Happy All Saints Day!

Eucharistic Prayer project

L: The Lord be with you.

P: And with your spirit.

L: Lift up your hearts.

P: We lift them to the Lord.
L: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

P: It is good and right to give God thanks and praise.

L:
It is truly fitting, good, and right to give you thanks and praise, to glorify and worship you the uncreated, ineffable, unfathomable God, with your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and your all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit; the holy, blessed and undivided Trinity. Before all time and throughout eternity you are wrapped in holy, brilliant, and unapproachable light. In your awesome power and wondrous love you created everything that is and have filled your creation with abundant blessing. To you belongs all glory, honor, might, greatness and magnificence, now and forever.

God and Master of all things, the One who Exists, blessed to the ages of ages, enthroned upon the Cherubim, glorified by the Seraphim: before you stand thousands and tens of thousands of Angels and Archangels; we join with them and all of your saints and every creature both in heaven and on earth in the never-ending song of your praise.

All:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might. Heaven and earth is full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

L:

God of all goodness, we behold your greatness. All your works show your wisdom and love. You are holy indeed! Holy also is your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and holy is your Spirit, who searches all things, even your very depths, O God.

In great wisdom you made humankind from the dust of the earth, according to your image and likeness, granting it the enjoyment of Paradise. But when we transgressed your commandment and fell away, you do not forsake or abandon us, O Good One, but chastened us as a compassionate Father, called us through the Law, and tutored us through the Prophets.

Though you are surrounded in holiness and righteousness, you looked upon us with great mercy. In the fullness of time and for the sake of your great compassion, you sent the only-begotten Son and Word of God, who, being immortal and by whom all creation has its being, accepted for our salvation to take on flesh from the very substance of the Virgin Mary, his mother, and by the mighty power of the Holy Spirit without change became human. You were crucified, Christ God, and thus by your death and glorious resurrection destroyed death’s power forever, showing us the way of your Kingdom.

When it was time for him to endure his life-giving death, our Lord took bread in his holy hands. He gave you thanks, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to his friends, 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 filled with wine. When he had given thanks to you, he gave it to his friends, saying,

“Drink this, all of you; this is the Blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for you and for all for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this in remembrance of me.”

Therefore, we proclaim the mystery of faith:

All:

Christ has died.

Christ is risen.

Christ will come again.

Lord God, we now celebrate the memorial of our redemption. We recall Christ’s death and his descent among the dead; we proclaim his resurrection and ascension to your right hand, and we await his coming in glory. Therefore we offer you this bread and this cup, and pray that in your goodness and mercy you would send out your Holy Spirit upon these gifts that you would make them + the Body and Blood of your Son, Jesus Christ.

We ask that your Holy Spirit would come upon + us also, that as your Church gathered into one Body and one Spirit, we would be a living sacrifice in Christ, to the praise and glory of your name.

L/A:
Most merciful Lord, remember your Church throughout the world. Strengthen in faith all your servants.

Remember all of those who have died in the peace and hope of Christ, and those whose faith is known to you alone. Gather them all into the place of never-ending light and joy.

For ourselves, too, we ask that we would come into the fellowship and inheritance of your people, with the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Bearer of God, and Joseph, her husband, with the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, and all your saints who have lived faithfully throughout the ages. We praise you in union with them, and give you glory through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

L & A:
Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours Almighty Father, forever and ever.

All:

AMEN!

Über die Felder...

Über den Himmel Wolken ziehn,

Über die Felder geht der Wind,

Über die Felder wandert

Meiner Mutter verlorenes Kind.

Über die Straße Blätter wehn,

Über den Bäumen Vögel schrein -

Irgendwo über den Bergen

Muß meine ferne Heimat sein.



~ Hermann Hesse

The Paschal (Easter) Homily of St. John Chrysostom

If any man be devout and loveth God, let him enjoy this fair and radiant triumphal feast! If any man be a wise servant, let him rejoicing enter into the joy of his Lord.

If any have laboured long in fasting, let him how receive his recompense. If any have wrought from the first hour, let him today receive his just reward. If any have come at the third hour, let him with thankfulness keep the feast. If any have arrived at the sixth hour, let him have no misgivings; Because he shall in nowise be deprived therefore. If any have delayed until the ninth hour, let him draw near, fearing nothing. And if any have tarried even until the eleventh hour, let him, also, be not alarmed at his tardiness.

For the Lord, who is jealous of his honour, will accept the last even as the first. He giveth rest unto him who cometh at the eleventh hour, even as unto him who hath wrought from the first hour.

And He showeth mercy upon the last, and careth for the first; And to the one He giveth, and upon the other He bestoweth gifts. And He both accepteth the deeds, and welcometh the intention, and honoureth the acts and praises the offering.

Wherefore, enter ye all into the joy of your Lord; Receive your reward, both the first, and likewise the second. You rich and poor together, hold high festival! You sober and you heedless, honour the day! Rejoice today, both you who have fasted and you who have disregarded the fast. The table is full-laden; feast ye all sumptuously. The calf is fatted; let no one go hungry away. Enjoy ye all the feast of faith: receive ye all the riches of loving-kindness.

Let no one bewail his poverty, for the universal Kingdom has been revealed. Let no one weep for his iniquities, for pardon has shown forth from the grave. Let no one fear death, for the Saviour’s death has set us free. He that was held prisoner of it has annihilated it.

By descending into Hell, He made Hell captive. He embittered it when it tasted of His flesh. And Isaiah, foretelling this, did cry: Hell, said he, was embittered when it encountered Thee in the lower regions.

It was embittered, for it was abolished. It was embittered, for it was mocked. It was embittered, for it was slain. It was embittered, for it was overthrown. It was embittered, for it was fettered in chains. It took a body, and met God face to face. It took earth, and encountered Heaven. It took that which was seen, and fell upon the unseen.

O Death, where is thy sting? O Hell, where is thy victory?

Christ is risen, and thou art overthrown! Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen! Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice! Christ is risen, and life reigns! Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave. For Christ, being risen from the dead, is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

To Him be glory and dominion unto ages of ages.
Amen.

Christ is risen! Xristos Anesti!

Khristos anesti ek nekron,
Thanato thanaton patisas,
Kai tis en tis mnimasi
Zo-in kharisamenos!

Christ is risen from the dead,
Trampling down death by death,
And upon those in the tombs
bestowing life!