Above:  The Communion of the Apostles

Image in the Public Domain

Text (Published in 1900) by George Thomas Coster (1835-1912)

Hymn Source = The Pilgrim Hymnal (1904)

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O Friend divine, with thee apart

Communing we have rest;

A blissful stillness rules the heart

That thus is blest.

++++++++

Thou call’st us from the strain of care

And from the battle strife,

To win in quietude of prayer

Abundant life.

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Thy call to fellowship how sweet!

With thee the silent mind

In thy great light itself can greet,

Its fulness find.

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Wise patience is thy gift,–and strength

For thee to toil, then wait

For harvest days that come at length,

And ne’er too late.

++++++++

With thee the boundlessness we learn

Of good for us in store,

That, much received, we yet may turn

To thee for more.

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With thee communing grow we brave

Our heart with joy is rife:

No fear! and see we e’en the grave

As Gate of Life.

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Above:  The Communion, by Lucas Velàzquez

Image in the Public Domain

Text (1891) by George Thomas Coster (1835-1912)

Hymn Source = The Pilgrim Hymnal (1904)

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We join with all, in every place,

Who celebrate the undying grace

That bowed in death to save our race,–

With all, upon the land and sea,

That lowly bend adoring knee,

And, Saviour, now remember thee,–

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With all in chamber lone that make

Their prayer, in pause of pain, and break

The bread, and of the cup partake,–

With all in reverent throngs that now

Within thy temple loving bow,

And breathe the sacramental vow,–

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With all our kin beyond the foam,

Who find, though in far lands they roam,

Still in thy love their life, their home,–

We join with all, where’er they be,

Who bend commemorative knee,

And now in love remember thee.

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Above:  St. John’s Episcopal Church, Washington, D.C.

Image in the Public Domain

Text (published in 1928) by James Arnold Blaisdell (1867-1957), U.S. Congregationalist Minister and President of Pomona College, Claremont, California

Hymn Source = The Methodist Hymnal/The Book of Hymns (1966), The Methodist Church

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Beneath the forms of outward rite

Thy supper, Lord, is spread

In every quiet upper room

Where fainting souls are fed.

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The bread is always consecrate

Which men divide with men;

And every act of brotherhood

Repeats thy feast again.

+++++

The blessed cup is only passed

True memory of thee,

When life anew pours out its wine

With rich sufficiency.

+++++

O Master, through these symbols shared,

Thine own dear self impart,

That in our daily life may flame

The passion of thy heart.

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Above:  St. Gregory the Great Episcopal Church, Athens, Georgia, Pentecost, June 9, 2019

Image Source = St. Gregory the Great Episcopal Church, Athens, Georgia

A prayer from the Roman Catholic tradition

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My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.

I love you above all things, and I desire to receive you into my soul.

Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart.

I embrace you as if you were already there and unite myself wholly to you.

Never permit me to be separated from you.  Amen.

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Above:  Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament of Our Lady of the Angels Monastery, Hanceville, Alabama

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = The Church Hymnary–Revised Hymnary (1927)

Text (1875) by Henry Baker Williams (1821-1877)

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I am not worthy, holy Lord,

That Thou should’st come to me;

Speak but the word; one gracious word

Can set the sinner free.

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I am not worthy; cold and bare

The lodging of my soul;

How canst Thou deign to enter there?

Lord, speak, and make me whole.

+++++

I am not worthy; yet my God,

How can I say Thee nay, —

Thee, who didst give Thy flesh and blood

My ransom price to pay?

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O come, in this sweet morning hour,

Feed me with food divine;

And fill with all Thy love and power

This worthless heart of mine.

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One may substitute “evening” for “morning” in the last stanza.

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Above:  St. Julian’s Episcopal Church, Douglasville, Georgia, August 27, 2017

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Hymn Source = The Pilgrim Hymnal (1904), National Council of Congregational Churches in the United States

Words (1855) by Harriet Beecher Stowe (1812-1896)

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Abide in me, O Lord, and I in thee!

From this good hour, O leave me never more!

Then shall the discord cease, the wound be healed,

The life-long bleeding of the soul be o’er.

+++++++

Abide in me; o’ershadow by thy love

Each half-formed purpose, and dark thought of sin;

Quench, ere it rise, each selfish, low desire,

And keep my soul as thine, calm and divine.

+++++++

Abide in me; there have been moments blest

When I have heard thy voice and felt thy power,

Then evil lost its grasp, and passion hushed

Owned the divine enchantment of the hour.

+++++++

These were but seasons, beautiful and rare;

Abide in me and they shall ever be;

Fulfil at once thy precept, and my prayer,–

Come, and abide in me, and I in thee.

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Above:  Episcopal Church of the Ascension, Cartersville, Georgia, November 5, 2017

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Text by William Henry Hammond Jervois (1852-1905)

Hymn Source = The English Hymnal (1906), The Church of England

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Wherefore, O Father, we thy humble servants

Here bring before thee Christ thy well-beloved,

All-perfect Offering, Sacrifice immortal, Spotless Oblation.

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See now thy children, making intercession

Through him our Saviour, Son of God incarnate,

For all thy people, living and departed, Pleading before thee.

Above:  Supper at Emmaus, by Matthias Stom

Image in the Public Domain

Text (published in 1825) by James Montgomery (1771-1854)

Hymn Source = The Hymnal (1941), Evangelical and Reformed Church

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Be known to us in breaking bread,

But do not then depart;

Saviour, abide with us, and spread

Thy table in our heart.

+++++

There sup with us in love divine;

Thy body and Thy blood,

That living bread, that heavenly wine,

Be our immortal food.

Above:  Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Covington, Georgia, May 7, 2017

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Text (1825) by James Montgomery (1771-1854)

Hymn Source = The Hymnal (1941), Evangelical and Reformed Church

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According to Thy gracious word,

In meek humility,

Thy will I do, my dying Lord,

I will remember Thee.

+++++

Thy body, broken for my sake,

My bread from heaven shall be;

Thy testamental cup I take

And thus remember Thee.

+++++

Whom to the cross I turn mine eyes,

And rest on Calvary,

O Lamb of God, my Sacrifice,

I must remember Thee;

+++++

Remember Thee, and all Thy pains,

And all Thy love to me:

Yea, while a breath, a pulse remains,

Will I remember Thee.

Above:  St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Atlanta, Georgia, May 21, 2017

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Hymn Source = The English Hymnal (1906), The Church of England

Original Latin Text by Saint Thomas Aquinas (1227-1274)

English Translation by James Russell Woodford (1820-1885), Anglican Bishop of Ely (1873-1885)

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Thee we adore, O hidden Saviour, thee

Who in thy sacrament art pleased to be;

Both flesh and spirit in thy presence fail,

Yet here thy Presence we devoutly hail.

+++++

O blest Memorial of our dying Lord,

Who living bread to men doth here afford!

O may our souls feed for ever on thee,

And thou, O Christ, for ever precious be.

+++++

Fountain of goodness, Jesu, Lord and God,

Cleanse us, unclean, with thy most cleansing Blood!

Increase our faith and love, that we may know

The hope and peace which from thy Presence flow.

+++++

O Christ, whom now beneath a veil we see,

May what we thirst for soon our portion be,

To gaze on thee unveiled, and see thy face,

The vision of thy glory and thy grace.