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In a version of The Book of Common Prayer for Eastern Orthodox Christians, we find the following from the beautiful Eucharistic rite in the 1954 South African Book of Common Prayer:
ALL glory and thanksgiving be to thee, Almighty God our heavenly Father, for that thou of thy tender mercy didst give thine only Son Jesus Christ to take our nature upon him, and to suffer death upon the Cross for our redemption; who (by his one oblation of himself once offered) made a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation and satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world: and did institute, and in his holy Gospel command us to continue, a perpetual Memory of that his precious Death, until his coming again.
Hear us, O merciful Father, we most humbly beseech thee; and grant that we, receiving these thy creatures of bread and wine, according to thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ's holy institution, in remembrance of his death and passion, may be partakers of his most blessed Body and Blood:
Who, in the same night that he was betrayed, took Bread; and, when he had given thanks, he brake it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take eat, THIS IS MY BODY WHICH IS GIVEN FOR YOU: Do this in remembrance of me.
Likewise after supper he took the Cup; and, when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of this; for THIS IS MY BLOOD OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, WHICH IS SHED FOR YOU AND FOR MANY FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS: Do this, as oft as ye shall drink it in remembrance of me.
Wherefore, O Lord and heavenly Father, according to the institution of thy dearly beloved Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, we thy humble servants, having in remembrance his blessed Passion and precious Death, his mighty Resurrection, and glorious Ascension, do render unto thee most hearty thanks for the innumerable benefits procured unto us by the same; and, looking for his coming again with power and great glory, we offer here unto thy divine majesty this holy Bread of eternal life and this Cup of everlasting salvation;
And we humbly beseech thee to pour thy Holy Spirit upon us and upon these thy gifts, that all we who are partakers of this holy Communion may worthily receive the most precious Body and Blood thy Son, and be fulfilled with thy grace and heavenly benediction.
And we entirely desire thy fatherly goodness mercifully to accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving; most humbly beseeching thee to grant, that by the merits and Death of thy Son Jesus Christ, and through faith in his Blood, we and all thy whole Church may obtain remission of our sins, and all other benefits of his Passion.
And here we offer and present unto thee, O Lord, ourselves, our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy and living sacrifice unto thee.
And although we be unworthy, through our manifold sins, to offer unto thee any sacrifice, yet we beseech thee to accept this our bounden duty and service; not weighting our merits, but pardoning our offences through Jesus Christ our Lord;
By whom, and with whom, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, all Honour and glory be unto thee, O Father Almighty, world without end. Amen.
IN THE ENGLISH PAROCHIAL TRADITION,
ACCORDING TO ORTHODOX CATHOLIC USAGE
LANCELOT ANDREWES PRESS
A.D. MMIX
pp. 986-987
