The Door of Heaven: A Manual for Holy Communion

Answer. We lift them up unto the Lord.

Priest. Let us give thanks unto our Lord God.

Answer. It is meet and right so to do.

Then shall the Priest turn to the Lord's Table, and say,

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, [1 - These words [Holy Father] must be omitted on Trinity Sunday.]Holy Father, Almighty, Everlasting God.

Here shall follow the Proper Preface, according to the time, if there be any specially appointed: or else immediately shall follow,

Therefore with Angels and Archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify Thy glorious Name; evermore praising Thee, and saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts, heaven and earth are full of thy glory: Glory be to thee, O Lord most High. Amen.

PROPER PREFACES

[These are used only at the Seasons named.]

Upon CHRISTMAS DAY, and seven days after.

Because Thou didst give Jesus Christ Thine only Son to be born as at this time for us; who, by the operation of the Holy Ghost, was made very man of the substance of the Virgin Mary his mother; and that without spot of sin, to make us clean from all sin. Therefore with Angels, &c.

Upon EASTER DAY, and seven days after

But chiefly are we bound to praise Thee for the glorious Resurrection of Thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord: for He is the very Paschal Lamb, which was offered for us, and hath taken away the sin of the world; who by His death hath destroyed death, and by His rising to life again hath restored to us everlasting life. Therefore with Angels, &c.

Upon ASCENSION DAY, and seven days after

Through Thy most dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who after his most glorious resurrection manifestly appeared to all his Apostles, and in their sight ascended up into heaven to prepare a place for us; that where He is, thither we might also ascend, and reign with Him in glory. Therefore with angels, &c.

Upon WHIT SUNDAY, and six days after

Through Jesus Christ our Lord; according to whose most true promise, the Holy Ghost came down as at this time from heaven with a sudden great sound, as it had been a mighty wind, in the likeness of fiery tongues, lighting upon the Apostles, to teach them, and to lead them to all truth; giving them both the gift of divers languages, and also boldness with fervent zeal constantly to preach the Gospel unto all nations; whereby we have been brought out of darkness and error into the clear light and true knowledge of Thee, and of Thy Son Jesus Christ. Therefore with Angels, &c.

Upon the Feast of TRINITY only

Who art one God, one Lord; not one only Person, but three Persons in one Substance. For that which we believe of the glory of the Father, the same we believe of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, without any difference or inequality. Therefore with Angels, &c.

After each of which Prefaces shall immediately be sung or said,

Therefor with Angels and Archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify Thy glorious Name; evermore praising Thee, and saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts, heaven and earth are full of Thy glory: Glory be to Thee, O Lord most high. Amen.

Then shall the Priest, kneeling down at the Lord's Table, say in the name of all them that shall receive the Communion this Prayer following,

We do not presume to come to this Thy Table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in Thy manifold and great mercies. We are 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 us therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the Flesh of Thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink His Blood, that our sinful bodies may be made clean by His Body, and our souls washed through His most precious Blood, and that we may evermore dwell in Him, and He in us. Amen.

[Now you are coming to the most solemn part of the whole Service – the Prayer of Consecration. The Priest is speaking for you to God, and is consecrating, or making sacred and holy, the Bread and the Wine you are going to receive. Try to follow every word most reverently, and join heartily in the "Amen" at the close.]

THE PRAYER OF CONSECRATION

When the Priest, standing before the Table, hath so ordered the Bread and Wine that he may with the more readiness and decency break the Bread before the people, and take the Cup into his hands, he shall say the Prayer of Consecration, as followeth:

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who of Thy tender mercy didst give Thine only Son Jesus Christ to suffer death upon the cross for our redemption; who made there (by His one oblation of Himself once offered) a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world; and did institute, and in His holy Gospel command us to continue, a perpetual memory of that His precious death, until His coming again; Hear us, O merciful Father, we most humbly beseech Thee; and grant that we receiving these Thy creatures of bread and wine, according to Thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ's holy institution, in remembrance of His death and passion, may be partakers of His most blessed Body and Blood: who, in the same night that He was betrayed, [Here the Priest is to take the Paten into his hands:] took bread; and when He had given thanks, [And here to break the Bread:] He brake it, and gave it to His Disciples, saying, Take, eat, [And here to lay his hand upon all the bread.] this is My Body which is given for you: Do this in remembrance of Me. Likewise after supper He [Here he is to take to Cup into his hand: ] took the Cup; and when He had given thanks. He gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of this; for this [And here to lay his hand upon every vessel (be it Chalice or Flagon) in which there is any Wine to be consecrated.] is My Blood of the New Testament, 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. Amen.

[You will have some time for private prayer, either before you go up to receive, or after you return to your place. Spend this time on your knees, speaking to God. Tell Him all about your difficulties – about the sin you find it so hard to conquer. Ask God to help you. When it is time for you to receive, go up quietly, and, as you kneel, think of Jesus Himself saying, "Whoso eateth My Flesh and drinketh My Blood, hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." Say secretly: "Lord, be merciful unto me: heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee.]

The Minister, when he gives you the Bread, will say,

"The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was given for thee, preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life. Take and eat this in remembrance that Christ died for thee, and feed on Him in thy heart by faith with thanksgiving.

[After the words "everlasting life" you can say "Amen" softly. And at the end you can say in your heart: —

"Lord, I believe: help Thou mine unbelief."]

The Minister, when he gives you the Cup, will say,

"The Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was shed for thee, preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life. Drink this in remembrance that Christ's Blood was shed for thee, and be thankful.

[Say Amen devoutly, as before, after the words "ever-lasting life," and at the end you may say in your heart: —

"Thanks and Praise be to Thee, O Lord!"

Wait until the one next to you has received, and then return to your place and kneel, thanking God again for His mercies to you. Pray that you may not fall back into sin. Say: —

O God of all mercy, may this most blessed Sacrament which I have received convey to my soul grace and peace, that being made clean, I may sin no more. I ask this for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.

[If you still have time, you may use now the Hymns given at the end of this book.]

When all have communicated, the Minister shall return to the Lord's Table, and reverently place upon it what remaineth of the consecrated elements, covering the same with a fair linen cloth.

Then shall the Priest say the Lord's Prayer, the people repeating after him every Petition.

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: For thine is the kingdom, The power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

After shall be said as followeth,

O Lord and heavenly Father, we Thy humble servants entirely desire Thy fatherly goodness mercifully to accept this our Sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving; most humbly beseeching Thee to grant that, by the merits and death of Thy Son Jesus Christ, and through faith in His Blood, we and all Thy whole Church may obtain remission of our sins, and all other benefits of His passion. And here we offer and present unto Thee, O Lord, ourselves, our souls, and bodies to be a reasonable, holy, and lively sacrifice unto Thee; humbly beseeching Thee, that all we who are partakers of this holy Communion, may be fulfilled with Thy grace and heavenly benediction. And although we be unworthy, through our manifold sins, to offer unto Thee any sacrifice, yet we beseech Thee to accept this our bounden duty and service; not weighing our merits, but pardoning our offences, through Jesus Christ our Lord: by whom, and with whom, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, all honour and glory be unto Thee, O Father Almighty, world without end. Amen.

Or this,

Almighty and everliving God, we most heartily thank Thee, for that Thou dost vouchsafe to feed us, who have duly received these holy mysteries, with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of Thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ; and dost assure us thereby of thy favour and goodness towards us; and that we are very members incorporate in the mystical Body of Thy Son, which is the blessed company of all faithful people; and are also heirs through hope of Thy everlasting kingdom, by the merits of the most precious death and passion of Thy dear Son. And we most humbly beseech Thee, O heavenly Father, so to assist us with Thy grace, that we may continue in that holy fellowship, and do all such good works, as Thou hast prepared for us to walk in, through Jesus Christ our Lord; to whom with Thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.

THE GLORIA IN EXCELSIS

Then shall be said or sung,

Glory be to God on high, and in earth peace, good will towards men. We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we worship Thee, we glorify Thee, we give thanks to Thee for Thy great glory, O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty.

O Lord, the only-begotten Son Jesu Christ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us.