Greeting
Blessed be the Lord Jesus,
the Bread that gives life to the world.
May his grace and peace be with you all.
Introduction and LITANY of Praise
A
In talking about our unity in Christ, St. Paul uses a beautiful image when he says that we are like grains of wheat that have been brought together to form one loaf.
Indeed, the Eucharist celebrates and strengthens our unity in Christ.
Lord Jesus,
you are the vine, we are the branches.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord Jesus,
separated from you and from one another our lives become barren.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus,
united with you and with one another our lives become fruitful.
Lord, have mercy.
B
Occasionally, we experience a hunger within us:
a hunger for a word from God…
a hunger for God’s presence.
In this Eucharist we pray that God will speak a word to us,
and offer us the bread of life.
You are the living bread:
Lord, have mercy.
You are the bread from heaven:
Christ, have mercy.
You are the bread which gives us eternal life:
Lord, have mercy.
Opening Prayer
A [ICEL – Year B]
God ever faithful,
you have made a covenant with your people
in the gift of your Son,
who offered his body for us
and poured out his blood for the remission of sins.
As we celebrate this Eucharistic sacrifice,
build up your church
and, in fidelity to your covenant,
inspire us to offer our lives
so that the world may believe in you.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever. AMEN.
B [LTP – Year A #1]
Lord God,
our ancestors journeyed through the desert
where you fed them with manna;
and with water flowing from the rock
you quenched their burning thirst.
[The bread we break
is our sharing in the body of Christ,
and the cup of blessing
is our sharing in the blood of Christ.]
Care for us and inspire us, your people,
so that we, though many, may become one
and all who hunger and thirst
may be nourished and refreshed at our table.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever. AMEN
Second Reading: Corpus Christi for Year ABC
A Reading from the First Letter of Paul to the church at Corinth. [1 Cor. 11:23-26 and 1 Cor.10:16-17]
I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you,
that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed
took a loaf of bread,
and when he had given thanks,
he broke it and said,
“This is my body that is for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.”
In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying:
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood.
Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup,
you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. [pause]
The cup of blessing that we bless,
is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ?
The bread that we break,
is it not a sharing in the body of Christ?
Because there is one loaf of bread,
all of us, though many, are one single body,
for we all share in the one loaf.
The Word of the Lord.
Alleluia
Alleluia! Alleluia!
‘I am the living bread from heaven’, says the Lord;
‘whoever eats this bread will live forever’.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
GENERAL INTERCESSIONS
P We know that the Father loves us because he has lavished abundant gifts upon us. Confident that he hears our prayers we present our petitions before him.
CM Our response is: Nourish your people, Lord.
- For the Church: (pause) that all Christians may live a truly eucharistic life, a life of intimate union with Christ and of humble loving service to one another: we pray:
- For the lonely who hunger for the bread of companionship; and the sick who hunger for the bread of good health: the underfed who hunger for the bread that nourishes and sustains; for all who hunger for the Bread of Life, we pray:
- For the millions of refugees throughout the world. (pause) May they receive the bread that they need; May they also live in hope that one day they can return in safety to their homeland: we pray:
- For peace between peoples and nations; that Israelis and Palestinians will stop their hostilities; that warring factions in Iraq and elsewhere will respect each other’s right to exist; we pray:
[The Presider may add a petition that is local / relevant]
P Father, may the food we eat at this banquet satisfy all our hungers and make us a strong and united community in Christ. We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord. AMEN.
During the Presentation of the Gifts or while the Gifts are being placed upon the Altar
So that the words may be heard there should not be any singing; gentle background music may help.
P Blessed are you, Creator God.
You give us this BREAD,
the bread shaped by our hands,
the bread of toil and pain,
the bread for sharing.
We bring it before you:
let it become the BREAD of our feast,
food for our journey,
and the bread of life.
A Blessed be God forever.
P Blessed are you, Creator God.
You give us this WINE,
fruit of the work of many hands,
the wine of joy and song.
We bring it before you:
let it become the WINE of our celebration,
the wine of the everlasting Kingdom.
A Blessed be God forever.
Prayer over the Gifts
Our God and Father,
as a meal brings a family together
and is a sign of unity,
let your Son keep us together
in friendship, peace
and a common concern for the poor and needy.
We ask this through him
who gives himself to us and stays with us,
Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord for ever. AMEN
Intro to the Lord’s Prayer
A
Before receiving the Bread of life,
let us pray the table prayer which Jesus himself has taught us:
B
Let us pray in the words of Jesus to God our Father
that all his children may have sufficient bread for body and spirit:
Deliver us Lord
Deliver us, Lord, from every evil,
and grant us peace in our day.
Through the body and blood of your Son
free us from selfishness and sin.
Give us the will to feed a hungry world,
as we work in joyful hope
for the coming in glory
of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Prayer for Peace
St Paul said:
“We who are many are one body,
for we all partake of the one bread.”
Lord, grant that by partaking in this sacred meal,
we may grow in unity
and enjoy the peace of your kingdom
where you live forever and ever.
Sign of Peace
Let us now express the unity we have in Christ with those beside us.
OPTIONAL The Breaking of Bread – Shorter Version
While breaking the bread the Presider says aloud:
The bread that we break:
do we not share in the body of Christ
when we eat this bread?
While putting a particle of bread into the cup he says aloud:
The Cup of Blessing for which we give thanks to God:
do we not share in the blood of Christ
when we drink from this cup?
LAMB OF GOD
Invitation to Communion
[Holding up the Ciborium the Presider says:]
P
This is the bread come down from heaven;
whoever eats of it will never die.
[He now holds up the Chalice and says:]
This is the cup of eternal life;
whoever drinks of it will live forever.
[Now, displaying the two receptacles, he says:]
Come now and receive the body and blood of Christ.
ALL Lord, I am not worthy…. shall be healed.
OPTIONAL The Breaking of Bread – Longer Version
Legend: Presiding Priest (PP); Presider’s Assistant-Right (PAR); Assistant on Left (PAL)
The ‘Lamb of God / Kordero’ is omitted.
PAR and PAL ( carrying 2 empty ciboria) join Presider at the Altar at the beginning of the Prayer for Peace. PAL places one empty ciborium in front of Presider. When Presider takes up large bread, PAL removes the Bread plate. Presider now proceeds to break the large bread into the empty ciborium while praying slowly]
PP God, Provider and Sustainer of life,
we ask that in the breaking of this bread
our eyes may be opened
so that we may recognize the presence of your Son among us.
PAL [holding up the bread plate PAL says]
The bread that we break:
do we not share in the body of Christ
when we eat this bread?
[He begins putting some of consecrated Bread into the other empty ciborium.]
PP Because there is the one bread,
all of us, though many, are one body;
for we all share the same loaf.
PAR [holding up the chalice PAR says]
The Cup of Blessing for which we give thanks to God:
do we not share in the blood of Christ
when we drink from this cup?
ALL When we eat this bread and drink this cup
we proclaim your death, Lord Jesus,
until you come in glory. [sung if possible]
PP [Holding up the Ciborium he says:]
This is the bread come down from heaven;
whoever eats of it will never die.
[He now holds up the Chalice and says:]
This is the cup of eternal life;
whoever drinks of it will live forever.
[Now, displaying the two receptacles he says:]
Come now and receive the body and blood of Christ.
ALL Lord, I am not worthy…. shall be healed.
The Presider distributes Sacred Bread to each Minister in turn.
He may request PAR to give the chalice to each Minister.
On this feast it would be good to ‘give’ the chalice rather than have each one ‘serve himself’.
Prayer after Communion – from the Sacramentary
Lord Jesus Christ,
you give us your body and blood in the Eucharist
as a sign that even now we share your life.
May we come to possess it completely
in the kingdom where you live for ever and ever. AMEN.
Final Blessing
May the Father shower you with his goodness.
AMEN.
May the Son feed you with his love.
AMEN.
May the Spirit support you with his strength.
AMEN.
And may the blessing…
Dismissal
Go in peace.
And may the Body and Blood of Christ be your strength and joy.
Contemporary Liturgy 