Maundy Thursday: I Thirst
Look: Tabernacle (detail), Denise Kufus Weyhrich - Source
Listen*: Drunkard's Prayer, Over the Rhine - Lyrics | Spotify | YouTube
Read**: Psalm 102; Lamentations 2:10-18; 1 Corinthians 10:14-17, 11:27-32; Mark 14:12-25
Excerpts:
Pray: Book of Common Prayer, Collect for Maundy Thursday
Almighty Father, whose dear Son, on the night before he suffered, instituted the Sacrament of his Body and Blood: Mercifully grant that we may receive it thankfully in remembrance of Jesus Christ our Lord, who in these holy mysteries gives us a pledge of eternal life; and who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Do: Read two reflections on "I Thirst": Kirstin Dowsett (2019) and Brett Alan Dewing (2018).
For a variety of reasons, I'm shifting the typical direction of our Retrieve Lament series this year. I'll be sharing a combination of new posts and posts from the archives with some opportunities for live conversation and prayer in the mix. Don't miss the details below to listen to the conversation about grief and lament Brian and I hosted yesterday.
Jesus gave us a litany of last words as a Sufferer; we refer to them as the Seven Last Words of Christ. The deathbed words of the Suffering Servant provide a framework for the stories of lament I'll be sharing here this Holy Week.
Would you read the stories with me, and listen with an open, prayerful heart?
Oh, friends. What a gift it's been to spend time in conversation over the past three days. Thank you to those of you who joined us live and those who've watched the recordings and shared your experience after the fact. Thank you especially to Kirstin and Drake Dowsett for sharing updates and for inviting our questions and observations on Wednesday afternoon. You can watch the recorded conversation here.
Please continue to feel free to share what your noticing and experiencing about grief in these days.
Also, if your church isn't live streaming a Maundy Thursday service tonight, feel free to join ours. Join Church of the Apostles CT at our Facebook page at 7 pm (Eastern Time). This service is especially meaningful because time will be set aside for foot washing.
You'll find a link for the liturgy we'll be using posted on the Facebook page. Set up a foot-washing basin with towels in your home before the service. As the music plays and we contemplate our Lord’s service and sacrifice, wash one another’s feet or, if you are celebrating alone, wash your own feet in the confidence that Jesus is near and serving us all in abundant love.
As always, feel free to let me know if you have any questions!
* Listen to my entire playlist on Spotify - Lent: Holy Week. Add it to your account by clicking ‘Save to My Library.’
** Sunday Scripture readings are taken from the Revised Common Lectionary (Year A). Daily Scripture readings are taken from the Book of Common Prayer (Year 2).