1. Jesus calls us to his table
as he did before he died;
called his friends so frail and faithless,
one betrayed and one denied.
Son of God yet friend of sinners,
breaking bread and sharing wine:
tokens of your costly passion,
signs and seals of love divine.
2. ‘Take and eat, this is my body
broken on the cross for you;
gone the weight of your transgression,
by my death you are made new.
Feast upon the bread of heaven,
eat in faith that you are mine,
foretaste of the kingdom banquet
where the ransomed church shall dine’.
3. ‘Take and drink, this is my lifeblood
shed and offered in your place,
flowing from my pierced body,
wounds of sin, yet fount of grace.
Judgment’s cup has now been emptied,
cup of life to you I bring:
taste and see that God forgives you,
in his faithful, stricken King’.
4. Christ, we come now to your table,
come to take what here you give;
come in thanks and awe and wonder,
come to eat and drink and live.
Wash me, cleanse me, feed me, fill me,
pour your Spirit from on high,
so we may proclaim the mystery
that you came to earth to die.
A version with slightly different verse 1 first appeared in Christian Hymns (Evangelical Movement of Wales) No 442. There it is set to the less well known 'Pleading Saviour' but as 8 7. 8 7.D it can also be sung to better known tunes such as those for ‘Love Divine’ or ‘Here is Love’. This version was published in "Durham Sings! Durham's Contribution to Hymnody" (2009) compiled by Rosalind Brown and was posted on Fulcrum in 2011.
