Maundy Thursday 2020

Notice

A Provincial broadcast will be available at 18.00, on YouTube and facebook, via https://www.scotland.anglican.org/broadcast-sunday-worship/

The Rt Rev Ian Paton & the Rev Canon Dr Carrie Applegarth will celebrate a Eucharist from their home in Perth.

A service of devotion

   Christ bids us break the bread
         and share the cup he gave,
       in token of the blood he shed
         for those he died to save.

   It was for us he came,
         to bear, by human birth,
       a crown of thorn, a cross of shame,
         for every child of earth.

   The Saviour crucified
         in glory rose again:
       we here remember him who died,
         ascended now to reign.

   Our hearts his word obey,
         in thankfulness and love:
       we feed on Christ by faith today
         and feast with him above.

   O Christ, once lifted up
         that we might be forgiven,
       we take the bread and drink the cup
         and share the life of heaven.

Opening Prayer

Your love is poured out in death for our sakes

Hold us in your embrace as we wait for Easter’s dawn

Comfort us with the promise

That no power on earth not even death himself

Can separate us from your love;

And strengthen us to wait until you are revealed to us

In all your risen glory

Amen

The Last Supper: extracts from the Gospel accounts.

The time was near for the Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover. The chief priests and the teachers of the Law were afraid of the people, and so they were trying to find a way putting Jesus to death secretly

Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot who was one of the twelve disciples. So Judas went off and spoke with the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard about how he could betray Jesus to them. They were pleased and offered him money. Judas agreed to it and started looking for a good chance to hand Jesus over to them without the people knowing about it

The day came during the Festival of Unleavened Bread when the lambs for the Passover meal were to be killed. Jesus sent off Peter and John with these instructions

‘Go and get the Passover meal ready for us to eat’

‘Where do you want us to get it ready?’ they asked him

He answered ‘As you go into the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters, and say to the owner of the house: The teacher says to you, Where is the room where my disciples and I will eat the Passover meal? He will show you a large furnished room upstairs, where you will get everything ready’

While they were eating, Jesus took a piece of bread, gave a prayer of thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples

‘Take and eat it’ he said ‘this is my body’

Then he took a cup gave thanks to God and gave it to them.

‘Drink it all of you’ he said ‘this is my blood, which seals God’s covenant, my blood poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will never again drink this wine until the day I drink the new wine with you in my Father’s Kingdom.’

Jesus and his disciples were at supper. He rose from the table, took off his outer garment, and tied a towel round his waist. Then he poured some water into a basin and began to wash his disciple’s feet and dry them with the towel around his waist. He came to Simon Peter who said to him, ‘Are you going to wash my feet Lord? Jesus answered him

‘You do not understand what I am doing, but you will understand later’

‘Where are you going, Lord?’ Simon Peter asked him

‘You cannot follow me now where I am going’ answered Jesus; ‘but later you will follow me.’

‘Lord why can’t I follow you now?’ asked Peter. ‘I am ready to die for you!’ Jesus answered

‘Are you really ready to die for me? ‘I am telling you the truth: before the cock crows you will say three times that you do not know me’

Our confession

Father eternal, giver of light and grace,

we have sinned against you and against our neighbour,

in what we have thought,

in what we have said and done,

through ignorance, through weakness,

and through our own deliberate fault.

We have wounded your love,

and marred your image in us.

We are sorry and ashamed,

and repent of all our sins.

For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, who died for us,

forgive us all that is past;

and lead us out from darkness

to walk as children of light

Almighty God

who forgives all who truly repent,

have mercy upon us

pardon and deliver us from all your sins

confirm and strengthen us in all goodness

and keep us in the same

Amen

An act of Communion

In union, O Lord with the faithful, I desire to offer you praise and thanksgiving. I present to you my soul and body with the earnest wish that I may always be united to You. And since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, I beseech You to come into my heart. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

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.

   When I survey the wondrous cross
         on which the Prince of glory died,
       my richest gain I count but loss,
         and pour contempt on all my pride.

   Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast
         save in the cross of Christ my God;
       all the vain things that charm me most,
         I sacrifice them to his blood.

   See from his head, his hands, his feet,
         sorrow and love flow mingled down;
       did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
         or thorns compose so rich a crown!

   Were the whole realm of nature mine,
         that were a present far too small;
       love so amazing, so divine,
         demands my soul, my life, my all.

The Gospel narratives continue

When the disciples had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Jesus prayed to the Father

‘If it is possible, take this cup of suffering from me’

He said to his disciples,

‘How is that you were not able to keep watch with me for one hour? The hour has come for the Son of Man to be handed over to the power of sinful men. Come let us go’

On the way they met a man named Simon who was coming into the city from the country, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. They took Jesus to a place called Golgotha which means ‘The Place of the Skull’ 

The closing words

Shadows gather deep and cold

Lamplight flickers, fades and fails

Lord you know what daybreak holds –

Thorns and beatings, cross and nails.

You will be denied, betrayed

When the rooster wakes the sun

Yet you kneel alone and pray

‘Not my will, but thine be done’

In the watches of the night,

In the hour when darkness reigns,

In the grief that has no light,

In the time of fear and pain,

then we hold fast to our way,

In the victr’y you have won

Jesus teach us how to pray

‘Not my will, but thine be done’

   Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
         the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide!
       when other helpers fail, and comforts flee,
         help of the helpless, O abide with me.

   Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
         earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away;
       change and decay in all around I see;
         O thou who changest not, abide with me.

   I need thy presence every passing hour;
         what but thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
       who like thyself my guide and stay can be?
         through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me.

   I fear no foe with thee at hand to bless;
         ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
       Where is death’s sting?  Where, grave, thy victory?
         I triumph still, if thou abide with me.

   Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes;
         shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies:
       Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
         in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me!