From the Church of the Frescoes, near Valle Crucis, NC
On this day we commemorate the Institution of the Eucharist, the beginning of the on-going mystery of Christ in His Body, the Church. It all ties together now: the Body of Christ, present, feeding us who are Christ, active, serving Christ who is you, in the world.
This is not a symbol, not a recreation, not a memory game: this is Christ and so we sing:
Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
And with fear and trembling stand;
Ponder nothing earthly minded,
For with blessing in His hand,
Christ our God to earth descendeth,
Our full homage to demand.
King of kings, yet born of Mary,
As of old on earth He stood,
Lord of lords, in human vesture,
In the body and the blood;
He will give to all the faithful
His own self for heavenly food.
Rank on rank the host of heaven
Spreads its vanguard on the way,
As the Light of light descendeth
From the realms of endless day,
That the powers of hell may vanish
As the darkness clears away.
At His feet the six wingèd seraph,
Cherubim with sleepless eye,
Veil their faces to the presence,
As with ceaseless voice they cry:
Alleluia, Alleluia
Alleluia, Lord Most High!
Doxos 