nights] unto the mount of God.
V. If any man eat of this Bread, he shall live for ever.
R. And went in the strength of that meat [forty days and forty nights] unto the mount of God.
&Gloria
R. And went in the strength of that meat [forty days and forty nights] unto the mount of God.

[Lectio4]
From the Sermons of St. Thomas Aquinas
!17th or 57th of his Opuscula, or Lesser Works
The immeasurable benefits, which the goodness of God hath bestowed on Christian people, have conferred on them also a dignity beyond all price. “For what nation is there so great, who hath gods so nigh unto them, as the Lord, our God, is unto us?” (Deut. iv. 7.) The Only-begotten Son of God, being pleased to make us “partakers of the Divine nature,” (2 Pet. i. 4,) took our nature upon Him, being Himself made Man that He might make men gods. And all, as much of ours as He took, He applied to our salvation. On the Altar of the Cross He offered up His Body to God the Father as a sacrifice for our reconciliation He shed His Blood as the price whereby He redeemeth us from wretchedness and bondage, and the washing whereby He cleanseth us from all sin. And for a noble and abiding memorial of that so great work of His goodness, He hath left unto His faithful ones the Same His very Body for Meat, and the Same His very Blood for Drink, to be fed upon under the appearance of bread and wine.

[Responsory4]
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.

[Lectio5]
How precious a thing then, how marvelous, how health-giving, how furnished with all dainties, is the Supper [of the Lord!] Than His Supper can anything be more precious? Therein there is put before us for meat, not, as of old time, the flesh of bulls and of goats, but Christ Himself, our very God. Than this Sacrament can anything be more marvelous? Therein it cometh to pass that bread and wine are bread and wine no more, but in the stead thereof there is the Body and there is the Blood of Christ; that is to say, Christ Himself, Perfect God and Perfect Man, Christ Himself is there, under the appearance of a little bread and wine. His faithful ones eat Him, but He is not mangled; nay, when [the veil which shroudeth Him in] this Sacrament is broken, in each broken piece thereof remaineth whole Christ Himself, Perfect God and Perfect Man. All that the senses can reach in this Sacrament, [look, taste, feel, smell, and the like, all these] abide of bread and wine, but the Thing is not bread and wine. And thus room is left for faith; Christ Who hath a Form That can be seen, is here taken and received not only unseen, but seeming to be bread and wine, and the senses, which judge by the wonted look, are warranted against error.

[Responsory5]
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.

[Lectio6]
Than this Sacrament can anything be more health-giving? Thereby are sins purged away, strength renewed, and the soul fed upon the fatness of spiritual gifts. This Supper is offered up in the Church both for the quick and dead it was ordained to the health of all, all get the good of it. Than this Sacrament can anything be more furnished with dainties The glorious sweetness thereof is of a truth such that no man can fully tell it. Therein ghostly comfort is sucked from its very well-head. Therein a memorial is made of that exceeding great love which Christ showed in time of His sufferings. It was in order that the boundless goodness of that His great love might be driven home into the hearts of His faithful ones, that when He had celebrated the Passover with His disciples, and the last Supper was ended, “the Lord Jesus, knowing that His hour was come that He should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end,” (John xiii. 1,) and instituted this Sacrament, this Sacrament, the everlasting “forth-showing of His death until He come again,” (1 Cor. xi. 26,) this Sacrament, the embodied fulfilment of all the ancient types and figures, this Sacrament, the greatest miracle which He ever wrought, and the one mighty joy of them that now have sorrow, till He shall come again, and their heart shall rejoice, and their joy no man take from them. (John xvi. 22.)

[Responsory6]
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.
&Gloria
R. This is the Bread Which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.

[Lectio7]
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) 
!26th Tract on John
By use of meat and drink men would fain that “they shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more,” (Apoc. vii. 16,) and yet there is but one Meat and one Drink, Which doth work in them that feed thereon that “this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality,” (1 Cor. xv. 53,) namely communion with that general assembly and Church of God's holy children, who are “kept in perfect peace,” (Isa. xxvi. 3,) and are “all one,” (John xvii. 11,) fully and utterly. And therefore it is, as men of God before our time have taken it, that our Lord Jesus Christ hath set before us His Body and His Blood in the likeness of things which, from being many, are reduced into one. In one loaf are many grains of corn, and one cup of wine the juice of many grapes. And now He giveth us to know how that which He spake cometh to pass, and how indeed “this Man can give us His Flesh to eat,” and His Blood to drink.

[Responsory7]
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.

[Lectio8]
“He that eateth My Flesh, and drinketh My Blood, dwelleth in Me, and I in him.” To dwell in Christ, therefore, and to have Him dwelling in us, is to “eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup,” (1 Cor. xi. 28,) and he which dwelleth not in Christ, and in whom Christ dwelleth not, without all doubt doth not spiritually eat His Flesh nor drink His Blood, although he do carnally and visibly press the Sacrament with his teeth but, contrariwise, he “eateth and drinketh damnation to himself,” because he dareth to draw nigh filthy to that secret and holy thing of Christ, whereunto none draweth nigh worthily, save he which is pure, even he which is of them concerning whom it is said: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matth. v. 8.)

[Responsory8]
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.
&Gloria
R. So he that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me.

[Lectio9]
“As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father, so he that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me.” This is as though He said: The Father hath sent Me into the world (John x. 36,) and I have emptied Myself [and taken upon Me the form of a servant, and being found in fashion as a man], (Phil. ii. 7, 8.) I have My life from the Father, as One That is greater than I. (John xiv. 28.) He that eateth Me, even he, by thereby taking part in Me, shall live by Me. It is as having humbled Myself (Phil. ii. 8) that I live by the Father, but he that eateth Me, him will I raise up, (John vi. 55,) and so he shall live by Me. It is said “I live by the Father” that is to say, He is of the Father, not the Father of Him, and yet not so, but that the Father and the Son are co-equal together. Also it is said “So he that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me,” whereby He showeth the gracious work towards His people of Him Who is the “one Mediator between God and man,” (1 Tim. ii. 5,) and not that He Which is eaten and he which eateth Him are co-equal together.
&teDeum

[Ant Laudes]
Wisdom hath builded her house, * she hath mingled her wine, she hath also furnished her table, alleluia.
Thou feddest thine Own people * with Angels' food, and didst send them bread from heaven, alleluia.
Out of Christ His bread shall be fat, * and He shall yield royal dainties, alleluia.
The Priests shall be holy; * for the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and the bread of their God, they do offer, [therefore they shall be holy], alleluia.
To him that overcometh will I give of the hidden manna, * and will give him a new name, alleluia.

[Capitulum Laudes]
!1 Cor 11:23-24
v. Brothers: For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread. And giving thanks, broke, and said: Take ye, and eat: this is my body, which shall be delivered for you: this do for the commemoration of me.
$Deo gratias

[Hymnus Laudes]
v. The heav'nly Word proceeding forth,
Yet leaving not the Father's side,
And going to his work on earth
Had reached at length life's eventide.
_
By false disciple to be given
To foemen for his blood athirst,
Himself, the living bread from heaven,
He gave to his disciples first.
_
To them he gave, in twofold kind,
His very flesh, his very blood:
In love's own fullness thus designed
Of the whole man to be the food.
_
By birth, our fellow-man was he;
Our meat, while sitting at the board;
He died, our ransomer to be;
He ever reigns, our great reward.
_
O saving victim, opening wide
The gate of heaven to man below,
Our foes press on from every side,
Thine aid supply, thy strength bestow.
_
To thy great name be endless praise,
Immortal Godhead, One in Three;
O grant us endless length of days
In our true native land, with thee.
Amen.

[Versum 2]
V. He maketh peace in thy borders, alleluia.
R. And filleth thee with the finest of wheat, alleluia.

[Ant 2]
I am the living Bread Which came down from heaven; * if any man eat of this Bread, he shall live for ever, alleluia.

[Lectio Prima]
!1 Cor 11:27
v. Whosoever shall eat this bread, or drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord.

[Responsory Tertia]
R.br. He gave them the bread of heaven. * Alleluia, Alleluia.
R. He gave them of the bread of heaven. * Alleluia, Alleluia.
V. Man did eat Angels' bread.
R. Alleluia, Alleluia.
&Gloria
R. He gave them the bread of heaven. * Alleluia, Aleluia.
_
V. He fed them with the finest of the wheat. Alleluia.
R. And with honey out of the rock did He satisfy them. Alleluia.

[Capitulum Sexta]
!1 Cor 11:26
v. As often as ye eat this Bread, and drink this Cup, ye do show the Lord's death till He come.
$Deo gratias

[Responsory Sexta]
R.br. He fed them with the finest of the wheat. * Alleluia, Alleluia.
R. He fed them with the finest of the wheat. * Alleluia, Alleluia.
V. And with honey out of the rock did He satisfy them.
R. Alleluia, Alleluia.
&Gloria
R. He fed them with the finest of the wheat. * Alleluia, Alleluia.
_
V. Thou bringest forth food out of the earth. Alleluia.
R. And wine that maketh glad the heart of man. Alleluia.

[Responsory Nona]
R.br. Thou bringest forth food out of the earth. * Alleluia, Alleluia.
R. Thou bringest forth food out of the earth. * Alleluia, Alleluia.
V. And wine that maketh glad the heart of man.
R. Alleluia, Alleluia.
&Gloria
R. Thou bringest forth food out of the earth. * Alleluia, Alleluia.
_
V. He maketh peace in thy borders. Alleluia.
R. And filleth thee with the finest of the wheat. Alleluia.

[Ant 3]
Holy exceedingly is the Supper of the Lord, * wherein we do feed on Christ, do show His death till He come, do get grace abundantly to our souls, and do take pledge of the glory which shall hereafter be revealed in us, alleluia.