The Door of Heaven: A Manual for Holy Communion

O Heavenly Father, I am about to draw near to the most Holy Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Thy dear Son. Have mercy upon me; have mercy upon me, for I am most unworthy. But, O my God, look not upon my sin, but look upon the Face of Thy Son. Thy dear Son hath died that we may come with boldness unto Thee. Therefore I come. Oh, may I so eat and drink that I may be partaker of the Body and Blood of Christ to the strengthening and refreshing of my soul, and may be one with Him through the power of the Holy Spirit. Hear me, and accept me, O most merciful Father, for the sake of the same my crucified Saviour. Amen.

May God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, be with me now and at the hour of death. Amen.

THE DAY OF COMMUNION

Be careful to be at Church in good time, and while waiting for the Service to begin, say one or more of these Prayers: —

Cleanse Thou me, O Lord, from my secret faults, and mercifully pardon my sins, that I may receive Thy holy gifts with a pure mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Almighty and everlasting God, I come to the holy Sacrament of Thy dear Son. I draw near weak, to the Giver of Strength; unclean, to the Fountain of Mercy; blind, to the Eternal Light; poor and needy, to the Lord of heaven and earth. I pray Thee, therefore, of Thy great goodness, to have mercy upon me, that so I may receive the King of kings, and Lord of lords, with such reverence and purity and faith, as shall be for the health of my soul. Let me now receive the Body and Blood of Jesus my Lord, that I may be one Body and one Spirit with Him, and ever remain among His members. Grant this for the same Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.

I do not presume to come to Thy table, O merciful Lord, trusting in my own righteousness, but in Thy manifold and great mercies. I am not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under Thy table. But Thou art the same Lord, Whose property is always to have mercy: Grant me therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the Flesh of Thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink His Blood, that my sinful body may be made clean by His Body, and my soul washed through His most precious Blood, and that I may evermore dwell in Him and He in me. Amen.

Or this.

O Blessed Saviour Jesus Christ, not trusting in my own goodness, but in Thy great merits, I desire to receive the holy Sacrament of Thy Body and Blood. I am stained with many sins; do Thou wash me in Thy precious Blood. I am faint and weary in my strife against sin; do Thou refresh and strengthen me. Give me perfect purity of soul and body; drive from me all unholy thoughts, and keep me from every evil word and deed. Give me grace to draw near to this holy Sacrament with such reverence and fear, such holy joy and fervent love, such sorrow for sin and desires for holiness, that I may enjoy all the blessings and receive all the benefits which Thou hast obtained for us through Thy precious death. Amen.

If you have any more time before the Service begins, you can use the Hymns at the end of the book.

THE ORDER FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE LORD'S SUPPER, OR HOLY COMMUNION

[The parts of the Service which you are to repeat are printed in italic letters.]

Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Amen.

The Collect.

Almighty God, unto Whom all hearts be open, all desires known, and from Whom no secrets are hid; cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of Thy holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love Thee, and worthily magnify Thy holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

[As each commandment is read, ask yourself,

"Have I kept this commandment?"

Then join with all your heart in the words,

"Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law."]

Minister.

God spake these words, and said; I am the Lord thy God: Thou shalt have none other gods but me.

People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Minister. Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven image, nor the likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down to them, nor worship them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, and visit the sins of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me, and show mercy unto thousands in them that love Me, and keep My commandments.

People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Minister. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His Name in vain.

People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all that thou hast to do; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. In it thou shalt do no manner of work, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, thy man-servant, and thy maid-servant, thy cattle, and the stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it.

People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Minister. Honour thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long in the land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Minister. Thou shalt do no murder.

People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Minister. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Minister. Thou shalt not steal.

People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Minister. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.

Minister. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his servant, nor his maid, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is his.

People. Lord, have mercy upon us, and write all these Thy laws in our hearts, we beseech Thee.

Then shall follow one of these two Collects for the King.

LET US PRAY

Almighty God, whose kingdom is ever-lasting, and power infinite; Have mercy upon the whole Church; and so rule the heart of Thy chosen servant GEORGE, our King and Governor, that he (knowing whose minister he is) may above all things seek Thy honour and glory: and that we, and all his subjects (duly considering Whose authority he hath) may faithfully serve, honour, and humbly obey him, in Thee, and for Thee, according to Thy blessed Word and ordinance, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Who with Thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Or,

Almighty and Everlasting God, we are taught by Thy holy Word that the hearts of kings are in Thy rule and governance, and that Thou dost dispose and turn them as it seemeth best to Thy godly wisdom: we humbly beseech Thee so to dispose and govern the heart of GEORGE Thy servant, our King and Governor, that, in all his thoughts, words, and works, he may ever seek Thy honour and glory, and study to preserve Thy people committed to his charge, in wealth, peace, and godliness. Grant this, O merciful Father, for Thy dear Son's sake, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Here follow

THE COLLECT, EPISTLE, AND GOSPEL

[If you have your Prayer Book with you, find out the Collect, Epistle, and Gospel of the day. Before the Gospel say, "Glory be to Thee, O Lord", and after the Gospel, "Thanks be to Thee, O Lord."]

THE CREED