mat@hou4b.UUCP (Mark Terribile) (02/24/85)
I haven't seen an answer to the request for the wording of the Eucharistic
Prayer(s), and I have a copy handy, so here goes.
There are four different E.P.s used, and the in their entirety the shortest is
far too long to post here. I'm going to take excerpts from around the
Consecration itself.
The first E.P. stresses the unity of the Church and its members over time,
recalling individuals and events
... May their merits and prayers gain us you constant help and
protection.
Father, accept this offering from your whole family.
Grant us peace in this life and save us from final damnation, count
us among those you have chosen.
Bless and approve our offering; make it acceptable to you, an
offering in spirit and in truth.
Let it become for us the body and blood of Jesus Christ,
your only son, our Lord.
The day before he suffered he took bread in his sacred hands
and looking up to heaven, to you, his almighty Father, he gave you
thanks and praise.
He broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said:
[ the remainder of this is common with Prayers two and three ]
Take this, all of you, and eat it: this is my body which will
be given up for you.
When supper was ended, he took the cup. Again he gave you
thanks and praise, gave the cup to his disciples, and said:
Take this, all of you, and drink from it:
[ the remainder of this is common with Prayer four ]
This is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting
covenant.
It will be shed for you and for all men so that sins may be
forgiven.
Do this in memory of me.
``For all men'' has been replaced by ``for all'' and sometimes by ``for the
many'' in the Eucharistic Prayers.
The second stresses the redemption of man through Jesus' sacrafice,
with attention to our communion with the ``Church Triumphant'' -- those
who have gone before.
... Lord, you are holy indeed, the fountain of all holiness.
Let your spirit come upon these gifts to make them holy,
so that they may become the body and blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Before he was given up to death, a death he freely accepted,
he took bread and gave you thanks.
He broke the bread, gave it to his disciples and said:
Take this, all of you, and eat it:
[ the remainder of this is the same as for the first E.P. ]
The third stresses the communion of the entire Church, present and past. It is
much shorter than the first, and has few references to individuals or events.
...And so, Father, we bring you these gifts. We ask you to make them
holy by the power of your Spirit, that they may become the body and
blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ, at whose command we celebrate this
Eucharist.
On the night he was betrayed, he took bread and gave you thanks
and praise.
He broke the bread, gave it to his disciples and said:
Take this, all of you, and eat it:
[ the remainder of this is the same as for the first E.P. ]
The fourth stresses the role of God and the mission of the Church, with an
account of the glory of God, the creation, the fall, and the mission of Jesus
on earth, leading finally to salvation. It's a bit hard to figure where to
pick the prayer to repeat it here, because of the continuity with which the
history leads up to the Consecration.
...Father, may this Holy Spirit sanctify these offerings.
Let them become the body and blood of Jesus Christ our Lord as
we celebrate the great mystery which he left us as an everlasting
covenant.
He always loved those who were his own in the world.
When the time came for him to be glorified by you, his heavenly Father,
he showed the depth of his love.
While they were at supper, he took bread, said the blessing,
broke the bread, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take this, all of you, and eat it:
this is my body which will be given up for you.
In the same way, he took the cup filled with wine.
He gave you thanks, and giving the cup to his disciples, said:
Take this, all of you, and drink from it:
[ the remainder of this prayer is the same as the others ]
All four prayers are ended with the ``concluding Doxology'':
Through him,
with him,
(and) in him,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honor is yours,
almighty Father,
for ever and ever.
which is answered with the ``great Amen''. There are a number of lovely chants
that are often used for the doxology, and there are several commonly used
musical settings for the Amen -- none of which really matches the chants that
are used! Also the Eucharistic Prayers are preceded or interrupted by
the Sanctus -- the ``Holy, holy holy'' -- and by the Memorial Acclamation,
of which there are four alternate forms, each of which can be used with any
of the four Eucharistic Prayers.
Now,
perhaps if we can get some more comparative material here we can come to a
better understanding of how each of worships God in his denominational rites.
It would be far more constructive than the debates that have happened over the
basic premise of our beliefs. And closer, I think, to the spirit in which this
group was formed.
--
from Mole End Mark Terribile
(scrape .. dig ) hou4b!mat
,.. .,, ,,, ..,***_*.