Canticle for the Easter vigil

Communion chant

Let us invoke Christ.
The sacred Body of Christ! The lamb of God,
the sacred Body of him who died for our salvation!

The sacred Body of him
who revealed the mystery of grace of the new covenant
to his disciples.

The sacred Body which washed with water
the feet of the apostles, and with the Spirit washed their souls.

The sacred Body which pardoned the penitent woman; the sacred Body whose blood makes us clean.

The sacred body which
received the kiss of betrayal; the sacred Body which loved the world so much
as to accept even death on a cross.

We bless and glorify your name.

Fragment from an ancient Eucharistic liturgy


Today we have contemplated upon the altar
our Lord Jesus Christ. . . Today we have heard his voice, powerful yet gentle, admonishing us:

This is the Body which burns up the thorns of sin and gives light to the souls of men. . .
This is the Body in whose presence
the daughter of the Canaanite was cured.
This is the Body, which, approached
in full confidence by the sinful woman,
set her free from the mire of sin.
This is the Body Thomas touched
and recognising, cried out:
my Lord and my God.
This is the Body, great and most high,
Which is the principle of our salvation.

One day he who is the Word
and our Life determined
that his blood should be poured out for us and offered for the forgiveness of our sins.

We have drunk of the blood
by which we have been redeemed, restored, instructed, given light.

Who is entitled to celebrate the mystery of grace? we have been found worthy to share in this gift. Let us keep it to the end that we may hear
from his holy and blessed voice:
“Come, O blessed, to my Father,
Receive the inheritance of the kingdom prepared for you”.

Then those who crucified the Lord will fear; those who have not believed in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit will be ashamed;
those who have denied and not borne witness to the most Holy Trinity, one God, will be lost.

As for us, beloved,
we celebrate the wonder of the baptism of Jesus, his holy and life-giving resurrection,
through which salvation has come to the world. We await the happy fulfilment of redemption
in the grace and love
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
to whom is due all glory, honour and adoration.


Fragment from an ancient Eucharistic liturgy