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The Paschal Triduum
(The Three Days)
Maundy Thursday
April 1, 2021
7:30 p.m.
I give you a new commandment, that you love one another.
Just as I have loved you, you ought to love
one another.
John 13:34
OPENING MUSIC Jesus, I Will Ponder Now
Wilbur
Held
Please
meditate on the text of the hymn as it is played:
1 Jesus, I will ponder
now
on your holy passion;
let your Spirit now
endow
me for meditation.
Grant that I in love
and faith
may the image cherish
of your suff'ring,
pain, and death,
that I may not
perish.
2 Make me see your great
distress,
anguish, and
affliction,
and your crucifixion;
make me see how
scourge and rod,
spear and nails, did
wound you,
how you died for
those, O God,
who with thorns had
crowned you.
3 Yet, O Lord, not thus
alone
make me see your
passion,
but its cause to me
make known
and its termination.
For I also and my sin
wrought your deep
affliction;
this the shameful
cause has been
of your crucifixion.
4 Let me view your pain
and loss
with repentant
grieving,
nor prepare again
your cross
by unholy living.
May I give you love
for love!
Hear me, O my Savior,
that I may in heav'n
above
sing your praise
forever.
Text: Sigismund von Birken, 1626-1681; tr.
August Crull, 1846-1923, alt.
SERMON
Stand
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
Let us make confession
before God.
Silence for reflection and self-examination.
Almighty God, merciful Father,
I, a troubled and penitent sinner,
confess to you all my sins and iniquities
with which I have offended you
and for which I justly deserve your punishment.
But I am sorry for them, and repent of them,
and
pray for your boundless mercy.
For the sake of the suffering and death
of your Son, Jesus Christ,
be gracious and merciful to me,
a poor sinful being;
forgive my sins,
give me your Holy Spirit
for the amendment of my sinful life,
and bring me to life everlasting. Amen
Almighty God, in
his mercy, has given his Son to die for us
and, for his
sake, forgives us all our sins. Through his Holy Spirit he cleanses us and
gives us power to proclaim the mighty deeds of God who called us out of
darkness into the splendor of his light. As a called and ordained minister of the
Church of Christ, and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire
forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and
of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Sit
The people may come forward and kneel at the prayer desk. The minister
addresses each person in turn:
In obedience to
the command of our Lord Jesus Christ,
I forgive you
all your sins.
Amen
When all who have desired it have received this
sign of forgiveness, the congregation stands.
PEACE
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
And also with you.
The ministers and people may greet each other
with a sign of peace.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
The
Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Holy
Lord, gracious Father:
in
the fullness of time you revealed your love in Jesus Christ.
On
the eve of his death, as a sign of your covenant,
he
washed the feet of his disciples and gave them food and drink.
Give us life at this sacred banquet and joy in humble service,
that, bound to Christ in all things,
we may pass over from this world to your kingdom,
where
he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one
God, now and forever.
Amen
Sit
FIRST READING: Exodus 12:1-4, 11-14
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.
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.
The Word
of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
PSALM 116:1, 10-17
The psalm is read responsively between the
pastor and the people.
I will take the
cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.
I will take the cup of
salvation and call on the name of the Lord.
(vs. 11)
1 I love the Lord,
because he has heard the voice of my | supplication,*
because
he has inclined his ear to me
whenever
I | called upon him.
10 How shall I re- | pay the Lord*
for
all the good things he has | done for me?
11 I will lift up the cup | of salvation*
and
call upon the name | of the Lord.
12 I will fulfill my vows | to the Lord*
in
the presence of | all his people.
13 Precious in the sight | of the Lord*
is
the death | of his servants.
14 O Lord, I
| am your servant;*
I
am your servant and the child of your handmaid;
you
have freed me | from my bonds.
15 I will offer you the sacrifice | of thanksgiving*
and
call upon the name | of the Lord.
16 I will fulfill my vows | to the Lord*
in
the presence of | all his people,
17 in the courts of | the Lord's
house,*
in
the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
I will take the cup of salvation and call on the
name of the Lord.
SECOND READING: 1
Corinthians 11:23-26
For 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.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Stand
VERSE Setting by Donald Busarow
As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup,
we proclaim the
Lord's death until he comes.
1 Corinthians 11:26
GOSPEL: John
13:1-17, 31b-35
The Holy Gospel according to St. John.
Glory to you, O Lord.
Now 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.
Sit
HYMN OF THE DAY Where Charity and Love Prevail
Cantor:
1 Where charity and love
prevail,
there God is ever
found;
brought here together
by Christ's love,
by love we thus are
bound.
Pastor:
2 With grateful joy and
holy fear,
God's charity we
learn;
let us with heart and
mind and soul
now love God in
return.
Cantor:
3 Let us recall that in
our midst
dwells Christ, God's
holy Son;
as members of each
body joined,
in him we are made
one.
Pastor:
let all contentions
cease.
Be God's the glory
that we seek;
be his our only
peace.
as we our own confess,
that we may love each other well
in Christian gentleness.
Text © 1960 World Library
Publications. 3708 River Rd., Suite 400, Franklin Park, IL 60131. All rights
reserved.
THE PRAYERS
A Let us pray for the whole people of God in
Christ Jesus, and for all people according to their needs.
A brief silence is kept.
We
pray for the Church.
As
we pass from death to life,
let
us leave behind all that held us in slavery.
Lord, hear our prayer.
As
we celebrate the Lord’s meal anew in his kingdom,
make
us rejoice in his presence;
Lord, hear our prayer.
As
we receive the loving service of our Lord,
help
us live serving each other and all.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We
pray for the world.
Bring
those afflicted by war to know your peace.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Call
all in the darkness of shame, error, and sin
to
the fountain of your light and love.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Sustain
the poor, the afflicted, the friendless, the sick,
and
all for whom we pray with your healing and peace.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We
give thanks for the faith family gathered here,
and
for all our brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the world
who
celebrate this holy festival.
Lord, hear our prayer.
We
give thanks for the faith family in heaven,
and
rejoice in the hope of the coming kingdom.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Into
your hands, Father, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your steadfast
love; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
Sit
The Lord’s Table is prepared.
Stand
OFFERTORY Exodus
34:6-7 Setting by Donald Busarow
The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and
abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for
thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.
PRAYER
OF PREPARATION
At this Eucharist we are with our crucified and risen
Lord.
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 here with us now.
Until the kingdom
of God comes, let us celebrate this feast.
Blessed are you, O Lord, Creator of the universe;
you bring forth bread from the earth.
Blessed be God
forever.
Blessed are you, O Lord, Creator of the universe,
you bring forth fruit from the vine.
Blessed be God
forever.
GREAT THANKSGIVING
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 him thanks and
praise.
It is indeed right and salutary that we
should at times and in all places offer thanks and praise to you, Holy Father,
through Christ our Lord;
Having loved his own who were in the world,
he loved them to the end; and on the night before he suffered, sitting at table
with his disciples, he instituted these holy mysteries, that we, redeemed by
his death and restored to life by his resurrection, might be partakers of his
divine nature.
And so with the Church on earth and the hosts
of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
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 you thanks, O Lord our God,
for
the wonders of your love and mercy.
We praise you for the goodness you
showed to your people Israel,
leading
them, after your Passover,
from
their bondage in Egypt to the land of promise.
We praise you for your Son, our Lord
Jesus Christ,
who
gave us the New Passover in his holy Supper.
As he took his place at the table with
his disciples
we
remember how, as he washed their feet,
he
gave them the new commandment
to
love one another.
Though betrayed and forsaken,
he
overcame hatred with his forgiving love,
enduring
the suffering and shame of the cross,
reconciling
us to you.
In
the night in which He was betrayed
our
Lord Jesus took bread and gave thanks,
broke
it, and gave it to His disciples, saying:
Take
and eat; this is my Body, given for you.
Do this for the remembrance of me.
Again, after supper, He took the
cup, gave thanks,
and
gave it for all to drink, saying:
This
cup is the new covenant in my Blood,
shed
for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin.
Do this for the remembrance of me.
For as often as we eat of this
Bread and drink of this Cup,
We proclaim our
Lord’s death until he comes.
Loving Father, we celebrate this
Eucharist,
recalling
our Lord’s agony in the garden,
His
holy Passion and His life-giving resurrection.
We await his coming as Lord of the new
creation,
when
all people shall serve one another
with
love and rejoicing in His Kingdom.
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Send your Holy Spirit among us,
and
upon this Bread of Life and this Cup of Blessing,
that
through our Lord’s life-giving body and blood
we
may ever rejoice in the forgiveness of sins
and
be sanctified by the truth of His cross.
Amen. Come, Holy Spirit.
Gather the Church from every time and every place
into the
everlasting peace and freedom won by Christ,
as we acclaim:
Through him, with him, in him,
in
the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all
honor and glory is yours,
almighty
Father, now and forever. Amen
Christ our Passover; Christ our Peace;
Christ who prays with us, in us, and through 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, and the
power, and the glory,
forever and
ever. Amen
AGNUS DEI (Lamb of God) Sung by the cantor.
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 peace.
Sit
DISTRIBUTION
Admission to the Sacrament is by invitation of the
Lord, presented through the Church to those who are baptized.
They may receive the Lord’s Body and Blood who
are baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
who commune in their home churches, and who believe that Jesus Christ,
crucified and risen, is truly present in, with, and under the forms of bread
and wine for the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.
The communicants will be
invited forward one family unit at a time. Please do not come forward until the
pastor directs you to come forward, do not approach all the way to the table
until the pastor has retreated, and please do not remove your mask until you
have reached the table with the elements on it.
When the pastor says ‘The body of Christ,
given for you,’ eat the bread. When the pastor says, ‘The blood of Christ, shed
for you,’ drink the wine. Please take
the plate and the glass(es) and place them on the table that is indicated.
Please put your mask on before returning to your seat.
Please meditate on the text of
the hymn as it is played.
Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
1 Let
all mortal flesh keep silence,
and
with fear and trembling stand;
ponder
nothing earthly-minded,
for
with blessing in his hand
Christ
our God to earth descending
comes
our homage to demand.
2 King
of kings, yet born of Mary,
as
of old on earth he stood,
Lord
of lords in human vesture,
in
the body and the blood,
he
will give to all the faithful
his
own self for heav’nly food.
3 Rank
on rank the host of heaven
spreads
its vanguard on the way;
as
the Light of light, descending
from
the realms of endless day,
comes,
the pow’rs of hell to vanquish,
as
the darkness clears away.
4 At
his feet the six-winged seraph,
cherubim
with sleepless eye,
veil
their faces to the presence,
as
with ceaseless voice they cry:
“Alleluia!
Alleluia!
Alleluia,
Lord Most High!”
Text: Liturgy of St. James; tr. Gerard Moultrie,
1829-1885, alt.
When all have received, the congregation stands at the direction of the
pastor.
The body and blood of our Lord
Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace.
Amen
POST-COMMUNION
PRAYER
Lord
Jesus, in a wonderful sacrament
you
have left us a memorial of your suffering and death.
May
this sacrament of your body and blood so work in us
that
the fruits of your redemption
will
show forth in the way we live,
for
you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one
God, now and forever.
Amen
Sit
MEDITATION UPON
THE PASSION
As the candles are extinguished and the
chancel is darkened, the people meditate upon the Passion of Christ.
Of the Glorious Body Telling
Improvisation
Please maintain silence in leaving the church.
The services of the Great
Three Days continue tomorrow with Good Friday liturgies at 12:30 p.m. and 7:30
p.m., and conclude with the Great Vigil of Easter on Saturday evening at 6:30 p.m.
