Stephen’s Anglican Parish

7:00 pm St. Stephen’s On-line Service, Chester

Maundy Thursday

9 April 2020

Our mission is to worship God and care for

God’s people in the spirit of Christ.

Maundy Thursday

The Holy Eucharist

(Book of Common Prayer)

Presider This is the day that Christ the Lamb of God gave himself into the hands of those who would slay him. This is the day that Christ gathered with his disciples in the upper room. This is the day that Christ took a towel and washed the disciples’ feet, giving us an example that we should do to others as he has done to us. This is the day that Christ our God gave us this holy feast, that we who eat this bread and drink this cup may here proclaim his Holy Sacrifice and be partakers of his resurrection, and at the last day may reign with him in heaven.

The Lord’s Prayer & Collect for Purity – page 67

The Summary of the Law – page 69

“Kyrie” and Mutual Salutation – page 70

Collect for Maundy Thursday

O God, your Son Jesus Christ has left to us this meal of bread and wine in which we share his body and his blood. May we who celebrate this sign of his great love show in our lives the fruits of his redemption; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Reader A Reading from Exodus (12:1-14)

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: This month shall mark for you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year for you. Tell 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. If a household is too small for a whole lamb, it shall join its closest neighbour in obtaining one; the lamb shall be divided in proportion to the number of people who eat of it.

[Your lamb shall be without blemish, a year-old male; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then the whole assembled congregation of Israel shall slaughter it at twilight. They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. They shall eat the lamb that same night; they shall eat it roasted over the fire with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted over the fire, with its head, legs, and inner organs. You shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn.]

This 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. For 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 judgements: I am the Lord. The 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. This 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.

Reader The Word of the Lord

All Thanks be to God

Psalm 116:1, 11-17 – p. 481 & 482

Reader: A Reading from the First Letter of Paul to the 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, 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.

Presider The Lord be with you.

All: And with thy spirit.

Presider: The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to John (13:1-17, 31b-35)

All: Glory be to thee, 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. The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. 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. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?" Jesus answered, "You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand." Peter said to him, "You will never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no share with me." Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!" 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." For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, "Not all of you are clean." After 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? You call me Teacher and Lord - and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. 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.' I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

Presider: The Gospel of Christ.

All: Praise be to thee, O Christ.

The Homily – The Rector

Offertory Sentence & Preparation of the Altar

Prayer over the Gifts – p. 74

Biddings & Intercessory Prayer – p. 75

Invitation, Confession, Absolution, and Comfortable Words – p. 76-78

Thanksgiving & Consecration, with preface for Maundy Thursday – p. 78-83

Please respond in the appropriate places, as indicated in the Book of Common Prayer. The Celebrant gives voice to the prayer alone, on behalf of the congregation. However, the “responses” at the appropriate moments, and especially the “Amen” at the end of the Prayer of Consecration are vital for the people to offer.

The reason the responses, and especially the “Amen”, is important, is to assist in receiving what is called “spiritual Communion”. According to the Book of Common Prayer, anyone who believes the Prayer of Consecration, and that the bread is truly the Body of Christ, and that the wine is truly the Blood of Christ receives all the benefits of Holy Communion, without actually physically receiving the elements themselves. This belief is signified by saying “Amen” to the Prayer, and when the bread and wine are received by the Priest.  In this respect, the Priest receives Communion on behalf of the people. “Spiritual Communion” is to be used in extenuating circumstances only – which this time certainly is.

The Peace & Prayer of Humble Access – p. 83

“Agnus Dei” - p. 84

Presider: The gifts of God for the people of God.

All: Thanks be to God.

Again, at the receiving of bread and wine, the people respond “Amen.”

The Lord’s Prayer & Prayer after Communion – p. 85

As the altar and table are cleared and stripped, Psalm 22 (p. 354) is read.

The Presider reads Matthew 26:36-46.

There is no blessing or dismissal. This is the first celebration of the “Three Days” or “Triduum” of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday – which together are one celebration and observance. Worship continues tomorrow (Good Friday), 11 a.m., live-stream of the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion.