Weekend Wisdom: A Song Of The Eucharist

A lovely poem from the 1300’s in celebration of communion today, at least at the church where I belong.

A Song of the Eucharist

Eat ye this break, eat ye this bread,

Eat it so ye be not dead.

This bread giveth eternal life

Both unto man, to child and wife:

It yieldeth grace and bateth strife.

Eat ye it so ye be not dead.

It seemeth white, yet it is red,

And it is quick, yet seemeth dead,

For it is God in form of bread.

Eat ye it so ye be not dead.

This blessed bread is angel’s food,

Mannis also, perfect and good;

Therefore eat it with mild mood,

Eat ye it so ye be not dead.

This bread from heaven did descend

us fro all ill for to defend,

And to give us life without end,

Eat ye it so ye be not dead.

In Virgin Mary this bread was bake,

When Crist of her manhood did take,

Free of all sin mankind to make,

Eat ye it so ye be not dead.

Eat ye this bread withouten sin,

Eternal bliss then shall ye win.

God grate us grace to dwell therein!

Eat ye it so ye be not dead.

James Ryman (fl 1342) from A Sacrifice of Praise, second edition, An Anthology of Christian Poetry in English from Cademon to the Mid-twentieth Century. Edited by James H. Trott.

Bio: Michele Kearns is the founder and HUG© (Hope Unites Globally) Award-Winner of JoyReturns. She shares her widowhood adventures hoping to inspire widows to move through grief and rebuild their lives. A graduate of Kent State University with a Bachelor’s degree in communications, she’s currently using those skills as a virtual logistics contact center representative for a Fortune 100 company. She’s also managed call center teams, co-facilitated a grief support group, and helped small businesses with various writing assignments. Michele is a bookworm, and a lover of history, music, chocolate, red roses, and golden retrievers. She is also the amateur photographer behind the blog OgleOhio.com.