Day
40: March 28th Maundy Thursday
Now the festival of
Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was near. The chief priests and
the scribes were looking for a way to put Jesus to death, for they were afraid
of the people. Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was one of
the twelve; he went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers of
the temple police about how he might betray him to them. They were greatly
pleased and agreed to give him money. So he consented and began to look for an
opportunity to betray him to them when no crowd was present.
Then came the day of
Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. So Jesus
sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover meal for us that we
may eat it.” They asked him, “Where do you want us to make preparations for
it?” “Listen,” he said to them, “when you have entered the city, a man carrying
a jar of water will meet you; follow him into the house he enters and say to
the owner of the house, ‘The teacher asks you, “Where is the guest room, where
I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ He will show you a large room
upstairs, already furnished. Make preparations for us there.” So they went and
found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal. When
the hour came, he took his place at the table, and the apostles with him. He
said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I
suffer; for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom
of God.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, “Take this and
divide it among yourselves; for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of
the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” Then he took a loaf of
bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying,
“This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And he
did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup that is poured out
for you is the new covenant in my blood.
But see, the one who
betrays me is with me, and his hand is on the table. For the Son of Man is
going as it has been determined, but woe to that one by whom he is betrayed!”
Then they began to ask one another, which one of them it could be who would do
this.
After we receive Holy Communion we pray,
“Eternal God, we give you thanks for this holy mystery in which you have given
yourself to us. Grant that we may go into the world in the strength of your
Spirit, to give ourselves for others, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
The night in which he was betrayed Jesus got
together with his disciples for the Last Supper, which we celebrate now as Holy
Communion. This is a sacrament for us,
an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace. At the table of Holy Communion we receive
grace, God-given grace. This grace
empowers us to go out into the world, to practice God’s self-giving love.
Read the story of the Last Supper from Luke’s
gospel. Ask God to show you the parts
you need to pay special attention to.
Afterwards pray the prayer we say after we receive Holy Communion,
“Eternal God, we give you thanks for this holy mystery in which you have given
yourself to us. Grant that we may go into the world in the strength of your
Spirit, to give ourselves for others, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.”
In our print prayer journals we have a space
for Notes, Ideas, Drawings, and Observations.
Feel free to keep your own journal.
Or share your ideas, prayers, and observations in the comments section
below.
Holy Week Activity: Maunday Thursday Worship Service: Seder
Meal and Holy Communion. Okolona 7:00pm.
Join us!
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