St Thomas Aquinas is known to us through his many hymns extolling the Holy Eucharist, which are also a source of sound teaching. Here is part of Edward Caswall’s translation of St Thomas’ hymn, ‘Adoro te Devote’: ‘O Godhead hid, devoutly I adore Thee, Who truly art within the forms before me; to Thee my heart I bow with bended knee, as failing quite in contemplating Thee. … Jesus, Whom for the present veiled I see, what I so thirst for, oh, vouchsafe to me: that I may see Thy countenance unfolding, and may be blest Thy glory in beholding’.

May St Thomas’ teaching guide us into an ever deeper understanding of what Our Lord as done for us in instituting the Mass; and may you be greatly blessed this day.