AN AGAPE FOR MAUNDY THURSDAY
This liturgy is based on a Franciscan “Agape” service, intended for occasions when members of the Franciscan community from different denominations – Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran – gather and are not able to share in a Eucharist. It centres on giving thanks for the gifts of food and water and recalls the Passover, the Jewish meal that Jesus shared with his disciples at the Last Supper.
It can be said by one person, saying all the words, or by two or more with one leading and others responding with words in bold.
If you are able, please sit at your meal table, with a bowl of water big enough to dip your hands in and a towel, a piece of bread, a glass of wine or juice, a pinch of salt in a dish, a cross (your palm cross if you made one) and a candle and matches.
At the end of this service, you are invited to take the lit candle and cross to your place of prayer or your living room table – where you might place some flowers also if you have them – and turn out the house lights to spend a little time in silence.
GATHERING
Say or sing:
A new commandment I give unto you,
that you love one another as I have loved you,
that you love one another as I have loved you.
By this shall all know
that you are my disciples,
if you have love one for another.
By this shall all know
that you are my disciples,
if you have love one for another.
WELCOME
At the Passover meal, Jesus said to his disciples,
“How I have longed to share this hour with you.”
We come as different people, in different places, but together in worship;
to serve the Lord our God, who is one Lord,
and calls us all, as members of one family.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us
and with all our sisters and brothers, near and far.
CALL TO THE FEAST
Light your candle with these words:
Out of darkness came light
and the power of God was revealed
in the running wave and the flowing air,
in the quiet earth and the shining stars.
Out of the dust came life;
and the image of God was revealed, in the loving face and the gentle heart,
in the warmth of flesh and in the depth of the soul.
Out of justice came freedom;
and the wisdom of God was revealed,
in the need to grow and the will to love,
in the chance to learn and the power to choose.
And God looked at all that was created,
And behold, it was very good.
SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 11.23 – 26
For this is the teaching I received from the Lord that I passed on to you: that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took a piece of bread, gave thanks to God, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in memory of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup and said, “This cup is God’s new covenant, sealed with my blood. Whenever you drink it, do so in memory of me.”
This means that every time you eat this bread and drink from this cup you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
This is God’s word and his promise, for us and for all people
We receive it with joy
PRAYER OF ADORATION
I will bless the Lord at all times
God’s praise will always be on my lips.
I will glory in the living God:
the humble will hear and be glad.
Living God, our loving parent; you cherish your creation and we praise you.
In earth, air, water, fire: in our life as your children, we praise you.
With our lips, with our lives, in all our diversity, made in your image, we praise you.
Because, in Jesus, you came to share our live, in our sorrow and joy, we praise you.
Because your Spirit is at work today: encouraging, enabling, surprising us, we praise you.
Poor as we are, you give us hope:
Salt of the earth, you give us meaning and purpose and we praise you. Amen.
SCRIPTURE: John 13.1-15
Jesus and his disciples were at supper. The devil had already put into the heart of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, the thought of betraying Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had given him complete power; he knew that he had come from God and was going to God. So he rose from the table, took off his outer garment, and tied a towel around his waist. Then he poured some water into a washbasin and began to wash the disciples’ 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 now what I am doing, but you will understand later.”
Peter declared, “Never at any time will you wash my feet!”
“If I do not wash your feet,” Jesus answered, “you will no longer be my disciple.”
Simon Peter answered, “Lord, do not wash only my feet, then! Wash my hands and head, too!”
Jesus said, “Those who have taken a bath are completely clean and do not have to wash themselves, except for their feet. All of you are clean—all except one.” ( Jesus already knew who was going to betray him; that is why he said, “All of you, except one, are clean.”)
After Jesus had washed their feet, he put his outer garment back on and returned to his place at the table. “Do you understand what I have just done to you?” he asked. “You call me Teacher and Lord, and it is right that you do so, because that is what I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have just washed your feet, you should wash one another’s feet. I have given you an example, so that you will do just as I have done for you.”
Jesus has given us this example
We should love one another as he loves us.
WASHING OUR HANDS
If you wish, make a simple, symbolic act of washing your hands (or each other’s hands if there are two or more of you). You might especially pray for those nations where fresh water is scarce, and where the Corona virus is likely to be even more devastating.
Simply cup one hand and scoop up some water and pour it over your other hand with the words
Jesus shall be in you a spring of Living Water
Welling up to eternal life
Dry your hands, or each other’s hands, with the towel
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Generous God,
You trusted us with your Word,
but we did not keep it.
You lit a flame in our midst,
but we have hidden it.
You called us to freedom
but we still live in our fears
Generous God, forgive us.
Generous God,
you call us to be salt and light;
but we have become bland and clouded.
You spread a table before us;
but we squander your gifts.
You call us to the marriage feast,
But we make our excuses.
Generous God, forgive us.
Dip a finger in the salt, to pick up just a few grains and touch them to your tongue, repeating the words
Generous God, forgive us.
Say or sing
Be still, for the presence of the Lord the Holy One is here.
Come bow before him now in reverence and fear.
In him no sin is found, we stand on holy ground.
Be still, for the presence of the Lord the Holy One is here.
2 Be still, for the glory of the Lord is shining all around.
He burns with holy fire, with splendour he is crowned.
How awesome is the sight, our radiant King of light.
Be still, for the glory of the Lord is shining all around.
3 Be still, for the power of the Lord is moving in this place.
He comes to cleanse and heal, to minister his grace.
No work too hard for him, in faith receive from him
Be still, for the power of the Lord, is moving in this place.
INTERCESSION
Lord Jesus, as now we remember, how you washed your disciples’ feet, showing love and humility to all those who came to you in need; give us the will to be servants of all.
Lord hear us And keep us in your love
Lord Jesus, on this night you prayed that we might all be one. Heal the divisions in our world and bring us together in this time of great adversity.
Lord hear us And keep us in your love
Lord Jesus, on this night you showed the depth of your love for all people, consenting to be betrayed and handed over to death. May we carry the message of your love to the dark places of earth.
Lord hear us And keep us in your love
Lord Jesus, on this night your disciples slept when you were in great need. We pray for all who suffer alone, for the rejected and the fearful. May we not be blind to those around us in need.
Lord hear us And keep us in your love
Lord Jesus, on this night you shared our human fear of suffering and death. We pray for all who have contracted this virus, and all the doctors, nurses and carers who come to their aid.
Lord hear us And keep us in your love
THE PEACE
To crown all things there must be love, to bind us all together and complete the whole. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.
The peace of the Lord be with us always
and with all our sisters and brothers, near and far.
We share a sign of peace with all people of faith throughout the world, by clasping our hands together and bowing our heads saying the word “Shalom”, ,peace.
Say or sing
Give thanks with a grateful heart,
give thanks to the Holy One,
give thanks for he has given
Jesus Christ, his son. (x2)
And now, let the weak say ‘I am strong.’
Let the poor say ‘I am rich,’
because of what the Lord has done for us. (x2)
Give thanks
.
SHARING THE FEAST
We are all invited to the common table to share in an Agape Feast. At this table we come as brothers and sisters in the Holy Family of God.
Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. Those who come to me will never hunger,
those who believe in me will never thirst.”
O taste and see that God is good!
blessed are all those who put their trust in him.
Take and eat a piece of the bread and drink a sip of the wine or juice. If you are with another, give the bread and the wine to each other. As you give and receive the bread, say this prayer:
As we break this bread, and as we share it, we thank you, God, that you give us this day our daily bread.
For the food which delights and nourishes us and for the companionship that sustains us as your people.
And as you give and receive the wine:
We thank you for drink to quench our thirst and for the Living Water with which you surprise and enrich and transform our lives.
We give thanks for this feast at which all can share, though separated now. A foretaste of the kingdom of heaven. Amen.
BLESSING
God bless each of us as we travel on.
In our times of need may we find a table spread in the wilderness and companions on the road.
Blessed be all who have gathered round at their tables this night.
May we know the fullness of your presence at every meal and in all our sharing.
The “Gospel of the Watch” is read
Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee. Grief and anguish came over him, and he said to them, “The sorrow in my heart is so great that it almost crushes me. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
He went a little farther on, threw himself face downward on the ground, and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, take this cup of suffering from me! Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
Then he returned to the three disciples and found them asleep; and he said to Peter, “How is it that you three were not able to keep watch with me for even one hour? Keep watch and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Once more Jesus went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cup of suffering cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.” He returned once more and found the disciples asleep; they could not keep their eyes open.
Again Jesus left them, went away, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then he returned to the disciples and said, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look! The hour has come for the Son of Man to be handed over to the power of sinners. Get up, let us go. Look, here is the man who is betraying me!”
Jesus was still speaking when Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs and sent by the chief priests and the elders. The traitor had given the crowd a signal: “The man I kiss is the one you want. Arrest him!”
Judas went straight to Jesus and said, “Peace be with you, Teacher,” and kissed him.
Jesus answered, “Be quick about it, friend!”
Then they came up, arrested Jesus, and held him tight. One of those who were with Jesus drew his sword and struck at the High Priest’s slave, cutting off his ear. “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him. “All who take the sword will die by the sword. Don’t you know that I could call on my Father for help, and at once he would send me more than twelve armies of angels? But in that case, how could the Scriptures come true which say that this is what must happen?”
Then Jesus spoke to the crowd, “Did you have to come with swords and clubs to capture me, as though I were an outlaw? Every day I sat down and taught in the Temple, and you did not arrest me. But all this has happened in order to make come true what the prophets wrote in the Scriptures.”
Then they all forsook him and fled.
Say or sing
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.
Carry your lighted candle and cross to your prayer corner or a table in your living room and extinguish all other lights. You are then invited to spend a little time in silent prayer in the “Garden of the Watch” remembering Jesus in Gethsemane. Whenever feels right to you, you might end with the Lord’s Prayer.