Eucharistic Prayer for a festival for the Blessings of Animals usually near the Feast of St. Francis (Oct. 4)

It is truly right and a good and joyful thing 
that we should at all times and in all places, 
offer our thanks and praise to you, All-powerful, most holy, most high God. 
You formed out of the ground various wild animals, various birds of the air and set humanity in dominion over them. 
You rescued two of every kind from the flood with Noah and his family. 

And so, with Francis of Assisi and Anthony of the Desert*, 
with earth, air and sea and all their creatures, 
and with all the hosts of heaven, we praise
your name and join their unending hymn:

The Sanctus is said or sung.
 
You are indeed holy, O God, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ.
He was the true Passover Lamb and Shepherd of Your sheep. 
He came into our world but unlike foxes with their dens and birds with their nests, 
there was no place for him to lay his head. 
By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection, 
you gave birth to your church, 
delivered us from slavery to sin and death, 
and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit. 

On the night before he suffered death, 
our Lord Jesus gathered his friends around the table and as he took bread, he offered thanks to you; 
breaking it, and giving it to all of them, saying: 
“Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.” 

After all of them had eaten, 
he again took the cup and offered thanks to you, and gave it for all to drink, saying: 
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness
of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.”

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, 
we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, 
in union with Christ’s offering for us, 
as we proclaim the mystery of faith:  

Christ has died. 

Christ has risen.
Christ will come again.
 

Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered
here and on these gifts of bread and wine. 
As they are the body and blood of Christ for us, 
so may we be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood. 
Make your Church throughout the world an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, 
May your Church sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is despair, hope 

And where there is sadness, joy.
 

By your Spirit bind us to Christ, one to another, 
together in ministry to all the world, 
until Christ comes in final victory and we feast at the heavenly banquet. 
Through your son Jesus Christ,  with the Holy Spirit in your holy church, 
all honor and glory is yours, 
Almighty God, now and forever.  

Amen

And now, as God’s confident children, we boldly pray: 

Our Father in heaven...

*Francis of Assisi (October 4) and Anthony of the
Desert, also known as Anthony the Abbot, (January 17) are
considered patrons of animals and pets.
A prayer from Albert Schweitzer: “Hear our humble
prayer, O God, for our friends the animals, especially for
animals who are suffering; for any that are hunted or lost or
deserted or frightened or hungry; for all that must be put to
death. We entreat for them all Thy mercy and pity, and for
those who deal with them we ask a heart of compassion
and gentle hands and kindly words. Make us, ourselves, to
be true friends to animals and so to share the blessings of
this earth.”

The Eucharistic Prayers for the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels (September 29) (A twofer)

 It is truly right and a good and joyful thing
that we should at all times and in all places,
offer our thanks and praise to you, Holy God through Christ our Lord.

In praising your faithful angels and archangels, we also praise your glory, 

for in honoring them, we honor you, their creator.
Their splendor shows us your greatness,

which surpasses in goodness the whole of all creation.
Through Christ our Lord the great army of angels rejoices in your glory.

And so with the Church on earth,
with angels and archangels, 

cherubim and seraphim 

and with all the hosts of heaven,
we praise your name and join their unending hymn
The Sanctus is said or sung.

You are indeed holy, O God, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ.
You sent your messenger Gabriel to announce his incarnation.
Through the heavenly host, his birth was proclaimed to a world that dwelt in darkness.
When our Lord was tempted in the wilderness, you sent your angels to minister to him.

By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection,
you gave birth to your church,
delivered us from slavery to sin and death,
and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.

On the night before he suffered death,
our Lord Jesus gathered his friends around the table and as he took bread, he offered thanks to you;
breaking it, and giving it to all of them, saying:
“Take and eat; this is my body, given for
you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”

After all of them had eaten, he again took the cup and offered thanks to you,
and gave it for all to drink, saying:
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness
of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.”

And so, in remembrance of these your
mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves in praise and
thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice,
in union with Christ’s offering for us, as we
proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died. 

Christ has risen.
Christ will come again.

Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here and on these gifts of bread and wine.
As they are the body and blood of Christ for us,
so may we be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood.

As they serve you in heaven, may your holy angels watch over and protect us here on earth.

By your Spirit bind us to Christ,
one to another,
together in ministry to all the world,
until Christ comes in final victory
and we feast at the heavenly banquet.

Through your son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy church,
all honor and glory is yours, Almighty God, now and forever.
Amen 

And now, as God’s confident children, we boldly pray:

Our Father in heaven…

 OR

It is truly right and a good and joyful thing
that we should at all times and in all places,
offer our thanks and praise to you, Holy God through Christ our Lord.
Fountain of all life and source of all goodness,
you made all things and fill them with your blessing;
you created them to rejoice in the splendor of your radiance.
Countless throngs of angels stand before you to serve you night and day 

and, beholding the glory of your presence, they offer you unceasing praise.

And so with the Church on earth, with Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, and Ariel,
with all the angels and archangels and all the hosts of heaven,
we praise your name and join their unending hymn
The Sanctus is said or sung. 

You are indeed holy, O God, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ.
When Israel, your chosen people, was captive in Egypt
You sent your angel to deliver them
When they wandered in the wilderness,
You sent your angel to watch over them.
In the fullness of time, you sent your Son into the world that all may be redeemed though him.
Your heavenly host announced his coming

and when, in preparation for his mission on earth, he endured temptation in the wilderness,
you sent your angels to minister to him.

By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection,
you gave birth to your church,
delivered us from slavery to sin and death,
and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.

On the night before he suffered death,
our Lord Jesus gathered his friends around the table and as he took bread, 

he offered thanks to you; breaking it, and giving it to all of them, saying:
“Take and eat; this is my body, given for
you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”

After all of them had eaten,
he again took the cup and offered thanks to you,
and gave it for all to drink, saying:
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness
of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.”

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice,
in union with Christ’s offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died. 

Christ has risen.
Christ will come again.

By your Spirit bind us to Christ,
one to another,
together in ministry to all the world,
until Christ comes in final victory and we feast at the heavenly banquet.

Through your son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy church, 

all honor and glory is yours, Almighty God, now and forever.

Amen 

And now, as God’s confident children, we boldly pray:

Our Father in heaven…

The Eucharistic Prayer for the Feast of Hildegard of Bingen, Visionary (September 17)

It is truly right and a good and joyful thing 
that we should at all times and in all places, 
offer our thanks and praise to you, 
Holy God through Christ our Lord.

O power of eternity, who has ordered all things in your heart:
by your word all things are created As you have willed
And your word itself, Puts on flesh in the form that is drawn from Adam.
And so with the Church on earth,
with Hildegard and all the hosts of heaven,
we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
The Sanctus is said or sung.

You are indeed holy, O God, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ. 
He lived among us, as one of us, and drew to himself the poor, the lame, the blind, all those cast out to the margins of life.
To all who came, he restored to fullness of life and led them to you.
By the baptism of Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection, 
you gave birth to your church, 
delivered us from slavery to sin and death, 
and made with us a new covenant by water
and the Spirit.

On the night before he suffered death, 
our Lord Jesus gathered his friends around
the table and as he took bread, 
he offered thanks to you; breaking it, and
giving it to all of them, saying:
“Take and eat; this is my body, given for
you. Do this for the remembrance of me.” 

After all of them had eaten, 
he again took the cup and offered thanks to
you, and gave it for all to drink, saying: 
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness
of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.” 
 
And so, in remembrance of these your
mighty acts in Jesus Christ, 
we offer ourselves in praise and
thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, 
in union with Christ’s offering for us, 
as we proclaim the mystery of faith.
Christ has died. 
Christ has risen.
Christ will come again.

Breathe your Holy Spirit on us gathered here and on these gifts of bread and wine. 
As they are the body and blood of Christ for us, 
so may we be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood,
enkindled with the flame of your love. 

By your Spirit bind us to Christ,
one to another, 
together in ministry to all the world, 
until Christ comes in final victory
and we feast at the heavenly banquet. 

Through your son Jesus Christ, 
with the Holy Spirit in your holy church, 
all honor and glory is yours, 
Almighty God, now and forever.
Amen.

Now, as God’s confident children,
we boldly pray:
Our Father in heaven...

The Eucharistic Prayer for the Feast of the Holy Cross (September 14)

It is truly right and a good and joyful thing that we should at all times and in all places, offer our thanks and praise to you, Holy God through Christ our Lord.
You decreed that all creation should be saved through the wood of the cross.
The tree of humanity’s defeat became the tree of victory;where life was lost, there life has been restored through the Christ our Lord.
And so with the Church on earth, and all the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
The Sanctus is said or sung.

You are indeed holy, O God, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ.
He was lifted high upon a cross so that all who believe in him might not perish but live eternally with you.
By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection,
you gave birth to your church,
delivered us from slavery to sin and death,
and made with us a new covenant by water

On the night before he suffered death,
our Lord Jesus gathered his friends around the table and as he took bread, he offered thanks to you; breaking it, and giving it to all of them, saying:
“Take and eat; this is my body, given for. Do this for the remembrance of me.”

After all of them had eaten,
he again took the cup and offered thanks to you, and gave it for all to drink, saying:
"This cup is the new covenant in my blood,shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.”

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice,

in union with Christ’s offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery of faith:
Christ has died.
Christ has risen.
Christ will come again.

Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here and on these gifts of bread and wine.
As they are the body and blood of Christ for us,
so may we be for the world the body of Christ,
redeemed by his blood.
Illumine our lives, O God, with the radiance of Christ’s love,
and inspire us to shine in faith and witness as his holy disciples.
Transform us into his likeness that we may live for you, as he lived,
and love others, as he loved them.

By your Spirit bind us to Christ,
one to another,
together in ministry to all the world,
until Christ comes in final victory
and we feast at the heavenly banquet.

Through your son Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit in your holy church,
all honor and glory is yours,
Almighty God, now and forever
Amen

And now, as God’s confident children,
we boldly pray:
Our Father in heaven...

Great Thanksgiving: Remembrance/Anniversary of 9/11

This prayer was authored by Heather Josselyn-Cranson, a graduate student at Boston University School of Theology, Boston, Massachusetts. She wrote it for use at the seminary chapel service to be held on September 11, 2002. For additional commentary, see the note below.

Fr Mychal Judge and St. Francis of Assisi

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.

It is right, and a good and hopeful thing,

in all places and circumstances

to give thanks to you, Father Almighty,

creator of heaven and earth.

You formed your children in your image and loved them all:

Ishmael and Isaac,

Esau and Jacob,

Leah and Rachel.

When animosity arose between them

and they failed to love each other,

you lamented to see them struggle against one another,

as you mourn the hatred and fighting

that we, their descendants, continue.

Yet through your prophets you promised a day of peace

for all people, when swords would become plowshares

and the lion lie down with the lamb.

Therefore, in repentance and hope,

together with your people on earth and all the company of heaven,

we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,

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.

Holy are you, and blessed is your son Jesus Christ.

Although his very birth was attended by violence against innocent children,

your Spirit anointed him to guide our feet into the path of peace

and to bless the poor, the mourners, the meek, the hungry, the merciful, the pure, and the peacemakers.

He healed the sick,

summoned sinners to his calling,

and taught your people to love their enemies and to refrain from judging.

By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection,

you gave birth to your church,

delivered us from slavery to sin and death,

and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.

When the Lord Jesus ascended, he left us his peace,

given not as the world gives,

and he promised to be with us always,

in the power of the Holy Spirit.

On the night in which he gave himself up for us,

he took bread, gave thanks to you,

broke the bread, gave it to his disciples,

and said, "Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you.

Do this in remembrance of me."

When the supper was over he took the cup,

gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said,

"Drink from this, all of you;

this is my blood of the new covenant,

poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.

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

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,

we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice,

in union with Christ's offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith.

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

Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here,

and on these gifts of bread and wine.

Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ,

that we may be for the world the body of Christ,

redeemed by his blood.

By your Spirit,

make us one in Christ and one in love,

joy, peace, patience, kindness,

goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,

and self-control,

until Christ comes in final victory

and we feast at his heavenly banquet.

Through your Son Jesus Christ,

with the Holy Spirit in your Holy Church,

all honor and glory are yours, almighty Father, now and forever.

Amen

Commentary: The Center for Worship Resourcing staff noted that God mourning and lamenting the familial strife among the offspring of Sarah and Abraham can clearly be attributed to New Testament interpretation, but they questioned whether it could be found in the narrative. Heather responded as follows:


"I was actually thinking, not of the New Testament, but of Jeremiah. Our Hebrew Bible professor (Kathe Darr) told us several times that Jeremiah puts a lament in God's mouth at the plight of God's people. Looking back at that book now, I see God mourns Israel's unfaithfulness. I had generalized it in my mind to mean God lamenting all sinful or unfaithful behavior on the part of God's people. I do feel that God's actions in the Genesis narratives betray sorrow at the hurt of each of the people I named in the prayer. Certainly God saves Ishmael's life when Isaac''s mother would just as soon see him die. And God pities Leah's unloved situation, and so gives her children. I feel more cautious in the case of Esau (the whole 'Jacob have I loved' bit), but even there. . . . Does God not move in Esau's heart to help him forgive Jacob? You are right that I have not borrowed the 'lamenting' language directly from the periscopes I cite in the prayer. But it is not New Testament language specifically, and I think it is not too far from the scriptural text.


"Parts of the prayer are drawn from Isaiah 2, the Song of Zechariah, the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes, the gifts of the Spirit list in Galatians 5, and John 14."


Copyright © 2002 Heather Josselyn-Cranson. Used with permission.


Adapted from "A Service of Word and Table I" Copyright © 1972, 1980, 1985, 1989, The United Methodist Publishing House. Used with permission.


The Center for Worship Resourcing is grateful to the Rev. Heather Josselyn-Cranson for submitting this resource to us for use on the Worship website. Congregations and other church bodies are welcome to copy and use this Great Thanksgiving for a one-time, non-profit worship or educational purpose as long as they include the following copyright notice:


Copyright © 2002 Heather Josselyn-Cranson. Used with permission. Adapted from "A Service of Word and Table I" Copyright © 1972, 1980, 1985, 1989. The United Methodist Publishing House. Used with permission.

The Eucharistic Prayer for the Feast of Constance and her companions, Martyrs of Memphis (September 9)

It is truly right and a good and joyful thing 

that we should at all times and in all places, 

offer our thanks and praise to you, 

Holy God through Christ our Lord.

You founded human communities so that the needs of the poor, the sick, and the disenfranchised might be met. 

You promise to be with us, in sickness and in health, even unto death.  

We praise you for servants who respond to your call, especially those who risk all to be present with the less fortunate in their midst.

And so with the Church on earth, 

with Constance, Amelia, Thecla, Hughetta, and all the hosts of heaven, 

we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

The Sanctus is said or sung.

P: You are indeed holy, O God, 

and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ.  

 

He came into the world that he might reconcile all creation to you, 

even to the point of laying down his life 

that we might be restored and given the gift of everlasting life.

By the baptism of Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection, 

you gave birth to your church, 

delivered us from slavery to sin and death, 

and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.

On the night before he suffered death,

our Lord Jesus gathered his friends around

the table and as he took bread, he offered thanks to you; 

breaking it, and giving it to all of them, saying: 

“Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.” 

After all of them had eaten, 

he again took the cup and offered thanks to you, 

and gave it for all to drink, saying: 

“This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness

of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.” 

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, 

we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, 

in union with Christ’s offering for us, 

as we proclaim the mystery of faith: 

Christ has died. 

Christ has risen.

Christ will come again.

Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here and on these gifts of bread and wine. 

As they are the body and blood of Christ for us, 

so may we be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood. 

Inspire us to follow the examples of the saints that our eyes might be opened to the needs

of others.

By your Spirit bind us to Christ,

one to another, 

together in ministry to all the world, 

until Christ comes in final victory 

and we feast at the heavenly banquet. 

Through your son Jesus Christ,

with the Holy Spirit in your holy church, 

all honor and glory is yours, 

Almighty God, now and forever. 

Amen.

And now, as God’s confident children, we boldly pray: 

Our Father in heaven...

Author’s note: In 1873 a group of sisters of the Sisterhood

of St. Mary went to Memphis, Tennessee, at the request of

Bishop Charles T. Quintard, to establish a school for girls

adjacent to the Cathedral of St. Mary. They were

confronted by an epidemic of yellow fever and began to

care for the sick. Yellow fever returned in 1878. The sisters

stayed in Memphis to continue to minister to the sick

while others fled the city. Sister Constance and six other

Sisters of St. Mary, Sister Clare of the Society of St.

Margaret in Boston, and a number of Memphis clergy

ministered to the victims of the deadly disease. More than

5,000 people died, including Sister Constance on

September 9, 1878, Sister Thecla on September 12, Sister

Ruth on September 17, and Sister Francis on October 4.