Eucharist – Order of Service

Welcome

God has been worshipped in this place through the prayers and praises of countless generations. Worship lies at the heart of our life as Christians and we express our theology and belief through our liturgy. It is through these liturgical patterns of words and actions that we are formed and transformed.

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You are invited to say the text in bold in English.

Please stand as the Minister, at the West End of the Cathedral, sings

Let us pray.

Please remain standing to sing the

Hymn

1. On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry
Announces that the Lord is nigh;
Awake and hearken, for he brings
Glad tidings of the King of kings.

2. Then cleansed be every breast from sin;
Make straight the way for God within;
Prepare we in our hearts a home,
Where such a mighty guest may come.

3. For thou art our salvation, Lord,
Our refuge and our great reward;
Without thy grace we waste away,
Like flowers that wither and decay.

4. To heal the sick stretch forth thine hand,
And bid the fallen sinner stand;
Shine forth, and let thy light restore
Earth’s own true loveliness once more.

5. All praise, eternal Son, to thee,
Whose advent doth thy people free;
Whom with the Father we adore,
And Holy Ghost for evermore.

Charles Coffin (1676–1749)

William Havergal (1793–1870)

The Celebrant says the

Greeting

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Please remain standing for the

Lighting of the Advent Candle

Almighty God, you sent your servant John the Baptist to bear witness to the truth as a shining light: may we your servants rejoice in his light and so be led to witness to him who is the true Light.

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

Please remain standing for the

Collect for Purity

Almighty God to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name: through Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Choir sings

Kyrie Eleison

Kyrie eleison; Christe eleison; Kyrie eleison.

Lord, have mercy upon us; Christ, have mercy upon us; Lord, have mercy upon us.

The Celebrant introduces the

Confession

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we have sinned in thought and word and deed, and in what we have left undone. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us, that we may walk in newness of life to the glory of your name. Amen.

The Celebrant pronounces the

Absolution

To which all reply

Amen.

Please remain standing whilst the Celebrant intones the

Collect of the Day

O Lord Jesus Christ, who at your first coming sent your messenger to prepare your way before you: Grant that the ministers and stewards of your mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready your way by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at your second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in your sight; for you are alive and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

Please be seated for the

Reading

Isaiah 35: 1–10

The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.
It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God.
Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.
And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.
No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:
And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

At the end of the Reading

This is the word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

The Choir sings the

Gradual

Psalm 146 vv 4–10

Blessed is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help: and whose hope is in the Lord his God; Who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: who keepeth his promise for ever; Who helpeth them to right that suffer wrong: who feedeth the hungry. The Lord looseth men out of prison: the Lord giveth sight to the blind. The Lord helpeth them that are fallen: the Lord careth for the righteous. The Lord careth for the strangers, he defendeth the fatherless and widow: as for the way of the ungodly, he turneth it upside down. The Lord thy God, O Sion, shall be King for evermore: and throughout all generations.

Please stand for the

Gospel

The Deacon and the Choir sing

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Hear the Gospel of our Saviour Christ according to Saint N, in the Y chapter, beginning at the Z verse.

Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Gospel Reading

Matthew 11: 2–11
Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,
And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?
Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:
The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.
But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

At the end, the Minister and the Choir sing

This is the Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Please remain standing whilst the Preacher moves to the Pulpit for the

Sermon

Preacher: The Reverend A. W. A. Mayes, B.A., M.Litt.
Prebendary of Newcastle

Please be seated for the Sermon. At the end, the Preacher will conclude with a prayer, during which the congregation will stand for the

Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

The Minister says

Let us pray.

Please kneel or be seated for the

Prayers

Each petition ends

Lord, in your mercy

hear our prayer.

At the end

Merciful Father,

accept these our prayers for the sake of your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Please stand as the Celebrant introduces the

Peace

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

And also with you.

Please remain standing to sing the

Hymn

During the hymn, a collection of money is made. You can donate online by tapping the Support Us button at the bottom of the page.

1. Of the glorious body telling,
O my tongue, its mysteries sing,
And the blood, all price excelling,
Which the world’s eternal King,
In a spotless womb once dwelling,
Shed for this world’s ransoming.

2. Given for us, for us descending,
Of a virgin to proceed,
Man with man in converse blending,
Scattered he the gospel seed,
Till his sojourn drew to ending,
Which he closed in wondrous deed.

3. At the last great supper lying
Circled by his chosen band,
Duly with the law complying,
First he finished his command,
Then, immortal food supplying,
Gave himself by his own hand.

4. Word-made-flesh, by word he maketh
Bread his very flesh to be;
Man in wine Christ’s blood partaketh:
And if senses fail to see,
Faith alone the true heart waketh
To behold the mystery.

Thomas Aquinas (1227–74)

French, Paris, 1881

Please remain standing as the Celebrant and the Choir sing

Sursum Corda

The Lord is here.

His Spirit is with us.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

The Celebrant intones the Preface, concluding

Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven we proclaim your great and glorious name, for ever praising you and singing:

English

Latin

English

Latin

Please remain standing as the Eucharistic Prayer continues, concluding

…through Jesus Christ our Lord, with whom and in whom, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we worship you, Father almighty, in songs of never-ending praise:

Blessing and honour and glory and power are yours for ever and ever. Amen.

Please kneel or sit, according to your custom, to pray the

Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who 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.

The Celebrant breaks the bread, and says

The bread which we break is a sharing in the body of Christ.

We, being many, are one body, for we all share in the one bread.

The Celebrant invites the People to receive Communion.

Saint Patrick’s Cathedral is the National Cathedral of the Church of Ireland, a member Church of the Anglican (Episcopalian) Communion.

We welcome members of all Christian Church denominations to receive Holy Communion here. Please follow the stewards’ directions.

Whilst the people receive Communion, the Choir sing

Agnus Dei

English

Latin

English

Latin

Motet

Canite tuba in Sion, qui a prope est dies Domini. Ecce venit ad salvandum nos. Erunt prava in directa et aspera in vias planas: Veni Domine et noli tardare. Alleluia!

(Sound the trumpet in Sion, for the day of the Lord is near. Look! he is coming to save us. Winding paths will be made straight and rough places smooth. Come, O Lord, and do not delay. Alleluia!)

Jacob Händl, called Gallus (1550–91)

When all have received Communion, the Celebrant says

Let us pray.

A seasonal Post-Communion Prayer may be said, and then this prayer

Almighty God, we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ. Through him we offer you our souls and bodies to be a living sacrifice. Send us out in the power of your Spirit to live and work to your praise and glory. Amen.

Please stand to sing the

Hymn

1. The Lord will come and not be slow,
His footsteps cannot err;
Before him righteousness shall go,
His royal harbinger.

2. Truth from the earth, like to a flower,
Shall bud and blossom then;
And justice from her heavenly bower,
Look down on mortal men.

3. Rise, God, judge thou the earth in might,
This wicked earth redress;
For thou art he who shalt by right
The nations all possess.

4. The nations all whom thou hast made
Shall come, and all shall frame
To bow them low before thee, Lord,
And glorify thy name.

5. For great thou art, and wonders great
By thy strong hand are done:
Thou in thy everlasting seat
Remainest God alone.

John Milton (1608–74)

William Jones (1726–1800)

The Celebrant says the

Blessing

After which, all say

Amen.

The Deacon and the Choir sing the

Dismissal

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

In the name of Christ. Amen.

Please remain standing as the Clergy and the Choir depart.

Please remain at your seat for the duration of the

Organ Voluntary

Acknowledgements

Developed by the Saint Patrick’s Cathedral Education Department.

Translations are provided automatically by Google Translate. Saint Patrick’s Cathedral is not responsible for automatically generated content or for content on external websites.

To report a problem or to send feedback and suggestions, please email: education@stpatrickscathedral.ie

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