Maundy Thursday April 1, 2021

St. Paul’s Church
Charlottetown, PEI
April 1, 2021
 
Maundy Thursday
 
Sermon
 
Part One: A New Commandment
 
The Greeting
The president greets the people
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with you
and also with you.
 
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another as I have loved you. John 13.34
 
This is the day that Christ the Lamb of God gave himself into the hands of those who would slay him.
 
This is the day that Christ gathered with his disciples in the upper room.
 
This is the day that Christ took a towel and washed the disciples’ feet, giving us an example that we should do to others as he has done to us.
 
This is the day that Christ our God gave us this holy feast, that we who eat this bread and drink this cup may here proclaim his Holy Sacrifice and be partakers of his resurrection, and at the last day may reign with him in heaven.
 
Confession and Absolution
Our Lord Jesus Christ says: ‘If you love me, keep my commandments.’ ‘Unless I wash you, you have no part in me.’ ‘Let us confess to almighty God our sins against his love, and ask him to cleanse us.
Silence is kept.
 
Have mercy on us, O God, in your great goodness; according to the abundance of your compassion blot out our offences. Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
 
Against you only have we sinned and done what is evil in your sight. Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
 
Purge us from our sin and we shall be clean; wash us and we shall be whiter than snow. Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
 
Almighty God have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
 
Hymn: This is My Commandment
 
The Collect of the Day
Let us pray,
O God, your Son Jesus Christ has left to us this meal of bread and wine in which we share his body and his blood. May we who celebrate this sign of his great love show in our lives the fruits of his redemption; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
 
Part Two: Washing the Disciples’ Feet
 
Gospel: John 13: 1-10
 
O Christ, pouring yourself out, love drained to the last drop,
release us from our sins.
O Christ, kneeling as a servant, washing the disciples’ feet, shocking in your humility,
help us to follow in your way.
O Christ, taking bread and wine, crystal-clear in your awareness of the work you must complete,
nourish us on your saving presence.
O Christ, entering Gethsemane, falling on your face to pray, uncontainable in your broken heart,
strengthen us to share your sufferings.
Infinite, intimate God, kneel before us and wash our feet. In awe and wonder,
we lay ourselves bare to your redeeming acts of love. Amen
 
On Ash Wednesday, the monolith had ashes applied to it representing the whole community receiving the imposition of ashes. Tonight, we wash the ashes from the cross as if we were washing one another’s feet.
 
Hymn 504: Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us With Your Love
 
At the end of the washing, this prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, you have taught us that what we do for the least of our brothers and sisters we do also for you: give us the will to be the servant of others as you were the servant of all, and gave up your life and died for us, but are alive and reign, now and for ever. Amen.
 
The Prayers of the Community
Silence may be kept before each versicle and response.
In the power of the Spirit let us pray to the Father through Christ the saviour of the world. Father, on this, the night he was betrayed, your Son Jesus Christ washed his disciples’ feet. We commit ourselves to follow his example of love and service. Lord, hear us
            and humble us.
 
On this night, he prayed for his disciples to be one. We pray for the unity of your Church. Lord, hear us
            and unite us.
 
On this night, he prayed for those who were to believe through his disciples’ message. We pray for the mission of your Church. Lord, hear us
            and renew our zeal.
 
On this night, he commanded his disciples to love, but suffered rejection himself. We pray for the rejected and unloved. Lord, hear us
            and fill us with your love.
 
On this night, he reminded his disciples that if the world hated them it hated him first. We pray for those who are persecuted for their faith. Lord, hear us
            and give us your peace.
 
On this night, he accepted the cup of death and looked forward to the new wine of the kingdom. We remember those who have died in the peace of Christ. Lord, hear us
            and welcome all your children into paradise.
 
The Peace
Jesus says: ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.’
The peace of the Lord be always with you
            and also with you.
 
Hymn 59: Jesus Calls Us Here to Meet Him
 
Part Three: The Liturgy of the Upper Room
 
Prayer over the Gifts
Let us pray,
Father, we spread this table to remember the loving sacrifice of Jesus Christ, your Son. Accept all we offer you this day. Bind us together in his love and in the love he has commanded us to bring one another; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
 
The Great Thanksgiving: Eucharistic Prayer 3
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Blessed are you, gracious God, creator of heaven and earth; we give you thanks and praise through Jesus Christ our Lord, who for our salvation became obedient unto death. The tree of defeat became the tree of victory: where life was lost, life has been restored. Therefore with angels and archangels and all the heavenly chorus, we cry out to proclaim the glory of your name.
 
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
 
We give thanks to you, Lord our God, for the goodness and love you have made known to us in creation; in calling Israel to be your people; in your Word spoken through the prophets; and above all in the Word made flesh, Jesus your Son. For in these last days you sent him to be incarnate from the Virgin Mary, to be the Saviour and Redeemer of the world. In him, you have delivered us from evil, and made us worthy to stand before you. In him, you have brought us out of error into truth, out of sin into righteousness, out of death into life.
 
On this very night he was handed over to suffering and death, a death he freely accepted, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat: this is my body which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
 
After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, “Drink this, all of you: this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”
 
Therefore, Father, according to his command,
we remember his death,
we proclaim his resurrection,
we await his coming in glory;
 
and we offer our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to you, Lord of all; presenting to you, from your creation, this bread and this wine.
 
We pray you, gracious God, to send your Holy Spirit upon these gifts, that they may be the sacrament of the body of Christ and his blood of the new covenant. Unite us to your Son in his sacrifice, that we, made acceptable in him, may be sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
 
In the fullness of time, reconcile all things in Christ, and make them new, and bring us to that city of light where you dwell with all your sons and daughters; through Jesus Christ our Lord, the firstborn of all creation, the head of the Church, and the author of our salvation;
 
by whom, and with whom, and in whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honour and glory are yours, almighty Father, now and for ever. Amen.
 
The Lord’s Prayer
As our Saviour taught us, let us pray,
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen.
 
The Breaking of the Bread
We break this bread,
Communion in Christ’s body once broken.
Let your Church be the wheat which bears its fruit in dying.
If we have died with him,
we shall live with him;
if we hold firm,
we shall reign with him.
 
Lamb of God
Lamb of God you take away the sin of the world
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God you take away the sin of the world
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God you take away the sin of the world
grant us your peace.
 
The gifts of God for the People of God.
            Thanks be to God.
 
Communion
 
Hymn 74: For the Bread Which You Have Broken
 
Part Four: Going into Gethsemane
 
634: Jesus Remember me
 
Prayer after Communion
Let us pray,
Holy God, source of all love, on the night of his betrayal Jesus gave his disciples a new commandment, to love one another as he loved them. Write this commandment in our hearts; give us the will to serve others as he was the servant of all, who gave his life and died for us, yet is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
 
Anthem: One Lonely Night
 
“Were You There” played quietly while Mark 14:32-50 is read
 
The congregation, choir and ministers leave in silence.