Maundy Thursday -- Year A - Worship Service - 12:00 PM Service -- Pastor Naomi Carriker
Prayer of the DayHoly 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 the 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./p>
Amen.
First Reading:
Exodus 12:1-4 [5-10] 11-14 Israel remembered its deliverance from slavery in Egypt by celebrating the festival of Passover. This festival featured the Passover lamb, whose blood was used as a sign to protect God’s people from the threat of death. The early church described the Lord’s supper using imagery from the Passover, especially in portraying Jesus as the lamb who delivers God’s people from sin and death. ”
Psalm: 116:1-2, 12-19 I will lift the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. (Ps. 116:13)
Second Reading:
.1 Corinthians 11:23-26 In the bread and cup of the Lord’s supper, we experience intimate fellowship with Christ and with one another because it involves his body given for us and the new covenant in his blood. Faithful participation in this meal is a living proclamation of Christ’s death until he comes in the future./p>
Gospel:
John 13:1-17, 31b-35
The story of the last supper in John’s gospel recalls a remarkable event not mentioned elsewhere: Jesus performs the duty of a slave, washing the feet of his disciples and urging them to do the same for one other.
1 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.
2 The devil had already decided that Judas son of Simon Iscariot would betray Jesus. And during supper
3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he had come from God and was going to God,
4 got up from supper, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself.
5 Then 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.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
8 Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.”
9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!”
10 Jesus 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.”
11 For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
12 After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had reclined again, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you?
13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for that is what I am.
14 So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
15 For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.
16 Very truly, I tell you, slaves are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them.
17 If 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.
32 If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once.
33 Little 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.’
34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.
35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” >
After the Sermon, Holy Communion will be offered. Come as you are, the gift of the Table of the Lord has been prepared as Jesus has requested and now we are invited to the meal. Come to the table like Peter, with m ore enthusiasm than resolve and like James and John, disappointed and the priorities of God’s reign. Come to the table like Martha, hosting and leading with confidence like Mary, full of love and grief. Come to the table like Judas, disillusioned and rebellious and like Mary Magdalene, faithful till the end. Come to the table, because it is God who invites us and it’s God’s will that those who want to should meet God here.
Blessing for the day (Our blessing is an adaptation of a Franciscan Prayer)
May God bless us with discomfort at a Easy answers, half truths and superficial leaderships so that we may live out God’s will deep in our heartland in our world.
May god bless with anger at injustice, oppression and exploration and the environments that we may work for justice, freedom and peace.
May God bless us with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, hunger and war so that we may reach out with hands and hearts to help them, walk with them and turn their pain into hope and joy.
And may God bless us with enough foolishness to believe that we can make a difference in this world, so that we can do what others claim cannot be done. To bring justice, peace, hope and love to all children, the poor and all others in any need.
God be your comfort, your strength;
God be your hope and support;
God be your light and your way; and the blessing of God Creator, Redeemer and Giver of Life, remain with you now and forever.