Staff Prayer Ritual in the week of the Body & Blood of Christ: OUTLINE of Ritual We Gather: Welcome

Sign of the Cross Catching Fire Song with the Lighting of the 3 Candles Opening Prayer

We Listen: Scripture Reading Another way of understanding ‘bread’ Sharing

We Respond: Blessing, breaking and sharing of bread

Closing Prayer

We Go Forth: Blessing Dismissal Sign of Peace

The Environment Ideally, set out chairs around a prayer focus – creating a space where people can be present to one another. Three candles are placed near the Bible which rests open at the Scripture Reading for today. More detail below ... You will need:

� a Leader of prayer; a Reader (who will read from the Bible); person(s) to light the candles at the appropriate times in the ritual

� 3 candles (head, heart and hands) + matches

� a Bible (open at the Reading) on a small table

� one cob of bread and a small bunch of red (or

purple) grapes

� Handouts for each staff member

� Full text of the ritual for the Leader

� CD of song, player and a person to organise the music at the appropriate time

Staff Prayer Ritual in the week of the Body & Blood of Christ: Detail We Gather Welcome & Introduction Leader: This week, we remind ourselves that we have been baptised into the Body of Christ;

that each time we receive the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist, we become more truly the presence of Christ in this world of today. Let us pause a moment to become more conscious of this privilege of ours ... pause ...

Sign of the Cross Leader: We begin, as always, with the Sign of the Christian. All: In the name of the Father, + and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Song Leader: In the words of our song, let us ‘catch fire’ with enthusiasm

as we remember who-we-are as the Body of Christ.

Jesus, we embrace you and your vision. Teach us prayer, to see God’s presence here And to live out, a life of principle on our journey finding faith with you. With fire in our minds, with fire through our hands, Catching fire in our hearts, we turn to you.

A person lights the ‘head’ candle as the song continues ...

In communion, we build with God and others, an accepting place of welcome for all. We see, with eyes that know no other way the sacredness of every face & moment.

With fire in our minds, etc.

We’re people of purpose and commitment faithful to all those who’ve gone before We’re challenged to be witness in your mission, to transform a world that’s free for all.

With fire in our minds, etc. A person lights the ‘heart’ candle as the song continues ...

And we’re the ones, we are keepers of the flame. We are called to pass on this great story And your life we find deep in our hearts and souls. Oh how it changes everything for us. With fire in our minds, etc. Your spirit fire, draws us to your centre, it animates all that we say and do Together, we will journey with each other knowing we don’t walk the path alone

With fire in our minds, etc. A person lights the ‘hands’ candle as the song continues ...

Leading us, Your guiding light shines through The gift we have to recognize and grow And we celebrate all the richness found among us This power of our own transforming love With fire in our minds, etc.

(Warren Fields and Jill Gowdie 2007)

Opening Prayer Leader: Let us pray ... All: The bread you give, O God,

is Christ’s flesh for the life of the world; the cup of his blood is your covenant for our salvation. Grant that we who have been called into this holy mystery may reverence him in the needy of this world by lives poured out for the sake of that kingdom where he lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.

We Listen Scripture Reading Reader: A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians (1Cor 10:16-17)

The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ?

Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.

SHORT PAUSE ...

Another way of understanding ‘bread’ Reader: Unleavened bread, no matter how artfully prepared,

will never look like the bread of those settled in comfort around the tables where they expect to dine night after night forever … It will always be the bread given to strengthen and sustain a people setting out on a long journey from the familiar here to an imagined there.

Sr Genevieve Glen OSB

Sharing Leader: What is the ‘bread’ that is feeding you in your life at present?

What ‘bread’ do you long to give your students to eat?

People may like to share for a few minutes ...

We Respond Leader: Let us bless and break bread together as a symbol of our unity in Christ ... All: Blessed are you, God most high,

Maker of heaven and earth, Whose covenant with Abraham and Sarah is a blessing of peace for all peoples of earth, And whose covenant in Jesus nourishes and sustains all who hunger for the bread of life. As often as we eat the bread and drink the cup that proclaim the Lord’s death, let the love of Christ compel us to hand on to others, without judgement or measure, the blessings we ourselves have received so generously at your hand. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever.

The Leader breaks off a piece of the bread, holds it and passes the plate to the next person who does likewise ... and so on, until all have broken bread. Then, all eat of the bread together.

Closing Prayer Leader: Let us pray ... All: Lord Jesus Christ,

deepen in us the sense of reverence and awe at the mystery that we are called to be your Body in the world. May we always live consciously and generously enough to share your life with those in need of hope and healing. You live in the heart of the Father in the unity of the Hoy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen.

We Go Forth Blessing

Leader: May God, who fed our ancestors in faith with manna in the wilderness bless us with food for the journey of our lives.

All: Amen.

Leader: May Jesus Christ, the Living Bread, sustain our hearts in every new day.

All: Amen.

Leader: May the Spirit of God bring us closer together in unity so that we who are many will become one in love.

All: Amen.

Leader: May almighty God bless us, the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

All: Amen.

Dismissal Leader: Go forth to live as Christ’s Body, broken and given in love for the world. All: Thanks be to God! Sign of Peace Leader: Let us show our unity in Christ as we offer one another

a Sign of Peace and Friendship.