Alternative Form
of the Great Thanksgiving
Eucharistic Prayer II
The people remain standing. The Celebrant, whether bishop
or priest,
faces them and sings or says
The Lord be with you.
People
And with thy spirit.
Celebrant Lift up your hearts.
People
We
lift them up unto the Lord.
Celebrant
Let us give thanks unto our Lord God.
People
It
is meet and right so to do.
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Then, facing the Holy Table, the Celebrant proceeds
It is very meet, right, and our bounden duty, that we
should
at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto thee, O
Lord,
holy Father, almighty, everlasting God.
Here a Proper Preface is sung or said on all Sundays, and
on other
occasions as appointed.
Therefore with Angels and Archangels, and with all the
company of heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious
Name; evermore praising thee, and saying,
Celebrant and People
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts:
Heaven and earth are full of thy glory.
Glory be to thee, O Lord Most High.
Here may be added
Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
The people kneel or stand.
Then the Celebrant continues
All glory be to thee, O Lord our God, for that thou didst
create heaven and earth, and didst make us in thine own
image; and, of thy tender mercy, didst give thine only Son
Jesus Christ to take our nature upon him, and to suffer
death
upon the cross for our redemption. He made there a full
and
perfect sacrifice for the whole world; and did institute,
and in
his holy Gospel command us to continue, a perpetual
memory of that his precious death and sacrifice, until his
coming again.
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At the following words concerning the bread, the Celebrant
is to hold
it, or lay a hand upon it; and at the words concerning the
cup, to hold or
place a hand upon the cup and any other vessel
containing wine to be
consecrated
For in the night in which he was betrayed, he took bread;
and when he had given thanks to thee, he broke it, and
gave it
to his disciples, saying, "Take, eat, this is my
Body, which is
given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."
Likewise, after supper, he took the cup; and when he had
given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, "Drink
this, all of
you; for this is my Blood of the New Covenant, which is
shed
for you, and for many, for the remission of sins. Do this,
as
oft as ye shall drink it, in remembrance of me."
Wherefore, O Lord and heavenly Father, we thy people do
celebrate and make, with these thy holy gifts which we now
offer unto thee, the memorial thy Son hath commanded us to
make; having in remembrance his blessed passion and
precious
death, his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension; and
looking for his coming again with power and great glory.
And we most humbly beseech thee, O merciful Father, to
hear us, and, with thy Word and Holy Spirit, to bless and
sanctify these gifts of bread and wine, that they may be
unto
us the Body and Blood of thy dearly-beloved Son Jesus
Christ.
And we earnestly desire thy fatherly goodness to accept
this
our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, whereby we offer
and present unto thee, O Lord, our selves, our souls and
bodies. Grant, we beseech thee, that all who partake of
this
Holy Communion may worthily receive the most precious
Body and Blood of thy Son Jesus Christ, and be filled with
thy grace and heavenly benediction; and also that we and
all
thy whole Church may be made one body with him, that he
342 Holy Eucharist I
may dwell in us, and we in him; through the same Jesus
Christ our Lord;
By whom, and with whom, and in whom, in the unity of the
Holy Ghost all honor and glory be unto thee, O Father
Almighty, world without end. AMEN.
And now, as our Savior Christ hath taught us, we are bold
to say,
Continue with the Lord's Prayer, page 336.
Holy Eucharist I 343