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| Musical Musings: Hymns and Hymnody | Page 2 |
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Singing for the Supper or the Sacrifice? (cont.)More confusion occurs in this hymn:When we eat this breadYes, we are all part of the mystical Body of Christ. But in texts like this one, with no reference to the fact that bread becomes the Body of Christ, the impression is given that we are the ones involved in the act of transubstantiating. Here it is once again:Just who, one must ask, is the Deity here? Are we all priests, are we all gods? To be your bread now,So, we are changed into bread and wine by the Lord? A constant diet of these symbolic and reversal texts, without explanations, without mention of sacrifice, Body, Blood, Eucharist, can only erode the understanding and belief in Catholic doctrine. Here is another: This bread we do consumeAh, but the fact is, the host does still taste of unleavened bread. As Thomas Aquinas wrote, our senses deceive us here. And, no longer unleavened bread, is it now the Body of Christ? No, the song tells us: it is still bread: bread of a land of freedom. This is repeated about the wine in verse 2: This wine we hold dearAt this point, those of us who still believe in Transubstantiation should want to stand up and hurl those little paperback hymnals out the window. Marty Haugen and many others whose music appears in Catholic worship aids are not Catholic; their interpretation of the Eucharist cannot be ours. Yet even Catholic writers completely miss the point. The sacrifice, they write, is rather only a banquet in which we are fed, which in turns prompts us to feed the hungry, a call to social action: Come to the banquetObserve the wording: Christ is here in the breaking of the bread. We have Jesus as a guest at dinner, not as priest and victim. One imagines Him paternally watching over us as we break bread, plain bread, as we gird ourselves to social activism. The hymn commissioned by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia for the Eucharistic Congress of 1976 is so popular that it even appears in the current Presbyterian Hymnal. Yet the text speaks only of "gift of wheat," "bread of life." The true gift is not wheat, but the gift of Christ Himself. Finally, in verse 3 is found this reference: Is not the cup we bless and shareThere is no reference to the Body of Christ, however. Vague as the text is, it is understandable that it could easily be adopted in Protestant hymnals. Yet there are texts that come to us from Protestant churches that are most appropriate. For example: Lord, sup with us in love divineAnd another, most appropriate hymn: Draw near and take the Body of the LordThis is actually a translation and adaptation of an earlier Latin hymn, and the sentiment is unabashedly Catholic. Of course, there is the exquisite, mystical text of "Adoro te devote" by Saint Thomas Aquinas: Adoro te devote, latens DeitasThis mystical text tells us that the true God is hidden in the forms of bread and wine, deceiving the senses, and yet we believe, for God Himself has told us: (verse 2) Credo quid quid dixit Dei FiliusIf we are to teach orthodox belief in the Eucharist, we must sing texts that reflect that belief. Here is one, from a priest who converted to Catholicism from the Church of England: (verse 4) For this is God, the very GodThe hymn Anima Christi gives us this reference: Body of Jesus, be my saving guest"O Lord, I am not Worthy" is based on a text present in the Mass, taken from Scripture, but this worthy hymn is banned in many places because it is deemed demeaning to the congregants. Yet the fact is, if this is truly the Body and Blood, none of us can be worthy to receive. This traditional hymn re-affirms the Catholic belief: (verse 4) Increase my faith, dear JesusOnly by purging our churches of questionable texts and by insisting on hymns that correctly state the nature of the Eucharist can we hope to restore belief in the Real Presence. Only by emphasizing the Sacrifice rather than the supper can we bring to this sacrament the reverence it deserves. Dr. Carroll is organist/choral director at the Carmelite Monastery (Philadelphia PA), associate professor at Westminster Choir College (Princeton NJ), and Scholar-in-Residence, PHMC (Ephrata PA). Copyright © 2002 Adoremus: Society for the Renewal of the Sacred Liturgy. All rights reserved. See also CNP's Hymn Resource Collection |
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