Hi everyone, this is Father Rocky in the beautiful new Chapel of the Proclamation in Lincolnshire, Illinois, the headquarters of Relevant Radio.
The past few weeks I’ve been unpacking some of the secrets and treasures of the Liturgy, composed by the great St. Thomas Aquinas. Today I want to tell you about another beautiful hymn that’s very commonly used in Benediction: the “O Salutaris Hostia.” It’s about 800 years old!
Maybe you’ve heard it in English before. It goes like this:
O Saving Victim opening wide
The gate of heaven to all below.
Our foes press on from every side;
Your aid supply, Your strength bestow.
Normally, the “O Salutaris Hostia” is sung at the beginning of the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, when the priest puts a large host in the monstrance. At that time, we offer incense to Our Lord in the Eucharist.
In Latin, it goes like this:
O Salutaris Hostia
Quae caelis pandis ostium.
Bella premunt hostilia;
Da robur, fer auxilium.
Isn’t it amazing? This hymn is over 800 years old, but it’s as if it was written yesterday. That’s because the truths of the Catholic Church never fade! You can find this on the Relevant Radio app for free, in English and in Latin. The most important thing is to read it slowly and think about it.
And I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the people who showed up for Jesus in Indianapolis last summer: 65,000. Thank you, and be sure to watch for another Eucharistic Encounter next week, and may God bless you!
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