Thursday 11th March, 2010
The Third Sunday In Lent
Holy Communion
Aelfric of Eynsham, ca. 955-1020.
See also
Sermon extracts on Holy Communion
Prayers of Preparation
Diary entries on Holy Communion
An Opening Organ Voluntary
O Remember Not Our Old Sins Thomas Tallis is more famous as a writer of choral music than organ music, but he was in fact one of the very earliest English organists, and a gifted composer. O REMEMBER not our old sins, but have mercy upon us, and that soon : for we are come to great misery. (Psalm 79:8) Thomas Tallis |
Remember not, O Lord God: Remember Not, O Lord
A Hymn
My God, I Love Thee
MY God, I love Thee; not because
I hope for Heav’n thereby,
Nor yet because who love Thee not
May eternally die.
Thou, O my Jesus, Thou didst me
Upon the cross embrace;
For me didst bear the nails and spear,
And manifold disgrace.
And griefs and torments numberless,
And sweat of agony;
E’en death itself; and all for man
Who was Thine enemy.
Then why, O blessèd Jesus Christ
Should I not love Thee well?
Not for the hope of winning Heaven,
Nor of escaping hell.
Not with the hope of gaining aught,
Nor seeking a reward,
But as Thyself hast lovèd me,
O everlasting Lord!
E’en so I love Thee, and will love,
And in Thy praise will sing,
Solely because Thou art my God,
And my eternal King.
Anonymous (17th century), Edward Caswall (1814-1878)
A Reflection, by Bishop Thomas Ken (1637-1711)
Ed.— THOMAS KEN (1637-1711) was raised to the See of Bath and Wells in 1684, and was a close confidant of Charles II. This short meditation, which is clearly intended to teach as well as confess, keeps within the limits of Article XXVIII, Of the Lord's Supper, while pressing on towards a strong doctrine of the Real Presence ("after an heavenly and spiritual manner", of course); he even goes so far as to use the word 'altar' rather than 'table'. But like those in the Eastern churches, and many others of a similar cast of mind in the aftermath of the Reformation, he pointedly refuses to inquire further. Ken also mentions his commitment to communion in both kinds (Article XXX, Of Both Kinds).
GLORY BE TO THEE, O adorable Jesus, Who under the outward and visible part, the Bread and Wine, things obvious and easily prepared, both which Thou hast commanded to be received, dost communicate to our souls the mystery of Divine Love, the inward and invisible grace, Thy Own most blessed Body and Blood, which are verily and indeed taken and received by the faithful in Thy supper, for which all Love, all Glory, be to Thee.
O God Incarnate, how Thou canst give us Thy flesh to eat and Thy Blood to drink, how Thy flesh is meat indeed and Thy Blood is drink indeed, how he that eateth Thy flesh and drinketh Thy Blood dwelleth in Thee, and Thou in him, how he shall live by Thee and shall be raised up by Thee to life eternal, how Thou Who art in heaven art present on the altar, I can by no means explain; but I firmly believe it all, because Thou hast said it, and I firmly rely on Thy Love and on Thy Omnipotence to make good Thy Word, though the manner of doing it I cannot comprehend.
I believe, O Crucified Lord, that the Bread which we break in the celebration of the Holy Mysteries is the Communication of Thy Body, and the cup of Blessing which we bless, is the Communication of Thy Blood, and that Thou dost as effectually and really convey Thy Body and Blood to our souls by the bread and wine, as Thou didst Thy Holy Spirit by Thy Breath to Thy disciples; for which all Love, all Glory be to Thee.
Lord, what need I labour in vain to search out the manner of Thy mysterious presence in the Sacrament, when my Love assures me Thou art there? All the faithful who approach Thee with prepared hearts, they well know Thou art there; they feel the virtue of Divine Love going out of Thee, to heat their infirmities and to enflame their affections, for which all Love, all Glory be to Thee.
O HOLY Jesu, when at Thy Altar I see the Bread broken and the Wine poured out, O teach me to discern Thy Body there. O let those sacred and significant actions create in me a most lively remembrance of Thy sufferings, how Thy most blessed Body was scourged and wounded and bruised and tormented, how Thy most precious Blood was shed for my sins; and set all my powers on work to love Thee and to celebrate Thy love in thus dying for me.
Glory be to Thee, O Jesu, Who didst institute the Holy Eucharist in both kinds and hast commanded both to be received, both the Bread and the Wine, both Thy Body broken and Thy Blood shed. Thy love, O Lord, has given me both, and both are equally significative and productive of Thy Love. I do as much thirst after the one as I hunger after the other; I equally want both, and it would be grievous to my love to be deprived of either.
Ah Lord, who is there that truly loves Thee, when Thou givest him two distinct pledges of Thy Love, can be content with one only? What lover can endure to have one half of Thy Love withheld from him? And therefore all Love, all Glory be to Thee for giving both.
(From An Exposition on the Church Catechism; or, The Practice of Divine Love. Exposition of "The Lord's Supper". London, 1685, pp. 75f. Prose Works, ed. W. Benham Ancient and Modem Library of Theological Literature, pp. 184f.)
You can find more prayers of Preparation for Holy Communion here.
The Lord's Prayer
The Table at the Communion time having a fair white linen cloth upon it, shall stand in the body of the Church, or in the Chancel, where Morning and Evening Prayer are appointed to be said. And the Priest standing at the north side of the Table shall say the Lord's Prayer, with the Collect following, the people kneeling.
OUR FatherRom 8:14-17 Gal 4:1-7, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name.Lev 23:32 Ez 36:22-23 Rom 2:17-24 Thy kingdom come.Lk 11:20 Mk 1:14 1 Cor 11:26 Thy will be done in earth, As it is in heaven.Mk 14:35-36 Give us this day our daily bread.Jn 6:56-58 And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against usMk 11:25 Mt 18:21. And lead us not into temptation,1 Cor 10:13 Jas 1:12-15 But deliver us from evil.Gal 1:3-4
The Collect
ALMIGHTY God, unto whom all hearts be open,Rom 8:26-27 Lk 2:34 all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid;Mt 6:7-8 Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit,Ps 51:10-12 that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy Name;Ps 34:1-3 through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Ten Commandments
Then shall the Priest, turning to the people, rehearse distinctly all the TEN COMMANDMENTS; and the people still kneeling shall, after every Commandment, ask God mercy for their transgression thereof for the time past, and grace to keep the same for the time to come, as followeth.
Minister.
GOD spake these words, and said;
I am the Lord thy God: Thou shalt have none other gods but me.
People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep
this law.
Minister. Thou shalt not make to thyself
any graven image, nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in
the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth.
Acts 19:23-41
Art. XXII
Thou shalt not bow down to
them, nor worship them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, and visit the
sins of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of
them that hate me, and shew mercy unto thousands in them that love me, and keep
my commandments.
People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our
hearts to keep this law.
Minister. Thou shalt not take the Name of
the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless, that taketh
his Name in vain.
Mt 5:33-37
Art. XXXIX
People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our
hearts to keep this law.
Minister. Remember that thou keep holy the
Sabbath-day. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all that thou hast to do; but
the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. In it thou shalt do no
manner of work, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, thy man-servant, and thy
maid-servant, thy cattle, and the stranger that is within thy gates. For in six
days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and ail that in them is, and
rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh day, and hallowed
it.
Mk 2:23-28
People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to
keep this law.
Minister. Honour thy father and thy mother;
that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
Eph 6:1-4
People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep
this law.
Minister. Thou shalt do no murder.
People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep
this law.
Minister. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Mt 19:3-9
1 Cor 7:10-16
People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep
this law.
Minister. Thou shalt not steal.
People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep
this law.
Minister. Thou shalt not bear false witness
against thy neighbour.
People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline
our hearts to keep this law.
Minister. Thou shalt not covet
Rom 7:7-11
thy
neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife,
Mt 5:27-28
nor his servant,
nor his maid, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is his.
People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and write all these thy laws in our
hearts,
Jer 31:31-34
Ezek 36:26-27
2 Cor 3:1-6
we beseech thee.
Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924), Durham Cathedral Choir |
Ed.— Since the 19th century, it has been unofficially accepted that the ancient Kyrie Eleison ('Lord have mercy') be sung at the conclusion of the Commandments.
Lord have mercy upon us
Christ have mercy upon us
Lord have mercy upon us.
Alternatively, the following passage was set by Stanford and other 19th-20th century Anglican composers.
Priest. Our Lord Jesus Christ said: Hear O Israel, The Lord our God
is one Lord; and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy
soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. This is the first commandment.
And the second is like, namely this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There
is none other commandment greater than these. On these two commandments hang all the
Law and the Prophets.
Answer. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.
A Collect for the Queen
Then shall follow one of these two Collects for the Queen, the Priest standing as before, and saying,
Let us pray.
ALMIGHTY God, whose kingdom is everlasting, and power infinite: Have mercy upon the whole Church; and so rule the heart of thy chosen servant ELIZABETH, our Queen and Governor, that she (knowing whose Minister she is) may above all things seek thy honour and glory; and that we, and all her subjects (duly considering whose authority she hath) may faithfully serve, honour, and humbly obey her, in thee, and for thee, according to thy blessed Word and ordinance; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
Or,
ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, we are taught by thy Holy Word, that the hearts of Kings are in thy rule and governance, and that thou dost dispose and turn them as it seemeth best to thy godly wisdom: We humbly beseech thee so to dispose and govern the heart of ELIZABETH thy Servant, our Queen and Governor, that, in all her thoughts, words, and works, she may ever seek thy honour and glory, and study to preserve thy people committed to her charge, in wealth, peace, and godliness: Grant this, O merciful Father, for thy dear Son's sake, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Back to top of pageThe Collect Of The Day
Then shall be said the Collect of the Day.
A Collect for The Third Sunday In Lent
A Collect for the Season of Lent
