Eucharistic Prayer 1 from Celebrating Eucharist Chapter 21
This prayer is a new composition which was written to provide some complementary images.
The Lord is here.
God's Spirit is with us.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to offer thanks and praise.
It is right indeed that we should praise you,
God of love, our source and our fulfilment,
for you create all things,
and in you we live and move
and have our being.
Your wonder is manifest
in land and sea and sky.
When the times had at last grown full
and the earth had ripened in abundance,
you made us in your image for yourself.
And even though we turn from you,
again and again you call us to yourself,
and in every age, promise liberation.
As a mother tenderly gathers her children,
you embraced a people as your own
to rear them in your way of compassionate love.
From your own being you sent Jesus among us,
incarnate of the Holy Spirit
and born of Mary our sister.
Jesus revealed your care for all you have made,
and showed us your way of reconciliation.
Looking forward to the joy of new life
Jesus suffered the pangs of the cross
and in rising again
became the first-born
of the renewed whanau (family).
You sent your Holy Spirit
and gave birth to us your church.
Your Spirit stays to nurture and to guide us.
Now we join hands around your table,
and with all creation
we hymn your praise for your unending love,
as we sing (say),
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
To you indeed be glory, almighty God,
because on the night before he died,
your Son, Jesus Christ, took bread;
when he had given you thanks,
he broke it, gave it to his disciples, and said:
Take, eat, this is my body
which is given for you;
do this to remember me.
After supper he took the cup;
when he had given you thanks,
he gave it to them and said:
This cup is the new covenant in my blood
poured out for you;
do this as often as you drink it
to remember me.
And so in this great sacrament
we celebrate and proclaim
the mystery of our faith.
Christ has died,
Christ is risen,
Christ will come in glory.
Therefore, loving God,
recalling now Christ's death and resurrection,
we ask you to accept
this our sacrifice of praise.
Send your Holy Spirit upon us
and our celebration,
that we may be fed with the body and blood of your Son
and be filled with your life and goodness.
Strengthen us to do your work,
and to be your body in the world.
Unite us in Christ
and give us your peace.
Through your Holy Spirit,
burning as a flame, gentle as a dove,
may we who receive these gifts
live lives of justice, love, and prayer,
and be a voice for those who are not heard.
In union with your whole church
we worship you, O God,
in songs of everlasting praise.
Blessing, honour and glory be yours,
here and everywhere,
now and forever. Amen.
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