Offertory Hymn

General, Holy Communion

Offertory Hymn

Lord, bless our bread, the world, each life –
That earthly food may be
The living Christ, love’s saving feast,
And find its home in me.

The gifts I have can cut me off
As self blots out Christ’s light.
O meet my broken hungry soul
And save me in my plight!

We bring to God the hidden pains
And wants that fill each day.
The whole world o’er needs Christ’s new life:
O Lord, for this we pray.

The Spirit and the broken bread
Make Christ alive to all;
The hunger caused by apple grasped,
Is met – and breaks our Fall.

A loaf can feed us for a day
But some have none and die.
The greedy world has food to spare
And fails to hear God’s cry.

St Francis turned from wealth to Christ
And found love’s simple way –
Where ‘Lady Poverty’ brings gifts
That riches cannot pay.

St Francis and St Clare left all
To feed the world with prayer –
It changes human grasping ways
To love: to risk and share.

The desert years that Israel spent
To reach the Promised Land,
Were blessed by God with bread and drink
Which faith drew from his hand.

The priestly life accepts the cost
Of love and freedom’s edge.
The burden and the joy of Christ
Makes real God’s heavenly pledge.

And so we pray that Christ will make
The eucharistic bread
A meeting place, where blessed and shared,
All people may be fed.

This hymn was written for the First Mass of the Revd Joanne Farman, a Francisan tertiary

Verses 6, 7 & 9 can be omtted for general use

© Neil Thompson 2001