This hymn is a good summary of Sunday's sermon. It is composed by Theodore Kavouras and sung to St. Thomas (The Advent of Our King TLH #68). It takes the vague notion of God's blessings that most people hold and locates them on the altar, which is the source of all Christian blessing, and mercy seat of God, since from it we receive the blessed sacrament.

The holy altar stands
Your cherished earthly throne.
As table, manger, cross, and tomb
the way to Heav’n alone.

This table where we eat
And drink the Holy Priest
Is but a faded picture of
The perfect wedding feast.

The altar loud proclaims
the cross where Jesus died;
His blood to shed that we live in
an endless Eastertide.

The manger here we see
embodied in this shrine
where Jesus took on human flesh
that ours may be Divine.

The altar too proclaims
the glorious empty tomb
from whence He rose and now we live
released from Satan’s gloom.

Your altar is the source
Of Christian worship true
We leave here strengthened as we go
Thy sacred work to do.

Tune: St. Thomas (Public Domain)
Text: © 2016 Theo Kavouras