Scripture Verse

I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never go hungry. John 6:32

Introduction

Words: Reg­in­ald He­ber (1783–1826). Pub­lished post­hu­mous­ly in Hymns Writ­ten and Adapt­ed to the Week­ly Ser­vice of the Church Year (Lon­don: J. Mur­ray, 1827), pag­es 124–25. Be­fore the sac­ra­ment.

Music: Eu­cha­ris­tic Hymn John S. B. Hodg­es, 1868 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

If you know where to get a good pho­to of good Hodg­es (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

portrait
Reginald Heber (1783–1826)

Lyrics

Bread of the world, in mer­cy brok­en,
Wine of the soul, in mer­cy shed!
By whom the words of life were spok­en,
And in whose death our sins are dead!

Look on the heart by sor­row brok­en,
Look on the tears by sin­ners shed,
And be Thy feast to us the token,
That by Thy grace our souls are fed!

illustration
The Last Supper
Valentin de Boulogne
1592–1632