Maundy Thursday

The Three Days (Triduum)

Maundy Thursday

God, who is rich in mercy, loved us
even when we were dead in sin,
and made us alive together with Christ.
By grace we have been saved.
Our sins are forgiven in the name of Jesus Christ.
Almighty God strengthen us with power
through the Holy Spirit,
that Christ may live in our hearts through faith. Amen. 

Holy 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 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. Amen. 

The readings for Maundy Thursday may be read, as follows. 

First Reading  Exodus 12:1–14  

Psalm  Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19   

Second Reading  1 Corinthians 11:23–26 

Gospel John 13:1–17, 31b–35 

Reflection

Prayers of Intercession

United with Christians around the globe on this Maundy Thursday, let us pray for the church, the earth, our troubled world, and all in need, responding to each petition with the words, “Your mercy is great.”

A brief silence.

Blessed are you, holy God, for the church. Gather all the baptized around your presence in the Word. Strengthen the body of your people even when we cannot assemble for worship. Grant bishops, pastors, deacons, musicians, and all worship leaders faithfulness and creativity for their ministry in this time, and accompany those preparing for baptism.  A brief silence.
Hear us, holy God. Your mercy is great.

Blessed are you, bountiful God, for this good earth and for the flowering of springtime. Save dry lands from destructive droughts. Protect the waters from pollution. Allow in this time the planting of fields for food. Make us into care-givers of your plants and animals.  A brief silence.Hear us, bountiful God. Your mercy is great.

Blessed are you, sovereign God, for our nation. Inspire all people to live in peace and concord. Grant wisdom and courage to Donald, our president, and Tom, our Governor, to all heads of state and to legislators as they face the coronavirus. Lead our elected officials to champion the cause of the needy. A brief silence.Hear us, sovereign God. Your mercy is great.

Blessed are you, faithful God, for you accompany suffering humanity with love.  Abide wherever the coronavirus has struck. Visit all who mourn their dead; all who have contracted the virus; those who are quarantined or stranded away from home; those who have lost their employment; those who fear the present and the future. Support physicians, nurses, and home health aides; medical researchers; and the World Health Organization. A brief silence.Hear us, faithful God. Your mercy is great.

Blessed are you, gracious God, for you care for the needy. We beg you to feed the hungry, protect the refugee, embrace the distressed, house the homeless, nurse the sick, and comfort the dying (especially). A brief silence.Hear us, gracious God. Your mercy is great.

Blessed are you, loving God, that your Son knelt before us, your unworthy servants. Preserve our lives, comfort our anxiety, and receive now the petitions of our hearts.  A longer period of silence.Hear us, loving God. Your mercy is great.

Blessed are you, eternal God, for all who have died in the faith, especially the martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer, whom we commemorate today, and those whom we name before you here.

A brief silence.

At the end, bring us with them into your everlasting glory.
Hear us, eternal God.
Your mercy is great.

Receive, merciful God, our prayers, for the sake of Jesus Christ, the host of our meal of life, who died and rose that we might live with you, now and forever.
Amen. 

Finally, remembering Jesus going to his arrest and his death, the events from which all the mercy that fills this night flows, pray this Psalm.

Psalm 88 

The Three Days continue tomorrow with the service for Good Friday.

April 9 is the commemoration of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, theologian, died 1945. Bonhoeffer was a German theologian who wrote profoundly, yet in an accessible manner. In the Second World War, he became a leader of the Confessing Church in Germany that resisted the Nazi movement. Linked to a plot to kill Hitler, he was hanged shortly before the end of the war.

Portions from Evangelical Lutheran Worship and sundaysandseasons.com, © 2020 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Used with permission under Augsburg Fortress.  Intercessory Prayer: Gail Ramshaw