Celtic Offertory

Bring your gifts to the Lord and His altar of stone

As He opens His arms and welcomes His Own.

God's strength like an oak now shared with each one

through Christ we become a daughter or son. 

No blood sacrifice required today

No cruel appeasement, for Love is the Way.

We bring bread and wine, symbolic of life

that is shared out of Love, the new sacrifice

.

And we offer to You, O God of our clan

each thought, word and deed of each woman or man.

And with all creation, we raise up our prayers

O Christ our salvation, take our joys and cares. 

And the fire that lights the altar we dress

both warms us and guides us as we praise and bless.

And the blessed holy water that mingles with wine,

a symbol of life that brings life divine. 

And once we have eaten this meal that we share

Christ be thou our vision we see everywhere

Christ be in our neighbor. Christ be in our heart.

Christ be in our loved ones, both near and apart.

Christ be our intention as we kiss in peace

Christ be in our wills let all warring cease.

Christ be on this altar now, in bread and wine

as we share together in this sacred sign. 

Written in the stone chapel at Columcille in Bangor PA 

c. Cait Finnegan 1995