April 8 ] Wednesday

Rituals & Customs HOLY THURSDAY

Originally, no Eucharist was celebrated during the week before Easter, but by the fourth century some areas began to celebrate Jesus’ Last Supper on Thursday with a Cena Domini (Supper of the Lord). During the , Christians rang bells throughout the service, then silenced all bells until Easter. Today, bells are often rung during the Glory to God on Holy Thursday (and again on Easter). Reconciliation of Penitents was another rite associated with Holy Thursday. The day was also known as “Maundy” Thursday, which comes from the Latin mandatum (com- mandment), referring to Jesus’ commandment to “love one another.” Foot-washing, according to Jesus’ example, symbolized this love and service. Jesus’ giving of himself as food and drink as well as the washing of feet point us to our serving ministries in the Church and in the world.

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Today in Focus APRIL 9 » HOLY THURSDAY: MASS OF THE LORD’S SUPPER Follow Jesus’ example

In a gesture pregnant with meaning just before the highly significant Passover meal, Jesus totally disrupted the traditional expectations of his time and culture. He stunned his disciples by insisting on serving them in the most deferential of ways: washing their feet. This deepest measure of service for others is how we must also prepare ourselves for the Easter . Pope Francis has understood Jesus’ message. The Supreme Pontiff shocked the world by visiting a Roman jail on this high feast day. He then kissed the feet of young prisoners. He bent the liturgical arc of this teaching moment precisely by washing the feet of those who were never previously included in such ceremonies: two women and several Muslims. Who are those who feel most excluded in the Church by our cultural traditions, our religious , and our beliefs? Whom should we kneel before and try to heal on this Holy Thursday? The acquaintance struggling with addictions? The young woman considering not bringing her pregnancy to term? The older person in pain? I wonder if such a sinner as I could follow Jesus’ example and make my Easter practice the inclusion and service of the individuals most in need in my society. ] joe gunn

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THURSDAY grant, we pray, APRIL 9 that we may draw HOLY THURSDAY: from so great a mystery, MASS OF THE LORD’S SUPPER the fullness of charity and of life. ENTRANCE ANTIPHON Through our Lord Jesus (Cf. Galatians 6:14) Christ, your Son, We should glory in the Cross who lives and reigns with of our Lord Jesus Christ, in you in the unity of the whom is our salvation, life , and resurrection, through one God, for ever and ever. whom we are saved and Amen. delivered. FIRST READING (Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14) INTRODUCTORY RITES (page 22) The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, COLLECT “This month shall stand at O God, who have called us the head of your calendar; you to participate shall reckon it the first month in this most sacred Supper, of the year. Tell the whole in which your Only community of Israel: On the Begotten Son, tenth of this month every one when about to hand himself of your families must procure over to death, for itself a lamb, one apiece entrusted to the Church for each household. If a fam- a sacrifice new for all ily is too small for a whole eternity, lamb, it shall join the nearest the banquet of his love, household in procuring one livingwithchrist.us LIVING WITH CHRIST 89 Holy Thursday: mass of the lord’s supper and shall share in the lamb of the land, both man and in proportion to the number beast, and executing judgment of persons who partake of it. on all the gods of Egypt— The lamb must be a year-old I, the Lord! But the blood male and without blemish. will mark the houses where You may take it from either you are. Seeing the blood, I the sheep or the goats. You will pass over you; thus, when shall keep it until the four- I strike the land of Egypt, no teenth day of this month, and destructive blow will come then, with the whole assem- upon you. bly of Israel present, it shall be “This day shall be a memo- slaughtered during the eve- rial feast for you, which all your ning twilight. They shall take generations shall celebrate some of its blood and apply it with pilgrimage to the Lord, to the two doorposts and the as a perpetual institution.” lintel of every house in which The word of the Lord. they partake of the lamb. That Thanks be to God. same night they shall eat its roasted flesh with unleavened RESPONSORIAL PSALM bread and bitter herbs. (Psalm 116:12-13, 15-16bc, 17-18) “This is how you are to eat it: r∙ Our blessing-cup is a with your loins girt, sandals on communion with the your feet and your staff in hand, Blood of Christ. you shall eat like those who How shall I make a return are in flight. It is the Passover to the Lord of the Lord. For on this same for all the good he has night I will go through Egypt, done for me? striking down every firstborn The cup of salvation

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I will take up, broke it and said, “This is my and I will call upon the body that is for you. Do this name of the Lord. r∙ in remembrance of me.” In the Precious in the eyes same way also the cup, after of the Lord supper, saying, “This cup is the is the death of his new covenant in my blood. faithful ones. Do this, as often as you drink I am your servant, the son it, in remembrance of me.” For of your handmaid; as often as you eat this bread you have loosed and drink the cup, you pro- my bonds. r∙ claim the death of the Lord To you will I offer sacrifice until he comes. of thanksgiving, The word of the Lord. and I will call upon the Thanks be to God. name of the Lord. My vows to the Lord VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL I will pay (John 13:34) in the presence of all Glory and praise to you, Lord his people. r∙ Jesus Christ! I give you a new commandment, says the Lord: SECOND READING love one another as I have (1 Corinthians 11:23-26) loved you. Glory and praise to Brothers and sisters: I received you, Lord Jesus Christ! from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the GOSPEL (John 13:1-15) Lord Jesus, on the night he A reading from the holy was handed over, took bread, Gospel according to John. and, after he had given thanks, Glory to you, O Lord. livingwithchrist.us LIVING WITH CHRIST 91 Holy Thursday: mass of the lord’s supper

efore the feast of later.” Peter said to him, “You Passover, Jesus knew will never wash my feet.” Jesus Bthat his hour had come answered him, “Unless I wash to pass from this world to the you, you will have no inheri- Father. He loved his own in the tance with me.” Simon Peter world and he loved them to said to him, “Master, then not the end. The devil had already only my feet, but my hands induced Judas, son of Simon and head as well.” Jesus said the Iscariot, to hand him over. to him, “Whoever has bathed So, during supper, fully aware has no need except to have his that the Father had put every- feet washed, for he is clean all thing into his power and that over; so you are clean, but not he had come from God and all.” For he knew who would was returning to God, he rose betray him; for this reason, he from supper and took off said, “Not all of you are clean.” his outer garments. He took So when he had washed a towel and tied it around their feet and put his garments his waist. Then he poured back on and reclined at table water into a basin and began again, he said to them, “Do to wash the disciples’ feet you realize what I have done and dry them with the towel for you? You call me ‘teacher’ around his waist. He came and ‘master,’ and rightly so, to Simon Peter, who said to for indeed I am. If I, therefore, him, “Master, are you going to the master and teacher, have wash my feet?” Jesus answered washed your feet, you ought to and said to him, “What I am wash one another’s feet. I have doing, you do not understand given you a model to follow, now, but you will understand so that as I have done for you,

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you should also do.” COMMUNION ANTIPHON The Gospel of the Lord. (1 Corinthians 11:24-25) Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. This is the Body that will be given up for you; this is the THE WASHING OF THE FEET Chalice of the new covenant During the washing of the feet, in my Blood, says the Lord; the assembly may sing an do this, whenever you receive appropriate song. it, in memory of me.

PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION Grant, almighty God, PREPARATION OF GIFTS (page 27) that, just as we are renewed by the Supper of your Son in PRAYER OVER THE OFFERINGS this present age, Grant us, O Lord, we pray, so we may enjoy his banquet that we may participate for all eternity. worthily in these mysteries, Who lives and reigns for whenever the memorial for ever and ever. Amen. of this sacrifice is celebrated TRANSFER OF THE MOST the work of our redemption BLESSED SACRAMENT is accomplished. The consecrated eucharistic bread Through Christ our Lord. is carried through the church to the Amen. place of reposition, while the (stanzas 1-4) or PREFACE another eucharistic song is sung. When (Most Holy Eucharist I, page 28) the procession reaches the place of reposition, the celebrant incenses the

livingwithchrist.us LIVING WITH CHRIST 93 Holy Thursday: mass of the lord’s supper eucharistic bread, while Tantum Ergo 2. To the Virgin, for our (Pange Lingua, stanzas 5-6) is sung. healing, The tabernacle of repose is then closed. His own Son the Father After a few moments of silent sends; adoration, the priests and ministers From the Father’s of the altar leave. The faithful are love proceeding encouraged to continue adoration Sower, seed and word before the Blessed Sacrament for a descends; suitable period of time through the Wondrous life of Word evening and night. There should be no incarnate solemn adoration after midnight. With his greatest wonder ends. HYMN: PANGE LINGUA (SING, MY TONGUE) 3. On that paschal evening Text: Pange Lingua, , see him 1227-74; translation: James Quinn, With the chosen twelve SJ, b. 1919. Used by permission of recline, Geoffrey Chapman. A Division of To the old law still Cassell PLC, London, England. obedient In its feast of love divine; 1. Sing, my tongue, Love divine, the new law the ageless story giving, as the cross is lifted high! Gives himself as Bread Tell how Christ our Savior and Wine. conquered, when for us he came to die 4. By his word the Word as a victim in the battle, almighty death’s dominion to belie. Makes of bread his flesh

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indeed; 6. Glory be to , Wine becomes his very Praise to his co-equal Son, life-blood; Adoration to the Spirit, Faith God’s living Word Bond of love in God-head must heed! one! Faith alone may safely Blest be God by all guide us creation Where the senses cannot Joyously while ages run! lead! Amen.

TANTUM ERGO (English) TANTUM ERGO (Latin) 5. Come, adore this 5. Tantum ergo Sacramentum wondrous presence; Veneremur cernui, Bow to Christ, the source Et antiquum documentum of grace! Novo cedat ritui; Here is kept the ancient Praestet fides supplementum, promise Sensuum defectui. Of God’s earthly dwelling place! 6. Genitori Genitoque Sight is blind before Laus et jubilatio, God’s glory, Salus, honor, virtus quoque Faith alone may see Sit et benedictio: God’s face. Procedenti ab utroque Compar sit laudatio. Amen.

livingwithchrist.us LIVING WITH CHRIST 95 Responding in Prayer R holy thursdayr

God tells the Israelites to make their family meal holy. X How might I make my household meals more holy?

At the Eucharist, we remember Christ’s powerful presence that is always transforming us. X How might I express my gratitude to Christ for what he has done for me?

The disciples are told to imitate Jesus’ service in relation to one another. X Who most needs my help today?

In the Collect, we pray that we may draw from the Eucharist “the fullness of charity and of life.” X How does participating in Eucharist affect the way I live?

96 HOLY WEEK 2020 livingwithchrist.us