From this point on, our Christian worship is a continuum through to Easter Morning.
MaundyThursday – marks a new beginning, the beginning of the end. The Jewish beginning of the day (in the evening) unites the events of Maundy Thursday with the death of Christ the next afternoon. The presence of ‘a Watch’ adds to this sense of continuity. There are possible – different – emphases on this day:
– Love and service – with John 13 and an act of foot-washing
– Reconciliation – with the High Priestly prayer of John 17 and provision for acts of – Confession and healing
– The Lord’s Supper – both as a remembering of the original Last Supper and in anticipation of the Easter Eucharist and an Agape or fellowship supper is a good such vehicle
The liturgical colour is white or gold. The Stripping of the Sanctuary (with or without a Watch) is the bridge to Good Friday.
Welcome to this time and feel free to use what helps you at this stage of the journey …..
Preparation
A new commandment I give to you,
that you love one another, as I have loved you. JOHN 13.34
Unless I wash you, you have no part with me. JOHN 13.8
We confess to almighty God our sins against his love and ask him to cleanse us.
Father eternal; giver of light and grace, we have sinned against you and against our neighbour, in what we have thought, in what we have said and done, through ignorance, through weakness, through our own deliberate fault. We have wounded your love and marred your image in us. We are sorry and ashamed and repent of all our sins. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, who died for us, forgive us all that is past; and lead us out from darkness to walk as children of light. Amen.
=By faith he receive forgiveness and the healing that comes with it.=
Maundy Thursday Collect:
God our Father you have invited us to share in the supper which your Son gave to his Church to proclaim his death until he comes. May he nourish us by his presence and unite us in his love. Amen.
Gather around God’s Word
Read one (or more) of the following:
Exodus 12.1-8, 11-14
Psalm 116.11-18
1 Corinthians 11.23-29
John 13.1-15
Foot Washing
If you live alone do this for yourself, if you live with family share this act and don’t be afraid of giggles ….
Wash feet and close with:
Almighty Father whose Son taught us that what we do for the ‘least’ we do also for him: give us the will to be servants of others as he was the servant of all. Amen.
Break off here and go eat your evening meal with family or on your own and try to imagine the atmosphere and the conversation at the supper we are reenacting (but with our very different menu)
Grace before or after the meal: Blessed are you Lord God of the universe you bring forth from the earth all that we need to be fed and fed well. Blessed be God for ever.
There is no need to rush this part of the evening but when you are done return Online….
Share the ‘Our Father’ in your preferred form or language*
=if there are young people in the household do an activity together**
=if not then read Mark14.26-72
Closing Vigil
close the evening by listening to some suitable music
There is no need to rush this part of the evening but when you are done go quietly to bed
(there is no Blessing on Maundy Thursday – stillness takes its place)