Suitable for the offertory at any Mass, but particularly on Corpus Christi or Maundy Thursday. On Maundy Thursday it works well to insert the extended prayer at the preparation from the table from Common Worship's Liturgy of Maundy Thursday after the third verse. The fourth verse picks up the imagery of the prayer quite neatly ("it was not only our ancestors, but we who were redeemed...") When I do this I prepare the altar during the first part of the hymn, offer the prayer, then cense the gifts and altar during the second part.
Alexander Crawford
Tune: Rendez a Dieu (NEH 240)
Sing we with joyful hearts and voices
Of this most blest and sacred feast,
In which this wounded world rejoices,
Balm for the greatest and the least.
Lift up your hearts in high thanksgiving,
For it is right to praise the Lord.
Those who were dead, through Christ are living,
Dwelling in him, th’eternal Word.
Born of the Blessèd Virgin Mary,
In human womb Christ found a place,
Humbled himself to share our frailty,
Heav’n joined with earth in little space.
From his great love, beyond all measure,
Opens to us a mystery,
Gives of himself a precious treasure:
A share in his divinity.
On that last night, his chosen brothers
Gathered around their blessèd Lord,
Shared that last meal with one another,
Listened to his amazing words:
‘This is my body, for you broken,
This is my blood, for you outpoured.’
Never more wondrous words were spoken,
The final cov’nant of the Lord.
*
Now we in faithful adoration
Offer these gifts of bread and wine;
Fruits of the earth, God’s own creation,
Transcending bounds of space and time:
Christians have fed in line unbroken,
Faithful of this and every land,
Hearing Christ’s words as when first spoken,
Taking the cup as from his hand.
Sing we in memory of Christ’s passion,
His perfect sacrifice of love,
Promise for all the world’s salvation,
Pledge of a room in heav’n above.
Eat we this bread and live forever,
Drink we this cup, and never die.
For we will live in Christ; and ever
Christ will within our hearts abide.
* Prayer at the Preparation of the Table
At the eucharist we are with our crucified and risen Lord.
We know that it was not only our ancestors,
but we who were redeemed
and brought forth from bondage to freedom,
from mourning to feasting.
We know that as he was with them in the upper room
so our Lord is here with us now.
Until the kingdom of God comes
let us celebrate this feast.
Blessed are you, Lord, God of the universe,
you bring forth bread from the earth.
Blessed be God for ever.
Blessed are you, Lord, God of the universe,
you create the fruit of the vine.
Blessed be God for ever.
(From Common Worship: Times and Seasons)
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