Maundy Thursday Vespers
O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, unto the ages of ages. Amen
Hymn
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.
See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
Opening Sentence
Therefore Jesus also suffered outside the city gate in order to sanctify the people by his own blood. Let us then go to him outside the camp and bear the abuse he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we are looking for the city that is to come. Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. - Hebrews 13:12-15
Examination of Conscience and Confession of Sin
Psalm 51
Invitatory. Christ suffered and died for us. Come, let us adore him.
1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your loving-kindness;*
in your great compassion blot out my offences.
2 Wash me through and through from my wickedness*
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions,*
and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you only have I sinned*
and done what is evil in your sight.
5 And so you are justified when you speak*
and upright in your judgement.
[6 Indeed, I have been wicked from my birth,*
a sinner from my mother's womb.
7 For behold, you look for truth deep within me,*
and will make me understand wisdom secretly.
8 Purge me from my sin and I shall be pure;*
wash me and I shall be clean indeed.
9 Make me hear of joy and gladness,*
that the body you have broken may rejoice.
10 Hide your face from my sins*
and blot out all my iniquities.]
11 Create in me a clean heart, O God,*
and renew a right spirit within me.
12 Cast me not away from your presence*
and take not your holy Spirit from me.
13 Give me the joy of your saving help again*
and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit.
14 I shall teach your ways to the wicked,*
and sinners shall return to you.
15 Deliver me from death, O God,*
and my tongue shall sing of your righteousness,
O God of my salvation.
16 Open my lips, O Lord,*
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
17 Had you desired it, I would have offered sacrifice,*
but you take no delight in burnt-offerings.
18 The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit;*
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Invitatory. Christ suffered and died for us. Come, let us adore him.
Psalms
142 Voce mea ad Domine
I cry to the Lord with my voice; *
to the Lord I make loud supplication.
I pour out my complaint before him *
and tell him all my trouble.
When my spirit languishes within me, you know my path; *
in the way wherein I walk they have hidden a trap for me.
I look to my right hand and find no one who knows me; *
I have no place to flee to, and no one cares for me.
I cry out to you, O Lord; *
I say, "You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living."
Listen to my cry for help, for I have been brought very low; *
save me from those who pursue me,
for they are too strong for me.
Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your Name; *
when you have dealt bountifully with me,
the righteous will gather around me.
143 Domine, exaudi
Lord, hear my prayer,
and in your faithfulness heed my supplications; *
answer me in your righteousness.
Enter not into judgment with your servant, *
for in your sight shall no one living be justified.
For my enemy has sought my life;
he has crushed me to the ground; *
he has made me live in dark places like those who
long dead.
My spirit faints within me; *
my heart within me is desolate.
I remember the time past;
I muse upon all your deeds; *
I consider the works of your hands.
I spread out my hands to you; *
my soul gasps to you like a thirsty land.
O Lord, make haste to answer me; my spirit fails me; *
do not hide your face from me
or I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.
Let me hear of your loving-kindness in the morning,
for I put my trust in you; *
show me the road that I must walk,
for I lift up my soul to you.
Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord, *
for I flee to you for refuge.
Teach me to do what pleases you, for you are my God; *
let your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
Revive me, O Lord, for your Name's sake; *
for your righteousness' sake, bring me out of trouble.
Of your goodness, destroy my enemies
and bring all my foes to naught, *
for truly I am your servant.
First Reading
1 Cor. 10:14-17, 11:27-32
Therefore, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols. I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be answerable for the body and blood of the Lord. Examine yourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For all who eat and drink without discerning the body, eat and drink judgement against themselves. For this reason many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.
Canticle
Many waters cannot quench love;*
neither can the floods drown it.
1 Set me as a seal upon your heart,*
as a seal upon your arm;
2 For love is strong as death
passion fierce as the grave;*
its flashes are flashes of fire,
a raging flame.
3 Many waters cannot quench love,*
neither can the floods drown it.
4 If all the wealth of our house
were offered for love,*
it would be utterly scorned.
Glory . . . Song of Songs 8:7-8
Many waters cannot quench love;*
neither can the floods drown it.
Second Reading
Mark 14:12-25
On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, his disciples said to him, ‘Where do you want us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?’ So he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, ‘Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him, and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, “The Teacher asks, Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?” He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.’ So the disciples set out and went to the city, and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.
When it was evening, he came with the twelve. And when they had taken their places and were eating, Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.’ They began to be distressed and to say to him one after another, ‘Surely, not I?’ He said to them, ‘It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the bowl with me. For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.’
While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, ‘Take; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. He said to them, ‘This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.’
Antiphon: For our sake, Christ was obedient, accepting even death.
Magnificat
Antiphon: For our sake, Christ was obedient, accepting even death.
Collects and Prayers
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.