18 July 2021

Austin Farrer: The Lifting of Our Hearts to the Lord

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The Reverend Dr Austin Farrer writes:

WHEN we exchange between us the words of the Sursum Corda
the lifting of our hearts to the Lord 
will be more than a pious aspiration, 
it will be a divine fact.  
The sacrament is the presence of Jesus Christ, 
and Jesus Christ is in heaven.  
He stoops to us in this Sacrament, 
as he does through his whole incarnation; 
but he stoops to lift us to himself.  
In a true mystery, not in edifying fancy, 
we are with him in that divine place.  
There is the whole Church of God; 
there are the saints who pray for us in their glory, 
and there by the power of hope are the souls, for whom we pray 
that they may speedily be joined with the saints.  
The saints, the souls departed 
and the Church on earth in every place 
are one life and one prayer 
through Christ their High Priest.  
The effort, in mutual communion, 
of each spirit living or departed is requisite 
for the perfection of the Body of Christ.  
All are the support of each, 
and the whole hangs upon heaven in a point 
which is the Lord Jesus.

TRINITY ix 
THE CROWN OF THE YEAR 
Weekly Paragraphs for the Holy Sacrament 
By Austin Farrer 
Dacre Press, Westminster 

16 July 2021