We do not live by bread alone: A Meditation before the Blessed Sacrament

Meditation before the Blessed Sacrament at Sung Compline & Benediction, 3rd March, first Thursday in Lent

‘We do not live by bread alone’

 

Jesus, bread of life, in the gospel of St Luke we read that you, ‘full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and were led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days you were tempted by the devil. You ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, you were famished. The devil said to you, ‘If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.’ You answered him, ‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone.” (Luke 4.1-4)

 

Lord, we do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from your mouth.

 

May we savour your words as the bread of life.

 

‘How sweet are your words on my tongue,

They are sweeter than honey to my mouth.’ (Psalm 119.103)

 

We consume you in the sacrament of the altar, may you consume our lives and fill them with your light, glory and presence.

 

May we taste and see that you are gracious;

trusting in you, may we be blessed (cf Psalm 34.8).

 

Lord Jesus Christ, Bread of Life, feed us, your people, in our earthly pilgrimage.

 

We do not live by bread alone, but many go hungry in our world.

 

We pray tonight for all who hunger for bread.

We pray this night for the people who are beginning to go hungry in Ukraine, the starving of Afghanistan, of Tigray and Ethiopia and all in food poverty in this country.

 

Jesus, in your body we find healing of our bodies, our minds, our spirits. Be to us the food for our journey.

 

May all your people find their souls satisfied and may we be led to the banquet of heaven.

 

‘We do not live by bread alone’

 

Silence

 

Blessed be God.

Blessed be his holy name.

Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true man.

Blessed be the name of Jesus.

Blessed be his most Sacred Heart.

Blessed be his most Precious Blood.

Blessed be Jesus in the most holy Sacrament of the altar.

Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.

Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most Holy.

Blessed be her holy and immaculate Conception.

Blessed be her glorious assumption.

Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother.

Blessed be St Joseph, her spouse most chaste.

Blessed be God in his angels and in his saints.