The Liturgy of Maundy Thursday

The Gathering

Our worship begins at the sound of the bell as the sacred ministers enter, during which an introit is sung.

Lord Jesus Christ,
you have come to us,
you are one with us,
Mary’s Son;
cleansing our souls from all their sin,
pouring our love and goodness in,
Jesus, our love for you we sing,
living Lord.

Lord Jesus Christ,
now and ev’ry day
teach us how to pray,
Son of God.
You have commanded us to do
this in remembrance, Lord, of you.
Into our lives your pow’r breaks through,
living Lord.

Lord Jesus Christ,
you have come to us,
born as one of us,
Mary’s Son.
Led out to die on Calvary,
risen from death to set us free,
living Lord Jesus, help us see
you are Lord.

Lord Jesus Christ,
I would come to you,
live my life for you,
Son of God.
All your commands I know are true,
your many gifts will make me new,
into my life your pow’r breaks through,
living Lord.

Words & Music: P. Appleford (1925-2018)

The Greeting

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with you

and also with you.

Brothers and sisters, welcome to this Holy Eucharist that we celebrate on this most holy night as we enter into the three days of the celebration of our Lord’s paschal victory, his death and resurrection. This year, like last our entering is different yet our need to hear again the story of our salvation remains.

Prayers of Penitence

Let us begin our journey by acknowledging our need of God’s love and mercy as we call to mind words of our Lord Jesus who 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.

Before you, Jesus Christ, we admit how and where we have underestimated our influence, letting our words or silences hurt, abusing trust, betraying confidences.

Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

We admit how and where we have made a show of our religion, attracting more attention to us, and less to you.

Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

We admit to where in our lives a vague interest has become a dangerous passion, and we are not sure what to do or whether we are still in control.

Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

May the God of all healing and forgiveness
draw us to himself,
and cleanse us from all our sins
that we may behold the glory of his Son,
the Word made flesh,
Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Gloria in Excelsis

Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father.
We worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us.
You are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.
For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father.
Amen.

The Collect

The president introduces a period of silent prayer with the words ‘Let us pray that we may love one another as Christ has loved us.’

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;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Amen.

The Liturgy of the Word

New Testament Reading

A reading from the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians.

Beloved: 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, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’

In 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.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes

 Corinthians 11: 23 – 26

This is the word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Gospel Reading

An acclamation is sung to herald the Gospel.

Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.

I give you a new commandment, says the Lord:
Love one another as I have loved you.

Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.

Glory to you, O Lord.

It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel round his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped round him.

He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realise now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord’, and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

“Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.

“My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

John 13. 1-17, 31b-35

This is the Gospel of the Lord

Praise to you, O Christ.

Sermon

The Very Reverend Richard Giles

The Washing of Feet

We watch footage of the washing of feet, accompanied by the hymn ‘My song is love unknown’. Then the president offers 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.

Prayers of Intercession

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 Liturgy of the Sacrament

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.

Preparation of the Table

The table is prepared and bread and wine are placed upon it.

A Hymn is sung.

Hymn

An upper room did our Lord prepare
for those he loved until the end:
and his disciples still gather there,
to celebrate their risen friend.

A lasting gift Jesus gave his own:
to share his bread, his loving cup.
Whatever burdens may bow us down,
he by his cross shall lift us up.

And after supper he washed their feet
for services too, is sacrament.
In him our joy shall be made complete –
sent out to serve, as he was sent.

No end there is! We depart in peace,
he loves beyond our uttermost:
in ev’ry room in our Father’s house
he will be there, as Lord and host.

Words: F. P. Green (b. 1903)
Music: Somerset folk song
collected by C. Sharp (1859-1924) arr. N. Tredinnick (b. 1949)

Taking of the Bread and Wine

At the eucharist we are with our crucified and risen Lord.
We know that it was not only our ancestors,
but we who were redeemed
and brought forth from bondage to freedom,
from mourning to feasting.
We know that as he was with them in the upper room
so our Lord is with us now.

Until the kingdom of God comes
let us celebrate this feast.

Blessed are you, Lord, God of the universe,
you bring forth bread from the earth.

Blessed be God for ever.

Blessed are you, Lord, God of the universe,
you create the fruit of the vine.

Blessed be God for ever.

The Eucharistic Prayer

The Lord is here.

His Spirit is with us.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give thanks and praise.

It is indeed right to give you thanks,
Father most holy, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
For on this night he girded himself with a towel
and, taking the form of a servant,
washed the feet of his disciples.
He gave us a new commandment
that we should love one another as he has loved us.
Knowing that his hour had come,
in his great love he gave this supper to his disciples
to be a memorial of his passion,
that we might proclaim his death until he comes again,
and feast with him in his kingdom.
Therefore earth unites with heaven
to sing a new song of praise;
we too join with angels and archangels
for ever praising you and saying:

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.

Lord, you are holy indeed, the source of all holiness;
grant that by the power of your Holy Spirit,
and according to your holy will,
these gifts of bread and wine
may be to us the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ;
who, on the same night that he was betrayed,
that is, this very night
He took bread and gave you thanks;
he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you;
do this in remembrance of me.
In the same way, after supper
he took the cup and gave you thanks;
he gave it to them, saying:
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.
Do this, as often as you drink it,
in remembrance of me.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus:

Dying you destroyed our death,
rising you restored our life:
Lord Jesus, come in glory.

And so, Father, calling to mind his death on the cross,
his perfect sacrifice made once for the sins of the whole world;
rejoicing in his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension,
and looking for his coming in glory,
we celebrate this memorial of our redemption.

As we offer you this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving,
we bring before you this bread and this cup
and we thank you for counting us worthy
to stand in your presence and serve you.

Send the Holy Spirit on your people here and in their homes
and gather into one in your kingdom
all who share this one bread and one cup,
so that we, in the company of Blessed Mary and all the saints,
may praise and glorify you for ever,
through Jesus Christ our Lord;
by whom, and with whom, and in whom,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all honour and glory be yours, almighty Father,
for ever and ever.

Amen.

Silence is kept.

The Lord’s Prayer

Trusting in the compassion of God
let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us.

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

Breaking of the Bread

The president breaks the consecrated bread.

Look, Jesus Christ, the Bread of Heaven,
is broken for the life of the world.

Unite us in this sign.

Invitation to Communion

The gifts of God for the people of God.

Jesus, Bread of Life
Bread for the world
Feed us with your presence.

The president and people receive communion. At the giving of communion, the president receives communion in both kinds.

The words of distribution (“The body and blood of Christ, broken/shed for us all”) are spoken to the congregation, and all who intend to receive reply with “Amen”.

At the distribution, Holy Communion is administered without speaking. The consecrated bread is dropped into the hands of communicants. To reduce the risk of spreading any infection, communion will be in one kind (bread) only. This is still considered to be complete communion by the Church of England.

For those at home it might be helpful to use this prayer during the distribution.

Thanks be to you, Lord Jesus Christ,
for all the benefits you have given me,
for all the pains and insults you have borne for me.
Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally,
O most merciful redeemer, friend and brother,
may I know you more clearly,
love you more dearly,
and follow you more nearly,
day by day.
Amen.

after the Prayer of St Richard of Chichester.

The Post Communion Prayer

The president introduces a time of silent prayer with the words
‘Let us pray’.

Lord Jesus Christ,
we thank you that in this wonderful sacrament
you have given us the memorial of your passion:
grant us so to reverence the sacred mysteries
of your body and blood
that we may know within ourselves
and show forth in our lives
the fruits of your redemption,
for you are alive and reign,
now and for ever.

Amen.

The reserved sacrament is taken by procession to the chapel for the watch, during which this hymn is sung.

Hymn

Now, my tongue, the myst’ry telling
of the glorious body sing,
and the blood, all price excelling,
which the Gentiles’ Lord and King,
in a virgin’s womb once dwelling,
shed for this world’s ransoming.

At the last great supper lying,
circled by his chosen band,
meekly with the law complying,
first he finished its command.
Then, immortal food supplying,
gave himself with his own hand.

Word made flesh, by word he maketh
very bread his flesh to be;
we, in wine, Christ’s blood partaketh,
and if senses fail to see,
faith alone the true heart waketh,
to behold the mystery.

Therefore, we before him bending,
this great sacrament revere:
types and shadows have their ending,
for the newer rite is here;
faith, our outward sense befriending,
makes our inward vision clear.

Glory let us give and blessing
to the Father and the Son,
honour, might and praise addressing,
while eternal ages run;
ever too his love confessing,
who, from both, with both is one.

Words: St Thomas Aquinas (1227-1274)
translated J. M. Neale (1818-1866), E. Caswall (1814-1878) and others
Music: French melody (1881)

The holy table and the sanctuary are then stripped bare, during which the following hymn is sung.

Silent, surrendered, calm and still,
open to the word of God.
Heart humbled to his will,
offered is the servant of God.

Words: P. Hayes (b. 1933)
Music: M. Rizza (b. 1929)

At the end you are invited to join the watch from home, during which readings and prayers will be read.