What's the reason behind St. Thomas Aquinas word choice "angelicus" in the hymn "Panis angelicus"?
score:1
It comes from Ps. 77:25:
Man ate the bread of angels: he sent them provisions in abundance.
Discussing whether it belongs to man alone to receive Communion spiritually, St. Thomas Aquinas* wrote (Summa Theologica III q. 80 a. 2 ad 1):
The receiving of Christ under this sacrament is ordained to the enjoyment of heaven, as to its end, in the same way as the angels enjoy it; and since the means are gauged by the end, hence it is that such eating of Christ whereby we receive Him under this sacrament, is, as it were, derived from that eating whereby the angels enjoy Christ in heaven. Consequently, man is said to eat the "bread of angels," because it belongs to the angels to do so firstly and principally, since they enjoy Him in his proper species; and secondly it belongs to men, who receive Christ under this sacrament.
*He composed the Sacris solemniis hymn, of which the last 2 stanzas are Panis Angelicus, for the procession of his Corpus Christi Mass.
Thus, Communion makes men into angels.
Angels cannot receive Communion (they don't have bodies to be able to eat), though they are united to God very closely, as we are when receiving Communion physically.
Upvote:3
What's the reason behind St. Thomas Aquinas word choice "angelicus" in the hymn "Panis angelicus"?
The reason is quite simple. It involves a little bit of a mistranslation as well a slight nuance in the meaning of angelicus in the actual meaning of this word in both Latin and English.
In English the phrase bread of angels would be panis angelorum and not panis angelicus.
Panis angelicus would be better translated as angelic bread or bread pertaining to the angels. Personally, I would favour the translation as being angelic bread. This gives the nuance that the Eucharist is destined to be eaten by those who are angel like in their morals and in the state of Grace, living a life of purity, just like that of the Holy Angels in heaven.
This heavenly bread is set aside for the saints, united in total union with God on earth. Yes we can truly ponder the words of this hymn with angelic love and devotion, in spiritu et veritate.
St. Thomas is not taking the focus away from Christβs body to the Angels, but in a poetic manner showing that we must be angelic in our way of Christian living to receive this bread which is the bread which has come down from heaven where Christ is forever reigning and desires to feed the saints on earth, until their earthly pilgrimage is over.
Panis angelicus fit panis hominum; Dat panis cΕlicus figuris terminum: O res mirabilis! Manducat Dominum pauper, servus et humilis.
Te trina Deitas unaque poscimus: Sic nos tu visita, sicut te colimus; Per tuas semitas duc nos quo tendimus, Ad lucem quam inhabitas. Amen.
Thus Angels' Bread is made the Bread of man today: the Living Bread from heaven with figures dost away: O wondrous gift indeed! the poor and lowly may upon their Lord and Master feed.
Thee, therefore, we implore, O Godhead, One in Three, so may Thou visit us as we now worship Thee; and lead us on Thy way, That we at last may see the light wherein Thou dwellest aye. Amen.
More post
- π Why did the RLDS change its name to the Community of Christ?
- π Why do Christians care so much about what you believe?
- π How do Christians exercise self-control in the abstinence of food during fasting?
- π How do Biblical Unitarians deal with the fact that the early church accepted the divinity of Christ?
- π According to the RCC is it allowed to have more then one wife?
- π How does Westboro Baptist Church support the idea that soldiers will go to hell?
- π "Hell's Best Kept Secret" from a Calvinist Perspective
- π Do Arminian Protestants agree with Chapter 3 Article 1 of the Westminster Confession of Faith?
- π Did Calvin and Luther believe in free will?
- π Example for children of common sense in the Bible
- π Why do adherents to the priesthood of all believers still have organized congregations?
- π Does any church believe in Sola Scriptura, but without allowing private interpretation?
- π Since Satan was defeated by Jesus on the Cross, why is he still allowed to vex us today?
- π Tackling Catholic philosophy and theology
- π How does one explain that the Church is the Bride of Christ?
- π When did we begin to exist?
- π Core teaching of Christianity
- π Eternity in Christianity
- π During Assyriaβs conquest of Israel, what side did Judah take?
- π Has the US Catholic Church given an imprimatur to any English Bible translations intended for children?
- π Why does God promise descendants for Hagar?
- π What is the significance of the three distinct aspects of the temptation of Eve in the garden?
- π When and why did the ancient church no longer care about offending a brother?
- π What is the Christian definition of "The Messiah"?
- π Where in the Bible does it say that sacrifice can only be done on the temple?
- π When was the acronym ACTS first used to refer to components of prayer?
- π What did the Gnostics in first and second century believed about Jesus
- π What are the 'Scriptures' mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15?
- π `Art thou that prophet?` do they mean the Prophet Mohammad?
- π Are there any reports of charismatic gifts in operation from the period between the 5th and 17th centuries AD?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- π What's the reason behind St. Thomas Aquinas word choice "angelicus" in the hymn "Panis angelicus"?
- π Reason for the choice of new 12th Apostle?
- π On what basis does Thomas Aquinas say that the Church existed since the time of Abel?
- π What is the evidence that Thomas Aquinas was assassinated?
- π How did Thomas Aquinas view grace as opposed to the church fathers?
- π When was the term 'substitutionary atonement' first coined and what was the reason for the choice of the 2 words?
- π Does St. Thomas Aquinas think idolatry is the main cause of h*m*sexuality?
- π Did St. Thomas Aquinas deny the Holy Spirit proceeds immediately from the Father alone?
- π St. Thomas Aquinas on whether all will die before the Final Judgement?
- π Where did St. Thomas Aquinas say Mary approached the borders of the Hypostatic Union?
- π St. Thomas Aquinas on the Question: "What Must I Do to Go to Heaven?''
- π What did Thomas Aquinas teach about the renewal of the world after judgement and what kinds of bodies will be renewed?
- π From a Fundamentalist standpoint, what does the phrase "Inspired, infallible, inerrant Word of God" mean?
- π What is the reasoning behind the Amish practice of avoiding technological advances?
- π What is the story behind a monkβs tonsure?
- π When in the development of trinitarian doctrine was the word "persons" first applied to God?
- π Why is the word "Ark" used for Noah's boat and the Ark of the Covenant?
- π What is the reason for the absence of the Cross as a symbol in the LDS Church?
- π What scholarship exists behind the WikiSource translation of the Bible?
- π What specific scholarship is there behind the New World Translation?
- π What is the Word of Faith teaching on "little gods"
- π Why is the Gospel of Thomas considered heretical by Nicene Christians?
- π What evidence is there to support the position that the Bible is truly the Word of God to mankind?
- π Is there a historical reason why the liturgical colour purple eventually replaced black to symbolize penance?
- π Why is the word 'Lord' in all caps in the OT but not in the NT?
- π Is it against the LDS Word of Wisdom to use marijuana as medicine?
- π Does the Bible give any reason as to why its content is sometimes difficult to interpret?
- π In what different ways is the word "cult" used as a label inside Christianity?
- π When was the word "trinity" first applied to God in Christianity?
- π Can the Word of God and God's wisdom be beneficial to an unbeliever?