It has been an ancient custom of the Church to bless
the First Meal that we have partaken during the Easter Season. In the Book
of Blessings prepared by the International Commission on English in the Liturgy
(ICEL), there is actually an "Order for the Blessing of Food for the First
Easter Meal" (Ch. 54) as follows:
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1701 The
custom of blessing food for Easter arose from the discipline of fasting
throughout Lent and the special Easter fast during the Easter Triduum. Easter
was the first day when meat, eggs, and other foods could again be eaten.
Although not of obligation, the special fast during the Triduum may still be
observed as well as the tradition of blessing food for the first meal of
Easter.
1702
According to custom, food may be blessed before or after the Easter Vigil on
Holy Saturday (see endnote 8) or on Easter morning for consumption at the first
meal of Easter, when fasting is ended and the Church is filled with joy.
1703 The
blessing may take place in the church or another suitable place.
1704 The
food which is to be blessed may be placed on a table or held by those who bring
it.
1705 The shorter rite may appropriately be used after the
Easter Vigil.
1706
These orders may be used by a priest or a deacon, and also by a layperson, who
follows the rites and prayers designated for a lay minister.
Endnote:
8. Festive customs and traditions associated with this day on account of the
former practice of anticipating the celebration of Easter on Holy Saturday
should be reserved for Easter night and the day that follows (Circular Letter
Concerning the Preparation and Celebration of the Easter Feasts, no. 76).
I. ORDER
OF BLESSING
INTRODUCTORY
RITES
1707 When
the community has gathered, a suitable song may be sung.
The
minister says: In the name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
All make
the sign of the cross and reply: Amen.
1708 The
minister greets those present in the following or other suitable words, taken
mainly from sacred Scripture.
A) Before
the Easter Vigil For our sake Christ became
obedient, accepting even death, death on a cross. Therefore God raised him on
high and gave him the name above all other names. Blessed be God for ever.
And all
reply: Blessed be God for ever.
B) After
the Easter Vigil Christ is risen. Alleluia.
And all
reply: He is risen indeed. Alleluia.
1709 In the
following or similar words, the minister prepares those present for the
blessing. Throughout Lent we have been preparing for the resurrection of
the Lord by prayer, almsgiving, and fasting. Our lenten fasting is a reminder
of our hunger and thirst for holiness which is satisfied only by Christ who
feeds and nourishes us by his word and sacraments. When we gather at our first
meal of Easter may this food be a sign for us of that heavenly banquet to which
the Lord calls us.
READING
OF THE WORD OF GOD
1710 One of
those present, or the minister, then reads a text of sacred Scripture.
Brothers and sisters, listen to the words of the book of Deuteronomy:
16:1-8
The Passover of the Lord. Observe the month of Abib by
keeping the Passover of the LORD, your God, since it was in the month of Abib
that he brought you by night out of Egypt. You shall offer the Passover
sacrifice from your flock or your herd to the LORD, your God, in the place which
he chooses as the dwelling place of his name. You shall not eat leavened bread
with it. For seven days you shall eat with it only unleavened bread, the bread
of affliction, that you may remember as long as you live the day of your
departure from the land of Egypt; for in frightened haste you left the land of
Egypt. Nothing leavened may be found in all your territory for seven days, and
none of the meat which you sacrificed on the evening of the first day shall be
kept overnight for the next day.
You may not
sacrifice the Passover in any of the communities which the LORD, your God,
gives you; only at the place which he chooses as the dwelling place of his
name, and in the evening at sunset, on the anniversary of your departure from
Egypt, shall you sacrifice the Passover. You shall cook and eat it at the place
the LORD, your God, chooses; then in the morning you may return to your tents.
For six days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh there shall be
a solemn meeting in honor of the LORD, your God; on that day you shall not do
any sort of work.
1711 Or:
Isaiah 55:1-11--Come all you who are thirsty. Luke 24:13-35--They knew Christ
in the breaking of the bread. John 6:1-14--Multiplication of the loaves.
1712 As
circumstances suggest, one of the following responsorial psalms may be sung, or
some other suitable song.
R. My
soul is thirsting for God, the living God.
Psalms 42
and 43 Athirst is my soul for God, the living God. When
shall I go and behold the face of God? R.
Those times I
recall, now that I pour out my soul within me, When I went with the throng and
led them in procession to the house of God, Amid loud cries of joy and
thanksgiving, with the multitude keeping festival. R.
Send forth your
light and your fidelity; they shall lead me on And bring me to your holy
mountain, to your dwelling-place. R.
Then will I go
in to the altar of God, the God of my gladness and joy; Then will I give you
thanks upon the harp, O God, my God! R.
Psalm
104:1-2, 5-6, 10, 12, 13-14, 24, 35 R. (v. 1) Bless
the Lord, 0 my soul.
1713 As
circumstances suggest, the minister may give those present a brief explanation
of the biblical text, so that they may understand through faith the meaning of
the celebration.
INTERCESSIONS
1714 The
intercessions are then said. The minister introduces them and an assisting
minister or one of those present announces the intentions. From the following
those best suited to the occasion may be used or adapted, or other intentions
that apply to the particular circumstances may be composed.
The
minister says: The Son of God who invites us to
the Paschal feast stands ready to help. Let us call upon him in our need.
R. Lord,
prepare us for the feast of life.
Assisting
minister: That Easter may find us cleansed of sin and ready to
live anew our Christian faith, we pray to the Lord. R.
Assisting
minister: That the bread we share may be a reminder of the
bread of life we share in the eucharist, we pray to the Lord. R.
Assisting
minister: That we may be ready to give from our table to those
who hunger and thirst, we pray to the Lord. R.
Assisting
minister: That we may one day enjoy the banquet of the Lord in
the heavenly kingdom, we pray to the Lord. R.
1715 After
the intercessions the minister, in the following or similar words, invites all
present to sing or say the Lord's Prayer. Christ taught us to pray for our
daily bread and so we dare to say:
All: Our Father . . .
PRAYER OF
BLESSING
1716 A
minister who is a priest or deacon says the prayer of blessing with hands
outstretched; a lay minister says the prayer with hands joined.
God of glory,
the eyes of all turn to you as we celebrate Christ's victory over sin and
death.
Bless us and
this food of our first Easter meal. May we who gather at the Lord's table
continue to celebrate the joy of his resurrection and be admitted finally to
his heavenly banquet.
Grant this
through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.
CONCLUDING
RITE
1717 A
minister who is a priest or deacon concludes the rite by saying: May Christ
always nourish you and strengthen you in faith and love, now and for ever. R.
Amen.
Then he
blesses all present. And may almighty God bless you all,
the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit. R. Amen.
1718 A lay
minister concludes the rite by signing himself or herself with the sign of the
cross and saying: May Christ nourish us and strengthen us in faith and love
now and for ever. R. Amen.
1719 It is
preferable to end the celebration with a suitable song.
1720 The minister then greets those present in the
following or other suitable words, taken mainly from sacred Scripture.
A) Before the Easter Vigil For our sake Christ became
obedient, accepting even death, death on a cross. Therefore God raised him on
high and gave him the name above all other names. Blessed be God for ever.
And all reply: Blessed be God for ever.
B) After the Easter Vigil Christ is risen. Alleluia.
And all reply: He is risen indeed. Alleluia.
1721 One of those present or the minister reads a
text of sacred Scripture, for example: Brothers and sisters, listen to the
words of the book of Deuteronomy:
16:1-8 The Passover of the Lord. Observe the month of Abib by
keeping the Passover of the LORD, your God, since it was in the month of Abib
that he brought you by night out of Egypt. You shall offer the Passover
sacrifice from your flock or your herd to the LORD, your God, in the place
which he. chooses as the dwelling place of his name. You shall not eat leavened
bread with it. For seven days you shall eat with it only unleavened bread, the
bread of affliction, that you may remember as long as you live the day of your
departure from the land of Egypt; for in frightened haste you left the land of
Egypt. Nothing leavened may be found in all your territory for seven days, and
none of the meat which you sacrificed on the evening of the first day shall be
kept overnight for the next day.
You may not sacrifice the Passover in any of the
communities which the LORD, your God, gives you; only at the place which he
chooses as the dwelling place of his name, and in the evening at sunset, on the
anniversary of your departure from Egypt, shall you sacrifice the Passover. You
shall cook and eat it at the place the LORD, your God, chooses; then in the
morning you may return to your tents. For six days you shall eat unleavened
bread, and on the seventh there shall be a solemn meeting in honor of the LORD,
your God; on that day you shall not do any sort of work.
1722 Or: Isaiah 55:1-11--Come all you who are
thirsty. Luke 24:13-35--They knew Christ in the breaking of the bread.
1723 A minister who is a priest or deacon says the
prayer of blessing with hands outstretched; a lay minister says the prayer with
hands joined.
God of glory, the eyes of all turn to you as we celebrate
Christ's victory over sin and death.
Bless us and this food of our first Easter meal. May
we who gather at the Lord's table continue to celebrate the joy of his
resurrection and be admitted finally to his heavenly banquet.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.
Prayer Source: Book of Blessings by Prepared by International
Commission on English in the Liturgy A Joint Commission of Catholic Bishops'
Conferences, The Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota, 1989
