Adoro te devote (Three Motets of Serenity , No. 1)

Humbly We Adore Thee

Mawby, Colin (1936–2019)

Voicing:
Mixed Choir → SSAATTBB

Accompaniment:
Unaccompanied

Function/Language(s):
Latin

Occasion:

Proper of Time → The Solemnities of the Lord during Ordinary Time → The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) → Cycle A
Proper of Time → The Solemnities of the Lord during Ordinary Time → The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) → Cycle B
Proper of Time → The Solemnities of the Lord during Ordinary Time → The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) → Cycle C

Publication Information:
Trinitas (Oregon Catholic Press) — 4555 (2000)

Text Information:
Reference: Thomas Aquinas (c. 1225–1274)

Duration: 6:30
Lyrics:

Adoro te devote, latens Deitas, 
quae sub his figuris vere latitas: 
tibi se cor meum totum subiicit, 
quia te contemplans totum deficit.

Visus, tactus, gustus in te fallitur, 
sed auditu solo tuto creditur; 
credo quidquid dixit Dei Filius: 
nil hoc verbo Veritatis verius.

In cruce latebat sola Deitas, 
at hic latet simul et humanitas; 
ambo tamen credens atque confitens, 
peto quod petivit latro paenitens.

Plagas, sicut Thomas, non intueor; 
Deum tamen meum te confiteor; 
fac me tibi semper magis credere, 
in te spem habere, te diligere.

O memoriale mortis Domini! 
panis vivus, vitam praestans homini! 
praesta meae menti de te vivere 
et te illi semper dulce sapere.

Pie pellicane, Iesu Domine, 
me immundum munda tuo sanguine; 
cuius una stilla salvum facere 
totum mundum quit ab omni scelere.

English translation:
Godhead here in hiding, whom I do adore,
masked by these bare shadows, shape and nothing more,
see, Lord, at thy service low lies here a heart lost,
all lost in wonder at the God thou art.

Seeing, touching, tasting are in thee deceived;
how says trusty hearing? That shall be believed;
what God’s Son hath told me, take for truth I do;
truth himself speaks truly, or there’s nothing true.

On the Cross thy godhead made no sign to men;
here thy very manhood steals from human ken;
both are my confession. Both are my belief,
and I pray the prayer of the dying thief.

I am not like Thomas, wounds I cannot see,
but can plainly call thee Lord and God as he;
this faith each day deeper be my holding of,
daily make me harder hope and dearer love.

O thou our reminder of Christ crucified,
living bread, the life of us for whom he died,
lend this life to me then; feed and feast my mind,
there be thou, the sweetness man was meant to find.

Bring the tender tale true of the Pelican;
bathe me, Jesus Lord, in what thy bosom ran—
blood that but one drop of has the power to win
all the world forgiveness of its world of sin.

Submitted by: Brian Luckner Added: Feb 16, 2022 Last updated: Feb 16, 2022