Maundy Thursday Communion

Pastoral Prayer for the End of Lent

(inspired by Hebrews 12:1-3)

Gracious and loving God, In the journey of life, you are our guide and our companion. From our beginning to our end, you are there.

You run this race alongside us, at times encouraging us, at times comforting us, at times tending to our wounds, at time carrying us when we don’t think we can take another step.

For six weeks we have been on a Lenten journey, and you have been right here with us— with us in our discipline and devotion, with us in our weakness and failure, with us in our fear, with us in our hope.

As we spend this final week with Jesus in Jerusalem, we are amazed once again by his gentle spirit and fierce determination. As he confronts those who challenge him, he confronts our own stubbornness and defiant wills. As he cares even for those who hate him, we are challenged to love as he loves. As he bears witness to the emergence of your kingdom, our eyes are opened to your presence all around us. As he moves with resolve toward his dark destiny, we find ourselves struggling to understand why it has to be this way.

God, the journey is not just about the destination; it is about each step along the way. The journey itself is a blessing, with all of its joys and sorrows. As we run this race you are shaping us into new people. As we move with you, we are continually born anew. Help us to be attentive to each step, in the darkness and in the light. Help us to fully experience all that we encounter, the good and the bad, for in it all we discover you.

Though the race of life goes on, our Lenten journey is nearing its conclusion. Bind us ever closer to Christ, so that we may turn our hearts and minds to all that he experienced in the crucible of this holy week, a week both terrible and wonderful.

~ written by John W. Vest, and posted on John Vest. http://johnvest.com/

Hear us even now as we join our voices to his, saying together the prayer he taught us.

Dear Father always near us, may your name be treasured and loved,

May your rule be completed in us- may your will be done here on earth in just the way it is done in heaven.

Give us today the things we need today, and forgive us our sins and impositions on you as we are forgiving all who in any way offend us.

Please don’t put us through trials, but deliver us from everything bad.

Because you are the one is charge, and you have all the power, and the glory too is all yours-forever- which is just the way we want it!

Dallas Willard

Invitation to the Table

The night may have been something like tonight; the room, a little like this one; the people, much like us, too.

Matthew tells it like this:

Matthew 26:17–29 NIV

On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?” He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’ ” So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover. When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?” Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “You have said so.” While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

Remembering this last and first meal, we are joined, as one, in the Lord’s Supper

A feast of ending and beginning

A vigil and a celebration

A journey through the sorrow of death into the hope of abundant life

Prayer of Thanksgiving

God of all time and all creation, we thank you for your work in our world, for good food and good friends, for the time to share around your Word, around your Table and the space to worship you. All that we have and all that we are comes from you.

Most of all, this night we thank you for Jesus Christ, for the faithful and righteous life that he lived, for the journey he made during this week that we celebrate from exalted king to crucified lord, to risen saviour and for the meal that he shared with his disciples before he was killed, where he revealed and shared his full self with those who cared for him.

Be present with us now, by the power of your Spirit, that once again this meal might be a chance for us to share in the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. May this bread be for us the body of Christ, this cup be the blood of our Lord, and the sharing of this feast our participation in that meal of so long ago.

Strengthen us by this meal for the journey ahead, that we might continue to walk with Christ along the road of his passion and death as we await his rising on Easter and to the fullness of new life. Through Christ, who shares this table with us even now, we pray. Amen.

Sharing the Meal

Among friends, gathered around a table, as they shared a meal as we have done, Jesus took bread, gave thanks to God, and gave it to his disciples, promising that as they ate they would share in his life and death and resurrection. As we share it now, we join in the feast of all creation, now and always.

And he also shared a cup of wine, offering them a taste of the new covenant of life sealed in his life. As we share it now, we join in the feast of all creation, now and always.

So come on this holy night. Share this holy meal. Remember our Lord Jesus Christ. Keep the feast now and always.