The Solemnity of Corpus Christi: A Reflection on St. Thomas Aquinas’ Hymn, “Adoro Te Devote”

Visus, tactus, gustus in te fallitur, sed auditu solo tuto creditur.
“Seeing, touching, tasting; these are all deceived; only in the hearing can it be believed.”
Adoro Te Devote (Humbly We Adore Thee).
– Saint Thomas Aquinas

If someone were to ask me when I fell in love with the Blessed Sacrament, it had to be hearing Saint Thomas Aquinas’ poignant hymn, Adoro Te Devote on Holy Thursday at Holy Savior Church in the Irish East End section of Wilkes-Barre about 50 years ago. One of the five Eucharistic hymns composed by the Angelic Doctor himself in 1264 for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, this beautiful hymn captures what Holy Eucharist means to Catholics. I cannot hear it played or sung and not be moved to tears, even after hearing it more times than I could ever count.

The Catholic novelist and essayist of the middle of the last century, Flannery O’Connor, once famously remarked about the Holy Eucharist: "if it’s only a symbol, then to hell with it.” There’s no irreverence in what she said, only a deep abiding faith and love in Christ’s True and Real Presence in the world today, here and now. Jesus calls us all to this same deep love in Holy Eucharist, and the words of Adoro Te Devote have helped me to see how. Here are those lyrics with most profound meaning to me:

Credo quidquid dixit Dei Filius; Nil hoc verbo veritátis verius

“Nothing is more certain: Christ has told me so; What the Truth has uttered, I believe and know.”

We can’t count the number of times at Holy Mass we’ve heard the words of Christ from the Last Supper: “This is my Body… This is the chalice of my Blood… Do this in memory of me.” We hold as undeniably true these words of the Word made Flesh Himself, the One who reminded His Apostles and us at the Last Supper: “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life” (John 14:6). The Eternal Truth can only speak truth, and if we can’t believe Jesus, we can’t believe anyone.

In cruce latebat sola Deitas, at hic latet simul et Humanitas

“Only God was hidden when you came to die. Human nature also here escapes the eye.”

The fullness of God’s Divinity in Jesus was hidden in His Humanity. When it broke through in the miracles He worked or afflictions He healed, the demons he drove out or the glory of His Transfiguration, the authority of His teachings or the wisdom of His words, we are lead forward in faith, in the faith that leads us to believe fully that Jesus is fully present in His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity under the appearance of unleavened bread and grape wine – the veils of not only His Divinity, but His Humanity as well.

Cujus una stilla salvum facere totum mundum quit ab omni scelere

“Now heal me with Your Blood, take away my guilt. All the world is ransomed if one Drop is spilt.”

Nothing in the world is more powerful than the Eucharist. A single crumb or the tiniest drop of the Precious Body and Blood of Christ has the power to save the eternal soul of every person who has lived, lives now, and ever will live for all eternity. Ponder over that.

Ut te revelata cernens facie, visu sim beátus tuæ gloriæ

“Let me see your glory in a blaze of Light, and instead of blindness, give me Lord my sight.”

During my third year at the seminary, I had a pastoral assignment one day a week at a parish in Stoughton, Massachusetts. Once a month I went on Communion calls with one of the parishioners, a man named Jack, with whom I am still in touch. We went to visit a woman who was suffering from dementia named Peg (she died a few years ago). Jack pulled out his prayer book, as well as the pyx containing the Blessed Sacrament, and he gave the pyx to Peg to hold as was his custom. Peg held the pyx close to her heart as Jack asked her, "Who are you holding, Peg?" Without hesitation, Peg replied, "Jesus" and smiled. Jack told me Peg likes to hold the pyx up to the point when it's time to receive Holy Communion. Peg’s husband, Walter, smiled looking at his wife holding the pyx. It was obvious how much they both love the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. Jack proceeded through the rite and at the appropriate time, invited me to administer the Sacrament. I gratefully accepted the pyx from Peg, who seemed fully cognizant of all that was happening. Holding the Blessed Sacrament up, Peg looked at our Lord intently as I professed in words that which we hold fast in our hearts:

Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him Who takes away the sin of the world,

Happy are those called to the supper of the Lamb

Without hesitation, all replied in the words of the centurion:

Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof,

but only say the word and my soul shall be healed

The Divine Physician made a house call that day and healed Peg and me of our blindness, and filled us with His Divine Light, even if only for a moment.

“For those with faith no explanation is necessary; for those without, no explanation is possible” – Saint Thomas Aquinas.

May the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar be praised, adored, and loved with grateful devotion at every moment in all the tabernacles of the world, now and until the end of time. Amen.