(6b) The Great Thanksgiving

NB The Great Thanksgiving has been divided into two in this blog post for convenience but is one liturgical whole in the Prayer Book service.
This part of The Thanksgiving homes in on the Holy Meal itself.

---Merciful God, we thank you

for these gifts of your creation,

this bread and this wine, (just normal bread and wine)

and we pray that by your Word and Holy Spirit, (note, not by the action of any human)

we who eat and drink them

may be partakers of Christ's body and blood. (1 Cor 10.16 'communion' or 'participation')

--On the night that he was betrayed Jesus took bread;

and when he had given you thanks

he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying,

'Take, eat. This is my body given for you.

Do this in remembrance of me.'

--After supper, he took the cup,

and again giving you thanks

he gave it to his disciples, saying,

'Drink for this, all of you.

This is my blood of the new covenant

shed for you and for many

for the forgiveness of sins,

Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.'

[The memorial acclamation is used here or after next paragraph.]

Christ has died,

Christ is risen,

Christ will come again.

--Therefore we do as our Saviour has commanded:
proclaiming he offering of himself
made once for all upon the cross,
his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension,
and looking for his coming again,
we celebrate, with this bread and this cup,
his one perfect and sufficient sacrifice
for the sins of the whole world.

--Renew us by your Holy Spirit
unite us in the body of your Son,
and bring us with all your people
into the joy of your eternal kingdom;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
with whom, and in whom,
in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
we worship you, Father,
in songs of never-ending praise:
Blessing and honour and glory and power
are yours for ever and ever. Amen.  (echo of Rev 5.13)

Next time we will look at The Breaking of the Bread and the Communion and also consider the meaning of Sacrament.