Guidelines For Preparing Communion Prayers

We find two main patterns for the prayer of thanksgiving at Communion services. One focuses primarily on Jesus' words of institution at the Last Supper, as reported by Paul; the second employs the words of institution, but embeds them in the story of God's saving action. With these main outlines in mind, worship committees in churches that lack prescribed liturgies can construct prayers of consecration that are faithful both to the broad tradition of the church dating back to the apostolic times, while also remaining faithful to their own tradition.

Instructions There are two ways of constructing services of the Eucharist (the thanksgiving) or the Holy Communion or the Lord's Supper. One way might be called the warrant form. Warrant means authorization. What is essential in this form is to cite the authorization for the conduct of the Supper, which very frequently comes from 1 Corinthians 11:23–27. A statement about the memorial character of the event and the spiritual preparedness of the communicants might follow. Fundamentally, this service roots its sanction in the dominical (referring to Lord) words of the institution, either from Paul or from one of the Gospel narratives of Jesus' meal in the Upper Room. Generalizations are hazardous, but that aside, this form is used frequently in generic Protestantism and/or in churches most often referring to the Supper as an ordinance. A second`way of constructing services of the Eucharist might be called narrative form. More elaborate in form and sequential in structure, this form roots the authorization not just in the dominical words of institution, but in the story of Jesus' life and work, of which the authorizing words are only a part. To be included as well in this form is God's providential work in creation, in the election and exodus of Israel, in sending prophets, in the concrete acts of human service rendered by Jesus, in his meals, in the people whom he encountered, and culminating in the Passion-Easter events. This form is inclusive of the entire Scriptures, of various kinds of texts and stories, and of tradition's use of these materials, facilitating the ongoing praise of God. Again, generalizations are hazardous, but that aside, this form is usually used in the liturgical churches, who most often designate the Supper as a sacrament. Being story in form, this order of service is doxological, not didactic, in character. Clearly, the use of the narrative form enjoys widespread acceptance, as is evidenced in the study of the new hymnals and pastor's handbooks/books of worship published by various denominations. Some reasons need to be noted for this convergence. First, biblically, the story-form dominates, since the Bible contains a story consisting of stories. Second, it is noted that in the Bible, God is praised by having the deeds of God recited back to God; by doing so, the community keeps the memory of God's mighty deeds alive and perpetuates that memory. Third, the work of God began with creation, not with redemption; with Israel, and not with the church. The implication is that the same God who created the world redeemed it. Fourth, and as a direct result of the preceding point, the work of Jesus Christ cannot be reduced to what happened during Holy Week. There is a story of Jesus' life and work that contextualizes Holy Week, so that by the time Easter occurs, one can discern that the risen Lord is the crucified Jesus, and the crucified Jesus is the risen Lord. Furthermore, one discerns that this Jesus is the one whose prophetic ministry did not win him approval, but accusation. Fifth, eschatology, the doctrine of the Last Things, the blessed hope, the vision of a new heaven and a new earth, is a major biblical theme. The Eucharist "shows forth the Lord's death until he comes," according to Paul. This is so because the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the end of death and the "beginning of a new world" according to the Epistle of Barnabas (c. a.d. 130). Hence the Eucharist previews the marriage supper of the Lamb, when all of the people of God will be gathered with Abraham and Sarah; all other patriarchs, matriarchs, prophets, prophetesses, priests, and rulers; and all others like the youthful—but believing—blessed Virgin Mary and the aged and persistent Simeon who waited for the "consolation of Israel." To this list of biblical names and the stories in which they are embedded, we can add our names and our stories. Sixth, as awareness of the roots of the church's praying and believing become more widely known, people come to see that this mode of praying enables people to live where Saint Augustine said that most of life takes place—between memory and hope. A eucharistic prayer of my own is printed below with commentary. It is for use in a parish. This prayer takes two things for granted. First, as noted by Gregory Dix, the shape of the eucharistic act has four parts: Jesus took bread (and cup), gave thanks, broke (by implication, poured the cup), and distributed them to the disciples. Second, the giving of thanks also acquired a shape. This shape can be learned easily; this shape frees people to put the tradition in conversation with the contemporary—to be rooted, yet reaching out. When the writing of the eucharistic prayer is carried out in worship committees, in consonance with the constitutional and confessional integrity of each tradition, that committee stands a good chance to become a vigorous Bible study group and a group soon to learn that liturgical theology connects immediately with those who live between memory and hope. I think such committees are the place where theological and spiritual depth meet; where head, heart, and hand meet; and where work and prayer meet. Here ancient dualism between nature and grace, body and spirit, secular and sacred, creation and redemption, Roman Catholic and Protestant, and liturgy and evangelism have a chance of being seen, not as antitheses and alternatives, but as complementary companions. Now, the prayer will be considered. Please note that various parts of the Service below are interspersed with commentary. You might want to discuss the occasions other than a Sunday morning service when the Eucharist would be appropriate in your settings, e.g., weddings, funerals, wedding anniversaries, church anniversaries, diocesan or conference gatherings of churches in annual conferences, etc. How would a eucharistic celebration affect those gatherings differently than having the conventional services of worship or ceremonies? This gets at the issue of what is unique about a Eucharist celebration. Ignatius of Loyola (d. 1556) spoke of praying with the church—not just for it, but with it. What I have tried to offer is a way of praying with the church by using Scripture, scriptural patterns, and a traditional shape that does not sacrifice freedom to form. Rather, this prayer releases people to make connection between the foundational and the lived experience and in this way to praise the God who makes all things new—not least of all by enabling people to have thankful hearts. Sample Prayer with Commentary Greeting Leader: The Lord be with you. Congregation: And also with you. Commentary: This greeting recalls Jesus' Easter greeting (John 20:21, 26), except that in John "peace" is substituted, and the closing greetings of Paul (1 Cor. 16:23; 2 Cor. 13:13). Mary is greeted similarly by the angel (Luke 1:28). Sursum Corda Leader: Lift up your hearts. Congregation: We lift them to the Lord. Leader: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. Congregation: It is always right to give God thanks and praise. Commentary: This sets the shape of the event as it establishes the task of praising God. Praise belongs here in addition to thanks because, as Claus Westermann points out, biblical Hebrew lacked a word for thanks. Hence, Israelites expressed thanks by telling a story to the person receiving the appreciation, detailing the events, words, and experiences, which evoked the joy and gratitude (Praise and Lament in the Psalms, trans. Keith Crim and Richard Soulen [Atlanta: John Knox, 1981], 25–26). Narrative is thus intrinsic to a biblical mode of giving thanks (and by extension read 1 Kings 8:15, 21; 1 Sam. 25:39; Pss. 89; 41; 106; Eph. 1:3ff; 1 Pet. 1:3ff, and 2 Cor. 1:3ff). The Latin subheading means, "Lift up your hearts." Preface, Sanctus, and Benedictus It is always right, good, and proper that we should give you thanks and praise, O gracious Father. But now, in this season of Pentecost, we thank you for the Holy Spirit whom you sent through your Son to bring to our remembrance all he said and did, and who enables us to love and serve with this same Spirit. Therefore, with angels and archangels and all the host of heaven we praise your name saying: Congregation: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of hosts, Heaven and earth are full of your glory; Hosanna to the Lord most high, Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the Highest! Commentary: This is the introduction to the eucharistic prayer. It (1) locates the season of the church year (in this case it is Pentecost), and (2) designates the gift of God's grace and providence celebrated during that season of the year. This, then, is a major theological statement set forth as a doxology. The word sanctus means "holy." Its threefold form is derived from several scriptural texts and settings: Isaiah 6:3, Mark 11:9–10; and Revelation 4:8. This hymn is envisioned by the writer of Revelation 4:8 as the heavenly hymn in which the church joins to sing as part of its unbroken fellowship with the communion of saints. Note that this establishes the eschatological dimension of the Eucharist early in the rite. The word benedictus means "blessed," and is not part of all of the patristic liturgies. It is found in the Palm Sunday acclamation of Jesus (Matt. 21:9; Mark 11:9; and Luke 19:38). Dialogue (Thanksgiving) Leader: Gracious God, we thank you for your desire to create us and have friendship with others other than yourself. How glad it makes us to be in your image and after your likeness. How freeing it is to see others in the same way: made of the same clay by one and the same potter.

Commentary: The praise of God continues as the story forming the nucleus of this Eucharist is told, reciting God's graciousness back to him and recalling it for the people so that their hearts can overflow with gratitude and generosity.

Congregation: How majestic is your work in all the earth.

Leader: When you created us you provided for our necessities. Congregation: For place, a garden; for food, plants and animals; for companions, Adam for Eve, Eve for Adam. Every need supplied—praised be your name in all the earth. Leader: Humans sinned, violated trust, presumed on good will, exploited the abundance of creation, and took advantage of others. We lost our place, displaced our companions, and misplaced commitments. Needs unknown at creation were generated. Congregation: How stressful it is when life is out of place. Have mercy on us. Leader: But when we had lost our place, misplaced our trust, and displaced others, you sent your Son to take his place beside us. He crossed cultures—from heaven to earth, eternity to time—and lived on our turf, learning to be a son. Speaking our language, he was apprenticed to a carpenter, and befriended any who needed him; eventually, he was crucified in our place. Congregation: All made from the same clay, we are redeemed by the same cross. How majestic is your grace in all the earth. Leader: And so, dear God, you have called us to take our places beside others, to cross cultures to their turf, to learn to live there, for that place and those people, to leave home and make a new home as your Son did for us. Congregation: Spirit of God, give us grace to do so. The Anamnesis and Words of Institution Leader: And now with great thanksgiving we recall the first apostle, the Sent-One, Jesus Christ, who on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way also he took the cup after supper, saying: "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes."

Commentary: Anamnesis means "memorial." Specifically, Jesus Christ is the content of this memory and of this representation of God's work in Jesus Christ for us. The words of the institution contain the specific warrant for what the church is doing at this meal. The offerings of bread and wine, the bread often baked by various members of the congregation, can be brought forward during the offertory of gifts. Families who provide the eucharistic gifts can bring them forward to the table along with those carrying the other gifts.

Acclamation Congregation: Christ had died! Christ is risen! Christ will come again! Epiklesis or Invocation of the Holy Spirit Leader: Come Holy Spirit upon us and upon these gifts that they may be what Jesus said they were: his body and blood, broken, shed for us, and gifts of God for the people of God. Maintain us in this bond of unity until the entire church is gathered into the heavenly country from which there is neither exile nor need for immigration and where the feast has room for all.

Commentary: Epiklesis means "to call upon," and in this case, the Holy Spirit is called upon to do the special work of the Spirit's office in relation to this event in the same way that the Holy Spirit is asked to take the words of Christ and use them effectively in the lives of believers. The Eucharist is a word-event attached to specific gifts of Creation (bread and wine) which Jesus asked his followers to use as a means of access to his promises. It is the Holy Spirit's work to take Jesus' words and deeds and apply them to others. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35), received the Spirit at baptism (Luke 3:21–22), was led by the Spirit into the wilderness (Luke 4:1ff), preached by the Spirit (Luke 4:16ff), and offered up his life in the Spirit (Heb. 9:14).

The same Spirit which came upon Jesus is called upon to enable this work which Jesus commands us to do, so that it might truly accomplish that which he purposed in commanding that it be done.

According to the church traditions, there might be variation as to whether the Spirit is invoked more on the people than on the gifts or vice versa. In some traditions, intercessions are offered at this point. Note again how eschatology is prominent here with the anticipation of gathering the whole people of God in the consummation of all things. The gift of the Holy Spirit is in itself a sign of the last days (Acts 2:17; Rom. 8:18–26; 2 Cor. 1:21–22; Eph. 1:8–14). Doxology Leader: By Jesus Christ, and with Him and in Him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and forever. Congregation: Amen. Commentary: This is the Trinitarian conclusion of the prayer, in praise of the one God whose work in creation and redemption, Israel and the church, nature and grace will come to fruition in God's own time, for which we wait even as we carry on the work Jesus has commissioned us to do. Lord's Prayer Leader: And now as our savior Christ has taught, we are bold to pray: Congregation: Our Father … Agnus Dei

Commentary: Agnus Dei means "lamb of God." This portion of the liturgy is to be sung. Again the best resources are hymnals and books of contemporary liturgical forms. Pertinent Scripture texts are Isaiah 53:7, John 1:29, and Revelation 5:6ff. One version is the following:

Praise to the Lamb!

Jesus, Lamb of God, have mercy on us; Jesus, Lamb of God, give us your peace.