Second Prayer - a music podcast

A music podcast featuring "Second Prayer", a song by Rob Kwade based on a post-communion prayer from the Book of Alternative Services of the Anglican Church of Canada.

As you’ll hear in the introduction to the song in this podcast, Rob was inspired to write this song after reading a reflection piece by Bishop Geoff Woodcroft which is posted on the online Eucharist resource page on our website. In that reflection, Bishop Geoff speaks to why he is so deeply moved by a post-communion prayer in the Book of Alternative Services of the Anglican Church of Canada. It is the second option in the communion liturgy of the book, hence the title Rob has given to his song. This is the original prayer:

All your works praise you, O Lord.
And your faithful servants bless you.

Gracious God
we thank you for feeding us
with the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ.
May we, who share his body,
live his risen life;
we, who drink his cup,
bring life to others;
we, whom the Spirit lights,
give light to the world.
Keep us firm in the hope you have set before us,
so that we and all your children shall be free,
and the whole earth live to praise your name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.

In Rob’s hands, this is how that prayer became the lyrics for a song:

A Second Prayer

Gracious God we thank you (now) for feeding us
With the blood and body of the beautiful Christ

And all the faithful bless You
And all Your works give praise

We who share this body now seen broken here
Live once more a risen life without fear

And as we drink from this cup that fills our veins
Let it flow with life to those where none remains

And all the faithful bless You
And all Your works give praise

Holy Ghost that lightens our hearts and minds
Illuminate into the world all hidden things

Keep us firm in this hope You have set out before us
We have seen Your hand in this world
So that we, unreserved may commune with all of Your children
And with the whole earth live free

And all the faithful bless You
And all Your works give praise

You can access the full catalogue of these music podcasts - including two other songs by Rob - by clicking here.