Corpus Christi

wine-unleavened-bread

Invitation to  Worship

The Lamb of God is slain for us:

Come, let us follow him on the Way of the Cross

 

O Holy One,+ open my lips.

~And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

 

You have given them Bread from heaven

~Having all sweetness within it!

 

Hymn for Holy Thursday

The Word of God proceeding forth Yet leaving not his Abba’s side,

Went forth upon his work of love And labored there until he died.

 

His enemies were gathering; He was betrayed by one he loved.

Before he died he gave them food: His own most sacred flesh and blood.

 

He gave them there the living bread, He  let them drink the precious wine

To feed their bodies and their souls To walk in strength with love divine.

 

His human birth made us his friends At table he becomes our food.

He paid our ransom with his blood; He will himself be our reward.

 

O Saving Victim — Sacrifice, Who opened heaven’s gate for us.

Our fears press on from every side; Save us, Our Love, in you we trust!

 

Unending  glory be to you, Immortal Godhead One in Three,

May we who share this feast of love rejoice with you eternally.

Text: VERBUM SUPERNUM Thomas Aquinas, tr. SSSF (1965) alt.; Tune: GREATEST GUEST. L.M. Mode VIII

 

 

PSALMODY

Antiphon One

This day will be an everlasting memorial for you unto countless generations.

Psalm 83/84

How glorious is your dwelling place,

O Adonai Sabbaoth!

 

My soul longs, yes aches,

yearning for the courts of Adonai.

My body and soul ring out their joy

to the Living Heart of Love!

 

As the sparrow herself seeks a home

and the swallow a nest for her brood,

I am eager to rest near your altars,

Adonai Sabbaoth! My God and my Love!

 

To live in your presence is  joy,

to praise you and never stop.

Those you bless with strength and courage,

will bless you with grateful hearts.

 

When they cross the Valley of Thirst

they find the ground spaced with springs,

blessed with the rains of autumn.

They travel with growing excitement

to reach the God of  gods in Zion.

 

Hear me, Adonai Sabbaoth!

Heed me, O God of Jacob!

Turn your eyes, O God, our Shield,

behold the face of your anointed.

 

One day within your courts

is worth a thousand spent elsewhere!

I would rather stand outside your Gates

than dwell in splendor with the wicked.

 

God is our support and our shield,

the giver of grace and glory.

Adonai never fails to bless

those who walk with integrity.

 

How blest, Adonai Sabbaoth,

are all those who trust in you!

This day will be an everlasting memorial for you unto  countless generations..

 

Antiphon Two

With great longing I want to keep this Passover with you before I suffer.

Psalm 41/42

Like the deer that yearns

for running streams,

so my soul is yearning

for you, my God.

 

My soul is thirsting for God,

the God of my life;

when can I enter and see,

the face of God.

 

My tears have become my bread,

by night, by day,

as I hear it said all day long:

“Where is your God?”

 

Why are you cast down my soul,

why groan with- in me?

Hope in God and praise the Holy One:

my savior and my God.

 

Deep is calling on deep

in the roar of mighty waters;

your torrents and all your waves

have swept over me.

 

By day Adonai will send

com-passion and loving kindness;

by night I will sing a song of thanks;

praise the God of my life.

 

Why are you cast down my soul,

why groan with- in me?

Hope in God and praise the Holy One:

my savior and my God.

With great longing I want to keep this Passover with you before I suffer.

 

 

Antiphon Three

I will not drink of the fruit of  the vine again until I drink it in the reign of my Abba.

Psalm 147

O Praise Adonai,  Jerusalem,

Zion, praise the Holy One.

 

God’s-Love gives strength to the little ones,

And courage to face their fears.

Peace to be their sure refuge,

Golden wheat to share at the feast.

 

God’s-Word cuts through the resistance

That fosters greed and conceit;

Sends snow heavy as wool

And scatters frost like ashes;

 

Hurls down hail like crumbs,

Freezes the waters with Winter.

God’s-Word melts them with Spring,

God’s-Breath makes the waters flow.

 

The Word is written on our hearts

To guide us with wisdom and justice;

That together we may share with all people

God’s ways of justice and truth.

I will not drink of the fruit of  the vine again until I drink it in the reign of my Abba.

 

 

READING         Hebrews 2: 9-10

We see Jesus crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, that through God’s gracious will he might taste death for the sake of all humanity.  Indeed, it was fitting that when bringing many children to glory, God, for whom and through whom all things exist, should make their leader in the  work of salvation perfect through suffering.

 

Responsory

R. As for you, the blood will be a sign: when I see the blood I will pass over you.

V.  You were ransomed with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish; *when I see the blood I will pass over you.

 

 

Gospel Canticle

Antiphon

At the Passover meal, Jesus took bread,

and when he had said the blessing, he broke it and gave it to his disciples.

Canticle of Zachariah

Blessed + be Adonai, the God of Israel,

Who visits this people to set us free

Raising for us a sign of salvation

In the house and family of David.

 

God promised throughout past ages

In words of holy prophets

To save us from our enemies,

And from the control of our oppressors.

 

Adonai favored our ancestors

And remembered the sacred covenant.

The pledge to Abraham and Sarah

Is now renewed for us;

 

That freed from the grip of our foes

We might worship without fear

And be both just and holy

For the rest of our days.

 

And you, child, called “prophet of the Most High,”

Will go ahead to prepare the way,

By teaching this people of salvation

Through forgiveness of their sins.

 

For the loving compassion of the Holy One

As the Rising Sun will shine upon us

To illumine the darkness and dispel death’s shadow

To Guide our feet on the way of peace.

 

Glory to the One and to the Word

and to the Breath of Love;

As always before s

o now and evermore. Amen

At the Passover meal, Jesus took bread,

and when he had said the blessing, he broke it and gave it to his disciples.

.

 

SERVICE OF PRAYER

Litany of Intercession

You were anointed by the Spirit to proclaim liberty to all those in bondage to oppression and sin; ~ free us from all that keeps us from following you.

 

You went up to Jerusalem to suffer and enter into your glory,

~bring us all to the Passover feast  where humanity and the rest of Earthkind celebrate liberation.

 

You took up the unleavened bread of liberation, blessed God for it, broke it and gave it to your disciples as a sacrament of your self-giving life and love ~ may we who share this bread break ourselves in loving service.  

 

You were tortured, stripped, crucified and pierced with a soldier’s lance;

~heal our wounds and the wounds of all who are tortured by injustice and sin.

 

You forgave both the repentant thief and the unrepentant who condemned and nailed you to the cross; ~forgive us our sins and help us to forgive those who sin against us.

 

You made the cross into the tree of life,

~share its fruit with all those reborn in the Easter sacraments so they may share this fruit with a starving world.

 

 

Prayer of Jesus

Our Father…

 

Closing Prayer

Gracious God of infinite Compassion, you sent Jesus as an example of unselfish love whose way of life would free us from sin and whose way of dying would destroy the power of death.  May our celebration of these Three Holy Days enable us to enter more deeply into the Mystery of his suffering, death, and burial,  so that we may more fully experience the new life and joy of his resurrection, both here on earth and in heaven where you live and love, One God, forever and ever.  Amen

Blessing

May the God of Compassion + bless and guide us as we follow Jesus on the way of the cross.  ~Amen.

 

Let us bless the world with peace.    ~And give thanks to God.