MAUNDY THURSDAY SERVICE
Worship
The Word Has Come Down
Six Midweek Monologues and Services for Lent
Object:
Opening Hymn
"O Jesus, I Have Promised" No. 503
Opening Litany
Isaiah 65:17-20, 24
Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered,
nor will they come to mind.
But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create,
for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy.
I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people;
the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more.
Before they call I will answer;
while they are still speaking I will hear.
The wolf and the lamb will feed together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
The First Reading
Exodus 12:1-14
Service of Public Confession and Absolution
Pastor: Today as we near the end of Lent's dark journey, the lengthening days have given us the time we need to look deeply into ourselves and in our deepest needs. As the days have warmed, we have felt the safety of God's loving embrace as we faced the reality of our sinful states. As we continue throughout our lives, to enter into God's grace, we are upheld by God's word of promise. We declare this to ourselves, to God, and to each other as we say the words that reveal our failing and declare our faith. Let us pray.
Left Side: When we fail to bring your love into consideration or when we slip into apathy or despair about the world.
Right side: When we fail to take strength and courage from the example of your Son.
Left Side: When by our inaction, we allow injustice, greed, selfishness, and even cruelty to go unchecked.
Right side: When by our inaction, we allow your truth to go unspoken and undefended, ignored, and mocked.
All: Though we are unworthy, Lord, forgive us.
Left Side: When with our apathy and despair, we fall into dangerous, abusive, and destructive habits,
Right side: or allow our hopelessness to turn into cynicism or the deadly desire for power, wealth, or other forms of earthly corruptible security.
All: Though we are unworthy, Lord, forgive us.
Left Side: When in our weakness and fear, we allow ourselves to be dragged down into a place in which we see no way to live that does not involve sinful behavior,
Right-side: and perhaps find our strength and our courage in sin instead of in your goodness.
All: Though we are unworthy, Lord, forgive us.
Left Side: When we find profane power and treacherous security in acts of injustice, greed, selfishness, and cruelty.
Right side: And allow others to pay the cost for that power and security
All: Though we are unworthy, Lord, forgive us.
Left Side: When we neglect the truth that your Son died to show us, when we abuse those who try to spread that truth with words and actions with our fearful doubt and our lack of support,
Right side: when we show the world how little your love really means to us.
All: Though we are unworthy, Lord, forgive us.
We stand before you, dear Lord, knowing that you have already forgiven us. Help us to listen as you speak your word of acceptance, your word of mercy, and your word of redemption.
All: In the name of your Son we pray. Amen.
The Gospel Verse
Pastor: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal."
Congregation: For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The Gospel Lesson
Matthew 26:17-29
Primitive Hymn by Isaac Watts sung to "New Britain" tune of "Amazing Grace"
When I can read my title clear
To mansions in the skies,
I bid farewell to every fear,
And wipe my weeping eyes.
Should earth against my soul engage,
And hellish darts be hurled,
Then I can smile at Satan's rage,
And face a frowning world.
Let cares, like a wild deluge come,
And storms of sorrow fall!
May I but safely reach my home,
My God, my heav'n, my All.
There shall I bathe my weary soul
In seas of heav'nly rest,
And not a wave of trouble roll,
Across my peaceful breast.
Homily
Everyone who has ever gone out of their way to try to do something special for a family member, friend, or coworker knows the disappointment and perhaps even heartbreak that follows when that special effort is not appreciated. Every responsible teacher knows the frustration of working very hard at a lesson plan only to have his or her students roll their eyes and ignore them. Every employee who as ever gone the extra mile to earn their boss' respect knows the irritation of being taken for granted.
Now, as mature adults, we know that disappointment, frustration, and irritation are a part of the life of the individual who takes their relationship with the rest of the world seriously. As hard as we try, there will always be people around who don't show their appreciation and, once in a while, everyone forgets to do, say, or notice the right thing and people's feelings get hurt. It may seem to the Christian that they are more on the receiving end of this sort of behavior than anyone else. Now the Bible never tells us the way to avoid being disappointed, frustrated, or irritated by life and the people around us. In fact, our Lord makes it clear that he expects such experiences.
The Bible does, however, give us a way to place these feelings in perspective. These words are in our gospel lesson for this evening. Our Lord gave his flesh for us, for the world, a world that did not appreciate his sacrifice, in fact, reviled it. Even his own people, those who cling to the salvation made possible by our Lord' sacrifice, routinely take it for granted. But in so doing, he did not just risk being disappointed, frustrated, or irritated. He didn't risk at all. The sacrifice of his flesh was a sure thing.
But, still, his sacrifice was extreme. All of the sacrifices that we make for each other and for the world cannot help us to see what our Lord's sacrifice felt like. We could never suffer as much as he did because we could never have given up as much as he did. Not only did he give us his flesh. Who knows how many people have given up their lives for the people and the ideas that they loved? But it was not just this life that he gave up. He had given up his life in heaven to live among us and by taking on this life, his precious flesh became the bread of heaven. This bread of heaven fuels us for eternal life. Unless we take that bread, unless we allow our Lord's sacrifice into our lives, there is nothing else that can fuel us for eternity. Nothing.
Many people view the film Cool Hand Luke as a modern-day story of Christ. Nothing could be further from the truth. Even though the character tries to do what is right for the people around him, eventually, he fails. Cool Hand Luke is on a southern chain gang. The prison is run by a pompous warden assisted by a menacing captain who never speaks and whose expressions are hidden by a pair of mirrored sunglasses. The inmates suffer at the hands of these two men until Cool Hand Luke arrives as an inmate. Luke defies the guards and their inhumanity in many unique ways. He gives life and hope to the inmates, and they all live vicariously through him. But every man has his breaking point and finally even Luke is broken. Luke is stretched out on a table with arms out to his sides as other inmates gather around after a severe beating. They try to lift his spirits by encouraging him to fight back, fight back for their sakes. At that point Luke cries out, "Quit feeding off me," and then passes out because of his wounds.
We cannot feed off other human beings, but we can feed off the one who is the bread of life. He is the only one who can feed us now and eternally. The reason Luke failed was that he was not focusing on the only one who could give him the strength he needed to continue to do what was right. Rather than being a modern-day depiction of the story of the life of Christ, Cool Hand Luke is the story of a man who is faced with and defeated by the disappointment, frustration, and irritation this life brings with it.
By welcoming into our lives the one who can feed us now and eternally, we can accept and even disregard the disappointment, frustration, and irritation that so often accompanies Christian life. When we feel that the world does not appreciate what we have to give them, we are right. But that doesn't mean we should stop sharing what we have.
Have you ever noticed someone with some really good news? Very often, they tell everyone who will listen. How often are they convinced to stop sharing the good news simply because the people they are telling are not listening. Eventually, it happens, but in most cases, it takes a while. Our news is too good not to share.
And our Lord died so that it would be ours to share. Mother Cabrini, the first American citizen to be canonized, after whom the once hopeful and now infamous Cabrini Green Neighborhood in Chicago is named, was the youngest of thirteen children, born to a family in northern Italy. Her parents died when she was two. And at the age of eight she announced, "I am going to be a missionary to China when I grow up." Her brothers and sisters laughed at her. "You can't be a missionary," they said. "The church only uses men, not women. Anyway, you are too sickly." But she was determined, and when she finished her formal education, which would have qualified her to become a teacher in an order, the Catholic church refused to take her. "You are too weak," they said. And she was. She didn't even weigh a hundred pounds, and she spit blood all the time. But her strong will overcompensated for her weak body. "I'll take my case to the Pope," she declared. "Sister Cabrini," The Pope's voice was firm as he looked down on this frail, determined nun, "the church does not send women to be missionaries to China or any place." "Then, Holy Father," she responded, "I shall start an order for women only." "Agreed," the Pope returned, "providing you will go as a missionary to Italians in New York City."
Sister Frances Cabrini accepted the compromise. For months she waited on Ellis Island, still spitting blood. Finally, frustrated with the senseless delay, she appealed to the hierarchy of the Catholic church in New York. "Frankly, Sister," she was told, "you're too sickly. Go home!" Righteously indignant, she stamped her foot and rebuked the Archbishop. "Sir, I will not go home. I am at home here now." With that, the Archbishop gave in and let her stay.
Few people today know what New York was like at the turn of the century. Poor and homeless immigrants were wandering lonely, unloved, and lost in a new land. To them came this angel from God, and by 1916, through her beautiful love, over sixty houses had been founded, providing homes for the orphans and hospitals for the sick and the dying. We can share our good news by letting people know why we are willing to continue to be generous, open, and loving to people who neither appreciate it nor understand it. We know that our Lord died so that we could live a life free from fear, embraced in love, and sharing the news of our Lord's sacrifice.
The Offering
The Prayers of the People
Psalm 22
The Word of Institution
The Lord's Prayer
Post Communion Prayer
Pastor: We give you thanks Lord that you have welcomed us, unworthy as we are into your presence. Fill us with gratitude born of the knowledge of your Son's sacrifice and send us forth to understand the freedom and joy this sacrifice can mean.
Congregation: Amen.
Closing Hymn
"Were You There?" No. 92, vv. 1-3
The congregation will leave in silence.
"O Jesus, I Have Promised" No. 503
Opening Litany
Isaiah 65:17-20, 24
Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered,
nor will they come to mind.
But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create,
for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy.
I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people;
the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more.
Before they call I will answer;
while they are still speaking I will hear.
The wolf and the lamb will feed together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
The First Reading
Exodus 12:1-14
Service of Public Confession and Absolution
Pastor: Today as we near the end of Lent's dark journey, the lengthening days have given us the time we need to look deeply into ourselves and in our deepest needs. As the days have warmed, we have felt the safety of God's loving embrace as we faced the reality of our sinful states. As we continue throughout our lives, to enter into God's grace, we are upheld by God's word of promise. We declare this to ourselves, to God, and to each other as we say the words that reveal our failing and declare our faith. Let us pray.
Left Side: When we fail to bring your love into consideration or when we slip into apathy or despair about the world.
Right side: When we fail to take strength and courage from the example of your Son.
Left Side: When by our inaction, we allow injustice, greed, selfishness, and even cruelty to go unchecked.
Right side: When by our inaction, we allow your truth to go unspoken and undefended, ignored, and mocked.
All: Though we are unworthy, Lord, forgive us.
Left Side: When with our apathy and despair, we fall into dangerous, abusive, and destructive habits,
Right side: or allow our hopelessness to turn into cynicism or the deadly desire for power, wealth, or other forms of earthly corruptible security.
All: Though we are unworthy, Lord, forgive us.
Left Side: When in our weakness and fear, we allow ourselves to be dragged down into a place in which we see no way to live that does not involve sinful behavior,
Right-side: and perhaps find our strength and our courage in sin instead of in your goodness.
All: Though we are unworthy, Lord, forgive us.
Left Side: When we find profane power and treacherous security in acts of injustice, greed, selfishness, and cruelty.
Right side: And allow others to pay the cost for that power and security
All: Though we are unworthy, Lord, forgive us.
Left Side: When we neglect the truth that your Son died to show us, when we abuse those who try to spread that truth with words and actions with our fearful doubt and our lack of support,
Right side: when we show the world how little your love really means to us.
All: Though we are unworthy, Lord, forgive us.
We stand before you, dear Lord, knowing that you have already forgiven us. Help us to listen as you speak your word of acceptance, your word of mercy, and your word of redemption.
All: In the name of your Son we pray. Amen.
The Gospel Verse
Pastor: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal."
Congregation: For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The Gospel Lesson
Matthew 26:17-29
Primitive Hymn by Isaac Watts sung to "New Britain" tune of "Amazing Grace"
When I can read my title clear
To mansions in the skies,
I bid farewell to every fear,
And wipe my weeping eyes.
Should earth against my soul engage,
And hellish darts be hurled,
Then I can smile at Satan's rage,
And face a frowning world.
Let cares, like a wild deluge come,
And storms of sorrow fall!
May I but safely reach my home,
My God, my heav'n, my All.
There shall I bathe my weary soul
In seas of heav'nly rest,
And not a wave of trouble roll,
Across my peaceful breast.
Homily
Everyone who has ever gone out of their way to try to do something special for a family member, friend, or coworker knows the disappointment and perhaps even heartbreak that follows when that special effort is not appreciated. Every responsible teacher knows the frustration of working very hard at a lesson plan only to have his or her students roll their eyes and ignore them. Every employee who as ever gone the extra mile to earn their boss' respect knows the irritation of being taken for granted.
Now, as mature adults, we know that disappointment, frustration, and irritation are a part of the life of the individual who takes their relationship with the rest of the world seriously. As hard as we try, there will always be people around who don't show their appreciation and, once in a while, everyone forgets to do, say, or notice the right thing and people's feelings get hurt. It may seem to the Christian that they are more on the receiving end of this sort of behavior than anyone else. Now the Bible never tells us the way to avoid being disappointed, frustrated, or irritated by life and the people around us. In fact, our Lord makes it clear that he expects such experiences.
The Bible does, however, give us a way to place these feelings in perspective. These words are in our gospel lesson for this evening. Our Lord gave his flesh for us, for the world, a world that did not appreciate his sacrifice, in fact, reviled it. Even his own people, those who cling to the salvation made possible by our Lord' sacrifice, routinely take it for granted. But in so doing, he did not just risk being disappointed, frustrated, or irritated. He didn't risk at all. The sacrifice of his flesh was a sure thing.
But, still, his sacrifice was extreme. All of the sacrifices that we make for each other and for the world cannot help us to see what our Lord's sacrifice felt like. We could never suffer as much as he did because we could never have given up as much as he did. Not only did he give us his flesh. Who knows how many people have given up their lives for the people and the ideas that they loved? But it was not just this life that he gave up. He had given up his life in heaven to live among us and by taking on this life, his precious flesh became the bread of heaven. This bread of heaven fuels us for eternal life. Unless we take that bread, unless we allow our Lord's sacrifice into our lives, there is nothing else that can fuel us for eternity. Nothing.
Many people view the film Cool Hand Luke as a modern-day story of Christ. Nothing could be further from the truth. Even though the character tries to do what is right for the people around him, eventually, he fails. Cool Hand Luke is on a southern chain gang. The prison is run by a pompous warden assisted by a menacing captain who never speaks and whose expressions are hidden by a pair of mirrored sunglasses. The inmates suffer at the hands of these two men until Cool Hand Luke arrives as an inmate. Luke defies the guards and their inhumanity in many unique ways. He gives life and hope to the inmates, and they all live vicariously through him. But every man has his breaking point and finally even Luke is broken. Luke is stretched out on a table with arms out to his sides as other inmates gather around after a severe beating. They try to lift his spirits by encouraging him to fight back, fight back for their sakes. At that point Luke cries out, "Quit feeding off me," and then passes out because of his wounds.
We cannot feed off other human beings, but we can feed off the one who is the bread of life. He is the only one who can feed us now and eternally. The reason Luke failed was that he was not focusing on the only one who could give him the strength he needed to continue to do what was right. Rather than being a modern-day depiction of the story of the life of Christ, Cool Hand Luke is the story of a man who is faced with and defeated by the disappointment, frustration, and irritation this life brings with it.
By welcoming into our lives the one who can feed us now and eternally, we can accept and even disregard the disappointment, frustration, and irritation that so often accompanies Christian life. When we feel that the world does not appreciate what we have to give them, we are right. But that doesn't mean we should stop sharing what we have.
Have you ever noticed someone with some really good news? Very often, they tell everyone who will listen. How often are they convinced to stop sharing the good news simply because the people they are telling are not listening. Eventually, it happens, but in most cases, it takes a while. Our news is too good not to share.
And our Lord died so that it would be ours to share. Mother Cabrini, the first American citizen to be canonized, after whom the once hopeful and now infamous Cabrini Green Neighborhood in Chicago is named, was the youngest of thirteen children, born to a family in northern Italy. Her parents died when she was two. And at the age of eight she announced, "I am going to be a missionary to China when I grow up." Her brothers and sisters laughed at her. "You can't be a missionary," they said. "The church only uses men, not women. Anyway, you are too sickly." But she was determined, and when she finished her formal education, which would have qualified her to become a teacher in an order, the Catholic church refused to take her. "You are too weak," they said. And she was. She didn't even weigh a hundred pounds, and she spit blood all the time. But her strong will overcompensated for her weak body. "I'll take my case to the Pope," she declared. "Sister Cabrini," The Pope's voice was firm as he looked down on this frail, determined nun, "the church does not send women to be missionaries to China or any place." "Then, Holy Father," she responded, "I shall start an order for women only." "Agreed," the Pope returned, "providing you will go as a missionary to Italians in New York City."
Sister Frances Cabrini accepted the compromise. For months she waited on Ellis Island, still spitting blood. Finally, frustrated with the senseless delay, she appealed to the hierarchy of the Catholic church in New York. "Frankly, Sister," she was told, "you're too sickly. Go home!" Righteously indignant, she stamped her foot and rebuked the Archbishop. "Sir, I will not go home. I am at home here now." With that, the Archbishop gave in and let her stay.
Few people today know what New York was like at the turn of the century. Poor and homeless immigrants were wandering lonely, unloved, and lost in a new land. To them came this angel from God, and by 1916, through her beautiful love, over sixty houses had been founded, providing homes for the orphans and hospitals for the sick and the dying. We can share our good news by letting people know why we are willing to continue to be generous, open, and loving to people who neither appreciate it nor understand it. We know that our Lord died so that we could live a life free from fear, embraced in love, and sharing the news of our Lord's sacrifice.
The Offering
The Prayers of the People
Psalm 22
The Word of Institution
The Lord's Prayer
Post Communion Prayer
Pastor: We give you thanks Lord that you have welcomed us, unworthy as we are into your presence. Fill us with gratitude born of the knowledge of your Son's sacrifice and send us forth to understand the freedom and joy this sacrifice can mean.
Congregation: Amen.
Closing Hymn
"Were You There?" No. 92, vv. 1-3
The congregation will leave in silence.
