I wonder whether there is any warrant, either in the rubrics, or the canons, to include the injunction before the Communion:
Priest
Behold the Lamb of God.
Behold him who takes away the sin of the world.
Happy are they who are called to his supper.
People
Lord, I am not worthy to receive you,
but only say the word, and I shall be healed.
Does anyone know? I have definitely heard it used before, but I'm not sure that it is strictly licit. I hope it is, because I think it is a wholesome bidding and prayer.
5 comments:
I don't think it is technically legal, but it is most definitely a worthy practice. Anglo-Catholic parishes (in the USA) certainly retain it in the more traditional form which I vastly prefer:
V. Behold the Lamb of God; Behold him that taketh away the sin of the world. (Happy are those who are called to His supper)
R. Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldest come under my roof, but speak the word only and my soul shall be healed.
A very essential part of the Mass. Wonderful. Thanks for posting the penetential thoughts as well.
Adam
"[Alleluia.] Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
Therefore let us keep the feast. [Alleluia.]
In Lent, Alleluia is omitted, and may be omitted at other times except
during Easter Season.
In place of, or in addition to, the preceding, some other suitable
anthem may be used.
Facing the people, the Celebrant says the following Invitation
The Gifts of God for the People of God." 1979 BCP
It is most cetainly legal...Ecce Agnus Dei being an historic athem at the fraction. Many places use this...the BCP actually gives great freedom for this sort fo thing...
Fr. Jeff Reich
[Alleluia.] Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
Therefore let us keep the feast. [Alleluia.]
In Lent, Alleluia is omitted, and may be omitted at other times except
during Easter Season.
"In place of, or in addition to, the preceding, some other suitable
anthem may be used.
Facing the people, the Celebrant says the following Invitation
The Gifts of God for the People of God." BCP 1979
Of course it is legal...many parishes employ the above stated rubric to proclaim Ecce Agnus Dei every Sunday.
Fr. Jeff Reich
Sorry about the double comment...I didn't know the first one took
Jeff+
Adam --
Thanks. I too prefer the rendering you give. Mine is, obviously, more modern. It was adapted (by me) from "A Manual for Anglo-Catholic Devotion," which has "This is the Lamb..." rather than "Behold the Lamb..." as in the Latin, and which might represent that sometime Anglo-Catholic impulse to be "more catholic than catholic." But the Old Language is usually the best language.
Fr. Jeff,
Thank you for the clarification. I suppose I could have just opened my BCP, but its on the other side of the room. I suppose the "great freedom" of the BCP about this sort of thing has its benefits. More often than not, given my context, I find myself annoyed by the liberties people take. But its good to have recourse to Godly prayers not explicitly included in the BCP.
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