Thursday, February 28, 2008

Swedish Eucharistic Prayer

Here is an English translation of the Eucharistic Prayer used in the Church of Sweden as published on its web site and as I've inserted it in my Altar Book.

Praise be to you, Lord of heaven and earth.

You have revealed your mercy towards your people
in giving your only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in him should not perish,
but have eternal life.

We give thanks for the redemption you have prepared
for us through Jesus Christ.

Let Your Holy Spirit come into our hearts
to enlighten us with a living faith.

Sanctify by your Spirit this bread and wine,
which earth has given and human hands have made.

Here we offer them to you,
that through them we may partake
of the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

On the same night in which he was betrayed,
he took bread, gave thanks,
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.”

In the same way, he took the cup,
gave thanks, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
”Drink this, all of you.
This is my blood of the new covenant,
which is shed for you and for many
for the forgiveness of sins.

Do this, as often as you drink it,
in remembrance of me.”

Therefore, heavenly Father, we celebrate this supper
in remembrance of your Son's passion and death,
his resurrection and ascension.

We will eat the Bread of Life and drink the Cup of Blessing
until the day when he comes again in glory.

We ask you:
remember the perfect and eternal sacrifice
through which, in Christ,
you have reconciled us with yourself.

Grant that we may be united into one body,
and be made a perfect living sacrifice in Christ.

Through him, and with him, and in him,
by the power of the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honor is yours, almighty Father,
for ever and ever.

Amen.

1 comment:

William Weedon said...

I still like better the original prayer that was in the Petri rite and which for many centuries was Sweden's eucharistia.