The Heavenly Word Proceeding Forth

lyricist: Thomas Aquinas, ca. 1263
Composer: James Uglow

The heav­en­ly Word pro­ceed­ing forth

Yet leav­ing not the Fa­ther’s side

Accomplishing His work on earth

Had reached at length life’s ev­en­tide.

By false dis­ciple to be giv­en

To foe­men for His life athirst

Himself

the ve­ry Bread of Heav’n

He gave to His dis­ciples first.

He gave Him­self in ei­ther kind

His pre­cious flesh

His pre­cious blood

In love’s own full­ness thus de­signed

Of the whole man to be the Food.

By birth their fel­low man was He;

Their meat

when sit­ting at the board;

He died

their ran­som­er to be;

He ev­er reigns

their great re­ward.

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