MAUNDY THURSDAY 2021
Dearest Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
Today we begin the three holiest days of the church year-the days that define our faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. It is called the Sacred Triduum-the three holy days-Maundy Thursday going into Good Friday and then onto Holy Saturday at the Vigil where the first celebration of the Resurrection takes place.
On this day, Maundy Thursday, we remember Jesus celebrating the Passover meal with his disciples in the Upper Room. There was the holy meal where Jesus took elements of the Jewish Passover meal, the simple bread and wine, and made them into something new and wonderful-his very Body and Blood given and shed for us, to save us from sin, eternal death, and the Devil. Just as the Passover lamb saved the people of Israel from the Angel of Death in Egypt at the Exodus, so now Jesus, the new Passover lamb, allows us to be saved from eternal death and offers us a chance to know life with him and all the faithful in heaven. At this same meal, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, showing them what true love actually looks like.
After the supper, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray and it was there that Judas identified him to the soldiers with a kiss and Jesus was arrested. You can read it for yourself in the Gospels: Matthew 26:1-68 Mark 14:1-72 Luke22:1-65 John 13:1-38, 16:33, 17:1-26, 18:1-27.
Let us pray and worship together throughout these days as we move with Jesus from the Upper Room to the Garden of Gethsemane to the streets of Jerusalem, to Calvary, and then to another garden with a tomb. Tomorrow, I will be sharing both Stations of the Cross adapted from Scripture by Pope John Paul II as well as the Good Friday worship. A liturgy for Easter Vigil will be shared on Saturday, and Sunday we have the celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord.
Please hold Walter Crowley (husband of Catherine and father to Ginger Toomire) in your prayers as he is treated for pneumonia at Sarasota Memorial. Please pray for all who are ill or in any need.
I love you and I am praying for you and with you! Pr. Jen Schaefer+
MAUNDY THURSDAY
Set out a bowl of water and a clean towel. Sit with them before you and begin with these texts. First, remember God’s forgiveness:
God, who is rich in mercy, loved us even when we were dead in sin,
and made us alive together with Christ.
By grace we have been saved. Our sins are forgiven in the name of Jesus Christ.
Almighty God strengthen us with power through the Holy Spirit,
that Christ may live in our hearts through faith. Amen.
and made us alive together with Christ.
By grace we have been saved. Our sins are forgiven in the name of Jesus Christ.
Almighty God strengthen us with power through the Holy Spirit,
that Christ may live in our hearts through faith. Amen.
Then pray the prayer for this night: Holy God, source of all love, on the night of his betrayal, Jesus gave us a new commandment, to love one another as he loves us. Write this commandment in our hearts, and give us the will to serve others as he was servant of all, your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
First Reading Exodus 12:1–14
The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: 2This month shall mark for you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year for you. 3Tell the whole congregation of Israel that on the tenth of this month they are to take a lamb for each family, a lamb for each household. 4If a household is too small for a whole lamb, it shall join its closest neighbor in obtaining one; the lamb shall be divided in proportion to the number of people who eat of it. 5Your lamb shall be without blemish, a year-old male; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 6You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then the whole assembled congregation of Israel shall slaughter it at twilight. 7They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. 8They shall eat the lamb that same night; they shall eat it roasted over the fire with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 9Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted over the fire, with its head, legs, and inner organs. 10You shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. 11This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly. It is the passover of the Lord. 12For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both human beings and animals; on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord. 13The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live: when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. 14This day shall be a day of remembrance for you. You shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord; throughout your generations you shall observe it as a perpetual ordinance. Word of God, word of life.
Thanks be to God.
Psalm 116
1I love the Lord, who has | heard my voice, and listened to my | supplication,
2for the Lord has given | ear to me whenev- | er I called.
12How shall I re- | pay the Lord for all the good things God has | done for me?
13I will lift the cup | of salvation and call on the name | of the Lord.
14I will fulfill my vows | to the Lord in the presence of | all God’s people.
15Precious in your | sight, O Lord, is the death | of your servants.
16O Lord, truly I | am your servant; I am your servant, the child of your handmaid; you have freed me | from my bonds.
17I will offer you the sacrifice | of thanksgiving and call upon the name | of the Lord.
18I will fulfill my vows | to the Lord in the presence of | all God’s people,
19in the courts of | the Lord ‘s house, in the midst of you, | O Jerusalem.
2for the Lord has given | ear to me whenev- | er I called.
12How shall I re- | pay the Lord for all the good things God has | done for me?
13I will lift the cup | of salvation and call on the name | of the Lord.
14I will fulfill my vows | to the Lord in the presence of | all God’s people.
15Precious in your | sight, O Lord, is the death | of your servants.
16O Lord, truly I | am your servant; I am your servant, the child of your handmaid; you have freed me | from my bonds.
17I will offer you the sacrifice | of thanksgiving and call upon the name | of the Lord.
18I will fulfill my vows | to the Lord in the presence of | all God’s people,
19in the courts of | the Lord ‘s house, in the midst of you, | O Jerusalem.
Second Reading 1 Corinthians 11:23–26
23For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, 24and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.
Gospel John 13:1–17, 31b–35 – The holy gospel according to John. Glory to you, O Lord. 1Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper 3Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, 4got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. 5Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. 6He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” 9Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10Jesus said to him, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.” 11For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.” 12After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13You call me Teacher and Lord — and you are right, for that is what I am. 14So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. 16Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. 17If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. 31b“Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. 33Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ 34I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” The gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ
Praise to you, O Christ
HOMILY: For my 3 ½ year old grandson, Dax Gunner Thorne and for my 2 ½ year old granddaughter Marisol Fernandez, NOTHING is better than to be accused of having stinky feet. Dax and his cousin Sol, DELIGHT in stinky feet. They will gladly put those stinky tootsies as close to your nose as possible if given the chance – and believe me when I tell you – sometimes after a day of running around in those rubber crocs, stinky is truly an understatement! ~~~~Back in the time of Jesus, dirty feet were a given. Dusty feet were a constant thing-shoes were not always worn – sandals were a luxury in some cases – roads and floors of homes and everywhere in between were dusty, dirty – thus, dirty feet. And one of the chores for servants of the household was to wash feet – to clean the feet of those in charge before eating or worship. As careful as we are in the Pandemic with handwashing-and as an aside, shouldn’t we ALWAYS be careful with handwashing(???) Pandemic or not – as careful as we are with hand-washing in the Pandemic is how careful people were with keeping feet clean for meals and worship. It was a hygiene thing as much as a religious thing.
~~~It was servants who did that job. It wasn’t the highest honor as servant jobs go – meals or childcare or taking care of clothing or the home was a higher level of job in the household – washing feet? Stinky feet? Not a job held in high regard.
~~~And yet, that’s the task Jesus took on. On the night he shared the Passover meal with his disciples, he took bread and wine and gave them new meaning, and he also knelt on the floor and gently washed the feet of his followers. Jesus the Savior took on the lowest of the low jobs to show what he meant that we are to love one another. For Jesus, love isn’t just a word or feeling – it is active, it’s humble; love is service to others. Jesus showed his disciples the form of humble service his brand of love requires. Washing feet – sacrificing his life – it’s love in action that Jesus lives out. The love to which Jesus calls us can be messy, dirty, risky – even stinky. but it’s a love in humble service that makes all the difference in your life and mine.
~~~Today is Maundy Thursday, a day that is called Maundy because of the word “Mandatum” in Latin – it means Command. Today is Maundy Thursday, Command Thursday, the day Jesus gives us a new command to love one another. He shows us what that love entails. Today we begin the three holiest days-the Sacred Triduum – leading from the Upper Room to the Mount of Olives and an arrest to a trial to a crucifixion on a cross then to a tomb.
~~~And in all this, Jesus is showing us the love to which he calls us as his followers-Jesus calls us to remember and recall HIS love so that we can live out that same humble, self-sacrificing love for our neighbor. It’s an active, giving, forgiving, and empowering love-a love personified in Jesus. Stinky feet? Yes. Sinful souls? Absolutely. Hurting lives? Too many to count. Wayward hearts? You betcha’. But the water, Baptismal water, washes us clean and invites us to a love that is beyond comparison.
~~~On Maundy Thursday, Jesus gives us a new command – to love one another. He shows us what that looks like by washing feet, by taking on the role of a servant for the benefit and well-being of the other. That’s the love to which Jesus calls us. A love that led him to die on the cross for you and me. Active, self-sacrificing love. And remember, it’s hard to throw stones, or head down a sinful path, or be ugly to someone, or simply turn away from God when you’re busy washing feet. Today, we are called to love like Jesus.
~~~My brothers and sisters-look around. Keep your eyes open. Look for footwashing opportunities, opportunities to love-because as we all know, there are a lot of stinky feet and hurting hearts out there waiting for Jesus to heal them and wash them in HIS love. By THIS everyone will know we are Jesus’ disciples, if we share his love with one another. Amen.
Prayers of Intercession – United with Christians around the globe on this Maundy Thursday, let us pray for the church, the earth, our troubled world, and all in need. A brief silence.
Blessed are you, holy God, for the church. Gather all the baptized around your presence in the Word. Strengthen the body of your people even when we cannot assemble for worship. Grant bishops, pastors, deacons, musicians, and all worship leaders faithfulness and creativity for their ministry in this time, and accompany those preparing for baptism. Hear us, holy God.
Your mercy is great.
Your mercy is great.
Blessed are you, bountiful God, for this good earth and for the flowering of springtime. Save dry lands from destructive droughts. Protect the waters from pollution. Allow in this time the planting of fields for food. Make us into care-givers of your plants and animals. Hear us, bountiful God.
Your mercy is great.
Your mercy is great.
Blessed are you, sovereign God, for our nation. Inspire all people to live in peace and concord. Grant wisdom and courage to heads of state and to legislators as they face the coronavirus. Lead our elected officials to champion the cause of the needy. Hear us, sovereign God.
Your mercy is great.
Your mercy is great.
Blessed are you, faithful God, for you accompany suffering humanity with love. Abide wherever the coronavirus has struck. Visit all who mourn their dead; all who have contracted the virus; those who are quarantined or stranded away from home; those who have lost their employment; those who fear the present and the future. Support physicians, nurses, and home health aides; medical researchers; and the World Health Organization. Hear us, faithful God. Your mercy is great.
Blessed are you, gracious God, for you care for the needy. We beg you to feed the hungry, protect the refugee, embrace the distressed, house the homeless, nurse the sick, and comfort the dying ( especially-please here name aloud those for whom you wish to pray). Hear us, gracious God.
Your mercy is great.
Your mercy is great.
Blessed are you, loving God, that your Son knelt before us, your unworthy servants. Preserve our lives, comfort our anxiety, and receive now the petitions of our hearts. Hear us, loving God.
Your mercy is great.
Your mercy is great.
Blessed are you, eternal God, for all who have died in the faith, especially the martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer, whom we commemorate today, and those whom we name before you here.
At the end, bring us with them into your everlasting glory. Hear us, eternal God.
At the end, bring us with them into your everlasting glory. Hear us, eternal God.
Your mercy is great.
Receive, merciful God, our prayers, for the sake of Jesus Christ, the host of our meal of life, who died and rose that we might live with you, now and forever. Amen.
Finally, remembering Jesus going to his arrest and his death, the events from which all the mercy that fills this night flows, pray this Psalm.
PSALM 88
1O Lord, my | God, my Savior, by day and night I | cry to you.
2Let my prayer enter in- | to your presence; incline your ear to my | lamentation.
3For I am | full of trouble; my life is at the brink | of the grave.
4I am counted among those who go down | to the pit;
I have become like one who | has no strength;
5lost among the dead, like the slain who lie | in the grave,
whom you remember no more, for they are cut off | from your hand.
6You have laid me in the depths | of the pit, in dark places, and in | the abyss.
7Your anger weighs up- | on me heavily, and all your great waves | overwhelm me.
8You have put my friends far from me; you have made me to be ab- | horred by them;
I am in prison and can- | not get free. 9My sight has failed me be- | cause of trouble;
Lord, I have called upon you daily; I have stretched out my | hands to you.
10Do you work wonders | for the dead?
Will those who have died stand up and | give you thanks?
11Will your lovingkindness be declared | in the grave, your faithfulness in the land | of destruction?
12Will your wonders be known | in the dark
or your righteousness in the country where all | is forgotten?
13But as for me, O Lord, I cry to | you for help;
in the morning my prayer | comes before you. 14 Lord, why have you re- | jected me?
Why have you hidden your | face from me?
15Ever since my youth, I have been wretched and at the | point of death;
I have borne your terrors | and am helpless.
16Your blazing anger has swept | over me; your terrors | have destroyed me;
17they surround me all day long | like a flood; they encompass me on | every side.
18My friend and my neighbor you have put a- | way from me,
and darkness is my on- | ly companion.
2Let my prayer enter in- | to your presence; incline your ear to my | lamentation.
3For I am | full of trouble; my life is at the brink | of the grave.
4I am counted among those who go down | to the pit;
I have become like one who | has no strength;
5lost among the dead, like the slain who lie | in the grave,
whom you remember no more, for they are cut off | from your hand.
6You have laid me in the depths | of the pit, in dark places, and in | the abyss.
7Your anger weighs up- | on me heavily, and all your great waves | overwhelm me.
8You have put my friends far from me; you have made me to be ab- | horred by them;
I am in prison and can- | not get free. 9My sight has failed me be- | cause of trouble;
Lord, I have called upon you daily; I have stretched out my | hands to you.
10Do you work wonders | for the dead?
Will those who have died stand up and | give you thanks?
11Will your lovingkindness be declared | in the grave, your faithfulness in the land | of destruction?
12Will your wonders be known | in the dark
or your righteousness in the country where all | is forgotten?
13But as for me, O Lord, I cry to | you for help;
in the morning my prayer | comes before you. 14 Lord, why have you re- | jected me?
Why have you hidden your | face from me?
15Ever since my youth, I have been wretched and at the | point of death;
I have borne your terrors | and am helpless.
16Your blazing anger has swept | over me; your terrors | have destroyed me;
17they surround me all day long | like a flood; they encompass me on | every side.
18My friend and my neighbor you have put a- | way from me,
and darkness is my on- | ly companion.
The Three Days continue tomorrow with the service for Good Friday .
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