A Celtic Eucharist

by Brendan O'Malley

Overview

A presentation of a unique contemporary Eucharist infused with Celtic traditions.

Drawing together texts from Scripture, the mainstream Irish, Scottish, and Welsh traditions, and contemporary spirituality, A Celtic Eucharist is a vital liturgy that relates to the here and now while it fosters a connection to the past. The result is an original and striking service that prompts fresh appreciation of the Eucharist.

An optional Ceremony of Light is included for evening celebrations. A selection of alternative prayers and sentences allows for seasonal and pastoral variation, and helpful notes for celebrant suggest possible uses for this service. Easily adaptable to formal and informal settings, A Celtic Eucharist can be used in conjunction with other lectionaries.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780819228222
Publisher:	Morehouse Publishing
Publication date:	01/01/2002
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	960,319
File size:	475 KB

About the Author

Brendan O'Malley is dean of the University of Wales, Lampeter, and an expert in Celtic, monastic, and pastoral spirituality. An Anglican layman, he was formerly a monk of the Roman Catholic Cistercian order. He is the author of many books, including Celtic Primer, Celtic Eucharist,and God at Every Gate.

Read an Excerpt

A CELTIC EUCHARISC

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By Brendan O'Malley

Church Publishing Incorporated

Copyright © 2002 Brendan O'Malley
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-8192-1896-4

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Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

THE ENTRANCE RICE

Lorica Litany

St Patrick's Breastplate or Deer's Cry

(This may be chanted in procession or a hymn version may be sung by the congregation)

Today I shield myself with threefold pówer, Invocation of the Trinity. Belief in the threeness, profession of the oneness, In union with the Creator.

Today I shield myself with the power of Christ's baptism, his hanging and búrial, His rising again and his ascension, his descent for the last judgement.

Today I shield myself with the loving power of the Chérubim, Obedience of angels, service of archangels, Hope of rising to my reward, prayer of the pátriarchs, Sayings of the prophets, teachings of the apostles, faith of confessors, deeds of righteous people.

Today I shield myself with the power of heaven, Light of the sun. Brilliance of the moon, splendour of fire, Speed of lightning, swiftness of wind, Depths of sea, firmness of earth, hardness of rock.

Today I shield myself with God's power to diret me, God's strength to uphold me, God's good sense to gúide me, God's ear to listen for me,

God's speaking to spéak for me, God's hand to guard me, God's path opening befoe me, God's shield to protect me, From the snares of démons, The inducements of my own vices, The proclivities of human náture, And those who wish me evil. I summon these powers to cóme Between me and every cruel and merciless power that threatens my body and my soul.

Christ be my protection todaý Against violence, Against i?lness, Against drowning, Against mortal wóunding, So that I may come to my ultimate reward.

Christ be wíth me, Christ be before me, Christ be behid me, Christ be inside me, Christ be beneáth me, Christ be above me, Christ on my riht hand, Christ on my left hand, Christ when I lié down,

Christ when I sit down, Christ when I rise up, Christ all around me. Christ in the heart of everyone who behólds me; Christ in every eye that sees me; and Christ in every ear that hears me.

Today I shield myself with threefold power, invocation of the Trinity. Belief in the threeness, profession of the oneness, in union with the Creator.

The Lord is salvátion; Christ is salvation. The Lord is salvátion; May your salvation, O Lord, be always with us.

CEREMONG OF LIGHT

(for optional evening use)

Thy word is a lantern unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Prayer bell or gong

Celebrant: at eventide there shall be light.

(Lighting of the lamp)

Reader: Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, at your word you bring on the evening twilight. You create day and night; you roll away light before the darkness, and the darkness before the light; you make the day to pass, and the night to approach, and divide the day from the night. Blessed are you, O Lord, for you bring on the evening twilight.

Celebrant: Lighten our darkness, we beseech you O Lord, and of your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night, for the love of your only Son, Our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Reader: Daylight has ended Night is upon us yet unto Thee sustainer of all things Darkness and Light, all times and all seasons all are as one O Lord of Creation.

Phos Hilarion

O Gracious Light, pure brightness of the everliving | Father in | heaven. O Jesus | Christ, | holy and blessed! Now as we come to the | setting of the | sun, and our eyes behold the evening | Light, we sing your praises, O | God: Father, | Son and | Holy Spirit. You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices,* O | Son of | God, O Giver of Life, and to be | glorified through | all the worlds.

Pause

Celebrant: At this evening hour may the understanding of all our hearts be opened to that Light which enlightens everyone who comes into the world. For this is the Light which gives us true knowledge of the Name over all by which God is known.

A Celtic Hymn for the Lighting of the Vesper Light

I

Fiery Creator* of fire, Light Giver | of light, Life and Author * of life, Salvation and | Bestower of salvation,

II

In case the lamps * should abandon The joys | of this night, You who do not desire * our death, Give light to | our breast.

III

To those wandering * from Egypt, You bestow | the double grace, You show the veil * of cloud, And give | the nocturnal light.

IV

With a pillar of cloud * in the day, You protect the people | as they go, With a pillar of fire * at evening, You dispel the | night with light.

V

You call out to your servant * from the flame, You do not spurn | the bush of thorns, And though you are * consuming fire, You do not burn | what you illumine.

VI

Now it is time that the * cloudy bee-bread Should be consumed, all | impurity boiled away And the waxen flesh * should shine With the glow | of the Holy Spirit.

VII

You store now in the * recesses of the comb The sweet food | of the divine honey, And purify the inmost * cells of the heart, You have | filled them with your word;

VIII

That the swarm * of the new brood, Chosen | by your mouth and spirit, May leave their burdens * and win heaven On wings | now free from care.

If the Lorica has not been sung the Celebrant may begin the Eucharist here with the sentence and the following greeting:

In the name of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.

Grace and peace be with you, and also with you.

If the Lorica has been sung the Eucharist continues here.

Gloria

Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King, Almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer.

For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

The Collect of the Day

Let us pray.

THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD

Old and New Testament readings shall be announced:

A reading from the ...

They shall end with the words:

This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

The Gospel alone may be proclaimed (if the Lorica and Ceremony of Light are used)

The Lord be with you, and also with you.

Hear the Holy Gospel according to Saint ... Glory to Christ our Saviour.

This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to Christ our Lord.

The Homily or Address

The Creed

(May be recited by a lone voice)

Our God is the God of all humans, the God of heaven and earth, the God of sea and rivers, the God of the sun and moon, the God of all the heavenly bodies, the God of the lofty mountains, the God of the lowly valleys. God is above the heavens; and he is beneath the heavens. Heaven and earth and sea, and everything that is in them, such he has as his abode. He inspires all things, he gives life to all things, he stands above all things, and he stands beneath all things. He enlightens the light of the sun, he strengthens the light of the night and the stars, he makes wells in the arid land and dry islands in the sea, and he places the stars in the service of the greater lights. He has a Son who is co-eternal with himself, and similar in all respects to himself; and neither is the Son younger than the Father, nor is the Father older than the Son; and the Holy Spirit breathes in them. And the Father and the Son and Holy Spirit are inseparable. [Amen.]

Litany of the Trinity

(May be sung Litany style)

have mercy upon us, O God the Father Almighty, O God of Hosts, O High God, O Lord of all the world, O inéffable God, O Creator of the Elements.

Have mercy upon us, O Almighty God, Jesus Christ, Son of the Living Gód, O Son twice-born, O Only-begotten of God the Fáther, O First born of the Virgin Mary, O beginning of áll things, O completion of the world, O Wórd of God, O Way to the heavenly Kingdom, O life of áll things, O Intelligence of the mystic world.

Have mercy upon us, O God Almighty, O Holy Spirit; O Spirit that is highest of all spírits, O Finger of God, O Protection of all Chrístians, O Comforter of the sorrowful, O Clément one, O merciful Intercessor, O Imparter of true widom, O Author of the Holy Scriptures, O Ruler of spéech, O Spirit of wisdom, O Spirit of understánding, O Spirit of counsel, O Spirit of stréngth, O Spirit of knowledge, O Spirit from whom is ordered every lofty thing. O Holy Spirit you rule all created things, visible and invisible, Have mercy upon us.

O Almighty God, the heavenly Fáther, and the only-begotten Son, Have mercy upón us. Have mercy upon us, O Father, O Son, O Holy Spirit. Have mercy upon us, O only God, O God of heaven, have mercy upon us. Have mercy upon us, O God from whom and through whom is the rule of all created things for you, O God, To whom be glory and honour for ever and ever. Amen.

Absolution

May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.

Holy Sprinkling (optional)

THE PEACE

Celebrant: Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles 'I leave you peace, my peace I give you.' Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and grant us the peace and unity of your Kingdom where you live for ever and ever. Amen.

The Peace of the Lord be with you always; and with your spirit.

THE OFFERTORY

Celebrant: Thank you, O Lord God Almighty, Thank you for the earth and the waters, Thank you for the sky, the air and the sun, Thank you for all living creatures.

Come, O Lord, in the Bread of Life.

Celebrant: Praise be to you, O Lord God Almighty, For our homes, our families, Our friends, and loved ones. Praise be to you for all the people Around us everywhere in this wounded world.

Come, O Lord, in the Cup of Healing.

The Prayer over the Gifts

The Great Thanksgiving

The Lord be with you, and with your spirit. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise.

The Stowe Preface

Father, all powerful and ever-living God, we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord. You [O Father], with your only-begotten Son and the Holy Spirit are God. You are God, one immortal; You are God, incorruptible and unmoving; You are God, invisible and faithful; You are God, wonderful and worthy of praise; You are God, strong and worthy of honour; You are God, most high and magnificent; You are God, living and true; You are God, wise and powerful; You are God, holy and splendid; You are God, great and good; You are God, awesome and peace-loving; You are God, beautiful and righteous; You are God, pure and kind; You are God, blessed and just; You are God, tender and holy; You are God, not in the singularity of one person, but in the Trinity of substance.

We believe you; We bless you; We adore you; and praise your name for evermore. We praise you through Christ who is the salvation of the universe; through Christ who is the life of human beings; through Christ who is the resurrection of the dead.

Through him the angels praise your majesty; the dominations adore; the powers of the heaven of heavens tremble; the virtues and the blessed seraphim concelebrate in exultation; so grant, we pray you, that our voices may be admitted to that of the chorus, in humble declaration of your glory, as we say/sing:

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.

Eucharistic Prayer

Most merciful Father, we humbly pray and implore you, through Jesus Christ your Son, our Lord, to be pleased to receive and bless these gifts, these holy unblemished offerings.

We offer them to you in the first place for your holy Church throughout the whole world. Be pleased to keep her in peace, to watch over her, and to gather her in unity and to guide her and also for N. your servant our bishop and all the bishops and all right believing teachers of the Catholic apostolic faith.

Remember, Lord, your servants and handmaids N. and N. and all here present whose faith and devotion are known to you. We offer for them, or they themselves offer, this sacrifice of praise for themselves and all their own, for the redeeming of their souls, for their hope of safety and salvation; and they now send up their prayers to you, the eternal, living and true God.

Being in fellowship we reverently bring to mind, firstly the glorious Mary, ever virgin, Mother of our God and Lord Jesus Christ, and then your blessed apostles and martyrs; Peter and Paul, Andrew, James, Bartholomew, Matthew, Simon and Jude, David, Ninian and Patrick, Columba, Teilo, Brigid, Deiniol and Samson, Asaph, Illtud, Dyfrig, Petroc, Padarn and all your saints: grant by their merits and prayers that at all times we may be defended and helped by your protection. Through the same Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Be pleased, O God, to bless this offering, to accept it fully, to make it perfect and worthy to please you, so that it may become for us the Body and Blood of your dearly beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Who the day before he suffered took bread into his holy and venerable hands, and with his eyes lifted up to heaven, to you, God, his almighty Father, giving thanks to you, he blessed, broke and gave it to his disciples saying: Take and eat you all of this, for this is my body.

In like manner, after he had supped, taking also this chalice into his holy and venerable hands again giving thanks to you, he blessed and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and drink you all of this for this is the chalice of my blood, of the new and eternal testament: the mystery of faith: which shall be shed for you and for many for the remission of sins. As often as you shall do these things, you shall do them in memory of me.

Wherefore, Lord, in memory of the blessed passion of the same Christ, your Son, our Lord, of his resurrection from among the dead and of his ascension to heavenly glory, we your servants and with all your holy people offer to your sovereign majesty, from among your gifts bestowed upon us, a victim perfect, holy and spotless, the holy bread of everlasting life and the chalice of everlasting salvation.

Be pleased to look upon these offerings with a favourable and gracious countenance; accept them as you were pleased to accept the offerings of your servant Abel the righteous, the sacrifice of our father Abraham, and that of Melchisedech, your high priest, a holy sacrifice, a spotless victim.

We humbly implore you, almighty God, be these offerings to be carried by the hands of your holy angel to your altar on high, in the sight of your divine majesty, that all who are partakers at the altar of the precious Body and Blood of your Son, may be filled with all heavenly grace and blessing. Through the same Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Remember, also, Lord, your servants and handmaids N. and N. who are gone hence before us, marked with the sign of faith, and sleep the sleep of peace. To them, Lord, and to all that rest in Christ, grant, we implore you, a place of happiness, light and peace. Through the same Christ our Lord.

Amen.

To us, also, your sinful servants, who hope in the multitude of your mercies, be pleased to grant some place and fellowship with your holy apostles and martyrs and all your saints. We pray you admit us into their company, not weighing our own merits but bestowing on us your own free pardon. Through Christ our Lord.

Through him, O Lord, you ever create these good things, and you hallow, quicken and bless them as gifts for us.

By him and with him and in him are ever given to you, God the Father Almighty, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honour and glory for ever and ever.

Amen.
(Continues...)

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Excerpted from A CELTIC EUCHARISC by Brendan O'Malley. Copyright © 2002 by Brendan O'Malley. Excerpted by permission of Church Publishing Incorporated.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

	Introduction	xiii
	Suggestions for using this book	xv
	A Celtic Eucharist	1
	Notes	42
Appendix	Alternative prayers and sentences	43