Grounded and Growing—A Communion Liturgy for Lent

By Ron Rienstra

The Liturgy

[If singing the Sanctus and Acclamation consider having the musicians play this two-bar chord pattern underneath the spoken liturgy. ||: C – G | F :||]

Sursum Corda

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Preface/Eucharistia

Faithful God,
it is indeed right and good to give you thanks and praise.

You are the maker of heaven and earth,
the giver of every good gift,
the gardener of all creation.
From dust you formed us,
and by your breath you gave us life.
You planted us in your love
and called us to walk in your ways.
When we turned from you,
you did not abandon us.

You made covenant with your people,
walked with them through wilderness and wandering,
and taught them how to live by your Word.
Again and again you have been patient with us—
pruning what leads to death,
and tending what leads to life.

In the fullness of time,
you sent your Son Jesus Christ, born of Mary,
baptized in the waters of repentance,
driven into the wilderness,
and faithful even to the cross.
In him you have shown us the way of mercy,
the path of obedience,
and the promise of new life.

And so, with all who have gone before us,
with all who seek your truth,
and with all creation that sings your praise,
we lift our voices and join the song of heaven:

Sanctus/Benedictus

[May be spoken by all or sung.]

Holy, holy, holy Lord God of hosts;
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.

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

Anamnesis

We give thanks that on the night when he was betrayed,
our Lord Jesus took bread,
and after blessing it, he broke it and said,
“This is my body, given for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.”

In the same way, he took the cup, saying,
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Do this, as often as you drink it,
in remembrance of me.”

Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Memorial Acclamation

[May be spoken by all or sung.]

Christ has died,
Christ is risen,
Christ will come again.

Epiclesis

Pour out your Spirit upon us, O God,
that this meal may strengthen us for the journey,
that this grace may take root in our lives,
and that we may bear fruit for your kingdom.

Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honor are yours, Almighty God,
now and forever.