Hymns: St. Thomas Aquinas: Propers for the Order of Preachers

 

 

 

 

Office of Readings

 

1. O Thomas, shining splendor bright,

The ray of Mother Church's light;

We sing your merits, rich with grace,

As in your care our praise we place.

 

2. With simple heart and simple mind    

You spread abroad for all mankind,

The vision blest of God alone,

Beyond what was to others known.

 

3. You gazed on myst'ries, great and deep;

With logic sharp, their truth you reap: 

And then, this food to ages gave,

Their minds to fill, their souls to save.

 

5. Your mind was set to hear the voice

Of God's inspired Spirit's choice:

To write with shining words the praise

Of Christ and truth, for endless days.

 

6. In silence raptur'd, modest, pure,

God's sacred fellowship made sure

Your teaching, like the mid-day sun

O'er masters old its course to run.

 

7. We seek the goal the saints now see,

The Three in One and One in Three:

And grant that these new songs we sing

From age to age anew may ring. Amen.

 

 

Lauds

 

1.       Unbroken splendor, Word of the Father,

All things you founded, all creation's blessings:

Glad hymns we raise now, to you our Creator,

Light's one true Master.

 

2.      Glittering brightly for your Spouse made radiant,

Feeding in safety from truth's holy banquet,

You gave us Thomas, golden star, most famous,

 Angelic doctor. 

 

3.      Pure in his living, chase in mind and body,

So he ascends through the grades of knowledge

Until at last, he merited to enter

Heaven's bright portals.

 

4.      Brightly yet shines this house of our companion,

Far beyond stars or moon in all his brightness,

Beyond earth's splendor gleams his life so holy,

Splendid example.

 

5.      Why do you marvel at these gifts most precious?

Here is a master, whom the world calls blessed;

We ask his favors for our growth in virtue,

Led by his teaching.

 

6.      To you, O Father, and to Love descending,

To you, Christ Jesus, may we sing hosannas

To endless ages, with our brother Thomas,

Where shines the true Sun. Amen.

 

Vespers

 

1.       Thomas, our great teacher, praises most dutiful,

we offer gratefully; with wisdom heavenly,

disciples you endue; drawing from fountain pure

grace soul-saving, the most divine.

 

2.      The purest character truly they saw in you,

holiness, that seemed impossible,

by which you merited to see the Savior's face,

open, shining, and glorious.

 

3.      No prize of earthly wealth, nor rank terrestrial,

would hinder you to take the way to the Lord's cross; 

then in Jesus' steps, you walked with him alone,

and reached with him glory supreme.

 

4.      Of our poor human race, you are the ornament:

 The Church in you does find font of true instruction, 

Holding your chastity truly exemplary,

we learn Christ's way most perfectly.

 

5.      O blessed Trinity, to you all praises be,

For you blessed Saint Thomas with honors marvelous,

to his brothers give all graces sufficient

to join with him in divine peace. Amen.