One Bread One Body

This is a folk-style hymn about unity in the Eucharist. The chorus is based on I Corinthians 10:16-17: “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ: The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ?", while the verses draw on a range of scriptures:

Galatians 3:28 - “Gentile or Jew, servant of free, woman or man, no more.”
I Corinthians 10:16-17, 12: references to “one body”
The Didache 9 C.E. - "Grain for the fields, scattered and grown, gathered to one, for all".

The hymn was written by American Roman Catholic priest , liturgist, composer and member of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) John Foley SJ (b 1939), and first released in the Wood Hath Hope collection in 1978.

It became more widely known following a 1997 recording by John Michael Talbot, released on his album "Table of Plenty". This was so popular that many sources - incorrectly - attribute the song to Talbot.

It is set to an unnamed tune, also by Foley. This has a 4/4 time signature. In the key of G, the first few notes of the melody are G G_ AGD_ DD_ C B_ with accompanying chords G / C / G / C / G / D / Em.

Image from Pikist

Downloads

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Downloadable leadsheet

Downloadable SATB choir arrangement by Mark Hayes

Examples

Singer with keyboard-led band, professional recording with words on-screen

Singer and choir with band, professional recording

Original recording set to video with words on-screen

Choir(?) and congregation with guitar, recorded live in a church-service

Choir with piano, recorded live in a church-service

Choir with organ

Choir with piano

Singers with band, live in a church service

Instrumental - piano arrangement

Instrumental - guitar with accompaniment

Lyrics

The lyrics are copyright so cannot be reproduced here. But they are currently available on this website. A rough outline is:

Chorus:
One bread, one body, one Lord of all, one cup of blessing which we bless.
And we, though many, throughout the earth, we are one body in this one Lord.

1 Gentile or Jew, servant or free ...

2. Many the gifts, many the works ...

3 Grain for the fields scattered and grown ...