Thursday 1 April 2021
Maundy Thursday
Vespers (Evening Prayer)
Introduction (without Invitatory)
If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, use the version with the Invitatory Psalm instead.
O God, come to our aid.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
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Hymn
O thou our reminder · of Christ crucified,
Living Bread, the life of · us for whom he died,
Lend this life to me then: feed and feast my mind,
There be thou the sweetness · man was meant to find.
Bring the tender tale true · of the Pelican;
Bathe me, Jesu Lord, in · what thy bosom ran –
Blood whereof a single · drop has power to win
All the world forgiveness · of its world of sin.
Jesu, whom I look at · shrouded here below,
I beseech thee send me · what I thirst for so,
Some day to gaze ón thee · face to face in light
And be blest for ever · with thy glory’s sight.
St Thomas Aquinas (tr. G.M. Hopkins)
________
Psalm 71 (72):1-11
The Messiah's royal power
“They opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh” (Mt 2:11).
Christ is the First-born from the dead, the Ruler of the kings of the earth. He has made us a kingdom for his God and Father.
O God, give your judgement to the king,
to a king’s son your justice,
that he may judge your people in justice
and your poor in right judgement.
May the mountains bring forth peace for the people
and the hills, justice.
May he defend the poor of the people
and save the children of the needy
and crush the oppressor.
He shall endure like the sun and the moon
from age to age.
He shall descend like rain on the meadow,
like raindrops on the earth.
In his days justice shall flourish
and peace till the moon fails.
He shall rule from sea to sea,
from the Great River to earth’s bounds.
Before him his enemies shall fall,
his foes lick the dust.
The kings of Tharsis and the sea coasts
shall pay him tribute.
The kings of Sheba and Seba
shall bring him gifts.
Before him all kings shall fall prostrate,
all nations shall serve him.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Christ is the First-born from the dead, the Ruler of the kings of the earth. He has made us a kingdom for his God and Father.
________
Psalm 71 (72):12-19
The Lord shall save the poor when they cry and the needy who are helpless.
For he shall save the poor when they cry
and the needy who are helpless.
He will have pity on the weak
and save the lives of the poor.
From oppression he will rescue their lives,
to him their blood is dear.
Long may he live,
may the gold of Sheba be given him.
They shall pray for him without ceasing
and bless him all the day.
May corn be abundant in the land
to the peaks of the mountains.
May its fruit rustle like Lebanon;
may men flourish in the cities
like grass on the earth.
May his name be blessed for ever
and endure like the sun.
Every tribe shall be blessed in him,
all nations bless his name.
Blessed be the Lord, God of Israel,
who alone works wonders,
ever blessed his glorious name.
Let his glory fill the earth.
Amen! Amen!
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
The Lord shall save the poor when they cry and the needy who are helpless.
Psalm-prayer
We call upon your name, Father, and pronounce it blessed above the earth. Give your people the fullness of peace and justice in your kingdom.
Or:
Almighty God, you gave the kingdom of justice and peace to David and his descendant, our Lord Jesus Christ. Extend this kingdom to every family of nations so that through your Son all men may obtain true peace, the poor receive justice, the destitute relief, and the people of earth find a blessing in his name.
________
Canticle
Apocalypse 11
The Judgement
The saints have triumphed by the sacrifice of the Lamb, and by the testimony which they uttered.
We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,
who are and who were,
that you have taken your great power
and begun to reign.
The nations raged,
but your wrath came,
and the time for the dead to be judged,
for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints,
and those who fear your name,
both small and great.
Now the salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God
and the authority of his Christ have come,
for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down,
who accuses them day and night before our God.
And they have conquered him
by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony,
for they loved not their lives even unto death.
Rejoice, then, O heaven,
and you that dwell therein.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
The saints have triumphed by the sacrifice of the Lamb, and by the testimony which they uttered.
________
Short Reading
Hebrews 13:12-15
Jesus suffered outside the gate to sanctify the people with his own blood. Let us go to him, then, ‘outside the camp’, and share his degradation. For there is no eternal city for us in this life but we look for one in the life to come. Through him, let us offer God an unending sacrifice of praise, a verbal sacrifice that is offered every time we acknowledge his name.
________
Short Responsory
Christ humbled himself for us and, in obedience, accepted death.
________
Canticle
Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
As they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had said the blessing he broke it and gave it to his disciples.
My soul glorifies the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.
He looks on his servant in her lowliness;
henceforth all ages will call me blessed.
The Almighty works marvels for me.
Holy his name!
His mercy is from age to age,
on those who fear him.
He puts forth his arm in strength
and scatters the proud-hearted.
He casts the mighty from their thrones
and raises the lowly.
He fills the starving with good things,
sends the rich away empty.
He protects Israel, his servant,
remembering his mercy,
the mercy promised to our fathers,
to Abraham and his sons for ever.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
As they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had said the blessing he broke it and gave it to his disciples.
________
Prayers and intercessions
Let us adore our Saviour, who at the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, entrusted to the Church the memorial of his death and resurrection to be celebrated throughout the ages. Confident that he will hear us, we pray:
– Sanctify the people whom you redeemed by your blood.
Christ, our Redeemer, let us share in your passion by works of penance;
let us attain the glory of your resurrection.
– Sanctify the people whom you redeemed by your blood.
Grant us the protection of your Mother, the comforter of the afflicted;
may we bring to others the consolation you have given us.
– Sanctify the people whom you redeemed by your blood.
Unite the faithful to your passion in times of trouble and distress;
let the power of your salvation shine forth in their lives.
– Sanctify the people whom you redeemed by your blood.
You humbled yourself even to accepting death, death on a cross;
grant to your servants obedience and patience.
– Sanctify the people whom you redeemed by your blood.
Share with the dead your bodily glory;
let us rejoice one day with them in the fellowship of the saints.
– Sanctify the people whom you redeemed by your blood.
________
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
________
Lord God,
since for your glory and our salvation
you willed Christ your Son to be the eternal High Priest,
grant that the people he gained for you by his blood
may be strengthened by his cross and resurrection
when they take part in his memorial sacrifice.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
________
The Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
Copyright © 1996-2021 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com. Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc, and used by permission of the publishers. Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). Used with permission of A.P. Watt Ltd. All rights reserved.