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Eucharistic Prayers I - IV
This webpage is designed for
comparative study of the Eucharistic Prayers. In order to see both
the similarity in structure and the differences in wording and
length of the various prayers, they are printed in parallel columns
below. Texts and responses sung or spoken by all the people are
indicated in bold type. The "words of institution" are
printed in dark red. Some of the texts
spoken by the presider are optional for certain Masses or liturgical
seasons, as indicated in small italics below.
Preface Dialogue:
Priest:
The Lord be with you. All:
And also with you.
Priest: Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them up
to the Lord.
Priest: Let us give thanks to
the Lord, our God. All:
It is right to give him thanks and praise.
Preface (giving
praise and thanksgiving to God):
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EP
I |
EP
II |
EP
III |
EP
IV |
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(Choice
of dozens of texts, as appropriate for the particular feast or
liturgical season.)
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Father, it is our duty and salvation, always and everywhere to
give you thanks through your beloved Son, Jesus Christ.
He is
the Word through whom you made the universe, the Savior you
sent to redeem us. By the power of the Holy Spirit he too
flesh and was born of the Virgin Mary.
For
our sake he opened his arms on the cross; he put and end to
death and revealed the resurrection. In this he fulfilled your
will and won for you a holy people.
And
so we join the angels and saints in proclaiming your glory:
|
(Choice
of dozens of texts, as appropriate for the particular feast or
liturgical season.)
|
Father in heaven, it is right that we should give you thanks
and glory: you are the one God, living and true. Through all
eternity you live in unapproachable light.
Source of life and goodness, you have created all things, to
fill your creatures with every blessing and lead all men to
the joyful vision of your light. Countless hosts of angels
stand before you to do your will; they look upon your splendor
and praise you, night and day.
United with them, and in the name of every creature under
heaven, we too praise your glory as we say: |
(Note: In Eucharistic Prayers
I-III, one of dozens of prefaces could be selected, as appropriate
to the liturgical feast or season. Eucharistic Prayer IV, however,
should always be used with the preface printed above.)
Holy,
Holy (The "Sanctus", based on the praise of the seraphim
in Isa 6:3):
All:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Epiclesis (calling upon the Holy Spirit):
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EP
I |
EP
II |
EP
III |
EP
IV |
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We
come to your, Father, with praise and thanksgiving, through
Jesus Christ your Son. Through him we ask you to accept and
bless these gifts we offer you in sacrifice. We offer them for
your holy catholic Church, watch over it, Lord, and guide it;
grant it peace and unity throughout the world. We offer them
for John Paul our Pope, for {name of Bishop in your diocese}
our bishop, and for all who hold and teach the catholic faith
that comes to us from the apostles.
Remember, Lord, your people, especially those for whom we now
pray, {names}. Remember all of us gathered here before you.
You know how firmly we believe in you and dedicate ourselves
to you. We offer you this sacrifice of praise for ourselves
and those who are dear to us. We pray to you, our living and
true God, for our well-being and redemption.
In union with the whole Church we honor Mary,
the ever-virgin mother of Jesus Christ our Lord and God. We
honor Joseph, her husband, the apostles and martyrs Peter and
Paul, Andrew, [James, John, Thomas,
James, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Simon and Jude; we honor
Linus, Cletus, Clement, Sixtus, Cornelius, Cyprian, Lawrence,
Chrysogonus, John and Paul, Cosmas and Damian]
and all the saints. May their merits and
prayers gain us your constant help and protection.
[Through Christ our Lord. Amen.]
Father, accept this offering from your whole
family. Grant us your peace in this life, save us from final
damnation, and count us among those you have chosen.
[Through Christ our Lord. Amen.]
Bless
and approve our offering; make it acceptable to you, and
offering in spirit and in truth. Let is become for us the body
and blood of Jesus Christ, your only Son, our Lord.
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Lord,
you are holy indeed, the fountain of all holiness. Let your
Spirit come upon these gifts to make them holy, so that they
may become for us the body and blood of our Lord, Jesus
Christ. |
Father, you are holy indeed, and all creation rightly gives
you praise. All life, all holiness comes from you through your
Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, by the working of the Holy Spirit.
From age to age you gather a people to yourself, so that from
east to west a perfect offering may be made to the glory of
your name.
And so, Father, we bring you these gifts. We ask you to make
them holy by the power of your Spirit, that they may become
the body and blood of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, at
whose command we celebrate this eucharist. |
Father, we acknowledge your greatness: all your actions show
your wisdom and love. You formed man in your own likeness and
set him over the whole world to serve you, his creator, and to
rule over all creatures. Even when he disobeyed you and lost
your friendship you did not abandon him to the power of death,
but helped all men to seek and find you. Again and again you
offered a covenant to man, and through the prophets teught him
to hope for salvation.
Father, you so loved the world that in the fullness of time
you sent your only Son to be our Savior. He was conceived
through the power of the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin
Mary, a man like us in all things but sin. To the poor he
proclaimed the good news of salvation, to prisoners, freedom,
and to those in sorrow, joy. In fulfillment of your will he
gave himself up to death; but by rising from the dead, he
destroyed death and restored life. And that we might live no
longer for ourselves but for him, he sent the Holy Spirit from
you, Father, as his first gift to those who believe, to
complete his work on earth and bring us the fullness of grace.
Father may this Holy Spirit sanctify these offerings. Let them
become the body and blood of Jesus Christ our Lord as we
celebrate the great mystery which he left us as an everlasting
covenant. |
Institution Narrative (Recalling the Words of Jesus at
the Last Supper):
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EP
I |
EP
II |
EP
III |
EP
IV |
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The
day before he suffered he took break in his sacred hands and
looking up to heaven, to you, his almighty Father, he gave you
thanks and praise. He broke the bread, gave it to his
disciples, and said:
Take this,
all of you, and eat it: this is my body which will be given up
for you.
When
supper was ended, he took the cup. Again he gave you thanks
and praise, gave the cup to his disciples, and said:
Take this,
all of you, and drink from it: this is the cup of my blood,
the blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed
for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven. Do this in
memory of me. |
Before he was given up to death, a death he freely accepted,
he took bread and gave you thanks, He broke the bread, gave it
to his disciples, and said:
Take this,
all of you, and eat it; this is my body which will be given up
for you.
When
the supper was ended, he took the cup. Again he gave you
thanks and praise, gave the cup to his disciples, and said:
Take this,
all of you, and drink from it; this is the cup of my blood,
the blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed
for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven. Do this in
memory of me. |
On
the night he was betrayed, he took bread and gave you thanks
and praise. He broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and
said:
Take this,
all of you, and eat it: this is my body which will be given up
for you.
When
supper was ended, he took the cup. Again he gave you thanks
and praise, gave the cup to his disciples, and said:
Take this,
all of you, and drink from it: this is the cup of my blood,
the blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed
for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven. Do this in
memory of me. |
He
always loved those who were his own in the world. When the
time came for him to be glorified by you, his heavenly Father,
he showed the depth of his love. While they were at supper, he
took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to
his disciples, saying:
Take this,
all of you, and eat it: this is my body which will be given up
for you.
In
the same way, he took the cup, filled with wine. He gave you
thanks, and giving the cup to his disciples, said:
Take this,
all of you, and drink from it: this is the cup of my blood,
the blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed
for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven. Do this in
memory of me. |
Memorial Acclamation:
Priest:
Let us proclaim the mystery of faith:
All:
A - Christ has died, Christ is
risen, Christ will come again.
or B - Dying you
destroyed our death, rising you restored our life. Lord Jesus, come
in glory.
or C - When we eat
this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim your death, Lord Jesus,
until you come in glory.
or D - Lord, by your
cross and resurrection, you have set us free. You are the Savior of
the World.
Anamnesis, Offering, and Intercessions:
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EP
I |
EP
II |
EP
III |
EP
IV |
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Father, we celebrate the memory of Christ, your Son. We, your
people and your ministers, recall his passion, his
resurrection from the dead, and his ascension into glory; and
from the many gifts you have given us we offer to you, God of
glory and majesty, this holy and perfect sacrifice: the bread
of life and the cup of eternal salvation.
Look
with favor on these offerings and accept them as once you
accepted the gifts of your servant Abel, the sacrifice of
Abraham, our father in faith, and the bread and wine offered
by your priest Melchizedek.
Almighty God, we pray that your angel may take
this sacrifice to your altar in heaven. Then, as we receive
from this altar the sacred body and blood of your Son, let us
be filled with every grace and blessing.
[Through Christ our Lord. Amen.]
Remember, Lord, those who have died and have
gone before us marked with the sign of faith, especially those
for whom we now pray, {names deceased loved ones whom the
celebrant or parishioner wishes to offer before God}. May
these, and all who sleep in Christ, find in your presence
light, happiness, and peace. [Through
Christ our Lord. Amen.]
For ourselves, too, we ask some share in the
fellowship of your apostles and martyrs, with John the
Baptist, Stephen, Matthias, Barnabas,
[Ignatius, Alexander, Marcellinus, Peter,
Felicity, Perpetua, Agatha, Lucy, Agnes, Cecilia, Anastasia]
and all the saints. Though we are sinners, we trust in your
mercy and love. Do not consider what we truly deserve, but
grant us your forgiveness. Through Christ our Lord.
Through him you give us all these gifts. You fill them with
life and goodness, you bless them and make them holy.
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In
memory of his death and resurrection, we offer you, Father,
this life-giving bread, this saving cup. We thank you for
counting us worthy to stand in your presence and serve you.
May all of us who share in the body and blood of Christ be
brought together in unity by the Holy Spirit.
Lord,
remember your Church throughout the world; make us grow in
love, together with [John Paul] our Pope, {name of local
bishop}, our bishop, and all the clergy.
Remember our brothers and sisters who have gone to their rest
in the hope of rising again; bring them and all the departed
into the light of your presence. Have mercy on us all; make us
worthy to share eternal life with Mary, the virgin Mother of
God, with the apostles, and with all the saints who have done
your will throughout the ages. May we praise you in union with
them, and give you glory through your Son, Jesus Christ.
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Father, callling to mind the death your Son endured for our
salvation, his glorious resurrection and ascension into
heaven, and ready to greet him when he comes again, we offer
you in thanksgiving this holy and living sacrifice. Look with
favor on your Church's offering, and see the Victim whose
death has reconciled us to yourself. Grant that we, who are
nourished by his body and blood, may be filled with his Holy
Spirit, and become one body, one spirit in Christ. May be make
us an everlasting gift to you and enable us to share in the
inheritance of your saints, with Mary, the virgin Mother of
God, with the apostles, the martyrs, and all your saints, on
whose constant intercession we rely for help.
Lord,
may this sacrifice, which has made our peace wiht you, advance
the peace and salvation of all the world. Stengthen in faith
and love your pilgrim Church on earth; your servant, Pope John
Paul, our Bishop {name of local bishop}, and all the
bishops, with the clergy and the entire people your son has
gathered here before you. Inmercy and love unite all you
children wherever they may be. Welcome into your kingdom our
departed brothers and sisters, and all who have left this
world in your friendship. We hope to enjoy for ever the vision
of your glory, through Christ our Lord, from whom all good
things come. |
Father, we now celebrate this memorial of our redemption. We
recall Christ's death, his descent among the dead, his
resurrection, and his ascension to your right hand; and,
looking forward to his coming in glory, we offer you his body
and blood, the acceptable sacrifice which brings salvation to
the whole world.
Lord,
look upon this sacrifice which you have given to your Church;
and by your Holy Spirit, gather all who share this one bread
and one cup into the one body of Christ, a lliving sacrifice
of praise.
Lord,
remember those for whom we offer this sacrifice, especially
John Paul our Pope, {name of local bishop}, our bishop,
and bishops and clergy everywhere. Remember those who take
part in this offering, those here present and all your people,
and all who seek you with a sincere heart. Remember those who
have died in the peace of Christ and all the dead whose faith
is known to you alone. Father, in your mercy grant also to us,
your children, to enter into our heavenly inheritance in the
company of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, and your
apostles and saints. Then, in your kingdom, freed from the
corruption of sin and death, we shall sing your glory with
every creature through Christ our Lord, through whom you give
us everything that is good. |
Doxology and Great Amen:
Priest:
Through him, with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honor is yours, almighty Father, for ever and ever.
All:
Amen! [may be sung more than once] |